Shops, tools, materials and tips

[orvet]

You might soak the parts to remove rust and crud built up on a knife that was not well cared for.

[tc3500]

Thanks again Dale. I have been straightening up and getting things lined out for this
little knife kit adventure. Looks like I need to go grab a buffer and a combo sander similar
to what Caleb has shown here. I also need to get a band saw, what do you guys
recommend as a decent powered small band saw (I am limited on space), are there
any benchtop models worth having? Hope to get some work space pics posted soon.

Trevor

[knifemaker3]

Thanks again Dale. I have been straightening up and getting things lined out for this
little knife kit adventure. Looks like I need to go grab a buffer and a combo sander similar
to what Caleb has shown here. I also need to get a band saw, what do you guys
recommend as a decent powered small band saw (I am limited on space), are there
any benchtop models worth having? Hope to get some work space pics posted soon.

Trevor

A 1x30 sander will work fine for doing repair work on folders. A 2x72 is great for everything with practice.

Lowes is a good place to get small sanders and wood band saws. Or harbor freight or grizzly's.

You will need a metal cutting band saw to cut metal.

Good Luck!

[paulsvintage]

have a question . have trouble finding nickel silver pin stock most of the suppliers are out . had to finish my first knife with brass. any suggestions? thanks Paul

[orvet]

This question comes up often enough that I started a thread for it.

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 37&t=23455

[glennbad]

Here's my shop, although I did not clean. (I wanted it to look "normal")




My baby...



Waiting to be "processed"


For parts or a rehab...


My new addition


I have a few other tools not shown, like a bandsaw, my cheap Harbor Freight 1 x 30 sander, miter saw, table saw, and router table.

Glenn

[Ramrod]

Nice shop Glenn!
I think I see the bone handles for a Cam 69 that I been lookin for stickin up out of that parts box.....
Mark

[Elvis]

Really nice set-up Glenn! I almost didn't recognize those grinders because of the guards on them though. Mine have been off for years and are considered lost. I've got a Baldor like yours that I picked up second-hand a few years ago. Nice, ain't they? Enough power to really lean into your work if you want to without the motor slowing down and still smooth enough to polish jewelery.

Our work benches are a lot alike. I did build a shelf just underneath the area in front of where I work to hold the Ren Wax, isopropal alcohol, MEK and acetone. I think my diamond sharpening stone is there too. It just clears the bench of things that spill or aren't needed every minute. I set the front of the shelf about 3 inches deeper than the front of the workbench. It works well for me so I thought you may want to consider it. Something else that I've started doing lately is drilling holes into the face of my work bench. The holes are the correct size to insert one of those little super-magnets, for lack of the proper term, in with some epoxy. After it dries, you've got a great place to hold your favorite punch, most common drill bits, chuck keys, whatever. Now just throw on about 50 lbs of dust, metal shavings and a few other hazardous materials and I'd feel right at home. Nice shop!

[garddogg56]

Glenbad;nice shop.Where's the coffee pot and college dorm refer ie.cooler?

[glennbad]

Really nice set-up Glenn! I almost didn't recognize those grinders because of the guards on them though. Mine have been off for years and are considered lost. I've got a Baldor like yours that I picked up second-hand a few years ago. Nice, ain't they? Enough power to really lean into your work if you want to without the motor slowing down and still smooth enough to polish jewelery.

Our work benches are a lot alike. I did build a shelf just underneath the area in front of where I work to hold the Ren Wax, isopropal alcohol, MEK and acetone. I think my diamond sharpening stone is there too. It just clears the bench of things that spill or aren't needed every minute. I set the front of the shelf about 3 inches deeper than the front of the workbench. It works well for me so I thought you may want to consider it. Something else that I've started doing lately is drilling holes into the face of my work bench. The holes are the correct size to insert one of those little super-magnets, for lack of the proper term, in with some epoxy. After it dries, you've got a great place to hold your favorite punch, most common drill bits, chuck keys, whatever. Now just throw on about 50 lbs of dust, metal shavings and a few other hazardous materials and I'd feel right at home. Nice shop!

The shelf sounds like a good idea. Otherwise, my stuff is just strewn about. And of course, I don't just work on knives, there are other things I need the bench for on occasion, so yeah, a shelf would probably come in handy.

Also, I love my Baldor, mainly cause it's so quiet, I can use it "after hours".

[glennbad]

Glenbad;nice shop.Where's the coffee pot and college dorm refer ie.cooler?

No coffee pot, but in the other end of the basement, there is my second fridge. From time to time, there are adult beverages in there, and if I'm really lucky, a frosty can of Yuengling. (They don't sell it up here in NH, so I have to import it )

Glenn

[knives-are-quiet]

Wow....
All the shops posted on this forum makes mine look like a phone booth.
I wouldn't even consider mine a shop, more of a work station.
I never measured it but it must be a 10' X 10' corner in my basement.
I have to move a lot of equipment around when changing to a different stage in a repair but it has always worked for me.
Plus a lot of the hand finish work I end up doing at my kitchen table close to the fridge, coffee pot and television set.

When I get a chance to clean the "work station" up a little, I'll post a picture as long as you guys promise not to laugh.

J W

[knives-are-quiet]

Well, here is my little work station.
You can laugh if you want to but I like it.
I have been using this little corner of my basement for many years.
It might not look like much but this can be one productive little work station.
Everything is within hands reach.
Some other machinery is stored on shelves and cabinets out of picture shot.
I switch things around when needed.
It is so small of an area I can't get everything in the picture frame with my camera.
This is where all the grinding, sanding and ruff assembly goes on.
A lot of finish work I do either in my kitchen, in my spare room upstairs or outside on my front porch. I also store most of my parts and materials in the spare room upstairs.
Basically my whole house is a work shop.

J W

[glennbad]

And here I am complaining that I don't have enough space in my shop.

Amazing what some can do with limited space. Impressive!

Glenn

[Elvis]

There's a lot to be said in favor of a small work area where everything is pretty much within arms reach. One thing you have that I need to attend to in my shop is extra lighting. A four ft. overhead like yours and a desk lamp clamped to a shelf above the work bench help some, but those large round lights you have may be something I add soon. Having a well-lit work area makes you understand those blinding lights in your eyes every time you visit the dentist or those huge lights they use in hospital operating rooms (or course, getting older isn't helping either). Nice set-up JW!

[knives-are-quiet]

There's a lot to be said in favor of a small work area where everything is pretty much within arms reach. One thing you have that I need to attend to in my shop is extra lighting. A four ft. overhead like yours and a desk lamp clamped to a shelf above the work bench help some, but those large round lights you have may be something I add soon. Having a well-lit work area makes you understand those blinding lights in your eyes every time you visit the dentist or those huge lights they use in hospital operating rooms (or course, getting older isn't helping either). Nice set-up JW!

Oh Yea~
Ten years ago I didn't need those lights.
It seemed like my eye sight changed over night back then and now I wear eye glasses for everything.

J W

[CCBill]

I wish more of you would show your work areas. Here's my bench and a couple of pictures of a bunch of small hammers I have picked up and one of some odds and ends. When I get my shop a little better organized, I will post some more pics.
...CCBill...

[CCBill]

Aw c'mon...
Surely some of ya'll can come up with a picture of your work area. Doesn't matter if it's a broom closet, a table top or 100'X100' shop.
I'm planning a new table about 70"X24" that I'm going to mount some of my power tools on. It's a counter top that was used in an old Post Office that was in Bells, TX. a long, long time ago. When I get it done, I will post pics of it.
I have learned a lot just lookin at other member's areas. This site might give you some ideas to use in your own shop.
...CCBill...

[FRJ]

Well, Bill, I got to admit that you got me inspired. I sure liked looking at your shop. (and others as well)
That's a great looking old smokewagon you got hangin up above. Who made it? I really liked the close up of your tools.
I hope that Post Office counter is hefty.
I will do a little cleaning and post some pictures in a few days. I've got a little project I want to do for my daughter
so I need to clear the table for work anyway. Later.

[FRJ]

Here's my shop and some of my tools.
I hope you enjoy the ride.

[FRJ]

And more tools................

[FRJ]

And more tools...........Thanks.

[CCBill]

Wow, Joe, thanks for all the great pictures. Looks like a vey functional shop.
Your rehandled spatulas are something that will be passed on for generations.
I've never seen a vise quite like the red one. What is the purpose of the round hole in the base?
Great pics with waaay to much to comment on.
Who's next???


You asked about the old muzzle loader hanging on the wall in my shop? It was made for Child, Pratt& Co, St. Louis by Enterprise Gun Works, Pittsburg, between 1852& 1860. 36", .40 cal. barrel. Double set triggers. To be a shooter, it needs to be re-stocked. It also needs sights, ramrod thimbles and a ramrod. I thought about re doing it but a Gentleman on an antique gun website convinced me to leave it in it's as found condition. I bought it at our local trade day.

[FRJ]

Bill, I'm glad you have so much information on the muzzleloader. Leaveing it as found is good reasoning I think.
There's lots of other shooters, if that's what you want to do.

About the vice(s). Please see pictures. I got these about six years apart. The last was the machinist vice. Praise be!!
I've had the woodworkers vice for about 20 years.

[FRJ]

And speaking of woodworkers, have you seen my hammers?

The 16 oz. curved claw, in picture 58, is what I carried exclusivly. That hammer is a replacement. I wore one out at the handle. I couldn't believe it. It just folded in the middle one day. I was bummed. The little wooden handled curved claw above it was used for clapboard and cedar shingles.

I know I'm posting a lot of pictures. I don't want to take over the thread. I'm just jumping in.
I'm not through though.
Tips........ I've got something for tips. It's woodworker/carpenter themed. Later