- Joined
- Jan 7, 2012
- Messages
- 678
I found an unmarked 14" bolo machete in my father in laws garage. He passed away two years ago but it was one he must have picked up at our local farm supply store 30 years ago. The scales that were on it were thin cheap plastic bolted on with stove bolts, washer and nuts...very rough. Non of his five boys wanted it so lucky me has it for a project piece. The steel looks good and still has some remnants of the original black coating and needs sharpening. I have no idea what brand it is but it has been there at the farm for chopping corn or weeds for over 25 years and not used much since the handle would tear you up if you used it as is. Pops was a good practical man but not a fit and finish guy with repairs. He would have worn gloves when he used it but where he is now there is no more laboring like that.
The rehandle plan is well under way. I took a short piece of black walnut branch that was seasoned a year in the rafters of my garage and cut it into 1/2"slabs to make scales. Rough trimmed them to just bigger than final tang shape and drilled them for the four holes in the tang. The tang is crude at the end, it is just squared off so I added a rounded flare on the end of the scales with a gap the width of the steel which will be filled with the JB Weld. Should I add a shim in the gap or will the JB work to fill it?
For rivets I picked up a length of 1/4" all thread and washers. I plan to anneal the rod and cut it to use for rivets. I have the wood countersunk to keep the heads and washers below the grip. For extra hold I am going to get some JB and slather the tang and holes set in my steel rod rivets then clamp it for the weekend. After all is set and rivets peened over the washers I will do the final shaping with rasp and sandpaper then fill in the countersink holes with more JB as a filler For a finish I have BLO and will do a soak of the handle end taped off in a plastic bag hanging up in the garage to take advantage of the summer heat. Will the JB Weld hold up to the BLO immersion or should I think about using an epoxy?
Any advice before I get started with assembling this weekend? I have all of $3.08 invested so far in rod and washers but still need to get some JB.
I looked at brazing rod for rivets but the holes in the tang were a 1/4" and the rods I found locally were much thinner. If this holds up to use I will have a nice bolo for a user and if it pops apart I at least learned something for my time. I will get back to this after all is done and try to post pics.
The rehandle plan is well under way. I took a short piece of black walnut branch that was seasoned a year in the rafters of my garage and cut it into 1/2"slabs to make scales. Rough trimmed them to just bigger than final tang shape and drilled them for the four holes in the tang. The tang is crude at the end, it is just squared off so I added a rounded flare on the end of the scales with a gap the width of the steel which will be filled with the JB Weld. Should I add a shim in the gap or will the JB work to fill it?
For rivets I picked up a length of 1/4" all thread and washers. I plan to anneal the rod and cut it to use for rivets. I have the wood countersunk to keep the heads and washers below the grip. For extra hold I am going to get some JB and slather the tang and holes set in my steel rod rivets then clamp it for the weekend. After all is set and rivets peened over the washers I will do the final shaping with rasp and sandpaper then fill in the countersink holes with more JB as a filler For a finish I have BLO and will do a soak of the handle end taped off in a plastic bag hanging up in the garage to take advantage of the summer heat. Will the JB Weld hold up to the BLO immersion or should I think about using an epoxy?
Any advice before I get started with assembling this weekend? I have all of $3.08 invested so far in rod and washers but still need to get some JB.
I looked at brazing rod for rivets but the holes in the tang were a 1/4" and the rods I found locally were much thinner. If this holds up to use I will have a nice bolo for a user and if it pops apart I at least learned something for my time. I will get back to this after all is done and try to post pics.