Shop Made Tools

[Black_Moons]

Long loose sleeve I might add..
Iv allways wondered, are there 'lathe' vests with tearaway sleaves?
Like the front of the sleeve held on by velcro so it would rip away easily if it ever got caught.

That said.. Im guilty of wearing a long sleeve jacket at the lathe when doing high surface speed steel turning (Aka: scalding hot chips everywhere).. But it has buttons at the end of the sleeve to keep it tight to my wrist, and I allways stay well away from the rotating parts. I don't even brush my tool off while the work is spining. latheaccident.jpg keeps me safe and aware. Never forget latheaccident.jpg, that was a true tragity. (Do not search filename unless you wanna see something akin to lathe used as a meat grinder)

[oldtiffie]

Back to topic

"Accidents" and similar are side or non-issues and are a hi-jack/OT as regards the topic of this thread - and should be the subjects/ of seperate thread/s.

"Shop made tools" - the topic of this thread - has been stuck to remarkably well thus far.

So, let's keep the "on topic" and "purity levels" up and just stick to "shop made tools" as a lot of people - me, very much included - are getting a lot of value out of/from it.

I am sure - certainly hope so - that there is more "shop made tool" "mileage" in this thread yet.

[HTRN]

I like that trick slot for the jaw hold-down bolts. That's easier to make than the "quick change" kits for Kurt type vises, that use T-slots.

I knew I'd seen that somewhere before - Pierson Workholding will email you a PDF of a dimensioned drawing(they call it the "smart jaw") if you enter your email address.. Linky for those who are interested.


HTRN

[gary hart]

A friend cut these V blocks out using wire EDM and gave them to me.
I made the clamps, a little big and clumsy looking, me thinks.



Repousse is the shaping of metal by hammering on the backside. It can be done on a lead block or end grain of a wood block. A pitch bowl works better. Easy to make tools, a welded up pan and some pitch from

http://www.northwestpitchworks.com/

The brass examples below are showing the work from the front side not the hammered side.



Rounded edge chisels for straight lines are easy to make free hand.
Radius tools are easy to make on lathe and just cut the part of circle wanted and attach a handle



Keller Pin Riveter converted to power engraver. The pin riveter has a female 10-32 thread so making tools by silver brazing a 10-32 thread to 1/8" lathe bits.

[Your Old Dog]

Gary, your scroll looks darn good considering what you're using. You could easily pick up the hammer and chisel very easily if you wanted to.

I used S5 shock resisting tool steel purchased in .250 round stock to make my chisels. It heat treats easily with propane torch and 10wt oil. You only need to harden the tip or business end. Made them about 7-8" long. If you haven't been trying a chasing hammer you should. Just hold the chisel so your thumb is near the hammer end and you can rotate/steer the chisel. You look like a natural to me.

Have you figured out yet that the length of the chisels heal is about the same as the depth of cut?

[gary hart]

Gary, your scroll looks darn good considering what you're using. You could easily pick up the hammer and chisel very easily if you wanted to.

I used S5 shock resisting tool steel purchased in .250 round stock to make my chisels. It heat treats easily with propane torch and 10wt oil. You only need to harden the tip or business end. Made them about 7-8" long. If you haven't been trying a chasing hammer you should. Just hold the chisel so your thumb is near the hammer end and you can rotate/steer the chisel. You look like a natural to me.

Have you figured out yet that the length of the chisels heal is about the same as the depth of cut?

Thanks for advice on using the shock resistant steel. Will get some S5 next time I'm over where they sell it. And the advice on the heel length, digging in is a big problem for me. Thanks

Don't know why but haven't used chasing hammer, mostly just push by hand. Guess will have it get back into trying, its been over a year or more.

[kyfho]

Just finished a little V-Block and Clamp from A2 tool steel.

A little grinding...

Glenn,
I love the little pocket you made on your V-block for your initials. Great idea for posterity. I have 5 grandsons and a granddaughter that I hope will end up with my stuff and having my "mark" on my shop made items will be nice.

[DaHui]

Glen,

That surface finish is amazing. Can you show any shots of your setup? That really makes me want to buy a surface grinder.

[Glenn Wegman]

Used a Parker-Majestic No 2 grinder with a Norton 32A80I wheel that was balanced. Ground it dry.

Thanks!

[deltaenterprizes]

Shop Safety

"Accidents" and similar are side or non-issues and are a hi-jack/OT as regards the topic of this thread - and should be the subjects/ of seperate thread/s.

"Shop made tools" - the topic of this thread - has been stuck to remarkably well thus far.

So, let's keep the "on topic" and "purity levels" up and just stick to "shop made tools" as a lot of people - me, very much included - are getting a lot of value out of/from it.

I am sure - certainly hope so - that there is more "shop made tool" "mileage" in this thread yet.

Safety is NEVER off topic when you observe violations of it. It may save a finger or an arm. Those can't be made in the shop.

[Mcruff]

Glenn,
I love the little pocket you made on your V-block for your initials. Great idea for posterity. I have 5 grandsons and a granddaughter that I hope will end up with my stuff and having my "mark" on my shop made items will be nice.

That is not new. My grandfathers tools have that on them and he retired in the early 60's, Most all of my tools are marked the same way as are most of the guys I work with. Some of mine I even EDM'd the letters in.

[Doc Nickel]

That is not new. My grandfathers tools have that on them and he retired in the early 60's, Most all of my tools are marked the same way as are most of the guys I work with.

-Yeah, it's fairly common. I have a few handmade pieces I've aquired over the years, including a 1/2,1,1-1/2" block, a 30-60-90 triangle, a couple of V-blocks and a sine bar, all of which had a shallow "slot" milled in one face or another, which was then stamped with the maker's name or initials.

It's kind of a pity I don't know any of them- the various makers- but I can say they made good stuff.

Doc.

[rolland]

I have been wanting to do this for a while. I make a lot of small parts that require a lot of hand shaping, and I got tired of chasing the part in a fixed vise. So with a miled out bowling ball and a piece of 8 inch sewer pipe got the project made. I made a universal plate so I can mount any number of different piece on top.

[bborr01]

I can believe that Gary Hart might have posted all of his shop made tools by now, (no I can't) but some of the rest of you must have a few other things to post.

Or maybe go back out to the shop and THINK HARDER to come up with some new things.

I cant believe we have hit the wall yet.

I'll try to find something from my collection.

How about a simple tapping block. It takes a lot of practice for some people to tap a hole within 10 degrees of perpendicular.

These help a lot.

Hardened tool steel or cold rolled.

Only use it to get the tap started straight then back the tap out and remove the block so as not to dull the tap.

On a side note, the square hole in the top of the tap wrench was something that one of the old timers that I like to mention so often recommended I burn in when I was on the EDM's.

Take the handle out and use it with a 3/8 ratchet and extention for hard to reach places. I have used it that way many times.

Brian

[pigpen60]

just straight holes in the block? pigpen