Secret Santa Rejects

[wizer]

Hi Guys

Well when I was trying to work out what to do for the Secret Santa present I came up with a few ideas. I really wanted to make something as opposed to buying something. The initial idea was a mallet. But I'm not keen on square mallets so I had to figure a way to turn a mallet without a lathe. I consulted with DaveR about the trend router lathe and also found a couple of plans to make a homemade version. I though that it might take too long for me to make something like that and then once it's done i'd have to store it. So then Ed Sutton posted a knife he'd made using a hock blade. This seemed like the perfect solution and so I ordered a large and small blade. I didn't take WIP pics but bascally I resawed a nice offcut of Zebrano that I had and then glued it to the blade using Araldite. I went on to shave the sides on a belt sander held in the vice, The problem came when I came to shaping the faces. All was going well until I lost concentration and let the sharp blade touch the spinning abrasive belt! This meant I had to re-sharpen the blade on my diampnd stones by hand. It took a lot of work and I got it pretty good. MY freehand honing skills are certainly improvng, but I felt it wasn't good enough to give as a present.

The plugs/rivets are made from beech and are wedged in with tightly with no glue.

It's hard to see the poor sharpening in this pic, but you can see the point that touched the sanding belt.

When I can stand for a little longer I'll get the tripod out and use my macro lenses. I think I need some tuition on product photography. I left the top of the blade exposed to show the Hock engraving,

I was also halfway through making the smaller blade handle when I finally decided thse where not good enough for presents,

This one will be rounded to fit in the hand nicer. I must admit that despite the average blade sharpening, the feel of the larger one in the hand is very nice and I'll keep it as my main marking knife. It wasn't til i'd made the Zebrano/Hock knifve that I realised I could have used the Japanese blade as sold by Axminster Which would have been just the same but significantly cheaper.

So with the marking knife now off the list I had to come up with something else. I decided on making a pair of hand screw vice clamps and bought a couple of kits from Workshop Heaven. They were coming on nicely but I felt they weren't enough of a gift. So I asked Allen (Blister) if he wouldn't mind me popping over to his place and learning how to turn a mallet. He very kindly agreed and we set up a day when we were both free. Sadly the night before that was supposed to happen, my back went bananas! As I laid in bed that night I was adamant I was going to make it to Allen's the next day. 5am in the morning the missus got up to see to the bubbba and came rushing back in the bedroom as I was wailing in agony upside-down in a heap on the floor. I don't know how she lifted me back onto the bed but I beat the baby in the crying contest that morning

Luckily I had ordered a couple of Gramercy hold downs from Tools for Working Wood in New York. One was MarkW's xmas present and the other was for myself but I was more than happy to give it away as the SS pressie. I have another order to make from TFWW soon so I can get mself another. I'm sure Aiden was overjoyed not to receive any the above items

Let me know what you think of the hold down Aiden, the cheaper local ones, MarkW managed to smash the top off his one! The Gramercy's are meant to be the bees knees

Ah well, the hand screws will stil get made and if Allen's still up for it, I'd love to turn myself a mallet when he's free

 

[OPJ]

Shame about the edge, Tom. I think anyone would've been happy to receive a knife like this, though. After all, it's the thought that counts, isn't it? :wink: I never expect to buy an edge tool or blade and find it's sharp and ready to use straight out of the box... Although, Veritas keep surprising me! :roll:

I look forward to seeing how these clamps turn out. I've been thinking about making some for myself, didn't realise Workshop Heaven sold all the bits and pieces - thanks for that. :wink:

What don't you like about square mallets? They're another good little project to make. Sorry to hear you're still really suffering with your back.

 

[wizer]

Yes these Hock blades come reasonably sharp but they dull in appearance. When I freehand sharpened them through xxc to xxf on my DMT's they gained a mirror finish.

I just like the feel of a round mallet in the hand. It just seems right to me. I think it has to do with weight and centre of gravity.

 

[Out int shed]

I must agree, a round mallet is my preference. I think the principal behind it is the same as with a stileto shoe. The maximum force of each blow is concentrated at a small point on the round surface, unlike a square mallet where the force is distributed across a large face.

 

[Derek Willis.]

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Here is a simple mallet from Bob Waring, a long time ago, I made several for presents then, and they went down well, have one myself.
derek.

 

[Derek Willis.]

This time I'll get it right, it seems that everthing has changed, my password, my registration and I have lost all my past record, never mind.

 

[wizer]

Yes I researched a lot of designs for square mallets and maybe TheTiddles would have been happy with a square one. I searched back through his posts and it was hard to gauge what he might like. I guessed a mallet is something you can have 2 of.

 

[TheTiddles]

I must agree, a round mallet is my preference. I think the principal behind it is the same as with a stileto shoe. The maximum force of each blow is concentrated at a small point on the round surface, unlike a square mallet where the force is distributed across a large face.

That would be a good idea if you wanted to dent your chisels, as you don't a flat surface is prefferable, however, round heads don't require you to keep the orientation of the mallet face with the tool

Aidan

 

[wizer]

So I assume you was glad the knife and mallet were rejected Adien?

I must admit you were a tough cookie to work out what you 'needed'.

 

[Smudger]

I must agree, a round mallet is my preference. I think the principal behind it is the same as with a stileto shoe. The maximum force of each blow is concentrated at a small point on the round surface, unlike a square mallet where the force is distributed across a large face.

Surely the area over which the force is distributed is the same in each case - the area of the striking face of the chisel? The larger area of the flat mallet face is just flapping about in the air.

 

[TheTiddles]

So I assume you was glad the knife and mallet were rejected Adien?

I must admit you were a tough cookie to work out what you 'needed'.

Actually that marking knife looks quite nice... Anyway, I drew Woodbloke so I had it second hardest, next to whoever drew Philly!

Aidan

 

[woodbloke]

So I assume you was glad the knife and mallet were rejected Adien?

I must admit you were a tough cookie to work out what you 'needed'.

Actually that marking knife looks quite nice... Anyway, I drew Woodbloke so I had it second hardest, next to whoever drew Philly!

Aidan

Ebony and brass centre finder now installed on the 'Tool Wall' - Rob