Tips on hand machining with a cold chisel.

[Koi]

I already told you that one. Cape chisel.

But I want the edge to be .Instead of pointy.
Sorry for the late reply I was busy

 

[Koi]

Hey cooter brown seen that before .That is nearly the type of chisel I was describing but it's a bit narrow at the cutting edge and that is iron but what if it's steel ,how am I gonna profile it with a chisel

 

[Koi]

Koi, use the cold chisel. The wood chisel's edge will break if you use it on steel. But maybe you should try it. I did. Best to do it with a cheap garage sale one, since you will ruin it. Wear safety glasses. You can often find cold chisel suitable for your use for a dollar or less at a garage sale. Sharpen several, and feel how they wear. How long have you actually been working on the slot (as opposed to planning, discussing and shopping)?

I have work on it for some time but makes me feel frustrated.The work just doesnt turn out as I expect but I find the file easier to use and things always turns out to be 99% what u expect it to be though there's just shape and profile you can't do with a file like putting a square hole or a square at the side of a piece of steel

 

[NortonDommi]

I have a collection of cold chisels from little tiny ones to great big ones. There are many different and specialised chisels for metal and and used well the cut metal fast and accurately. Cutting a slot is easiest in a vice after drilling a few holes. A wood chisel is only good on metal for cleaning off gasket material.
Have a read of this: start at page 5.

 

[Koi]

I made a project of cutting a v-slot in a tooling plate using hand tools. No, it is not finished yet, but it is coming along surprisingly well given how badly it all started out.

I started the slot with a hacksaw, then used a cape chisel to widen it, then used square files to form the V. The chisel did not work well; chips would snap off before they even got to an inch long. The steel plate is some of that 1/4" mystery stuff they sell at the hardware store, and is much harder than I expected it to be.

You might try using a file or hacksaw to score the line for the slot, as that will break through the skin of the metal which may be hard. Also, clamp some pieces of wood to either side, making a guide about the width of the chisel. I didn't do this, and marked up the tooling plate something ugly.

I haven't seen any soid advice on the angle for the chisel. It's always "too large an angle from the surface and the chisel won't cut; too small an angle and the chisel will get dull fast". Maybe hone the chisel on a stone and try a smaller angle?

EDIT: This guy appears to be using a 45 degree angle.

That's what happened to me chip snaps of even before it gets an inch

 

[ThinWoodsman]

One of the old books I was reading mentioned using cutting oil when chiseling steel. Maybe I'll give that a go when I'm in the shop this afternoon, try out some good sulfurized cutting oil on some scrap.

Also, if you are hitting the chisel hard enough, it is going to produce a lot of noise. Unless you can control the noise, it will make neighbors mad.

I may have not been hitting the chisel hard enough when at a lower angle. My nearest neighbors are a quarter mile away through the woods, so maybe I'll whack the thing hard enough to make the complain

Have a read of this: start at page 5.

Koi, Mayhew makes cape chisels: Mayhew cape chisels
Not sure where you would find them in Malaysia but there should be a regional manufacturer making an equivalent.

 

[Koi]

One of the old books I was reading mentioned using cutting oil when chiseling steel. Maybe I'll give that a go when I'm in the shop this afternoon, try out some good sulfurized cutting oil on some scrap.



I may have not been hitting the chisel hard enough when at a lower angle. My nearest neighbors are a quarter mile away through the woods, so maybe I'll whack the thing hard enough to make the complain



Koi, Mayhew makes cape chisels: Mayhew cape chisels
Not sure where you would find them in Malaysia but there should be a regional manufacturer making an equivalent.

For now I haven't come across any cape chisel but a cold one is dirt common though I can make one by building a forge but for now I think should focus on getting a round column mill drill. hasta la Vista baby hand machining.

 

[Koi]

I have a collection of cold chisels from little tiny ones to great big ones. There are many different and specialised chisels for metal and and used well the cut metal fast and accurately. Cutting a slot is easiest in a vice after drilling a few holes. A wood chisel is only good on metal for cleaning off gasket material.
Have a read of this: start at page 5.

Thanks that's a lot

 

[markba633csi]

Koi: you can make square holes, you need a square file for that. There are also round and triangle shapes, plus flat and half-round
My most used files are half-round and rat-tail (thin round) files
Mark
ps you also need a good vise to hold your workpieces

 

[markba633csi]

If you get a mill/drill your chiselling days will be numbered I am fairly sure
Keep your files though, filing is always needed sometime, somewhere
Do you have a small lathe? How difficult to find machine tools in Malaysia?