Friday, July 8, 2011

More Ugly Jigs that Work Great: Part Two

Now here is an elegant jig.  A perfect melding of species, craft and drywall screws!


I've posted before about grinding drill bits, and I've shown a lot of students the method. Over the years, I started to see the limits of the grinds, some too aggressive in softwoods, some too slow in hardwoods. So when I decided to make a drill bit grinding jig, I finally had some idea of how it should work.


I chose an 8 degree angle for the center spur, which is made by attaching the "fence" to the bottom of the guide at a 4 degree angle. (thanks Tim for pointing out the doubling effect!).


Then it's just a matter of setting the angle of the tool rest. (If you haven't seen the basic grinding method, which remains the same, check out this post.)


 I found that an 18 degree angle works great in hardwoods for drilling armrails blowout free, and that an 11 degree angle will slow a 5/8" bit down enough to cut pine without chewing it to bits. All that's left is to set some rare earth magnets into the base to get rid of the pesky clamps.

This photo is of jigs (sort of), but hardly the ugly kind! Andy Jack helped me make these for my class that starts tomorrow. They are available for sale to the students, and if we have any left, I will post them here. The wood for these was a gift from my friend Peter Krupowicz, I believe it's bubinga. Anyway, they are gorgeous and work beautifully.




The other things that are working these days are my chickens. I have been letting them free range lately and the egg yolks have turned from yellow to a burnt orange color! What a difference grass and bugs make!


Here they are enjoying a dirt bath. When I walk into the yard, they all run up to me like dogs. If I go to get the mail, I have to trick them so they don't follow me into the road. It's a humbling moment when you have to think before outsmarting a chicken.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

long is the way and hard that out of hell leads to the light

Milton

Glen Rundell said...

Put me down for a travisher Pete, if you have one left!! I'll grab it in person in October....

Mike Hamilton said...

Any available shots of the business end/edge of the travishers? Curious if you added on the toe or carved out the pocket to hold the blade.

Regards,
Mike

greg said...

Your chicken story reminds me of the days when we kept sheep. When I came home from work they would all start bleating. We lived right across the street from the store in tiny Roxbury, VT and the old gents on the store's porch always had some rowdy jokes to make about why they were bleating.

Tee said...

So, what are the chickens' names? I had a chicken for a pet as a child. Her name was Biddy. She gave us an egg a day, but my brother and I wouldn't eat them. She rooster on the back porch and on the weekends when Daddy slept late (he fed her early every morning) she would walk around and around the house clucking wanting to be fed. That's what happens when Easter chicks grow up.

I would love to have some chickens now, but I don't think the neighbors would be real happy about it.

Tee said...

Oh yeah, Biddy would follow us around like a dog as well.

Peter Galbert said...

Mike,
I'll get you a pic of the travisher soon.

Glen,
We'll make sure to have one for you!

Greg,
screaming goats is just an everyday part of life, and should be!

Tee,
I have had dumb chickens, but once you meet a smart one, everything changes! I'll get some more pics soon,
Pete

chuck said...

I would be interested in one of those travishers if any are available...I believe the wood is bocote, but could be wrong...

Peter Galbert said...

Chuck,
I'm afraid that they all sold, but I hope to have some more soon. And bocote sounds like it might be right, but I'm no expert on exotics!

Unknown said...

Hey Pete,
The Wood looked like cocobolo to me but who knows for sure. How much are the travishers? I have tried making one myself and theres more to it than meets the eye.

Peter Galbert said...

Matt,
they are all sold, but perhaps I'll have some more soon, stay tuned
Pete