# Cheap tools



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

I thought I`d share with you guys just what I`v been wasting my free time on lately.Each tool cost less then a pack of cigarettes.

The saw was a gents cut down from 10" to 8" and recut at 12(TPI) and a plumb handle added.

The chisel is a no name 1" paring chisel that I reground and honed and replaced a beat up handle.

The chisel I already had a home for,but the saw?I already have two back saws and a gents that I`v had since Noah was a lad.

I found some one to take the saw of my hands he looked so pleased I just had to take a pic,my youngest son.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Nice work. Truely a man after my own heart. I'm a tightwad and proud of it!!


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Nice! I did the same with a gents saw I paid some $2 for 

Nice job on em and finding an eager recipient!


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Thanks for the replys guys tom it was a post of yours where you said you where going to recut a saw to12 TPI that got me started on that saw.
I took loads of pics and if it interests any body I may post them.I really enjoyed shaping the handle for the saw.
The pics for the handle for the chisel may belong over on the turning forum the only thing is I don't have a lathe I just clamp a drill on the end of the bench.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Billy De said:


> Thanks for the replys guys tom it was a post of yours where you said you where going to recut a saw to12 TPI that got me started on that saw.
> I took loads of pics and if it interests any body I may post them.I really enjoyed shaping the handle for the saw.
> The pics for the handle for the chisel may belong over on the turning forum the only thing is I don't have a lathe I just clamp a drill on the end of the bench.


I'm going to have to try turning with a drill. The chisel handles that I have made are octagonal. I make them with a spoke shave. Mine work but Your's look much more profesional.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Billy De said:


> Thanks for the replys guys tom it was a post of yours where you said you where going to recut a saw to12 TPI that got me started on that saw.


I'd love to see the pictures and process. I you want you could post em on that same thread of mine!... Or you could post em right here too, of course :smile:




Wrangler said:


> I'm going to have to try turning with a drill. The chisel handles that I have made are octagonal. I make them with a spoke shave. Mine work but Your's look much more profesional.


I'll have to find that old thread of mine but I used a sharpened bolt through a roller blade wheel as a center for turning small stuff on the bandsaw.... Might be something you could build upon?

EDIT!!! I meant Drill Press!... Not Bandsaw!!! :laughing:


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Tom I`LL have to get the pics for the saw in order before I post them.
Wangler this is a pic of the set up I use for making the handle`s


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

That's a cute setup!! My father-in-law had a small lathe (4" x 9"). I don't know where he got it or what it was for, but the only thing he used it for was to tease me. When he died, his son gave it to my F-in-L's best friend who also admired it. 

I have plans for a spring pole lathe and a treadle lathe. One of them is on my list to build.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Wragler the handles I make are based on a design called London pattern I change it in the octagonal section is flaired in that the top of the handle is wider than the start of the octagonal,and I fit a feral to the top of the handle to give it weight and looks.

If no one objects I can show the process here but I don't know if I have the time to get it finished in one go.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

I don't care where you share. Just so you share!!


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Wrangler said:


> I don't care where you share. Just so you share!!


+1!!!


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

OK guys I just got back so I can start,first this is the blade and handle its had a real hard life the bottom ferrule is split and cracked in two places and the handle has a chunk missing out of it.

The tang looks kind of square and says to me that at one time this chisel may have had a plastic handle,that in its self is no big deal because the plastic handles came out circa the 60`S and the steel in the chisels was good JMHO.

This is the piece of timber I used for the handle Plum.
I used a handle from another chisel to measure my length leaving plenty on for play.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

The next stage I use a draw knife to hog of a lot of wood that i just don't need. The wood that I want is deep in the limb plume is like cherry and it is surrounded by the out side white wood nothing wrong with this whit wood just i don't want it.

I square it up then round it of so I can get it on the lathe (if you can call it that).


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

The tang on that chisel looks just like the one on my Buck Bros. Paring chisel; mine a was made in the late teens or early twenties. It was owned by my father-in-Law's uncle. I suspect your chisel is from before the plastic era. 

You do nice work!!


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Now the piece fits on to the lathe and I start to hog of a lot of wood.
the two points that interest me at this stage are just in front of the top ferule this size is dictated by the size of the ferule to be used.

The next point is in front of the bottom ferule and I want this point to be higher than the bottom ferule so I can create a bulbous part at the front of the handle for my thumb and for finger when using the chisel.

I turn it down to these two points so that the piece is now tapered,I check the taper with a small straight edge to make sure that it is straight.Then use my adaptation of a Shipwrights spar gauge to mark off the eight segments on to the handle.


----------



## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

Excellent rehab of a couple of old tools. I like the idea of cutting down the saw like that - I would never have thought of it.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Wrangler you could very well be right and I said it was JMHO.All my site chisels have plastic handles and the two in my life time that have bust on me had tangs like this one that's all I was basing it on,so again you could very well be right.The chisel itself took a excellent edge but only use will tell if it keeps it.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

joesbucketorust said:


> Excellent rehab of a couple of old tools. I like the idea of cutting down the saw like that - I would never have thought of it.


Thanks for the complement Joe i would have clicked the thanks button but for some reason its disappeared.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

I remove the piece from the lathe and into a vice and par the sides on to the handle you can see the lines from the spar gauge.then return it to the lathe and form the bulbous part that will be the bottom of the handle.

The fitting that will make the ferules is a brass water fitting and you can see it when its cut up and filed.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

OK final part, the top of the handle is turned to take the top ferule but very tight and not right to the shoulder of the handle the top ferule is fitted on to the handle and the filed for a taper.

The ferule is brass and as it is filed it gets hot and expends so if it is not a tight fit it will run away to the shoulder of the handle and you have no control over it and the file must be cleaned with a wire brush or it will just fill the file up and then its doing nothing polish with emery cloth and then final clean with wire wool.

I then turn the same end to except the bottom ferule and go through the same procedure.

Remove from the lathe cut the bottom part of and fit the bottom ferule two coats of BLO and one of shellac finished job.

Stay tuned for the saw (later).


----------



## vinnypatternmaker (Mar 27, 2011)

*chisel*

Hi!
Nice methods, even nicer craftsmanship :thumbsup:!
Just thought you'd like to know :yes:!
Best,
Marena and Vinny


----------



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

That's a nice set of tools. I really like your new handles. The wood looks perfect for that purpose. I like the hoops on the chisel too, they look nice and thick. London's Best Octagonal pattern? I looked it up in a book I have. That's what it looks like to me. My book on rehandling chisels also said that tang is probably older. It said most plastic chisel tangs are round with little barbs. Who knows if that is true though, I'd guess there's a lot of different tangs out there. It don't matter anyways, cause the chisel is now awesome! Can you post any for the saw too. I love the color of that handle.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

The early plastic handles were probably put on the same style tang as wood handles. New designs evolved as they learned the strengths and limitations of plastic.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very cool, Billy! Thanks for the pictures and write-up. Well done :thumbup:


----------



## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

firemedic said:


> Very cool, Billy! Thanks for the pictures and write-up. Well done :thumbup:


+1. Very nice!


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Thanks coming from you guys I take this as a real complement:thumbsup:.

Merena and Vinny you are good people and it comes through in your posts thanks.:thumbsup:

Wrangler I except the point you have the evidence in you hands when you can say that your chisel is so old and has the same tang no problem,the styles could change from one cutler to an other.:thumbsup:

ACP when you mentiond the barbs the old cogs in my head started turning and what I can rember the ones I replaced the plastic handles on did have barbs on the tang, like some one had taken a cold chisel to them.The new plastic handles that I put on them cost almost as much as a new chisel I had to drill them out a tad under the Dia from the tangs and cook them in a pan of water.After they had been boiling for a while take them out and bang them on the chisel, when they cooled they would shrink and grab the tang.Funny the things that stay in your head.Yea I`ve got pics of the saw but I hope you will forgive me if I don't post them tonight.:thumbsup:


Tom your not doing a bad job yourself,I used to often look in on the hand tool forum and there would be nothing happening.I would just move on (sad really) but since you`ve been around the place is bouncing your passion for hand tools comes through, more power to you my friend.:thumbsup:

.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Very cool lathe set up. Reminds me of some of the make do tooling when I couldn't afford to buy. Handle came out great. Woodworkers are very innovative.You should name it after yourself.:yes:








 







.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Billy De said:


> Tom your not doing a bad job yourself,I used to often look in on the hand tool forum and there would be nothing happening.I would just move on (sad really) but since you`ve been around the place is bouncing your passion for hand tools comes through, more power to you my friend.:thumbsup:
> .


Well, I wish I could take credit... but I'm not the only one blasting on the hand tool section... for 
instance THIS thread :smile:


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

OK second part the saw.

Before I start I`d just like to thanks to every one for going to the trouble of making post so far,it makes a difference,thanks. 

So I'm not a saw Doctor but as an apprentice was taught how to look after my saws and I`v been doing it ever since.

The gents saw,I bought it about three years ago used it once and wasn't a bit impressed with it so it lay unused and unloved for all that time in the shop.

Tom had a thread where he talked about a saw that he was going to re cut to a 12 TPI and this is what got me started on the saw.

The saw it`s self with the original handle it looks like he flipped a coin with a file and lost.


The saw must be held firmly in this case its in the vice between two 
pieces of wood that I`v planed straight face edges on, its important that the wood is straight, clamps on both ends hold the whole thing firm.

Standing to one side of the vice I file away from me and as the file nears the wood you can feel the difference in the cut as I`m using the wood to tell me when the file cut is true and straight.

Using a straight edge and a light I can see if there is any high or low spots on the edge I was happy with it. 

Result a saw with no teeth.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Using a old rule that has 1/12s on it clamped to the wood gives a clear indication where the first cuts should be made on the saw.

These are just light marks to guide where the teeth will be cut, working small scale can present its problems my secret weapon with this are magnifying glasses that have lights ether side of the glasses.
The lights can be used to glint of the teeth when looking at the teeth to see how sharp they are,just as you would hold a chisel to a light looking for that glint on the edge to show you its not quite sharp enough

With the handle of the saw on your left side and canting the saw file to your right cut into the saw but with a bit of pressure to the left this will give you raking teeth.In other words this will give you teeth that point to the front of the saw so that every tooth on the saw will be backed up by metal behind it so it keeps it edge longer.

A few words to the angles, saw files are triangular and as we know there are 180 degrees in a triangle so each side of the file is at 60 degrees to each other,now the recommended angle of cut is 8 degrees of this so the tooth will be getting cut at 52 degrees.

Don`t really worry a bout it, just tip the file forward the idea is to get a sharp tooth and just like getting a sharp chisel takes practice a sharp tooth takes practice.

The space in between the teeth is called the gullet the job of the gullet is to take the sawdust out of the cut and deposit out side so the cut does not clog up.

Don`t get any hang ups about the depth of the gullet the important part is the top of the tooth.

So back to the saw start at the fist mark give it say three light strokes miss a mark and repeat the three light strokes miss a mark and etc etc till the end of the saw.Turn the saw around in the vice and now the marks that you have not filed give four light strokes miss a tooth and then another etc etc remember because you have turned it around the the file must now be canted in the other direction.Turn it back to the original position and give the original teeth one light stroke.

Whats with this turning around well if you file the teeth all from one side you will put the saw out of balance and you will fight with the saw all the time because it will want to run one way every time you use it.


Now is the time to use the light to look for the glint and decide whether the saw needs one or two more strokes remember to use a little pressure
to wards the handle in this way you are only trying to sharpen one tooth at a time and not two.

When your happy with it set the teeth first one side and the the other.











.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Time for the handle cutting the piece and the template.


----------



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Veeeery Interesting. I just learned a lot in your last two posts. I can't wait to see what's next.

Edit: and what's next occured while I was typing. You cut the handles out of green wood? That's interesting.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Cutting out with a coping saw cleaning with a chisel sanded and marked for reducing.


----------



## Wrangler02 (Apr 15, 2011)

Ralph at Wood Craft in the Minnesota Twin Cities suggested using a hack saw blade of 10, 12, or whatever to clamp at the edge of your saw plate. The teeth on the hacksaw blade provide the guide for filing the new teeth. It's a different approach that I had pretty good luck with.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

No the wood is not green it just still has the moss on it.

Rounding off with a 1" 1/2 out channel gauge watching the grain all the time fiting the handle to the saw.

Just some of the tools used and the finished job.


----------



## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Wrangler said:


> Ralph at Wood Craft in the Minnesota Twin Cities suggested using a hack saw blade of 10, 12, or whatever to clamp at the edge of your saw plate. The teeth on the hacksaw blade provide the guide for filing the new teeth. It's a different approach that I had pretty good luck with.


Wrangler that's where that blade come from three years ago I did`t like the saw so just used it as a template and then just left it lying about the shop.LOL


----------

