Setting up shop....

K

Keithcellini

Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
281
Okay, I have been drooling over other peoples shops for a while now and have finally started to put together my own little slice of heaven. Now when i say slice I mean more like a taste! Anyway, I have a table top grinder, a few drills, a Dremel tool with all the goodies, files of many flavors and my newest addition a Delta 1x48 belt grinder I think it is 48.... Plus some odds and ends. I will try to get a cheap drill press shortly. I know that it is nothing compared to what most of you guys have but I am new and quite broke. I have always tried to do the best with what I have so I will try to make the best knives I can with the tools I have.

Can you think of what else I may need to get started? I still have to buy some steel to practice with, I know that. I am not going to be forging right away, I plan on starting with Stock removal first because I don't want to burn the apartment down yet.

Tomorrow I will be clearing an area in the basement for my work space and setting it up with what I have already have. Basically trying to make it as nice as I can. Any ideas as far as power or hand tools would be a huge help, I would hate to get started only to find out that I need so many more things. Thanks guys you have all been so helpful thus far. :thumbup:
 
You will need a way to heat treat, unless you plan on sending your blades out for that. And some type of saw to cut out your blades. Hope this helps.
 
Please look around in my shop. You will see something that you will be in need of. That's the best thing for you to do. Make a list of things, and write them down on paper. But actually you need to setup shop outside the basement. And not to mention all the noise that it creates in running machinery, tools and so on. It's always great seeing new maker come on in. Hope this was of help to you. God bless and have a great day and week-end. :thumbup:
 
It aint the tools its the man behind them!

I spent lots on tools because I know im going to grow into them,

but i still make some damn ugly knives lol

Life's a journey like a martial art, if you got heart nothing is gonna slow you down
 
I started with a Harbor Frieght bench drill press that I bought for $35 4 years ago, a HF bench grinder that I maybe paid $15 for and a 2x24" sander upside down in a vice. I still have the drill press and the bench grinder to go along with my Burr King. The early knives I made just took longer to finish, I used up a lot of sand paper and a lot of elbow grease.

You can make quality knives with the tools you have. You just have to learn to use the tools you have. I'm in the process of buying a mini mill, will it change the fit of my guards? no, but I'll be a little faster fitting them up. I'd bet if you surveyed makers, most of us could produce knives of the same quality without the fancy tooling, we'd just have longer waiting lists. lol

I'd get a lot of quality sandpaper to put a hand rubbed finish but that's just me lol

What tools do I think you need? Imagination, determination and a willingness to learn.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
You may only be doing stock removal for now, but a fire is a fire. Get a good size fire extinguisher before you plug in the first tool. Working in a basement means little or no air flow. Get some sort of ventilation and air exchange, as well as dust collection/removal if at all possible. Under no circumstance should you work in a basement without a GOOD respirator. The fine particulate can float in the air for a long time. Moving about will stir it up. Sweep and vacuum every day if possible. Enjoy knifemaking......working safe will allow you to enjoy it longer.
Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
Under no circumstance should you work in a basement without a GOOD respirator. The fine particulate can float in the air for a long time. Moving about will stir it up. Sweep and vacuum every day if possible. Enjoy knifemaking......working safe will allow you to enjoy it longer.
Stacy
Click to expand...

You beat me to that one Stacy.Just try to do some light grinding without getting steel dust on your cell phone magnet :p
 
Thanks for all the great information!! Okay, I will have to get a respirator for sure. The drill press will have to wait till I can afford it but I should be able to get it soon enough. The ventilation will be numero uno on my list of things to do... Thinking about placing a bucket of water under the grinder to catch the filings (sound like a good idea?) Sandpaper by the bushel sounds in order and perhaps some more belts for the Delta. I have to find out the best grit to get though. UMM, the basement has a big door leading outside which I will try to keep open while working and the fire extinguisher is on my to buy list for tomorrow. Oh, I also have a small compressor in storage I can dig up. I think a shop vac and broom should be on that list as well to huh.

These are helping me a great deal gang, I thought that I was close!! I forgot safety which is most important. Thank you.
 
If you don't have a vise, you will need one.

Also, files and sandpaper. A file guide is very handy for guard slots.

Get a hack saw with good bi-metal blades for cutting steel and handle material. One blade with about 14 teeth/inch (for wood and wider cuts of steel) and one blade with more than 20 teeth/inch for thin steel like blade stock.

Buy disposable respirators. Either a N95 or N100 rating. Click on the photo below to go to a site where you can buy 10 respirators for $18. Well worth the safety provided.




A good table lamp and a couple of directional lights or an overhead flourescent fixture will be needed, as well.

Good luck,

Mike L.
 
I buy most of my sleeves of sandpaper from either Barbkat on ebay or a company in one of the mags, Supergrit I think, they both sell seconds. If the corner curls on a sleeve of sandpaper they can't sell it in retail outlets and you can get the paper for like 40% of normal cost.

Belt grits are kinda a personal thing and with the small Delta you'll be even more limited but here's what I usually use:

36 grit for rough grinding and outlining
60 grit for more roughing in
120 grit j flex belts for my final grinding and profiling before heat treat (this will probably change when I get my salt pot working)
Used 60 grit for cleaning up scale after heat treat
New 120 for final clean up
400 grit cork belt loaded with green rouge before I hand rub the blade.

You can buy good sandpaper by the sheet from any local auto body supply place, little more expensive than buying a sleeve but from what I'm gathering you may not be ready to drop $30 on a sleeve of paper. 2-4 sheets in the rougher grits and 1-2 sheets in the finer will be all you need for a blade or 2. I cut the paper into 1/4" strips to use on my sanding blocks.

400-2000 grit sand paper and my micarta sanding blocks to hand rub depending on the grit, but I go one grit past my final grit then come back to the final grit. Say I want a 800 final, I'll go to 1000 or 1200 then back to 800.

Don't skimp on belts or sandpaper, cheap belts will blow up and won't last very long, cheap sandpaper just comes apart.

Put some dishwashing detergent in the water bucket, it will make the filings go to the bottom of the bucket and not get on your blade when you dunk it in the water. Nothing worse than metal filings getting on a blade when you're at finer grits and having to clean them up.

Respirators, lights, fire suppression equipment are all very important. I also have a large box fan that I use when I grind, I have it pointed to my side so that it blows dust away from me.

Go to a local hobby shop and get some 1/8 - 1/4" brass rod and tubing for handle pins and thong hole tubing. Depending on your choice of handle materials you can also pick up some thin super glue to finish your wooden handle. Some Devcon epoxy in the syringe thingys work well to hold the scales on.

There are hundreds of little things we're all forgetting because they're things we use without too much thought.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
Cha=ching $$$ Cha-ching$$$ I think I have an old vice but the brass pins and extra belts and sandpaper I do not have I will also have to pick up some sanding blocks. I was thinking more about the steel that I need and really wish that I could find a local supplier but it seems that on Long Island NY there may not be any. I will keep plugging unless anyone knows of one. thanks again gang.
 
I picked up a small 8 inch drill press from Big Lots the home of elcheapo tools. I paid a cool 50 for it and although it is one of China's worst it does work and should help with making straight holes. I picked up some sandpaper, a few chisels and also some more files because the ones I have are trash. I also got a nice hack saw and safety glasses. It is a little late for me to go in the basement and set things up but, I will have to do it tomorrow. I may even get to play with some steel!!
 
Graininger, msc and enco all carry high carbon steels that make great blades and you can heat treat them yourself making a makeshift forge in an old barbeque using charcoal. You should be able to get a knife or two out of a $10 piece of barstock from them.

Sounds like you're getting there.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump
 
Thanks for all the help Will, I will try to get some steel as soon as possible. I wonder if that piece I got from Sears can be hardened? I am going to try and grind away at it a bit today and see what I can manage......

I used my little dremel tool to cut it in a smaller size and was surprised at how well this little cutting wheels work. If I get any where I will post some pics as long as it is not too embarassing.
 
im also just begining (10/07) without much cash. the 4by36 grinder from hf seems to be working ok.i found i can buy all kinds of brass at my local scrap yard (they buy metal for scrap ie,aluminum cans water heaters scrap brass,steel,iron whatever) i can buy all shapes sizes of brass in any quanity. i can even root a bit in there piles. i know there are some places in ny city. mabey you could do the same.
 
Come to think of it, I work near a scrap yard. Perhaps they wil;l let me scrounge through the piles too. Thanks for the idea!
 
i really save some cash by going there. i just ordered the no-weld grinder plans. so sat. i went there to scope out some square tube. anything i get there i get at slightly over junk prices. much cheaper than retail!!! and u can find all kind of new pieces.scraped only because they were x-tra or toclear space.willy
 
Thankx Willy, I have to take a trip and see what they have. I need an anvil of some sort and some steel I suppose.
 
I just went to look at Ariel's website and it looked like he does not use a 2x72 like most makers. I saw him using a bench grinder and this wheel on one end so I did some research. I think it is an expanding drum and you can get them for about 75 bucks. They fit on a bench grinder and you slip on a sanding bely when the motor is stopped but once you turn on the machine the drum expands to hold the disk tightly. They have several sizes but the 6 and 8 inch ones seem cool, they are 2.5 or 3 inches wide. I think they would be great for someone wanting to hollow grind on a budget. Anyideas?
 
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