Shops, tools, materials and tips
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Here is a shot of the area where I work on knives. Note I am quite shy of tools and materials compared to the rest of the posters in this area.
Dan
Dan
Dan
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Looks pretty doggone good Dan ! Tell me about your stiddy.
------------------
Greg
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Greg
IF YOU AIN'T BUYING OR LOOKING AT A KNIFE THEN YOU AIN'T LIVING.
Always looking to buy good quality Empire knives.
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- Brumbydownunder
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Looks great Dan, plenty of clear worktop and those draws bottom right give you some beaut storage but easy to access.
"Belong Where The Moment Finds You"
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
thanks Greg and Brumby. I bought the stiddy from Dale (Orvet) at the OKCA show in 2016. I have just been getting around to using it the last month or so. Charlie (upnorth) knew the fellow who had made it and told me it was T1 steel. I don't think it was hardened and there are a few dings in the top surface. I finally found a local shop that is very good (or so my source tells me) at hardening steel. So, next week an old aquaintance, who is a machinist, is going to mill the top down flat for me and then I am going to take it in for hardening. Will post some pics once it is finished.
Dan
Dan
Dan
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
I took some pictures last year and the year before but I never posted them in here.
I thought some of you guys might like to see what I'm using and perhaps it will spark some ideas for you and how you can repurpose some things to use them in your shop.
The blue plastic contraption is called a Tool Kaddie they were made for the bicycle repair business. Apparently they stop making them and I picked these up at a yard sale for 10 bucks each I think. They really weren't made for knife repair but they are certainly handy to keep a lot of tools close at hand!
Speaking of handy, I pick this up last November at the flea market, it’s probably the last time my workbench was clean too! I don’t know what this little cabinet was originally but it is great for packing a lot of tools and stuff in a very small area on my workbench!
This was my latest edition to the shop earlier this year; a Wen 10” wet grinder.
I had an 8” wet grinder that I got several years ago. The wheel was worn down so far the housing was getting in the way of the wheel when I was sharpening. This new one is 10” so I should get several more years than I got out of the first one.
I had trouble finding a new 8” wet stone for my old grinder and when I finally located one it was $120. About that time I saw the Wen 10” wet grinder on eBay for $139.16. For $20 more I got a 2 inch larger wheel and a brand-new motor. This one is even reversible, which the old one was not. I have used this new wheel a few times and I am becoming very fond of it! I think it is basically the same machine as the one Grizzly sells under its name also.
I like the fact that I can remove chips and next from blades without heating them up and causing harm to the heat treat of the steel. It’s also very good for sharpening tanto blades which are one of my favorite blades.
I thought some of you guys might like to see what I'm using and perhaps it will spark some ideas for you and how you can repurpose some things to use them in your shop.
The blue plastic contraption is called a Tool Kaddie they were made for the bicycle repair business. Apparently they stop making them and I picked these up at a yard sale for 10 bucks each I think. They really weren't made for knife repair but they are certainly handy to keep a lot of tools close at hand!
Speaking of handy, I pick this up last November at the flea market, it’s probably the last time my workbench was clean too! I don’t know what this little cabinet was originally but it is great for packing a lot of tools and stuff in a very small area on my workbench!
This was my latest edition to the shop earlier this year; a Wen 10” wet grinder.
I had an 8” wet grinder that I got several years ago. The wheel was worn down so far the housing was getting in the way of the wheel when I was sharpening. This new one is 10” so I should get several more years than I got out of the first one.
I had trouble finding a new 8” wet stone for my old grinder and when I finally located one it was $120. About that time I saw the Wen 10” wet grinder on eBay for $139.16. For $20 more I got a 2 inch larger wheel and a brand-new motor. This one is even reversible, which the old one was not. I have used this new wheel a few times and I am becoming very fond of it! I think it is basically the same machine as the one Grizzly sells under its name also.
I like the fact that I can remove chips and next from blades without heating them up and causing harm to the heat treat of the steel. It’s also very good for sharpening tanto blades which are one of my favorite blades.
Dale
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Interesting show, Dale. I always like looking at work areas and tools.
The little cabinet looks very handy and also the new wet grinder seems like a real upgrade.
The little cabinet looks very handy and also the new wet grinder seems like a real upgrade.
Joe
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
I always enjoy seeing pics of your shop, Dale, good organization and lot's of tools and materials. Stuff I need a way more of.
Dan
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
I got tired of bending punches, decided to make my own. I turned the shanks out of 3/8" brass rod, centerdrilled the correct size and use the shank of a dull or broken drill bit as the punch. Loctite it in place. If it breaks, throw a little heat on it, pluck the bad tip out and stick a new one in. The nice thing is you can make them in many precise sizes.
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Great idea Kaleb!
The ones I break most often are the 1/16" pin punches. I have about half a dozen 1/16" Craftsman pin punches so when I get two or three broken ones and I'm heading to the east side of town of take them along and stop by Sears and get some new ones. When Sears stops replacing them I will have to go to your system.
Excellent job of thinking outside the box!
The ones I break most often are the 1/16" pin punches. I have about half a dozen 1/16" Craftsman pin punches so when I get two or three broken ones and I'm heading to the east side of town of take them along and stop by Sears and get some new ones. When Sears stops replacing them I will have to go to your system.
Excellent job of thinking outside the box!
Dale
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- Brumbydownunder
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Good Tip MM ... one of those ... "why didn't I think of that?" I needed a punch like that over the weekend. Consider the idea "Borrowed".
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
I did that for quite a while, with punches and files, there is no sears hardware near me anymore, ours closed it's doors so I've been using .50 cent flea market punches and just throw them away when they break or grind them into center punchesorvet wrote:Great idea Kaleb!
The ones I break most often are the 1/16" pin punches. I have about half a dozen 1/16" Craftsman pin punches so when I get two or three broken ones and I'm heading to the east side of town of take them along and stop by Sears and get some new ones. When Sears stops replacing them I will have to go to your system.
Excellent job of thinking outside the box!
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
That's a great tip Kaleb, thanks for sharing it!
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
picked this up at the flea market the other day for $8, was full of hardware i'll use for something, eventually. But this is what I bought it for. parts storage for my most commonly requested schrades. I organized them by frame type rather than actual model # becuase so many of the schrade parts are interchangeable between model numbers. Most model designations within a given frame type were just to denote a change in handle material, and sometimes in blade steel.
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Cool find! I'm always on the lookout for things to put parts in, never seems to be enough space though.
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Great parts cabinet Kaleb! I would love to get two or three of those.
Lately I’ve been using Plano plastic fishing tackle trays for parts and for parts knives. When I get those reorganized and in place I will post some pictures.
I also have a set of plastic parts bins coming, should be here tomorrow. Not exactly sure how I will use them yet but it will probably be to store larger items, probably hardware for the yard and garden.
They got them on sale now at Northern tool & equipment: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 206-_-CONF
I went online looking for the large plastic parts bins and four of them were as much as this whole set on sale, so I went with the deal!
Lately I’ve been using Plano plastic fishing tackle trays for parts and for parts knives. When I get those reorganized and in place I will post some pictures.
I also have a set of plastic parts bins coming, should be here tomorrow. Not exactly sure how I will use them yet but it will probably be to store larger items, probably hardware for the yard and garden.
They got them on sale now at Northern tool & equipment: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 206-_-CONF
I went online looking for the large plastic parts bins and four of them were as much as this whole set on sale, so I went with the deal!
Dale
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
WOW.....knice find Kaleb!!
SCOTT
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Dale, I had one of those, make sure you mount the plate to a rigid backing like plywood. and don't load it up with too much heavy stuff. I had one I loaded up with nuts/bolts and screws. It only lasted about 4 months. I still have all the trays, the back part is the weak link.
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Good to know Kaleb thank you.
I will try to hit the studs under the drywall and anchor it real solid. I appreciate the heads up.
I will try to hit the studs under the drywall and anchor it real solid. I appreciate the heads up.
Dale
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Job 13:15
"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
AAPK Administrator
Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet
Job 13:15
"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Wow, everyone has a nice looking shop! I got some new equipment this week. A cabled rotary tool with foot pedal control. Variable speed too. Both hands are free to work with. I have a cable attachment for my Dremel workstation but this is better!
And I discovered that I can plug my first gen Work Sharp into the pedal and now I have slow enough speeds that it has become very versatile.
Good tool so far. Got it on eBay. $60.00 shipped!
Has a real drill chuck instead of the system used by Dremel.
And I discovered that I can plug my first gen Work Sharp into the pedal and now I have slow enough speeds that it has become very versatile.
Good tool so far. Got it on eBay. $60.00 shipped!
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Love this thread... I have learnt so much. They say “Necessity is the mother of invention” but so often in my case “lack of money is the mother of my inventions”
A couple of recent creations as I get into making slip joints from scratch – up until now most of my dabbling is around re-working existing knives.
A rise and fall gauge … the actual gauge cost $19 off that auction site the rest of the 'stuff' surfaced from various parts of my shed.
Also I wanted to start relieving the area of the scales where the tang rotates. I don’t have a Mill or access to one so again to ‘that auction’ site for a small east/west vice $40 shipped out of China. Some other bits & bobs out of my handy shed pile and a basic drill-press becomes a rudimentary mill. I still have a few minor adjustments to make but the test-runs are going well.
Edit ... I should have added the Chuck is pinned to the Drill press shaft to prevent it shaking loose.
Derek
A couple of recent creations as I get into making slip joints from scratch – up until now most of my dabbling is around re-working existing knives.
A rise and fall gauge … the actual gauge cost $19 off that auction site the rest of the 'stuff' surfaced from various parts of my shed.
Also I wanted to start relieving the area of the scales where the tang rotates. I don’t have a Mill or access to one so again to ‘that auction’ site for a small east/west vice $40 shipped out of China. Some other bits & bobs out of my handy shed pile and a basic drill-press becomes a rudimentary mill. I still have a few minor adjustments to make but the test-runs are going well.
Edit ... I should have added the Chuck is pinned to the Drill press shaft to prevent it shaking loose.
Derek
"Belong Where The Moment Finds You"
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Nice set up Derek! The tools in my shop are all re-purposed. I have one drill press that a dedicated buffer as I dont have a bench mount buffer. I like it better as the speeds are slower and I have a choice of speeds. I like the way you set up your shop Derek!
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Randy, I'm sure yo'll enjoy the variable speed rotary tool and looks like you are going to get the most out of the variable. Fantastic buy!
Derek, you are doing some great work on your tools so I'm sure the folders will follow the coarse. Great innovation.
Derek, you are doing some great work on your tools so I'm sure the folders will follow the coarse. Great innovation.
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Well I decided to spend a few days arranging shop to make it easier to get to things since my my neck was bothering me too much to work on knives.
Here are some earlier pics from I first set things up about a year ago. It seems I was always getting up to look for something. Along with a bad neck I have a screwed up lower back as well. Instead of unnecessary trips for sand paper or what not I arranged things so I reach what I need without getting too often.
The drilling and buffing stations are the same, just needed to be cleaned.
The Work Sharp, 1 inch belt sander, 4 inch belt sander and wet grinder are all located together. Makes the large grinding chores easier.
Sand paper, files, rotary grinder and accessories all together.
Here are some earlier pics from I first set things up about a year ago. It seems I was always getting up to look for something. Along with a bad neck I have a screwed up lower back as well. Instead of unnecessary trips for sand paper or what not I arranged things so I reach what I need without getting too often.
The drilling and buffing stations are the same, just needed to be cleaned.
The Work Sharp, 1 inch belt sander, 4 inch belt sander and wet grinder are all located together. Makes the large grinding chores easier.
Sand paper, files, rotary grinder and accessories all together.
Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
Breaking things up a little bit.
A friend of mine gave me a wet grinder some time back. It was missing the water tank and such so I had to rig this bottle to do the job. I drilled a hole in a block of wood and used a bolt to connect it to my "post" in order to tip it up for off. And tip it on its side to get the water flowing. Change the angle to control the flow. I made two holes in the bottle cap. One for water to come out and one to let air in. Gets the job done cheap!
Well its time to get back to working on those small Colonial lock backs. But now I don't have to hunt for all the things I might need to take a knife apart. Or put one back together!
I have had a stainless work bench top so I though it would be a good time to use it. Besides a such a solid work surface makes things like cutting knives apart as well as pinning them back together easier. This work surface gives less than just the 2 layers of plywood that I have been using.
A friend of mine gave me a wet grinder some time back. It was missing the water tank and such so I had to rig this bottle to do the job. I drilled a hole in a block of wood and used a bolt to connect it to my "post" in order to tip it up for off. And tip it on its side to get the water flowing. Change the angle to control the flow. I made two holes in the bottle cap. One for water to come out and one to let air in. Gets the job done cheap!
Well its time to get back to working on those small Colonial lock backs. But now I don't have to hunt for all the things I might need to take a knife apart. Or put one back together!
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Re: Shops, tools, materials and tips
That is just way too tidy to be 'normal'
Nice work space it would be a joy to work in ... I'm envious>
Nice work space it would be a joy to work in ... I'm envious>
"Belong Where The Moment Finds You"