Jiggin' Around

I love making things. More than just things...I love making tools. Because tools are things that make things.

This is a drill jig for making pastry scrapers. The piece registers along the left and top. The drill bushings allow me to consistently place the holes in the blade and handles, thus saving a lot of work.

My apologies to Lee Valley/Veritas

I have loved every tool that I have ever purchased from Lee Valley. They make some of my favorite tools. Except for one.
I have hated on the dovetail saw and guide combo more than once.

The action shot, killing some cherry.

Hated.
Like, I said some mean s%&t about that tool. Until now. I think I finally realized that it is a very handy, useful, and well made tool.
If, like me, you don't spend a lot of time cutting dovetails, your hand sawing isn't always up to snuff. I have handsaws that are sharpened and tuned to perfection. I can make some damned good cuts. But I have this problem...when I cut a dovetail, I completely forget how to use a saw. This little saw guide really helps me out. I can make clean, accurate cuts now. In the past, the problem was me, not the saw.
So, if you're a part time-wannabe-hardly-practicing woodworker like me, and you want to improve your joinery a bit...this little thing works a charm.
Apologies, Lee Valley, from me...to you.

Baker's Bench Scraper

I have made a couple of Baker's Bench Scrapers. Otherwise known as a pastry scraper. A necessary and extremely useful tool in the kitchen.
I think I have nailed down the way I want to make them, and just need to speed up my process. My goal in the upcoming months is to make these for sale, amongst other items. My timeline is getting stretched a bit due to requirements at my day job, but I'll get there.

Top left is the run of the mill mass produced one that I bought at the store several years ago. Top right is my first scraper. It has walnut handles, cherry dowels, and an 18 ga blade. Bottom is the new one. A thinner 20 ga blade, bubinga handle, and Loveless handle fasteners.

Swingarm pivot, pt 3

Finished it. Here's the final steps.

Gotta make one of these.

Swingarm Pivot, pt 2

Sunday was a good day. I made a lot of progress on the swingarm pivot. It is nearly done:

Getting started on the nut. 1.5" hex stock. I need to bore this and machine a .800"-20 thread.

Racin' Parts: Swingarm pivot

A good friend of mine road races a 500cc Triumph. He's getting his bike ready for next season and asked me to help by making a new swingarm pivot.
It's an interesting project and not the easiest thing I've ever made. I got about half way through it today:

Here's the original pivot. It consists of a shaft, washer, nut, and adjuster quadrants. The shaft is hollow, with a .800"- 20 thread. That thread is far from standard. The quadrant on the left side is welded to the shaft.

Chopperin': oil tank mounts and axle adjusters

Little more bike progress today.

I wanted my axle adjusters to be more than just hex stock. I milled a little out to break 'em up and add a bit of visual appeal.