What's that niche tool you can't live without

<------Dummy!!! The 4 inch USA Knifemaker wheel i have is the 40 euro version. Never mind. :o
 
JTknives said:
You all have them I'm shure, not talking your 2x72 grinder. I'm talking about that little hand or power tool that found its way into your shop that you could not live without. Mine is this little 1"x21" makita belt grinder (#9031). I guess it technaly takes a 1-1/8" belt but I find it easier to buy 3"x21" belts and split them into 3 belts. I use this thing all the time, maybe it's because I don't have a small wheel set up on my 2x72. But I love it, it has adjustable speed with a dile and a trigger lock. So I just clamp in the post vise and set speed and lock the trigger. It had a platten but I removed it as I don't use it for that. I use it for finder grooves and shaping around them. I also use it for bringing down the tang to be flush with the wood. I fit the wood with hidden pins and do 99% of the shaping and sanding then I glue. Then I finish sand and most of the times by this point the tang can be felt to be just a touch wider when the handle scales which REALLY bothers me. This happens because well wood is removed a lot faster then metal when hand sanding. So I get it all finished sanded and go to this little beauty and pop on a fine belt and just kiss the tang all the way around. After that I clean up with sand paper and then buff on the baldor buffer. But I also use it for heavier steel work as well. My 2nd Amendment knives have a 1" choil which I rough in with the edge of a belt. Then pop over to the makita and zap done. Being that it has slack belt after the wheels makes blending finger grooves a sinch. Here are a few pictures of how I use it. So let's hear about your cool tool.

12509863_10209111861020663_6276035872460649266_n.jpg


12400562_10209111859340621_4007021544704917128_n.jpg


12509301_10209111861180667_6318355323915111836_n.jpg
Click to expand...


Looking at your use of this, you might consider a Bader double billy roll attachment for your grinder.

Patrice had a thread a while ago about small wheels. I posted this there. Might be of interest to you...

Bader double billy roll attached to my old Wilton Square Wheel:

14181679076_471e931849_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14202323752_84a7f5cc23_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14018213517_931f1f7319_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

As you can see, you can sight right down on your work while grinding to make sure you're staying square. I've never had an issue running any belt on it, and the wheels show no real sign of wear. Here's a few more shots off the machine...

[IMG[/IMG]

14204698884_a9b43d82b4_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14202324662_1612cf9318_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
 
Brown & Sharpe Calipers. Dial for me, Im old skool'..
For a long time it was a homemade forge, files and sandpaper. I hate to say I have anything that I cant live without since I started with nothing.
 
Mine would be a 6" long mill file, either smooth cut or #2 swiss cut with one edge ground safe. It's amazing how nice that one file is and how much I use it.

My file guide gets used a lot too but it's home made and way to sloppy so a Bruce Bump file guide is on my wish list.
 
Kentucky said:
Brown & Sharpe Calipers. Dial for me, Im old skool'..
For a long time it was a homemade forge, files and sandpaper. I hate to say I have anything that I cant live without since I started with nothing.
Click to expand...


Dial??!?!? That's not old school - everything in my shop is Vernier!

..namely because you can get really great deals on them because no one wants them. And I just like to be difficult, probably. Somehow feels more real if you're suffering for it... :D
 
Maybe it's a mental thing, but I like my dial caliper more than my digital ones. It seems more accurate...at least in my head.
 
Last edited:
Great tips, Jerid, thanks!

Matthew Gregory said:
... Somehow feels more real if you're suffering for it... :D
Click to expand...

That's a much better reason than my previous one: I was thinking that when technology changes and batteries are no longer available, gears and dials will still work... Consider that reason stolen (or "borrowed" if you prefer). Thanks Matthew, I'll try to remember to give you credit.
 
Matthew Gregory said:
I'd dig the machine that justified one of those!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah me too. My mills don't justify anything special, but all the spindles are 40 taper so I simply have it mounted in a tool holder that will fit all four so it gets used all the time. I got by without one for years, but as I started getting other people working in the shop I needed something accurate that won't break with over travel.



rustyrazor said:
God i wish i had a good mill and knew how to use it.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention that, I feel that same way every single day...
 
Dammit Fred... i've heard so much about this bubble jig of yours that i'm going to go see if there are some videos of it on youtube and see what all the fuss is about. Already have Bruce's file guide (easily some of the smartest money i have spent on small pieces of equipment thus far) and Bam! if the jig sticks to it and it looks as easy as it does in the picture, i'll bite.... might have to be after the canadian dollar is worth more than the paper it's printed on however. I can hardly afford to pay attention these days.
 
rustyrazor said:
Dammit Fred... i've heard so much about this bubble jig of yours that i'm going to go see if there are some videos of it on youtube and see what all the fuss is about. Already have Bruce's file guide (easily some of the smartest money i have spent on small pieces of equipment thus far) and Bam! if the jig sticks to it and it looks as easy as it does in the picture, i'll bite.... might have to be after the canadian dollar is worth more than the paper it's printed on however. I can hardly afford to pay attention these days.
Click to expand...

The only trouble with my new stainless file guides is they are nonmagnetic stainless steel. This picture is an older model and was made of magnetic steel. Some makers have epoxied a thin plate on both sides so Freds bubble jig will attach.
 
Durablock brand sanding blocks...if you're not familiar they are a rigid and dense foam material used in auto body shops. Good for grooves and tighter areas but too forgiving for final pass straight pulls.
 
Bruce Bump said:
The only trouble with my new stainless file guides is they are nonmagnetic stainless steel. This picture is an older model and was made of magnetic steel. Some makers have epoxied a thin plate on both sides so Freds bubble jig will attach.
Click to expand...

thats ok... i've got about a gallon of west systems epoxy and about 2000 half empty tubes of CA glue all over the shop so if thats all, i should have no problem. I just have to learn more... i have to learn more about everything to do with knifemaking, but this jig has caught my attention as of late. Problem is the pathetic canadian dollar right now.... feels like i woke up in a really poor country all of a sudden and i'm trying to offer rupees or something.
 
Matthew Gregory said:
Looking at your use of this, you might consider a Bader double billy roll attachment for your grinder.

Patrice had a thread a while ago about small wheels. I posted this there. Might be of interest to you...

Bader double billy roll attached to my old Wilton Square Wheel:

14181679076_471e931849_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14202323752_84a7f5cc23_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14018213517_931f1f7319_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

As you can see, you can sight right down on your work while grinding to make sure you're staying square. I've never had an issue running any belt on it, and the wheels show no real sign of wear. Here's a few more shots off the machine...

[IMG[/IMG]

14204698884_a9b43d82b4_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]

14202324662_1612cf9318_c.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
Click to expand...

That right there looks amazing, what size is the top roller. Needs to be 7/8 to 1" for my kind of work.
But yeh that's slick right there for the type of handles I do most.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top