Fun shop stuff. Non-knife projects. What about you?

[Salem Straub]

I worked on my Little Giant today. Finally went ahead and fabricated a new set of adjustable toggle links and knuckles. The old links were comically worn out and broken/welded. I also flipped the toggle arms around, and welded up one of the spring centers. I was able to adjust the linkage out away from the crankplate a little more, and get more snappy controllable action from the hammer. The top die had a little side kick to the end of its stroke before, now it does not. Big improvement.

I fired up the forge to try the hammer out. I had half a pair of tongs that I forged 5 years ago, made the other half today. I've made three pairs since Sam posted his tutorial, it inspired me. Plus, you need stouter tongs and a wider selection when running a power hammer much.

The hammer kicked ass, and now I've got a new pair of 3/8" square nose bolt tongs.

In other news, I've built a couple other hammer accessories this week- a step down tool like Sam's for tongs, and a spring fuller for integrals. I forged a little integral hunter with it, works good.

I tore apart my welding forge a while back, because I hated the cast liner. I'll be retro fitting it with 2" of Kaowool. The other day, I finally went and bought parts to rebuild the burner for it. It's a hybrid propane/waste oil blown burner, I wanted to upsize the burner tube since the oil injector runs down the center. That all went well, I had to cut the old mount off the forge shell and drill/tap, then weld a new larger one on- this time at a tangential angle to the shell. I took the old copper oil delivery pipe off of the gravity tank, and re-plumbed to the burner needle valve with 3/8" i.d. clear hose. MUCH easier to work with.

I got a new auto-darkening helmet a couple weeks ago, my retired army-rocket-scientist-welder uncle sent me one from Germany as a gift. It's great to have one again, makes welding much easier and the results are better, too. It makes shop projects all the more enjoyable.

I'm excited to get the welding forge running better than ever, the hammer certainly is now, I have a couple of billets tacked up and ready to go for that day.

I'm going to post progress with pics of the work on the hammer, in my hammer rebuild thread- if anyone cares to see that.

What cool shop building stuff have you guys been up to?

 

[Brian Ayres]

I got my first "real" forge going. Fired it last night with Greg Haile. We had it purring along at 1480-485 degreees without any adjustment. We then ran it up to 2400 degrees with no problems.


Monday I re-mounted my new 8" serrated wheel on a tool arm and then broke the wheel in. It was a budget wheel. It was 2.05" wide, un-balanced had rubber haning over the side.... I trimmed it to 1.995. I then clamped a square to the tool arm and used it to guide a file into the wheel from the backside while it was running at 10% power to removed the big dip in the center of the wheel. It now runs MUCH smoother!

I also ordered a new 1.5Hp 3Ph 1725 RPM motor for my disc grinder. I picked up the new switch for it today so I can run it off the VFD for my GIB.

Salem, this summer when I have more time me and Greg still want to come up and hammer on some steel with you!

 

[cbr900son]

I'm in the middle of tearing out old shelves and workbenches, moving everything around so I have a dirty area and hopefully this week framing up a clean area with new shelving in some of the shop. Also setting up a work sapce for my heat treat oven which should be coming in the next couple weeks. Im hoping the reorganization will help keep things cleaner and more productive and effecient.

 

[fast14riot]

My latest non knife project involved rebuilding my weedeater and then tearing it down to rebuild it again. Needless to say, its not something I wanted to do. Then take care of the yards after that, really not my idea of fun.


-Xander

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Wow, sounds like lots of productivity which will lead to lots more. Well done!

I've started dragging stuff out to build the NWG I started collecting stuff for a looooong time ago. Your visit inspired me! Oh, put together one of Raymond Richard's godzilla guillotines.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

A few belt buckles that I did recently. I enjoy doing different stuff!

Gold-filled

Sterling silver

Nickel silver

 

[GTH11]

I broke down an airlessco paint sprayer tonight going after the 1/2 hp leeson with attached pressure controler (variable speed), with success. Ill be making some mods but it should be able to find a place in the shop spinning some abrasives of some kind. to be continued...........

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I also got a cheap Grizzly sandblast cabinet that I have almost ready to try out, and a new window a/c unit for the shop addition that I haven't installed.

 

[crazyengineer]

A few belt buckles that I did recently. I enjoy doing different stuff!

Gold-filled

Sterling silver

Nickel silver

those are awesome my friend, I dont know why I never thought about people making belt buckles.

I'd think you can come up with some awesome buckles, those look nice.



On a side note, the only thing that I have going period right now (and only on weekends that I am home from college) is the repair/restoration/thorough cleaning(in many pieces) of a true 70's vintage jubilee brand dixie air horn......I still can't get the thing to work.....one day I will..

 

[Bill DeShivs]

You know, buckles are fun to make. Any knifemaker can make one. They don't have to be fancy. If anyone here wants to make one, I'll be happy to help!

 

[crazyengineer]

I own one buckle like these (aka: not the usual type you find at clothing stores). I now want to try to make one. I have looked at the one that I have and they are actually very simple, the more designs on he front, the more complex but hey, they look awesome and work, and to me, can very easily carry sentimental value. I know the one that I have I got when my dad died, I have worn it almost every day since I found it in the bottom of our gun safe and put it on belt.

I believe there was a thread earlier about a belt buckle as a weapon, making your own could easily let you make one suited to that task rather than having to find one that doesn't look threatening.

I just keep thinking offer
Stuff I could do. Now I will have to try

Again though, very nice work

How to you make the latch/pin/piece that goes into the belt?

 

[Salem Straub]

Jeez Bill, nice buckles! I bet you could make some really nice sword fittings with that sort of openwork and engraving.

Brian, nicely done. You sound productive right now, as well. And, hell yeah you guys need to come over and do some smithin' this summer! We'll have good food and good beer, too. I'm serious.

Phil, great to hear that you're working on your grinder build! And also good that you've added to your guillotine selection. No that I'm knocking your old one (although I did.)

CBR, I need to re-organize too. I have yet to come up with the right vision for it though. I know it could be better laid out and less cluttered. If you'd been to my shop, you'd know what and understatement that was.

You fellas who are working on not only non-knife but non-shop stuff, I commiserate. At least it's too cold and barren here still for yard work.

Hey, this is turning out to be a good thread.

 

[tedinatl]

I just wrapped a large order of nknives and sheaths, but in between I've also managed to make a small wheel attachment for my GIB, a modiefied version of Nick Wheeler's file guide (mine has carbide faces), a new hand sanding platform and a couple more small jigs - nothing overly fancy. I've also started making some built-in cabinets for the living room, and a couble of bedside cabiinets for my parents.

I'm also busy planning to push out the back of the garage by 10 feet or so to give me more work space. The planning is taking a bit longer than expected, but it will give me a lot more space and freedom.

 

[Josh Dabney]

Great thread Salem ! I think we're all waiting to see what great stuff you come up with using the LG.

A bunch of new additions to the shop for me this tax season

Built a 5 slot tool tree

Nearing completeion of my horizontal grinder build.

Building a buffing attachment as soon as I'm done with the grinder. Thanks for the inspiration and sharing your ideas !!!!

Also going to build a godzilla tool and picking up a heavier hammer for gross stock reduction (tangs)

I'll have some leftover materials from my projects for a plunge lapping plate and a fixture to hold the knife by the ricasso.

In addition to building tools I also picked up a rotary platen and have a carbide faced file guide on the way from Bruce Bump.

Alot of exciting additions this year. Sometimes it's difficult to stay focused on the big picture and long term goals as a maker and take the time away from making knives to build tools. I already have a complete month of my available time on the tree and grinder but thinks it's worth the investment of time in tools that should provide a lifetime of service.

Here's a couple teaser pics-

Thanks again for sharing your shop and ideas with us buddy !

Take care- Josh

 

[NickWheeler]

Great thread Salem

I, for one, would love to see more pics of your hammer rebuild. :thumbup: If you haven't seen it, Sid and Kari's video on a rebuild is one of the best (and most helpful) technical videos I've seen.

My big, non-knife shop project has been trying to come up with the lay-out for the new shop. It's really weird, when my stuff was shoe-horned into a 2 car garage it was fairly easy to come up with the lay-out using scaled drawings because there were only a few options. Quadrupling the space in a dedicated shop is a dream come true... but it's actually overwhelming to try and figure out a comfortable AND efficient lay-out. (no I don't expect any sympathy from anyone! :foot: )...

I also just bought some carbide blanks and 3/8 dowel pins to make some new filing/grinding jigs... namely for cutting in the bolster shoulder on integrals.

 

[james terrio]

Apparently, I'm not a real knifemaker ... I would much rather operate machines than work on them. Perhaps all those years of cobbling together old broken-down printing presses has soured me.

Cool thread, though! And you all know I steal your ideas with glee

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

If this is a "Post your non-knife project" thread, I'll share a couple. I'm building a mallet version of this bullseye damascus putter I made last year. I've also got a grinder that I'm building, but again, no pictures of it so I guess I'm not really building it.

 

[james terrio]

I'm building a mallet version of this bullseye damascus putter I made last year...

I don't even like golf, but that is very cool :thumbup:

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

I know! I hate golf. It's the most infuriating, frustrating, waste of 5-6 hours that there is. I would much rather be fishing. I used to be a solid 10 handicap, broke my pinky and now I can't grip the club right. If you ever want to watch people have a miserable time, go hang out at a golf course. Topped, shanked, hit fat, hit thin, worm-burners, missed putts, slices, hooks, club that slipped out of your hand and went in the water, sand traps, bunkers, broken windows from a bad drive. . . Funny how before and afterward most people love golf, but during the actual golfing most people are miserable.

I'd show a picture of the putter head, but it's in the tumbler right now before I send it to Peter's for heat treat. I keep flashing back to the movie "Tremors" when Burt Gummer turned on his tumbler and a graboid broke through the wall and ate it! Nothing is as neat for a golfer as a custom built, damascus putter, heck of a gift for someone and easier to sell than a knife from a relatively unknown maker.

 

[james terrio]

Every friend and colleague I've known that purported to like golfing, would be excited as can be on Friday, and mad as a wet hen on Monday.

I would much rather be fishing.

I do like fishing. I rarely catch anything but a beer-buzz, but it's always good to get near the water. I wonder how stainless damascus spoons would sell...