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Fluted bolster ?
- Thread starter Taximanny
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2000
- Messages
- 4,786
Manny, I've always done mine by hand but if you can do them with a milling machine, why not? I cut very shallow grooves with a 3/64 bit in a rotary tool and then finish them with files.
Frank
Frank
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2005
- Messages
- 2,359
Manny because of the curve of the bolster--- chainsaw file by hand. A flat bolstered coffin shape may work
with a mill but I don't see how you would do it on a curve. One of the ones Nick does with 2 hacksaw grooves
and the chainsaw file between is pretty cool. I've surface ground hacksaw blades down to .016 for doing the
threading and it works well.
Ken.
with a mill but I don't see how you would do it on a curve. One of the ones Nick does with 2 hacksaw grooves
and the chainsaw file between is pretty cool. I've surface ground hacksaw blades down to .016 for doing the
threading and it works well.
Ken.
I flute my bolsters with chainsaw files, with the immense help of a file guide. The guide will provide a shoulder for the file to ride on.
I start on the edges to the required depth, and then connect the two notches. Depending on the width of your file you set the distance of the guide in order to control where the center of the file will track. Clean/unclog the file often and finishing will be a breeze. If you are right hand try not to leverage upon the file guide, pulling with the left hand is better than pushing with the right for keeping the file flat on the guide during the stroke.
You'll finish with a slightly smaller file/rod wrapped in 500g, 1000g, 2000g and then a string of cotton dirty in polishing compound...shoeshine way.
The thread will have colour if you don't clean the quench oil stains or you could color with scrimshaw ink.
I start on the edges to the required depth, and then connect the two notches. Depending on the width of your file you set the distance of the guide in order to control where the center of the file will track. Clean/unclog the file often and finishing will be a breeze. If you are right hand try not to leverage upon the file guide, pulling with the left hand is better than pushing with the right for keeping the file flat on the guide during the stroke.
You'll finish with a slightly smaller file/rod wrapped in 500g, 1000g, 2000g and then a string of cotton dirty in polishing compound...shoeshine way.
The thread will have colour if you don't clean the quench oil stains or you could color with scrimshaw ink.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2005
- Messages
- 2,359
Manny this about covers fluting and the cleanup. Chainsaw files, Thinly ground hacksaw blade, and a couple
of mandrels I made to put abrasive in for the cleanup. This works well because you are going opposite direction
of the way you filed the groove in. I don't add any color to the the depth of the saw cut threading.
Ken.
Last edited:
Hengelo_77
Basic Member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 6,321
done by hand with a 2mm round file and hand sanded with sandpaper around a 1,5mm drill bit
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2006
- Messages
- 482
Files, sandpaper and a little patience is all you need. Handwork with files is neglected all too often. It gives you so much freedom of design.
A bunch of fluting on this one, concave and convex.
Wolfe
A bunch of fluting on this one, concave and convex.
Wolfe
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2015
- Messages
- 3,118
That is crazy beautiful
- Joined
- Dec 3, 1999
- Messages
- 9,437
Well, I feel pretty silly following Wolfe...but since most of us could sell our souls and not be half as good as he is, I thought I'd post some shots showing this technique as done by a mere mortal. 
