Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
Shopsmith makes 60 grit ceramic belts for their belt sander. They are available here at Lowes. Use it dry. This stuff really cuts quickly. I have a piece of tempered glass about 4″ wide and 3 feet long from an old shelf. It is flat. I lay the belt on it and clamp the two to the workbench using the apron. Use it dry and use a file brush to remove the cuttings periodically.
I came across an old Stanley Countersink on EBay that is meant to be used in a brace. It is conical with a slot that has a sharp edge. I sharpened it an put it into an old Spofford Brace that I had. It is now a dedicated countersink. and cuts cleanly. By counting the turns, I know the countersinks are all the same depth. This is an unsung advantage of going manual versus electric power.
I also picked up one of those one handed manual countersinks from Veritas. It is a cone with several cutting ridges. You just put it in the hole and rotate back and forth. Great for softwoods and in hard to reach or fragile places.
In my limited experience I’ve found a few things. First, the file should only be in contact with the metal in one direction. Don’t rub it back and forth. The there is the matter of using it to file a piece of aluminum. This will clog up the teeth but they can be cleaned by scrubbing the grooves with a piece of copper. Of course the harder the metal you are filing the quicker the teeth will dull. Lastly, Paul has commented several times that the quality of new files has been degrading. “They don’t make them like they used to”.
Personally, I stay away from Harbor freight and the big box stores when buying files. MBA’s have cheapened everything they sell. Lee Valley has worked out well for me.Fwiw, mine was very solid without a stretcher along the length, The dado’s in the aprons coupled with wedges really stiffen it up. That said, I wanted a shelf underneath for storage. I used 2×4’s lengthwise held together with cleats. Near the ends, I attached a cleat on the inboard side of each stretcher to the bottom of the 2×4 “slats”. I made it a snug fit. No need to screw it in place. I don’t think Godzilla could wrack this bench.
Thank you very much for the drawing and possible modifications. I really like the lines and proportions of this little bench. Now all I need is to find a decent slab of oak. The big box stores have run all of the good old fashioned lumber yards out of business so I will have to drive 50-60 miles to pay through the nose for oak. Thanks again and nice work.
Ed, I had the same problem with a DMT 8000 grit. Lee Valley exchanged it but there is no improvement. I went back to finishing using 2000 grit emery paper from an auto paint supplier in the area. Leaves a beautiful mirror finish. One sheet lasts a long time using short strokes. I lay it on a flat piece of granite.
I have never tried fuming but would like to. There are several video’s on YouTube that describe the process. One thing that stuck in my mind is that typical household ammonia is too dilute. They recommended an industrial strength. This makes sense but could be very dangerous. As a chemist I used this strong stuff in a well equipped laboratory but would not be comfortable using it at home in case something went wrong. FWIW.
-
AuthorPosts