POTD- PROJECT OF THE DAY: What Did You Make In Your Shop Today?

[682bear]

I didn't make anything today... I did change the oil in my wife's car... that was a major accomplishment.

How can that be a major accomplishment? Mainly because I've been in the bed for 11 days dealing with a bad case of flu and bronchitis... I've been too weak to do pretty much anything.

It's warm here today and I'm tired of watching tv... so I changed her oil. It thoroughly wore me out, but it felt good to be useful for a change...

-Bear

 

[Boswell]

It thoroughly wore me out, but it felt good to be useful for a change

Sorry to hear that things are going rough but good that you are starting to climb out of hole.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

A little project for a friend. We picked up a 5" taskmaster (Wilton copy) bench vise in our last auction, but one of the jaws was broken, so we made two new ones out of some 3/4" mild steel bar

He was super happy and I got a few pounds of venison in exchange

 

[Gaffer]

I didn't make anything today... I did change the oil in my wife's car... that was a major accomplishment.

How can that be a major accomplishment? Mainly because I've been in the bed for 11 days dealing with a bad case of flu and bronchitis... I've been too weak to do pretty much anything.

It's warm here today and I'm tired of watching tv... so I changed her oil. It thoroughly wore me out, but it felt good to be useful for a change...

-Bear

It sounds like you're turning the corner. All the best to you for a speedier recovery!

 

[tjb]

I didn't make anything today... I did change the oil in my wife's car... that was a major accomplishment.

How can that be a major accomplishment? Mainly because I've been in the bed for 11 days dealing with a bad case of flu and bronchitis... I've been too weak to do pretty much anything.

It's warm here today and I'm tired of watching tv... so I changed her oil. It thoroughly wore me out, but it felt good to be useful for a change...

-Bear

Bummer.

Get well, Bear.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Get well too Bear!

Last job of the day, finish up silver brazing a bunch of bandsaw bands. It's been in my list for an age and these should hopefully last a good while

 

[snoopdog]

Well, it's on, a little tweaking probably. That's the fun part for me.

 

[mmcmdl]

I made a little money today. Customer brought me an intake manifold with 4 broken bolts in it.

LOL . Usually , when my customers come in with 2 broken bolts in the dies , I return them with 2 broken taps in the dies ! No problems getting the bolts out , but hardened dies don't take too well to re-tapping .

 

[silverhawk]

I have this project where I have to build some tool chests (not doing any more of these - those Gerstner chests are well worth the work that goes into each one). I've hit a phase where it's time to do some drawers. While doing the chest carcasses, I used some of those 90-degree clamps made out of aluminum - and they work way better than regular clamps.




My band saw cuts at a 15-degree angle, so I opted to make a table so I could cut the bars out vertically. Transfer screws for the win!



Then, my laziness kicked in. There was no way I'd be spending hours per cut pushing 3/4" stock through a bandsaw. I had to fix the angled-cut. I finally found the bearings had hex eccentric parts that could adjust (I'd tried for years to just twist it into place and tighten - nice to know this). Now, my band saw cuts straight!



I can now finish making clamps.

 

[francist]

Oh no! I used my new awl for the first time and look what happened!…



Just kidding, it’s a design feature. Tailor’s awls come in two styles — straight and curved — so I figured I should make the curved style too. Most of the processes were the same as for making the straight version but with a couple variations.

In addition to teak I used some scraps of Andaman Padauk I’ve had on the shelf forever. It typically has a pleasing deep brown colour but when you first open it up it’s quite a vivid orange. I also switched to aluminum for the ferrules instead of acetal.






To put the curve into the tip I clamped a stick of 5/16” rod vertically in a vise, heated the tip of the awl to a full orange heat with a propane torch, and then just pushed the tip around the rod using a scrap of brass block. It worked great, and with the gentle pushing instead of striking the cross-section of the tip didn’t get smushed. I did go through another heat-quench-temper cycle after the shaping but as I don’t know the composition of the steel I can’t really say if it’ll make any difference or not. Time will tell more than anything.





Not much left except assembly. I made three pairs in all, might give two each to my sisters if they’re interested. Thanks for looking!





-frank