What's going on in your shop?

BossDog said:
Way too much hand sanding. If I could grind the lines better free hand or even with a work rest I could have saved some time. Anyway, ready for heat treat. Handle is turned, end pommel is roughed out, front guard is fitted but all need finish work. I'm going to weld a bolt on the end of the tang and then tap and turn a pommel nut of some sort. This is ready for heat treat.

With all the hand sanding, I finally broke out the machinist stones I have been sitting on and gave them a try. I'm really pleased how well they worked and will be definitely using more them in the future. I got a couple different cheap sets on Amazon to try. One set came marked with grits, the other didn't. Look for one with grits or you have to guess a lot. I don't know that the grits in the stone line up exactly like sandpaper but it does seem close enough. For stubborn spots, they are several times faster than sandpaper. I only had the small sticks in different shapes so I can't be sure how well they work on large areas but I'm got to see if I can find some and give it a try.
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Boss I have heard good things about these stones.
 
Those stones are something I was wondering about, too - if something like that even existed. I had no idea how to search online for them. Thanks for showing that.
 
I just ordered a set! Got the HA Fine grit set. It looks like what was recommended for tool steel. Looking forward to trying them out. Thanks Jeremy for the link.
 
Here is some one set of stones. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S99MTLC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I notice there are a couple of other different types in this link but the same grit. I expect some are more friable, some less. The ones I tried wore down fairly quick taking on the shape I was sanding. I will go back and pick up the other type stones to see how they work. I can see a use for both types, ie ones that break down and take on the shape you are sanding and ones that hold their shape longer. I haven’t checked yet but I suspect you can grind these to a shape you want for detail work in tight areas.

I do know many (most?) knife engravers use stones to clean up things when done (or hide slips).
Todd Begg reccomended Gesswiene brand.
Yesterday I ordered the assorted sampler pack from Falcon Jeremy mentions above https://www.falcontool.com/PublicStore/product/Polishing-Stone-Sets,458,554.aspx
 
Nothing going on in my workshop as just had a needle full of cortisone in my arm tendon :-(
I cannot do anything for a few weeks at least.....just hope the injection works or it will be an operation.
 
BossDog said:
Here is some one set of stones. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S99MTLC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I notice there are a couple of other different types in this link but the same grit. I expect some are more friable, some less. The ones I tried wore down fairly quick taking on the shape I was sanding. I will go back and pick up the other type stones to see how they work. I can see a use for both types, ie ones that break down and take on the shape you are sanding and ones that hold their shape longer. I haven’t checked yet but I suspect you can grind these to a shape you want for detail work in tight areas.

I do know many (most?) knife engravers use stones to clean up things when done (or hide slips).
Todd Begg reccomended Gesswiene brand.
Yesterday I ordered the assorted sampler pack from Falcon Jeremy mentions above https://www.falcontool.com/PublicStore/product/Polishing-Stone-Sets,458,554.aspx
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These I'm going to try.

I worked with a guy who was a mold maker at one time.

He had boxes of stones in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

Great idea.
 
I managed to screw up a nice little DP Hunter yesterday. Wasn't watching closely enough and took off too much metal. Hadn't trashed one in awhile, guess I broke that streak!
 
Been feeling a bit better over the last few days......and just itching to do ANYTHING in the shop. Since my newest toy is the Tippman Boss stitcher, I thought I'd work with it..... but not sheaths! I love my Carhartt vests, but they simply don't last more then a year or two in the shop...... almost always, something goes wrong with the zippers before the rest of it's worn out.....so I decided to be a seamstress today! :)

I picked up some heavy duty zippers for cheap as a local flea market (paind $2 each) a long while ago, and they were the 15" length I needed! Toughest part was getting the old zipper out! Carhartt must use kevlar thread of something....because I new razor blade would do about a 1/2 dozen stitches, and cut no more.

After I got the old zipper out, I used hot glue to "seat" the zipper, and hold it in place for sewing.....
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Then to the Tippmann!
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The worst thing I've found about this machine is that for EVERY thickness, you have to adjust it....and sometime that takes 10-15 mins and running secveral rows of stitching to get it right.....
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Eventhough this machine isn't powered, and it's all your hand pulling/pushing a lever, it is pretty darn fast. Timing it, and not trying to be a speed demon, each side took less than 4 mins to sew.

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Now I think I can stretch at least another year of shop wearing outta the vest...... and maybe I've got another sideline.....sewing heavy stuff that most can't . :)
 
Been feeling a bit better lately, and have been able to work a little in the shop. Some of you might remember that about 5 months ago, I purchased this 509lb Peter-Wright. Over the past couple of days I've gotten the face polished up, and ready to work on. There are still a few deep dings that I just couldn't get out.....but NOW she's ready to work on. If you think it's insane to polish the face of an anvil.... remember that EVERYTHING you forge beings on the anvil..... if it's isn't "right", then the rest of process is just more difficult. ;)

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It was in fairly decent shape when I got it.....just not where I wanted it. I think I spent about $150 on a Harbor Freight 3 x 21 belt sander, and 10 belts each from 120-800 grit. I used a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a heavy felt pad with 1500 grit grinding compound to end the abrasive work, then switch to a new felt pad and used rubbing compound, then a polishing compound.

About 9 hours total time between yesterday and today. If I keep feeling decent, I'm hoping to fire the forge later this week, and just dink around a bit.
 
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