Jimi, Jelly, Rafezetter & Richard,
Many thanks for your comments.
Jimi,
Yes, I was glad to get the infill in place OK. Taking the photos has made a useful record for me – often in the past I have forgotten the details of what I have done and then had to “reinvent the wheel” later.
Jelly,
Your question about the use of channel is very interesting and I wonder if anyone has tried this method. I think the main difficulty would be a finding suitable size. Steel channel seems to come in two main types: rolled (which has tapered sides) and “parallel flange” (which appears to be folded from flat plate and has rounded outer corners and would thus be a non-starter). The rolled type is available in certain standard sizes but none seems to be suitable, e.g. the 76mm x 38mm size would be wide enough for a 2 3/8” blade but the sides would be rather thick and not be high enough to carry the holes for mounting the lever cap. I also wonder if stresses trapped during the manufacturing process might cause distortion to occur after the sides are cut to shape.
Rafezetter,
I haven’t kept count of the hours but yes, they would add up to quite a few. However, working in my shed, listening to the radio and looking out on my garden is a pleasure for me. As you will see from the earlier posts in this thread, I have had a lot of helpful advice and encouragement in my efforts. The dovetails (and a few defects) can be seen if you look closely at the real thing rather than a photo.
Richard,
The lever cap is at an early stage, as you can see from the photo below – there is some serious filing still to do. I plan to have a stepped pin on either side with a spring in between so as to allow the lever cap to be removable. The thread is 3/8" BSW - did you get any further with your ACME thread problem?
