from tree to avatar

[woodshop]

I see your a Penn State-er too, did you get a degree in Forest Management, Forest Biology, Watershed Management, or Urban Forestry.
I'm working on a BS degree in Urban Forestry.

Husky, back then they had a 2 yr associates degree and I graduated from that and worked as an assistant forester in the VA office of a pulpwood company, then transfered over into their logging operations because they needed somebody with a tractor trailer license to haul the log loads from woods to highway where the regular truckers could get them. Was more money in their logging operations, and they had me running their feller-buncher between log runs. But after 4 years, jumped ship and went to a 2 yr electronics tech school. Repaired xray film processor machines for a few years DC beltway area, till I finally landed job at the US Geological Survey where I've been for about 18 yrs. Penn State does have a good forestry program still. If I had to do it over, would have stayed in VA as forester, would still be there now I think. Water under the bridge. I have few major regrets. Urban forestry is interesting field... problem was back then (early 80's) cities didn't have money for foresters, sewers and cops came first. I suspect its the same today, but don't know.

 

[woodshop]

Photo hosting site

In case anybody is interested, che has graciously showed me how to set up a photo hosting site, and I put this avatar sequence online there. Takes a few seconds to load even with broadband, but pic size is same as this thread, so dialup can still do it if they so choose.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v696/tswoodshop/

Dave

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hey Dave, I got my nut n bolt today - Cool!

Ya forgot the washers!!!

 

[Al Smith]

Well alrighty then.Dang fine work on that bolt/nut.I have made them of steel,but never of wood,very nice.

 

[woodshop]

Hey Dave, I got my nut n bolt today - Cool!

Ya forgot the washers!!!

Hey ya know... actually thought of doing that, making wooden washers to go with it. From a woodworking perspective though, would be harder than you think. Inside hole of washer piece of cake, but don't have a hole saw large enough for outside dia, thus would have to do it freehand on bandsaw (or make circle jig) and try and finish sand perfect circle. That's easy when it doesn't have to be dead on circle, but with the nut/bolt your eye would perceive a non-perfect circle first glance, and I unfortunately am a perfectionist and that would bother the #$&# out of me. Could do them on lathe, one long cylinder and then slice them like carrot or celery stick... but then grain would be oriented wrong, would break easily for something that thin. Have to think about it some more.

Glad it made it down there MB

 

[MasterBlaster]

So, how much for the pipe wrench?

 

[trimmmed]

Dave, just turn those washers side grain instead of end grain

 

[scottr]

lock washer

Dave , someone might want a lock washer made from hickory . Scott

 

[sedanman]

Dave, I p/m'd you about one of these (2 actually) and didn't get a response so I'll try here. I want one and so does a fellow I work with, PLease e-mail me with details. Paul

 

[woodshop]

Dave, just turn those washers side grain instead of end grain

yeah... thanks Trimmed, that would work... didn't think of that. I guess because I am not used to turning "with" the grain like that, and also I would have to scrounge up some 4"x4" chunks of oak at least a foot long or so, oriented across the log like that, not something I have laying around since rarely use wood that way. I would have to mill specifically for it. I guess mill a 12" wide 4" thick plank and then crosscut it. wow... 4x12x96=4608, 32bd ft!!, that plank would weigh 160lb+ if I milled it 8ft long. Would have to start with shorter log. Yup Hickory would work scott... think most any wood if I made them 3/8 or 1/4 thick. I would use same wood as nut/bolt.

thanks guys, you're giving me ideas.

 

[woodshop]

Dave, I p/m'd you about one of these (2 actually) and didn't get a response so I'll try here. I want one and so does a fellow I work with, PLease e-mail me with details. Paul

sorry sedanman... no PM's from you, but then you told me once my mailbox was full, maybe when I cleaned it out I deleted your PM... sheeesh... will PM in few minutes... sorry.

 

[woodshop]

So, how much for the pipe wrench?

MB... pipe wrench, being fully functional, takes some fancy (read time-consuming) woodwork to make it because of the close tolerances needed. It has to be drilled and tapped DEAD-on or it won't turn smoothly. Bottom line is I haven't gotten the wrench to down under 2 hours yet, even with jigs. Thus can't sell it cheap enough that folks want to buy it. It is a cool looking working wooden monkey wrench, something else people can't resist picking up and "working" back and forth. Just takes too much time to make if I stick to my exacting specs. If you really want one MB, make me an offer in a PM, hey I'm easy.

A few others have asked about purchasing my wooden nut/bolt, with or without clock. PM me for details if you are still interested.

Dave

 

[glens]

I'd thought Butch was wanting a pipe and a wrench.  Silly me.

 

[geofore]

washer

Hey ya know... actually thought of doing that, making wooden washers to go with it. From a woodworking perspective though, would be harder than you think. Inside hole of washer piece of cake, but don't have a hole saw large enough for outside dia, thus would have to do it freehand on bandsaw (or make circle jig) and try and finish sand perfect circle. That's easy when it doesn't have to be dead on circle, but with the nut/bolt your eye would perceive a non-perfect circle first glance, and I unfortunately am a perfectionist and that would bother the #$&# out of me. Could do them on lathe, one long cylinder and then slice them like carrot or celery stick... but then grain would be oriented wrong, would break easily for something that thin. Have to think about it some more.

Glad it made it down there MB

Hole saw to fit a drill will work to make round washers. You can use them in your drill press. Cut large diameter first and change to cut small diameter. Use double stick tape to hold it down to another piece of scrap wood to sand it. Slice 'em thick or thin with your band saw.

 

[woodshop]

Yes, Paul (sedanman) said there are large bi-metal hole saws available in 4-5" sizes that would work, will get one and stick on my milling machine and see if resulting "blank" has a smooth enough edge, think it will. As for sanding, have not had good results from using double stick tape in any of my jigs or operations. Found tape either doesn't hold securely enough, or too much and takes splinters from soft woods when prying apart. Also, the sticky part of the tape gets into the surfaces of some kinds of wood requiring sanding it out. I think putting the washer in a dedicated holding jig using a toggle clamp would work. Have to experiment. Thanks for your input geo.

 

[glens]

Why not a trim router with a couple of pattern/guides?

 

[rb_in_va]

I have made them of steel,but never of wood,very nice.

Ever made any out of stainless steel? Those are not fun, especially when your carbide cutting tool breaks in the thread! I remember a boat load of nuclear grade studs (about 120) we had to make out of monel when I was in Groton. They were 1" diameter and about 5" long. All surfaces had to be free of cracks and imperfections. Cutting them was the easy part, it was the sanding and buffing them smooth that sucked. Anyway, it's something that probably a machinist will appreciate. Later, Roger.

 

[woodshop]

Why not a trim router with a couple of pattern/guides?

ya know glens... that might not be the fastest, but might work the best of all of the solutions for quality of the finished edge, thus less fuss sanding and getting perfect clean circle. Rough out a blank on the bandsaw (could stack and do several at a time) then pop it under the jig, secure it, and drop the router on it with one of those template strait bits with bearing below cutters spinning around my circle template. Perfect circle, router bit smooth edges.

rb, al, in a past life somewhere I might have been a machinist... I have a cheapo Grizzly Taiwan metal lathe and one of their milling machines, bought mostly for woodworking operations, but I did do some entry level metalworking just for fun. Enjoy it. Only aluminum, brass, soft iron so far, don't think they would hold up to the hard stuff. The company that makes our custom stainless steel brackets for our tide gages tells us SS is a b#tch to work with.

 

[rb_in_va]

The company that makes our custom stainless steel brackets for our tide gages tells us SS is a b#tch to work with.

Yeah, it's not that it's the hardest metal, but it's so gummy. I guess if you had your speed and feed dialed in with the proper coolant it wouldn't be so bad. The shop that I spent the most time in made a lot of parts out of aluminum and brass. I could really rock and roll with that stuff. Nothing like throwing a couple trash cans full of chips in a day.

 

[Matildasmate]

Great pic's Dave , I see you have some good skill's mate , excellent work . Thank's for leading me here , most appreciated . Cheer's MM