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The Folding Knife (& Switchblade) Forum The materials, techniques and the designing of folding knives. |
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#1
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getting screws to length
There has to be a better way(s) to get a screw to length other than trial and error? Any one have any tools or techniques?
You can't always grind them off to size.... |
#2
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Hello Tracy. I don't know what you are useing to do this now so here goes. Some makers make up a hardened plate with a thickness they know want that has been threaded to accept the screws they want to size. After loading the plate they then grind them off on a sander. What I used I hope I can describe since I can't send a picture. I cut two pieces of approximately .050 spring stainless or titanium about 1/4" wide and 2 1/4". I drill a hole in the center of the wideth about 1/8" from one end of both to take a no. 3 or 4 screw. On one piece only I drill a hole the clearance size of the crew I want to size on the opposite end. I now place a bend in the piece that has just the one hole. The two pieces are then screwed together. The screw to be sized is placed in the hole made for it and the bent arm is swung over on top of it. If there is a lot to come off I first use side cutters and then grind. I believe you will find a 120 grit belt works well for this job. You can adjust the tension by loosening or tightening the back screw. If you use a locking nut it will also help. I use mostly 0X80 screws and can size down a set of 8 or 10 in just a few minutes. Of course , with this thing it will take a bit to "see" the length needed when sizing. I find this thing works great for me and hope it may be usefull to you too. Frank
__________________ Without collectors there would not be makers. |
#3
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That's exactly the method I use, Frank. The only difference is that I've milled-off several thicknesses of O-1 to accomplish this. Also, I don't bother to harden them, rather I give 'em a toss when the thickness no longer meets my specs.
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#4
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I buy screws in several lengths down to 1/4" and even 1/8th" so I have less cutting or grinding to do. It's pretty easy then to put the screw in place and count the extra threads sticking out the other side using my highly magnified glasses. I have an old strip of micarta that has a series of holes in it, some of which are countersunk. The screw coes through one of the holes with the threaded end sticking out the other side. With a hex key stuck in the head of the screw as a handle and the micarta as support, it only takes a second to grind off the required number of threads ....
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#5
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Thanks guys...
Frank, if I'm understanding your description correctly, you made a 'chopper' and chop the screws to length? I'll have to put one of those together and see how it works. I guess I need to make some grinding plates also. Then just having more than one size like Ray mentions make sense too. I've just started making folders and find that I'm dinking around doing more little time killers like sizing screws than I am making folders. I keep spending time getting more organized and I keep falling more behind. I could make a dozen fixed blade knives and still have plenty of bench left for tool build up, I do one or two little liner locks and my bench is covered with tools and I'm down to working in a 12"x12" space. Time to clean the bench off and start over.... |
#6
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Last edited by Dave Kelly; 09-09-2004 at 05:10 AM. Reason: I misunderstood the question |
#7
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i use the same methods described above.....like daves drawing. i use 01 steel (cheap and readily available..i also harden it after machining is done) drill my holes...for flat ended/bottoming screws without a chamfer on the end i tap the holes to the size so the screw threads in(that way the threads r cleaned up backing it out like dave said) if i plan on chamfering the ends i just drill a clearence hole, drop the screw in and have a second plate that clamps over the screw heads holding it in place. chamfering was done on a little jig i made that fits into an electric drill chuck and is turned while pushed against a sander. if the plate starts getting a bit too thin u can always use shims..even simple paper works well as a cheap shim and u dont have to predrill holes..just push the screws through
i used this method for years while making jewelry with 00-90, 0-80,1-72,2-56 threads and it worked well for me. using a wide piece of steel and a 6x48 sander i did a few hundred pieces at once -Jason Aube ps...also when i have the plate threaded i have only the very bottom section threaded..just enough to hold it in place and clean the threads up..this saves me time when it comes to putting them in taking em out. Last edited by AUBE; 09-08-2004 at 04:21 PM. |
#8
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Quote:
Welcome to the world of folders, Tracy. |
#9
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I have found the plate with the screw in holes, grind, and then screw out, thing very slow. That little gizzmo of mine holds the screw in a clearance hole not a taped hole. I believe the move to folders from straight knives can be a time demanding thing in the learning of how to do certain things and in what order they are best done in. If you are a full time maker without other income you might want to keep the straight knives going and slowly go ahead with the folders until you establish what is to you a reasonably comfortable thing for you. Being unsure of what you are doing can be very demanding on the maker and often shows in the finished knife be it a straight or folding one. Frank
__________________ Without collectors there would not be makers. |
#10
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I made a jig with the .050 Ti material I use for my liners. I drilled and tapped it for 0-80, 1-72, and 2-56. I screw the bolster or scale down through the liner and sand screws flat. After using it for 3 years it's shave a little off the thickness, but it's perfect now. Quick and dirty.
It used to be on my tutorial here, but the tutorial disappeared when the CKD moved... __________________ Jason G Howell ABS Journeyman Smith howellknives@yahoo.com http://www.howellbladesmith.com |
#11
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Excellent idea Jason!!
I've always used a section of scrap ti, but it never dawned on me to use a piece the same thickness as the liner I was using on the knife. How simple but effective can you get! Thanks for passing this one along!!! Michael |
#12
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I have been using .070 TI for liners lately and have a piece of .060 that is drilled and tapped for all the different size screws I use. I put the pieces together w/ the .060 in place of the tapped liner, run in the screws, and then sand flush. Gives you .010 setback so nothing comes through the bottom liner.
__________________ plain ol Bill |
#13
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When building a folder and excample needs to fit the screws for scales I installed the screws in the single liner with scales on...cut of the excess with a plyer and then grind smooth on a horizontal slowrunning diskgrinder with 220 grit...I shorten everything on this using the proper parts...the benefit is that it takes the finish of the liners up so when it is time to jewel or whatever the liners are ready....it also flattens them and deburr...
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blade, fixed blade, hunting knife, knife, knives |
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