Jump to content

What did you do in your shop today?


Joshua States

Recommended Posts

I'm a work-rest grinder, which means I grind all my blades on a work rest and use a push stick to apply pressure where I need it. 

As for the file-jig with the carbide faces, those can be pretty pricey, so if you primarily set your plunge cuts with files rather than a grinder, or you can be pretty careful with a 2x72 running at slow speed, you can make your own file jig from hardened O-1 like I originally did.

O-1 file jig (2).JPG

O-1 file jig.JPG

And for those of you who are not familiar with work-rest grinding technique: https://youtu.be/il88qhfoJnQ

 

 

  • Thanks 1

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing.  

 

Josh

http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

J.States Bladesmith | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like I need to rethink my grinding setup.     Great vid Joshua,  never thought of approaching flat grinds that way.  Seems much more efficient than just using the flat platen.    

Got to do some sharpening and testing of my latest this evening.   It thinned out more than I'd like in my efforts to make it sharp.   I got it sharp, just not razor like I'd like.  I guess because it's so thick at the ridge and narrow at the base, I couldn't get the right edge geometry, even with the hollow grind.  I got it at .250 on the nose at the ricasso, then .215 at the base of the ridge  which tapers down to around .167 at the ridge of the tip.     It's sharp and will cut, but it's more of a sharpened shank than a fine cutter. 

My leather wrap rode up the handle a little whilst I was throwing the thing.  It sticks pretty darn good and deep from 5 paces.   Stabbed into some cat's claw, a real dense wood in the Ironwood family,  stabbed and twisted, stabbed and bent out, and chopped into it as good as I could.   No damage.  The tip bent slightly a couple times during throws and stab/bend tests, which is expected, but no breaks, and stabbed and bent the other way to true it back up, which worked well.   Then I stabbed into an old pressure tank which is probably 1/8" thick or so.   Tip came out unscathed.   All in all, I liked how it performed.

STABBY5.jpg

A question for the metallurgists around.    Is there any negative affect a long tempering process can have on a blade ?   I tempered this one in a convection oven at my work.   Left it in there around 7 hours at 350.   Touched 420 for about an hour, then back to 350 for the rest of the day.  Probably overkill.  I dunno.     I mean, in theory if I left a blade in an oven at 350 - 450 (whichever) for over 24 hours,   I don't reach critical temp, so no real negative effects?   So all that can happen is I get full conversion from martensite to tempered martensite ?    Probably just overthinking things again..,

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this showed up at the shop yesterday. Working on getting it set up. Perfect guard slots, here I come! 

UxXpaDVcSjWoS1qXaE6UlA.jpg

Jeff H.
CFI/CFII/MEI
KE7ZMH

"Give a man fire and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What model PM is that J ??

I'm in the process of installing a DRO system on my RF-31 style mill drill, and planning on a DRO for my lathe soon.............B)

If ya can't be good don't git caught  !!                                        People who say stuff can't be done need to

                                                                                                        git the hell outta the way of people who do stuff   !!!

Show me a man who is called an expert by his peers         

And I will show you a good man to listen to ......

Show me a man who calls himself an expert

and I will show you an egotistical asshole...............!!

 

                             

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Clifford Brewer said:

What model PM is that J ??

I'm in the process of installing a DRO system on my RF-31 style mill drill, and planning on a DRO for my lathe soon.............B)

It's a PM-25MV. I got it set up and it's surprisingly quiet. I'm glad I got this one vs. the Grizzly. I've also got a X-axis power feed that I need to install. 

rSNYHWkgRlyZrLq7c8umJA.jpg

Jeff H.
CFI/CFII/MEI
KE7ZMH

"Give a man fire and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yer gonna like what you can do with that puppy...................:D

If ya can't be good don't git caught  !!                                        People who say stuff can't be done need to

                                                                                                        git the hell outta the way of people who do stuff   !!!

Show me a man who is called an expert by his peers         

And I will show you a good man to listen to ......

Show me a man who calls himself an expert

and I will show you an egotistical asshole...............!!

 

                             

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Clifford Brewer said:

Yer gonna like what you can do with that puppy...................:D

Speaking of which, beyond milling guard slots, shoulders, and fullers, or making the odd file guide or two, what do you folks use your mill for? 

Jeff H.
CFI/CFII/MEI
KE7ZMH

"Give a man fire and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shaft key ways, rifle parts, tool holders, gears, bolt hole patterns on flanges, and bout any thing ya can't do on a lathe

within the capacity of yer machine..........B)

If ya can't be good don't git caught  !!                                        People who say stuff can't be done need to

                                                                                                        git the hell outta the way of people who do stuff   !!!

Show me a man who is called an expert by his peers         

And I will show you a good man to listen to ......

Show me a man who calls himself an expert

and I will show you an egotistical asshole...............!!

 

                             

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should be done grinding on this tonight....its close. I need to lose about 3/8" off the spine to get under 2"...and about 1/4 off the blade to get at/under 10".

My grinding jig is just this piece of aluminum angle. The drill bit stops me at the same spot on my platten/rest for a nice crisp plunge line.

 

2choppa.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am still working on my power hammer project; i got the anvil welded in solid, filled the empty spaces under the platform with wood, spray foam, and sheet foam to deaden the sound, and yesterday i was working on layout for the column, and cutting for the upper anvil to column brace. I had ran out of gas for the cutting rig, and switched over to plasma cutting yesterday, but smoked that, too......off to the gas supplier today for O2 and acetylene. I will try to remember to take some photos today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I'm an engraver now... Luckily the piece I'm using for inspiration is just as sloppy.  I don't think he'd ever engraved anything before either.

Phosphorus bronze destined for sheath fittings...

IMG_20180818_184342350.jpg

  • Like 1

George Ezell, bladesmith

" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."
Buffon


view some of my work

RelicForge on facebook
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎8‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 9:46 PM, jheinen said:

Speaking of which, beyond milling guard slots, shoulders, and fullers, or making the odd file guide or two, what do you folks use your mill for? 

You can also surface grind stuff like blades, guards, spacers, butt caps, etc. Surface grinding your scales for frames or full tangs is easy to do on the mill. Get yourself a flywheel cutter.

2 hours ago, GEzell said:

Well, I'm an engraver now... Luckily the piece I'm using for inspiration is just as sloppy.  I don't think he'd ever engraved anything before either.

Phosphorus bronze destined for sheath fittings...

Not bad for your first go laddie…..

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing.  

 

Josh

http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

J.States Bladesmith | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Joshua States said:

Not bad for your first go laddie…..

Heck, I've been doing it off and on since 2001 and I still can't do parallel lines freehand! :lol:  Looks good, and yes, captures the feel of the period.  B)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally have a working coal forge.  Most of the forging I've done up to now has been at friends' forges or at venues where we demonstrate muzzleloader gun barrel forging.  Now I need to make my fire tending tools.  All I have is a coal rake.

IMG_2361.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, GEzell said:

Well, I'm an engraver now... Luckily the piece I'm using for inspiration is just as sloppy.  I don't think he'd ever engraved anything before either.

Phosphorus bronze destined for sheath fittings...

IMG_20180818_184342350.jpg

It takes practice, as well as putting it off for years until you can gather enough confidence, or just get tired and want to finally finish something and go with whatever happens :)  Is that for the Dürbheim longsax by any chance?

  • Like 1

Jeroen Zuiderwijk

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/barbarianmetalworking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I finally got another big cermonial bronze sword finished! That's no.2. Then I can start finishing no. 3, then another one for myself, and then I already have people lined up for more.... But once I finished no.3, I'll see if I can do some other stuff purely for fun again. I need that :) 

P1040722a.jpg

Edited by Jeroen Zuiderwijk
Photo added
  • Like 2

Jeroen Zuiderwijk

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/barbarianmetalworking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Joshua States said:

You can also surface grind stuff like blades, guards, spacers, butt caps, etc. Surface grinding your scales for frames or full tangs is easy to do on the mill. Get yourself a flywheel cutter.

I have a 2" face mill. How do you hold a blade for surface milling the ricasso? I can't see how to do it in a vise. Someone told me you can use a liquid metal fixture like bismuth, but that seems like it would be rather more work than it's worth. 

Jeff H.
CFI/CFII/MEI
KE7ZMH

"Give a man fire and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Alan Longmire said:

Heck, I've been doing it off and on since 2001 and I still can't do parallel lines freehand! :lol:  Looks good, and yes, captures the feel of the period.  B)

I'd read that straight lines are extremely difficult so figured that would be a great first project...:)

My client and I have a theory that the artist who did the original was rather drunk at the time, so I think I hit that low bar with flying colors.

It's not going to be an exact replica, I'm borrowing design elements from several places.

24c73b489b86af1cb819aab7f967ddc6.jpg

George Ezell, bladesmith

" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."
Buffon


view some of my work

RelicForge on facebook
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Jeroen Zuiderwijk said:

And I finally got another big cermonial bronze sword finished! That's no.2. Then I can start finishing no. 3, then another one for myself, and then I already have people lined up for more.... But once I finished no.3, I'll see if I can do some other stuff purely for fun again. I need that :) 

P1040722a.jpg

That is an epic piece of work.

  • Thanks 1

George Ezell, bladesmith

" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."
Buffon


view some of my work

RelicForge on facebook
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jheinen said:

I have a 2" face mill. How do you hold a blade for surface milling the ricasso? I can't see how to do it in a vise. Someone told me you can use a liquid metal fixture like bismuth, but that seems like it would be rather more work than it's worth. 

Do you have a set of hold-down blocks?

Edited by Joshua States

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing.  

 

Josh

http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

J.States Bladesmith | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Joshua States said:

Do you have a set of hold-down blocks?

Yes, I've got a set of those step-blocks that adjust to different heights. I suppose I could clamp the blade and tang with those, just ensuring that I don't bend them too far.

Jeff H.
CFI/CFII/MEI
KE7ZMH

"Give a man fire and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I put one of those pyrometer-thermos coupler thingys on my welding forge.

InkedPyrometer (1)_LI.jpg

Yes, the temp reading looks accurate...…

Pyrometer (2).JPG

  • Like 1

“So I'm lightin' out for the territory, ahead of the scared and the weak and the mean spirited, because Aunt Sally is fixin’ to adopt me and civilize me, and I can't stand it. I've been there before.”

The only bad experience is the one from which you learn nothing.  

 

Josh

http://www.dosgatosdesignsllc.com/#!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJMFMqnbLYqv965xd64vYg

J.States Bladesmith | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dos.gatos.71

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JStatesBladesmith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...