Challenge Build Along Post

[BrokenolMarine]

Or...

A photo finish.

[Hatchdog]

I’m thinking option #2.

[BigAl52]

Ya photo finish is going to be spectacular with that turquoise

[BrokenolMarine]

I'm hoping so

[BrokenolMarine]

A little afternoon work. First I smoothed the squared edges on the file work on the spine. I'll still do some polishing and work it until I'm happy, but for now, I see some improvement. The next time I attempt this style I will work harder to match the cuts, but I'm happy for now.

15 smoothing.jpg

Pucker time. I started on the thin pieces of Turquoise to butt up to the copper near the Guard. To look right, they have to be the same thickness. Checked them with the Micrometer. One was a good bit thicker than the other. The first measured around 0.1755 the other was around 0.1998. I also had to insure the bases of both pieces were square and flat.

16 measuring.jpg

To bring the thicker one down took a bit of time with wet sanding by hand. Turned on the CD player, and started working. 50 strokes and measure, 50 strokes and measure... about 500 strokes later, I was right on target. In THIS picture I am flattening the base. The 500 strokes were used to flatten the wider sides, and I made sure they were split between both the wide sides. This will insure good contact with the copper and the walnut.

17 sizing.jpg

I'll match up the thin pieces for the end cap copper, then cut the walnut scales. I'll have to match up the center Turquoise on three faces before we begin assembly. This hand sanding part is labor intensive, but very quiet. I like this part.

[BrokenolMarine]

Back at it this morning, last work until I make a trip to Jantz. I first marked the walnut blank for bookmatching, by smoothing both sides on the bench sander so they are flat, then marking a line down the center as a guide. I used a special tool for this that CUTS a line. Two passes from each side insures it's centered.

18 marking scales.jpg

Using one of my Machinist's 123 Blocks, I confirmed the blade on the bandsaw was still square to the table. Trying to bookmatch when the blade is off, even a few degrees, can ruin a good piece of wood.

19 123 block checks square.jpg

The key is to go slow and let the blade do the work, go too fast and you can get off track or burn the wood. Take your time and you end up with a nice bookmatch cut...

20 bookmatched walnut.jpg

I set aside the blanks and started marking the blade blank for the position of the prepped pieces I have worked on. I need to know where they will fit so I can get the measurements for the walnut sections. In addition, I am going to try and make this as balanced as I can, so the one hole in the blank is out of place. THAT will get filled with epoxy and ignored. I will drill another hole to balance the appearance of the scales.

21 layout of blank.jpg

A sneak peek at the proposed layout. There will be walnut scales on either side of the center Turquoise. I'll have to cut and tightly fit the four pieces of walnut. Each will be cut oversized and then carefully sanded to finally fit snugly into it's slot. (Well, that's the plan.)

Headed to Jantz on Monday. I need to pick up both a 3/32 and a 1/4 inch carbide bit for the pin holes for the blank. I need both copper and nickel round stock to make pins, and I'm going to break down and buy the blue marking dye for layouts in future projects. Mostly, I need the bits and round stock. Can't move forward without it.

[CT_Shooter]

Very cool, Marine. Your descriptions and photos clearly explain your processes and techniques and the posts are very enjoyable. Thanks again for sharing.

[rickhem]

The key is to go slow and let the blade do the work, go too fast and you can get off track or burn the wood. Take your time and you end up with a nice bookmatch cut...

See, another tidbit I can use. I always wondered why my cuts with by Father-in-Law's bandsaw always wandered. I even tried thinner blades to help follow some shallow curves, but they'd still wander. My cuts would usually wander, and I'd almost always burn areas when cutting. I can confidently say I was probably rushing.

[BrokenolMarine]

The trip to Jantz Supply in Davis was a success. Everything on the list was available and Miss T picked out a very nice set of synthetics for the next blade blanks.

In the pic below you can see part of the haul...

A selection of round rod stock... two sizes of copper and some 1/4" nickel silver to be used for pins for the scales and inlays.

Two sizes of Carbide Drill Bits, costly, but needed to drill thru the heat treated blade blank. We'll use those a bit later.

I broke down and bought a container of the blue marking dye, will make the pencil lines much easier to see when laying out future projects.

23 jantz goodies.jpg

The real expense on this trip was the dedicated Knifemaker's Vise. This thing will make life a LOT easier when tooling the spine or belly of the knife blank, or when shaping and or sanding/polishing the knife after assembly. I'll mount the base on a piece of 2x6 that can be attached to the work surface with clamps. the vise itself can be mounted vertically, and will rotate 360 degrees and lock in any position in that rotation.

24 vise vertical.jpg

You can also turn the vise on it's side to a horizontal position without ever removing the blade / knife assembly from the jaws, and still rotate thru that 360 degree range, still locking in position anywhere in the rotation.

25 vise horiontal.jpg

Should be back at work on the project tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. The work will now move into the slow but steady pucker factor mode. Will be drilling holes in the blank and in the copper, cutting pins, and gluing up things in steps and stages before moving to rough shaping and sanding.

It's about to get interesting.

(If you have questions, ask... I've got nothing to hide. For example, one of the carbide bits? $21.00, but, unless I screw up, I should only have to buy it once...)

[BrokenolMarine]

I have managed to get in a few sessions in the last couple days, but NOT to get the pictures downloaded. Apologies to those who have been kind enough to follow along. I have had a few issues with health and didn't want to risk the project with less than 100% (or as close as I get to 100% ). First session back in the shop after the Jantz trip, I just put together a base for the new vise so it would be ready when I start the shaping process. It's 20 pounds, so it needed a solid build.

Went into the boathouse side where I store the wood and discovered the lights weren't working... power to the switch but not the plug. As far as I go, I'm not allowed on the ladder and my guy will come Friday and fix it. Sux getting old. Opened the overhead door, enough light to find a piece of old 2x6, which is what I needed.

This should work:

26 This should work.jpg

I normally work at the end of the woodworking bench for the final shaping working up thru the grits when hand sanding so I had been working out the design over the last day or so, I knew what I wanted. Here it is....

27 vise base mounted.jpg

As you saw in the previous pics of the vise, it can be mounted vertically or horizontally and swivel 360 degrees. Placed on the base and tested, it's solid as a rock.

28 solid as a rock.jpg

Done for that session after putting away the tools and cleaning up.