Lineing it all up.

[Braden Edwards]

Making a simple folder with a backspring, the most frustrating and difficult part for me is often getting the holes drilled in the brass liner in exactly the right place.
If the holes are a fraction out it creates a gap between the backspring and the blade notch which then means movement.
I make mock handles out of acrylic which is a cheaper alternaltive to using brass and it often takes quite a few attempts before the fit is right. Because the blade has to be under tension when assembled you have to make an educated guess as to where exactly the hole goes.

I file the plastic pieces to shape and then transfer the shape and position of the holes to the brass. This is more than just a case of putting the plastic over the brass and drilling through. The plastic likes to skate over the brass and the rivets wobble in the liner since it is so thin.
I often end up with the holes slightly askew one way or the other and this results in a lot of brass dissapearing into the waste bucket.


Is it a case of try try again or is there a foolproof way to do this.
Thanks a heap for any ideas or suggestions.

[george tichbour]

Have you tried double sided indoor/outdoor carpet tape for holding things together while drilling? Other people use crazy glue to do the same job.

[Frank J Warner]

Yeah. If you're just laying your acrylic template on the brass and drilling, there's going to be some movement. George's suggestions will help, but the only sure way to drill precise holes is clamp everything down tight -- the entire assembly -- drill one hole, put a temporary pin in it, then move everything over and drill the next hole.

Believe it or not, I've had alignment problems just from different metals expanding and contracting at different rates in different temperatures, (after grinding, when the metal is hot, for example).

Also, if your liners are interchangeable left to right, you've got to make sure the holes are absolutely perpendicular and straight. Smaller drill sizes tend to wobble and flex as they are borng through the metal. They take the path of least resistance and may not come out the other side in the same location as they entered.

[L6steel]

Braden, don't you make a set of masters for your folder patterns?
It sure makes it easier to make everything line up right every time!

[Braden Edwards]

I use a paper pattern glued onto the steel - Which I then cut out with a jewelers saw. I do all my shaping with hand files. Unfortunately I don't have a filing jig or anything like that to make sure that I file perfectly straight and in the right place.
As a result the finished blanks often differ slightly from the original plan. So I can't use the original plan as a reference for the holes.
The most success I have had with marking the holes is by placing the plastic over the brass and using an ink pen to mark the position of one hole at a time.
Then I centerpunch and drill. This method was described in a book I have but it is dodgy as and it is lucky if I get it right the first time or even the secound!
I have tried clamping the plastic on the brass but it still seems to wobble. Also a problem can be with the rivets wobbling in the thin brass liner. - I think this must be the drill bit wobbling in the hole.
I've never heard of crazy glue and am not sure if it is available in New Zealand. - Did I mention I'm from NZ.
Could you glue the plastic to the brass with epoxy, drill the holes, then heat up the brass to make it detatch? Would a light glue like PVA be suffice?
Thanks for your time and wisdom!!!.

[andy gascoigne]

Hi Brandon

might I suggest you get a copy of Don Robinsons book 'My Way'. I have just completed a barlow style liner lock using Dons method and all I can say is that I'm amazed at the results. no matter how often I dismantle the knife and put it back together everything always lines up first time.

I know your probably not making a screwed together knife but Dons method if keeping everything lined up and built up on a flat tooling plate would work just as well for you.

The book does not tell you how to make a knife but tells you a toolmakers method of keeping everything in alignment.

Enough of the free advert for Don!!!

For your information 'Crazy Glue' is also called Super glue or Cynoacrylate(sp) glue .

[Don Robinson]

[QUOTE=andy gascoigne]Hi Brandon

might I suggest you get a copy of Don Robinsons book 'My Way'. I have just completed a barlow style liner lock using Dons method and all I can say is that I'm amazed at the results. no matter how often I dismantle the knife and put it back together everything always lines up first time.



Enough of the free advert for Don!!!

QUOTE]

I'm really glad you learned and appreciate the value of the book, Andy.

But the free advertising can't be overdone.

Thanks for the plug. I too believe the book would solve Brandon's problems.

[Don Robinson]

Andy, how about showing us a picture of the Barlow linerlock you built using "My Way?"

[andy gascoigne]

Hi Don

Can't thank you enough, your book has transformed the way I work

I'm going to be taking some photo's in the next day or so, I wanted you to be the first to see the results..... WATCH THIS SPACE

Andy..

[Chris_Crawford]

Hello Braden,

I'm not really sure what your process is before you are trying to transfer the pattern from the plastic to the brass, but I'm guessing that you are fitting the blade and spring up on the plastic, and making adjustments to the blade and spring until everything fits.

I used to do something similar, but I would do it on a chunk of wood. (See the slipjoint tutorial on my website.) My problem came when I started to transfer the holes from the wood to the liner. I had the same problems that you are having with trying to keep all of the holes in the correct place.

One thing that has helped me is to place a piece of brass over the wood before I start fitting up the parts. I then drill through the brass and into the wood. You could do the same by placing a piece of brass next to your plastic. Then when you get the parts fitted up, you will have one liner already drilled out perfectly. It's much easier to transfer the holes from one brass liner to another one rather than from the plastic or wood.

If I'm creating a pattern for a folder, I use 1/16" O-1 tool steel rather than the brass. Once I get it drilled and the parts fitted up, I harden them. These make great pattern plates for drilling liners and scales on future knives.

Hope this helps. -chris

[Braden Edwards]

Thanks all for the tips and info on drilling out the liners.
I have also bought myself a proper sized c clamp that fits right to the center of the drill press and holds better than the other clamps I was using.
- Look forward to experimenting with some of your suggestions.
Thanks very much.