Shops, tools, materials and tips

[glennbad]

Knife genius! I sometimes have issues holding knives while trying to sand them down. My hands don't always grip the way they used to.

That clamp is an awesome idea.

Glenn

[orvet]

Glad you guys like it.
It is much better than using leather faces on a hobby vise.
I have over tightened a knife in a hobby vise and tweaked the knife out of perfect walk & talk. This clamp seems to alleviate that problem.

If you can find the old self-vulcanizing patch clamps, just clean them up and glue on the heavy leather. I used some horse leather because it is thick and stiff. It is really pretty easy. The hard part is finding the clamps.

[CCBill]

Picked up a bunch of new "junk"...
Picked up an 11 drawer Gerstner, machinist tool box. Really nice shape. Even has a key. What is the best thing to condition the "leatherette" covering?

3 little, oil can banks aout 3" tall. Kinda cute...

5 older Plumb wrenches... The 2 wrenches in the middle are spring loaded and marked "onehander" one one side. Made in Germany and Chomanvan on the other. Also stamped "stickle/back". 6" and 10"...Old Stanley angle guage. Don't know the proper name for it. Somebody enlighten me, please.

3 hammers on left are Plumb... Unmarked...Stanley...Simmons tack hammer...the one on the right has a really odd mark. Maybe I can get a picture of it later.

Old Wahl razor and shear sharpener. Original box with instructions. Motor runs. Pre-zip code. interesting item...

Utica plier, Craftsman and Erwin vice grips and Ford script wrench.

What have you found recently?
...CCBill...

[FRJ]

Bill,
you have some nice stuff there. Too bad they covered that nice tool box with what I imagin is "Naugahyde". Made in Naugatuck, Ct. I woud suggest a little water (no need to get the wood wet) and a little soap and a nylon bristle brush.
Hammers with fiberglass handles do not appeal to me much, but as a tool, they are worth hanging on to that's for sure.
That Stanley angle gage is really called a Bevel Gage, and they are somewhat collectible. As you know condition is (almost) every thing. Is the blade straight?

[CCBill]

Thanks for the reply, Joe. The blade of the bevel guage is as straight as a string.
Any time I can buy Plumb, fiberglass handled hammers for 50 cents each, I go ahead and buy them. Silly me...
I don't care for the leatherette covering on the tool box, myself but it's not too bad for $35.00.
...CCBill...

[orvet]

Nice finds Bill!
I like those Plumb wrenches, now those are QUALITY!!!!

Bill,
Too bad they covered that nice tool box with what I imagin is "Naugahyde". Made in Naugatuck, Ct.

Now, now Joe, don’t be dissin’ Naugahyde! It’s collectable now!
Haven’t you heard that the Naugas are on the endangered species list?
You can’t find anything new made with Naugahyde.

Them Naugas are on the endangered species list along with the Bale Eagle and the Virgin Vinyls.
Think ‘bout it; when was time you saw sumpin’ made with Virgin Vinyl? They made the list too!













I am wonderin’ is why can I still buy things made with vinyl?
I guess that speaks to the morals of them Vinyls.

[CCBill]

Thanks for the reply, Dale.
Ya know, it's really sad to think about all the little Naugas that have given their lives just to cover couches, chairs, etc...
I like the Plumb wrenches, too. I'm always on the lookout for Plumb, Mac, Bonney, Snap-on, Blackhawk ,older Craftsman
and other quality American made tools. I'm supposed to go look at a bunch of Starrett stuff, tomorrow but I doubt I'll be able to buy it all.
...CCBill...

[johnnierotten]

Cool machinists box you got there,Bill

[CCBill]

The Plumb wrenches are older than I thought they were. Heck, they're as old or older than I am.They stopped stamping them "Plumb" in the late 40's and started stamping them "Proto", short for Professional Tools.
I'm probably the only one that didn't know that .

Thanks, Johnny. Did you ever get YOUR box fixed up and filled up?
...CCBill...

[johnnierotten]

Thanks, Johnny. Did you ever get YOUR box fixed up and filled up?

Out of the 2 that I got that day......I've got one filled ..and I'm thinking of selling the other.

[Toejammer]

$35 for a Gerstner ? Anytime I find one, they seem to be made from "unobtanium".

Good snag

[whitebuffalo58]

Here's a setup I built about 15 years ago. Thought it might help some of you guys that are like me and have limited space.

Not sure if you can make out from the pics what all this work station can do. so i'll try and explain it a little.
I built the top out of a sheet of 3/4" plywood. After cutting it in half cross ways, I laminated the 2 halves to make a 4' x 4' x 1-1/2" thick piece. Then I calculated the deminsions to clip the 4 corners, making 8 equal sides. (I think each side is about 24") Each of these became an individual work station. I mounted the top to a small base cabinet with a heavy duty lazysusan turntable assembly. Someday I intend to build a larger base unit for more storage, but had this one on hand so I used it. It took several hours to map out a way to get the machines layed out to fit, but eventually ended up with 11+ individual functioning tools. All within a 4' square and accessable in less than a 2' standing area. I rigged a levering lock mechanism from the base to the top. Now, I throw the lever and rotate the top to whichever machine I need and lock it down. The power cord and light are rigged to a dowel rod and rotate with the table. I simply reach up and hang on to the light when rotating and manuever it into position as needed. The actual power cord comes in from the ceiling and I do have to watch to not get it twisted by rotating to often in the same direction. Technically the way the multi strip is mounted, it won't allow that to happen, so it's not really an issue on this particular setup. Many of the machines here are multi-taskers, with various jigs, chucks and fictures. I store those along with the sanding belts in/on the cabinet below. All in all, it works perfect. What tools used to take up a full 14' workbench are now confined to a very small space.

My dad used to have sideline sharpening buisness, when he retired he gave me this old Bell & Howell sharpening staion. It has dozens of attachments to sharpen everything from saw blades to router bits and knives to scissors, even hedge shears. I use it for all those plus lots of other stuff.

As a cabinet maker I bought this 6" x 80" belt sander for that purpose, but it also gets used for making and now restoring knives.

Great thread guys! I only made it through the first couple of pages before posting this. Now i'm gonna go back and try to play catch-up. WB

[CCBill]

Hi, WB...
It looks to me like you have an excellent set-up . I really like it. It is sturdy, solid and versatile.
I should probably do something similar in my shop .
Thanks for taking the time to take and post the pictures. Hopefully somebody else will comment, soon. I would have been here sooner but I decided to set up at our Trade Day this month and I've been busy.
...CCBill...

[whitebuffalo58]

Thanks CCBill and no problem. I probably should have blown things off a bit but i've been working on a large cabinet job the last few weeks and hadn't had time to clean up. Wood dust sure does accumulate, even with a central collector. Sounds like you've been a busy feller too. Good luck with your efforts, WB

[orvet]

I am always looking for things to make working on knives easier.
I’m constantly on the lookout for a tool or item that can be adapted for use to work on knives. (If I have posted this before please bear with me).

Some time back I visited the Dollar Tree with my wife. I found what I can only describe as sponge rubber Q-tips. Ladies use them for putting war paint on their eyes mainly, from what I have been told. But I found they work great to clean between the liners of a knife. With a solvent or oil on them they can loosen some of the crud in a knife and make it easier to blow out with compressed air (either a compressor or canned air like computer techs use).

I have also found these work well to apply metal polish to the inside liners of a knife, always a difficult place to clean without taking the knife apart. You can use one applicator to apply a light coat of polish and another one or two to remove the polish that cannot be removed with a rag.

Here is a pic of some of these applicators I have picked up.
The top 2 packs are the same; on the left it is shown with the outer wrapper. I picked these up this evening at a Big Lots store (shopping with my wife again), There were four of the packages like the top left banded together for only $2; that is 24 double ended applicators for $2, or just a hair over 4¢ per double ended applicator. On a real dirty knife I may use 3 or 4 of these applicators to clean & polish it inside, so 16¢ to clean & polish the inside of a knife is not too expansive in my book!

The single tipped applicator in the pic is one I got at the Dollar Tree. I removed one end to show that the plastic handle is flat so it is prefect for getting between the liners when a toothpick is too thick.

The bottom package was more expensive, about $1.95 at a Kroger store. I bought those when I could not find any more at the Dollar Tree.

When it comes to finding/making tools for my shop I get creative and I am a real scrounge. I scrounge makeup brushes my wife gets in sets of makeup that she doesn’t use. Some of them are very good for accessing hard to reach corners of the inside of a knife.

-BTW, being called a scrounge is a very good thing in the Marine Corps or the Navy; it is a badge of honor! Every unit needs at least one good scrounge!

[ringergary]

Anvil and drill press I got last year.
The Anvil is a chrome jeweller's anvil. 5.5 ins X 1.75 X2.75 High.
The drill press is a SMT hobby unit.
I use ( intend to ) for drilling handle material and small jobs.
It takes up to a 1/4 inch bit.
Just a couple more instruments for the bench.

Gary

[muskrat man]

I like that setup WB neat and compact with all the tools to do a job. very nice

[whitebuffalo58]

Thanks MM!!

[Toejammer]

Where all the magic happens........ or mayhem, take your pick. My humble little workshop in the basement, under the stairs, next to the furnace. (I feel like a troll all a sudden)

The workbench was the original sink / cabinetry that came with the house in the 1920's. I couldn't bare to toss it, so I pulled the sink and plumbing, and dropped a new top on it.

[orvet]

Nice compact setup Mike.
I really like that old file cabinet, looks like it weighs a ton, but has lots of storage in it!

[Toejammer]

Nice compact setup Mike.
I really like that old file cabinet, looks like it weighs a ton, but has lots of storage in it!

TON doesn't even begin to describe it ! Can't move it with the drawers in it, even with the hand truck. It was here in the basement when we bought the house. Comes in quite handy though, the shop would be a mess without it.

[Joe Dirt]

Nice lil set up, Jammer!

Here is the sign that is on my stairway door leading to the dungeon...

(Mods, this sign contains a 4 letter word that is in layman's terms for poop. I will be happy to censor it if asked.)

....... Joe















*

[orvet]

TON doesn't even begin to describe it ! Can't move it with the drawers in it, even with the hand truck. It was here in the basement when we bought the house. Comes in quite handy though, the shop would be a mess without it.

The previous owner probably left it there rather than move it!
I would have, even as much as I like it!

[Toejammer]

I like that sigh Joe !

Dale - the wife says it was a storage cabinet for sewing patterns.

[ringergary]

From the bench of one of the master's.

Here's a knife vise I got from orvet ( Dale ).
Haven't used it yet, but a tool like this has gotta be a big help
to a learner.
Thanks Dale.