Tips, Tricks of the trade, etc.?

[Steve]

Looks like a good idea, waredbear. How's it holding up, or have you used it for long?

[Anthony Chaney]

Take an old metal TV tray (you do remember those don't you) and stick an old speaker magnet on the bottom of it. You now have yourself a pretty good working area for small parts. I guess you could even line it with some of that new fangled no slide stuff that all the women are using these days in their cabinets.

[Steve]

I use a magnetic dish to hold parts on my mill. Good idea, Anthony, thanks.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Jon Christensen

I haven't made it all the way through this thread but have found that most of you use acetone to clean off your disc adhesive. I've found that mineral spirits works very fast for this. You do have to hit it with acetone afterwards to clean the oil film off but it works so well that I put up with it.
Jon

I'm a believer! Mineral spirits, paint thinner is 10 times better than acetone! thanks, Jon!

[Tractorshaft]

Go to BJ's or Sams Club (Use friends membership if you don't have one) and buy a box of the 2 ounce plastic containers, the kind restaurants give you salad dressing or hot pepper flakes in. 2000 of them cost a little over $5.00. They are indispensable as epoxy mixing cups. I also use them as little parts cups, they work great to organize little screws or parts, just remember if you put little parts in them use the lids, If the job takes more than one day I will use a sharpie to write the contents and date on the lid to stay organized or in case I knock the cup off of the bench!

I bought a 2000 count box 6 years ago, have given all my friends a sleeve or two and still have what appears to be a lifetime supply. I stumbled on this idea by accident. I originally bought them when we were on a "Jello-Shot" kick, luckily my liver gave out before my supply of little containers did! Your mileage may vary!



After you get your cup supply laid in and you are still out shopping, why not visit a "Michaels" or other large craft store. Buy the 500 or 1000 count box of "Craft Sticks" aka. Popsicle sticks. They come in two sizes, the regular size and the larger "Tongue Depressor" size. They are so cheap and handy, I bought a large box of both. These little cups and regular size Popsicle sticks are like "Peas & Carrots" for sure.

Primarily I use them for mixing epoxy, but they make fantastic shims, spacers, and excellent little disposable scrapers. Used as little wooden scrapers they are second only to the "West Epoxy" disposable plastic scrapers; I will take a handful over to the belt sander, some I will chisel grind on each end, some I just square off and bevel, others I will cut a 45 deg. angle on the end so I will have a "point" and it can get into corners more easily. Get creative or grind the shape you need!

My homemade "Sanding Stick"

The third and perhaps most useful tip for these "Craft Sticks" is to cut some sandpaper of varying grits and using either spray adhesive or super glue attach the little strips of paper to the ends of them. They make excellent disposable sanding blocks. I usually go into "Production" mode when I make them, its just easier, I mark the grit of the sandpaper on handles with a little black sharpie so I know what I am working with, however most times you can just go by "Feel " unless you are trying to get something to a high level of polish.


While we are at it, buy yourself a "Bulk" bag of hockey pucks from Sports Authority or some other sporting goods shop for less than a buck a piece. I then take a regular old wood router with a "V" groove bit it and route a "V" through one or two of them, the "V" groove will let you securely drill round stock or tubing. The natural "Non-Skid" and hard rubber composition of the hockey puck is perfect for this kind of stuff. Again, once you learn of them get creative. I use four of them under a large table saw as "Anti-Vibration" feet and another two under my bench grinder for the same reason.

They machine like butter with tools as soft as woodworking router bits, drills clean and sands smooth, make great non-marring vise jaws by just drilling a little hole in a couple of them and epoxy 2 small rare earth magnets into the puck. Starrett sells one of these in steel for $70.00!

You can drill some random holes through the puck to create a space you can drive pins through from the topside. The puck is non-scratch but hard enough to stand up to hammering. If you cut a couple in half or cut the edges off of one they make awesome sanding blocks.

Here is an example;


And a "Since it's in the picture" bonus! Shown above on the right sitting on top one of my little rubber "Machine Blocks" is a little piece of dowel. If you notice, it has a small starter drill (friction fit) in it. I use it to chamfer small holes (In this case it was a firing pin hole on a little handgun); With little more than a quick twist of the wrist you have very sensitive control of deburring or chamfering operations, this, even in very hard steel.

This simple DIY tool works surprising well, I have used it with great success on holes up to 1/4" (Different bits in different dowels of course).

How many times have you "Over Chamfered" a hole with a drill or drill press using a fluted chamfering bit? Yeah, thought so. You will be very surprised at how well doing this by "Hand" works, you get a great "Feel" and awesome control over the operation. I even glued a couple of the 2 and 8 flute chamfering bits into old file handles to use by hand. Much better control and results this way, very smooth, chatter free and uniform bevel with this method, I have found that buying the "Starter Bits" and using them as chamfering tools works better than the bits advertised to do this. I haven't measured the angle of these starter bits but unless you need an 80 deg. angle or something specific, give this a try, you will be pleasantly surprised. Of all these little shop notes, if you have made it this far, do yourself a huge favor and have the Mrs. buy you a case of these little containers, I promise after having them available you will have one of those, "How did I live without these little things" moments.

Best regards and have fun!

Jerry

[Steve]

Thank you, Tractorshaft. Some neat ideas there. I will pick up some plastic cups next time I go to Sam's and also a box of craft sticks when I get close to a craft store again, which won't be long, since my wife is often going there for something.

[Steve]

I'm finding that I like to fit the guard and drill for the pin before I grind the blade, of late. Just is nice to get the blade done and then, IT'S DONE! Of course, get the sides sanded/disked down first, as much as possible.

[Steve]

I was trying to get a finished Green River skinner with SS bolsters to "stay put" in the vise the other day, in order to checker the bottom of the bolsters. Kept slipping/squishing out toward the point, as the handle is somewhat tapered forward there, so I was hit with the idea of using some 1/2" thick foam insulation to put in the vise jaws and they grabbed the stag and bolsters and held if very solid when I tightened it up. Checkering was not a problem from then on. Worked great!
I wonder if the hockey pucks, above, might do the same job?

[jayers3673]

Steve,

I was just admiring some fighters from another Utah Maker on another forum,
and it came to me- why don't you make some full metal sheaths for some of your
high end knives !...You already make the best stock removal knives on the planet,
and a high end sheath would be a appropiate companion. Just a suggestion

and I have been told that a child of four could make those full metal sheaths.

Jim

[Steve]

But I'm 62!

[jayers3673]

well, you got a little head start on it then . lol.

[Steve]

I think i've regressed to about three yrs.!

[jayers3673]

a three year old? no problem, you should be at least able to make
a sheath with nickel silver throat & tip at that age. One of those kind of sheaths
with a little engraving ( or not) with your knives would translate into $$$$$.

[Steve]

I'll call Steve Rapp and have him do it right!

[jayers3673]

Steve,

Do you remmeber what stock thickness Bob made his fighters & Boot Knives from ?
Not Dixon, but his first line fighters; & what thickness do you use for both knives.