I've seen your treddle hamer before here. That big treddle so you can switch legs when one gets tired?
Originally Posted by Bob Warner
A Hydraulic Press with a treadle pedal to operate, leaving hands free to work:
I just realized that press is in the background of your avitar. I like the hands-free feature. It appears the bed is non-adjustable - is that true? Nice unit.
MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1
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I would bet anyone here, with a little reading could make a knife that is great. Heat treat is the key.
The treadle is large to accommodate right or left handed people. I have a lot of visitors to my shop.
The bed is not adjustable on the press. The press was made as a dedicated tool for making damascus steel for knives. The welding process is a lot faster with a press than an anvil and hammer.
There are pictures of my damascus railroad spike knife in another thread.
Unfortunately I need to rebuild the press, I sold it (and a bunch of other stuff) after a motorcycle accident to pay the bills, I really miss it.
Lets see, I have made pullers, specialty sockets, punches, all kinds of stuff. My favorite was the day I cut a torch tip in 1/2 to make a "boiler tube tip" to get in to a tght spot, everyone thought I was crazy when I went to the chop saw with the torch, till it worked. All the tools I have made have saved me countless $$$ off the tool trucks and many hours of doing it the hard way.
Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
I would bet anyone here, with a little reading could make a knife that is great. Heat treat is the key.
The treadle is large to accommodate right or left handed people. I have a lot of visitors to my shop.
The bed is not adjustable on the press. The press was made as a dedicated tool for making damascus steel for knives. The welding process is a lot faster with a press than an anvil and hammer.
There are pictures of my damascus railroad spike knife in another thread.
Unfortunately I need to rebuild the press, I sold it (and a bunch of other stuff) after a motorcycle accident to pay the bills, I really miss it.
I figured the press was a designated purpose item.
I've seen the damascus railroad spike knife you're talking about. I take it 'damascus' is a term for a type of steel. Is it specific to knives?
Sorry to hear of your misfortune with the motorcycle. Biggest bike I've been on was a 500cc Yamaha dirt bike and I'm afraid if I ever got involved with 'crotch rockets' I wouldn't be here today - or at least a lot more busted up.
MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1
Syncrowave 180SD
Bobcat 225G Plus - LP/NG
MUTT Suitcase Wirefeeder
WC-1S/Spoolmatic 1
HF-251D-1
PakMaster 100XL
'68 Red Face Code #6633 project
Star Jet 21-110
I was digging through the tool boxes today looking for an air chipper and found several tools I have made that I had forgotten about. I've even forgotten what a couple of them were made to do. A couple made for a one time use were so crude I couldn' believe I made them. I won't bore you with pictures though.
Damascus is basically steel folded and welded many times and it creates a pattern. In my case it is not TRUE damascus but it is universally called damascus. What I do and the other knifemakers nowdays make what is called "Pattern Welded steel" and consists of alternate layers of two or three different steels. After welding and manipulating it you make your knife and then etch in ferric chloride to bring out the pattern.
for those that may not have seen the knife duane and I are talking about, here it is:
Here is a gate and my headache rack:
Oldtimer,
I am sure that anyone here could make what I have but thanks for the compliment.
And remember:
Last edited by Bob Warner; 11-16-2008 at 08:34 PM.
when i get some good pics of the rear wheel runout indicator, stepped axle tool and valve spring compressor adapter (for use on shim-under-bucjet bike motors) i'll post up.. all my pics are garbage.
Last edited by whitehendrix!; 11-20-2008 at 01:10 AM.
Damascus is basically steel folded and welded many times and it creates a pattern. In my case it is not TRUE damascus but it is universally called damascus. What I do and the other knifemakers nowdays make what is called "Pattern Welded steel" and consists of alternate layers of two or three different steels. After welding and manipulating it you make your knife and then etch in ferric chloride to bring out the pattern.
for those that may not have seen the knife duane and I are talking about, here it is:
How long does it take to make one, and how many folds?
You guys have posted some very creative solutions.
Sometimes the answer is just the same old tool, but used more creatively.
For example, I needed to pull this apart, but with the limited cheap tools that were available at the job: Attachment 25414
The Crescent wrench became a Crescent-puller. The 3/4 wrench became a chain de-railer. But I was still lacking a hammer...
That's when I was offered a local specialty tool - a "Cammer." Attachment 25415
Ergonomic handle, and a nice hard strike face too!
I guess they have two popular lengths - six and eight.
hers some stuff i made for my bike shop.. mostly made when i was a machinist, being that the allen drives you see are courtesy of lunch break time at the company.
they're 302 stainless.
the gold claw lookin thing is 6061-T6511. i milled it using a CNC (in manual mode) with a 2 flute mill .500 endmill and a keyseat cutter. i needed it to be perfect, thus why i didn't do it on the bridgeport like the axle tools. runout and angular misalignment between the mating face and pointer (.250 stainless rod) is a few thousands IF that.. i got it pretty much in the ten thousandth.
the valve tool adapter is just some 1/2" conduit (emt) that i nitched and welded washers to.
i REFUSE to pay several hundred bucks for something i can make. you guys are the fisrt to see my creation!! i should patent.. lol
axle tool. mainly for use on kawi crotch rockets like mine in my avatar. 17 and 21MM
i've made 18, 19, 20 and 22MM ones as well out of 1" stainless hex bar
my fav tool .. it looks like it's got a bow, but i assure you it's straight!! hah.. i shellmilled it square before AND after milling the pocket.
basically, the poiter HAS to fall in between the chain's sideplates and point right at the drive sprocket.. if not, this will indicate which way the wheel is out.. it'll work on any spocket it seems (so far).. 5 series and 6 series chain (5/8 and 3/4 pitch) and 520-530 width ( 520-.252 roller width, 525-.313, 530-.375) chains all comply.
valve compressor adapter. (ugly as hell, but very functional)
That knife has layers of steel that I then twisted to get the look you see. It took about 40 hours to make that knife, most of it was making the damascus, maybe 30 hours the rest to make the knife.
Nice job on the special tools whitehendrix. I'm not into bikes but fully understand the benefit of the alignment tool you've made due to your excellent explanation of how it's used. I'm very familiar with those valve spring compressors and your adapter is a great example especially the fact that it catches the valve locks so you don't have to go chasing them. BTW - special tools don't always have to look pretty just work as intended.
On another note - don't forget to resize your photos so they fit when displayed. Your words get cut off when you don't and it raises havoc for those on dial-up.
MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1
Syncrowave 180SD
Bobcat 225G Plus - LP/NG
MUTT Suitcase Wirefeeder
WC-1S/Spoolmatic 1
HF-251D-1
PakMaster 100XL
'68 Red Face Code #6633 project
Star Jet 21-110