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ShopNotes No.99

gTART NOTE: eul HANDLES our A9 EXTRA-LoNG woRKprEcEg. AFTERINITIAL9HAPIN6,THEYARECUTTOLENGTHFORFINALSHAPING

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Ordinary steel barstock,a propane torch, anda fewhours areallyouneed Fr to createda ln handylayout tool. I

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"Eye-catching/' was the first word I thought of to describe these scratch an'ls. The hardwood handles look and feel great. But it's the twisted and detailed shafts that really grab your attention. The nice thing is, each one only takes a small amountof time and material to make. So adding one to your shop for everyday tasks like marking, layout, or even starting screw holes is great idea. You can see in the drawings at right how they go together. What you're probably wondering is how the twists are created.There's more detail on that process later. But all it involves is taking a short length of steel bar stock, heating it with a propane torch, and then Sving the shaft a little twist. After the twists are formed, you can change the lookby filing them down flush with the bar stock. Or start with some hex stock and after completing the twist, add a narrow kerf at each end with a hack saw. The choice is all yours. Finally, complete the awl with a comfortably shaped, hardwood handle and a solid-brass ferrule. In the end, you'll have a handy layout tool that's sure to catch the attention of everyone who comes into your shop. www.ShopNotes.com

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TAPERED

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ZVe A F I L EA N DJ I 6 M A K E AUICKT{ORKOF ERIN6IN6 THE 9HAFTTOA POINT (REFERTO TAOE25)

L DoubleTwist.Two simple twists turn an ordinarypiece of squaresteel into a uniqueawl.

RIDGESARE REMOVED WITHA FILEFOR, A CLEANERLOOK (TW|6TLOCATTONg ARE IDENTICAL)

L Streamlined.File the ridges of each twist flat and the awl takes on a completely different look.

L SingleTwist.A single twist in a piece of hex stock gives thisawl a refined, classiclook. 35

startwiththe

Twist The shaftsof the scratchawls you seein the margin here and on the oppositepagestartout asordinary steelbar stock,like the examplesat the upper right. The twisted shaft is what gives them their unique look. The nice thing is the entire processis really quite simple. An ordinary propane torch takes care of heating the stock prior to twisting.Note:If you have accessto MAPPgas and a swirlflame tip, you'll find the overall processgoesmore quickly.

TAYOUT & SETUP The first step in making the shaft is a little layout work. The thing to keep in mind here is not to get too concemed about locating the twists exactly.Note: For other options, see the box on the opposite page.

The heating and twisting process isn't an exact science, so I practiced on some scrap stock to get a feel for it. Plus, I started by cutting the shaft extralong (about 4" overall). This way, I could lay out the twists in the "center." Once they're complete, it's a simple matter to trim each end of the shaft, "positioning" the twists in the right spots. With the layout work done, clamp the shaft in your vise sandwiched between a couple scrap blocks. This accomplishes two things. First, you won't have to worryr about marring the shaft with the jaws of the vise. And second, the wood blocks insulate the shaft and keep the jaws from acting as a heat sink and "pulling" the heat out of the shaft.

GREATITIG THE TWIST The next step is to heat the shaft so you can add the twist. The goal here is to concentrate heat in the area of the twist. To ensure an even twist, I found it best to work the flame back and forth along the L" area of the

I Sfeel Stock. Ordinary steel bar stock is all you'll need to make the shaft of a scratch awl. twist I laid out. With the MAPP gas and tip I used, it only took a minute or so to heat up the area. If you're using standard propane, it shouldn't add much more than another minute or so. The heated area will look like the lower left photo when it's ready to twist. At this point, set aside your torch and slip a tap wrench (or adjustable wrench) over the shaft and give it three-quarters of a tum. (I tumed clockwise.) This should result in a smooth, even twist, as in the center photo below. Chances are the twistingmotion may bend the shaft slightly. If that's the case, you can straighten it out by tapping it with a hammer on a solid surface. Then simply repeat

L Doing theTwist. A tap wrench L Doubling Up.Toadd a second makes it easy to add the three- twist to the shaft, simply repeat quartertwist to the shaft. the processat another spol

36

ShopNotesNo.99

< Shaping. Tofit the shaft to the handle fater,knock off the cornersof the bar.Aim to roundthe shaft consistently.

the process to add a second twist to the shaft (lower right photo on the opposite page). Finally, cut the shaft to length, trimming off each end as necessary.

AIIOII{G DETAITS I{ith the twists complete, you can tum your attention to the final shaping. Here, patience is key. The first step is to shape the upper end that will fitinto thehandle. The goal here is to round the end as in the upper right photo. I drilled a hole in a scrap block the same size as the hole for the handle to test the fit as I worked. Creating the Point. Onceyou've rounded the top, the next step is to shape a point on the other end. To do this, I used a file and a tapered guide. You can find more about the guide and how to bring the shaft to a point by tuming to Shop Short Cuts on page 23.

< Gettothe Point.At the oppositeend, taper each flat untiltheshaft comes to a sharp point.

OptionalDesigns The basic twist described above is just the start. The margin at right shows a couple options toconsider for a more distinctive look. Filing Flat. For starters,you can change the look of the twists on the basic awl with a little filing (upper photo at righQ. A few passes is all it takes to remove the ridges of the twist. This brings them flush with the faces of the shaft, resulting in a more streamlined look, as you can see in the right margin photo. Going with a Hex. Instead of making a shaft from square bar stocl you may find that using a hex-shaped shaft provides a look more to your liking. For the shaft shown in the photo at righf I put in a single fwist (five-sixths of a tum) after heating the rod. To set off the twist, I used a hack saw to cut a pair of kerfs around the shaft above and below the twist (inset photo at right). Note: The handle end of the hex shaft doesn't require rounding. www.ShopNotes.com

> Flattening. An easy change to the look of the shaft is to file the ridges of each twist flat.

> The Hex Shaft. lf you use hex stock,afive-sixthstwistcreatesa great look. Theheatingand twisting process is the same.

f Detlning the Ends. To set off the twist on the hex shaft, use a hack saw to cut shallow kerfsat the top and bottom of the twist.

creating a

Handle

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\{ith the shaft complete, most of the hard work is done. Now you're ready to add the femrle and handle. Here again, you're going to have to do a little shaping and detail work. The step-by-step process detailed here and in the box on the oppositepage willhelp you get $eat results, no matter which handle design you choose. Handle Shape. The first decision you'll need to make is whidr handle shape to go with. I think it looks best to match the handle to the shape of the shaft. So you'll find two different handles for the square shafts at the upper right. If the hex handle is more to your liking, you'll find some additional information in the box below to help you through the process. Of course, you can make something entirely different. Since none of the handles requires much in

Tapered materials or time to make, it's a great chance to experiment and use a piece of exotic or highly figured wood you've been saving. Extra-Long Blank. To work safely, it's best to start with an extra-long blank (8'). This way, you can do most of the shaping without having to worryr about your hands coming too close to a saw blade or a sanding drum. Once you have the blank sized, take a trip to the drill press and drill a centered hole in the end for the shaft, as you can see in the lower left photo. The next step for either of the square handles is to shape the end

of the blank. A band saw makes quick work of removing the bulk of the waste for either one (top right photo below). Then you can use some selfadhesive sandpaper on your benchtop to sand the flat tapers or use a large sanding drum to smooth out the curved edges, as shown in the lower right photo. Creating the Fermles. At this point you can trim the handle to final length (but don't do any final shaping just yet) and set it aside while you work on the femrle. The femrle for each square handle is nothing more than a small piece of 7ro'-thickbrass stock.

> RoughShape. Usea band saw to rough out the drilled end of the handle, staying just outsidethe layoutlines.

> Final Sanding. A large-diameter sanding drum makes quick work of bringing the handle to finalshape.

38

ShopNotesNo.99

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Lr the photo at the far right, you can see how I laid out a slightly oversized piece and then drilled a centered hole for the shaft. After drilling the hole, use a hack saw to cut the femile free. Assembly. \,Vith the fem.rle and shaft in hand, ifs time for assernbly The processhere is simple, as in the photo at right. Ifs just a matter of using some thick-set, ryanoaoylate (CA) glue (or epoxy) between the end of thehandleandfemrle aswell as inthehole for the shaft. Final Shaping. Once the adhe' sive has set, all that's left to do is some final shaping on the handle and ferrule. Some files and sandpaper are all you need here. 6

L Ferrule First. On an oversized piece of brass,lay out the ferruleand then drilla centered hole. Finally,cut the ferrulefree (inset). L Add the Ferruleand Shaft.Tolock theferruleand shaft in place, use thick-set CA glue (or epoxy) on the end of the handleand in the hole for the shaft.

Shapin the Hex H \taking a handle to match the shape of the hex shaft starts with an extra-long, rectangular blank. You'll need to drill a slightly larger shaft hole in the center (refer to page 35 for both blank and hole size). Then to create the hex shape, tiltyour sawblade to 30'and knock off the comers (left photo below). Wittr that complete, you're ready to shape the handle. To get

a good idea of where to make the angled cuts, shape the femrle fust (tum to Shop Short Cuts on page 23 for more info). Then you c€ul slip it over the shaft and slip the shaft into the handle. After tracing around the outside (center photo), rough cut the angles with a hand saw (right photo). For the final shaping,I used some self-adhesive sandpaper on a flat

surface, checking the shape as I worked.

Finally, tim the handle to length and then glue the femrle and shaft in place. A little sanding makes quick work of bringing the femrle and handle flustr, duplicating the handle shown above.

L HexShape. Duplicating the hex shape of the shaft gives this handlea complementarylook and a comfortablefeel.

L Cutto Shape.Startingwithan extra-longrectan- L Lay Out Taper. To locate the L Final Shaptng. Remove the gular blank drilled for the shaft, trim the corners to cuts for the taper, use the ferrule wastewitha hand saw,thensand createa perfectly symmetricalhex shape. to trace the layout lines. each side flat and smooth. www.ShopNotes.com

39

With some simple tools and a little time, you can build a complete set of quality layout tools.

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As I was sholling through the shop, I noticed one of our designers, Chris Fitch, busily filing

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and drilling some steel. It's not unusual to find Chris tinkering and what he came up with this time was a set of layout tools. They got a lot of attention and I knew I had to build a set. The main reason they're so popular is that they're so easy to make. All it takes is some basic tools you probably already have: a hacksaw, a few files, and a drill press. Cutting, filing, and drilling the steel blanks isn't a big deal. And some final polishing with sandpaper gives them a nice, satin finish. But there's more going on here. And that's how to cormect the two legs so they hold their set position for measuring and layout. Some

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traditional tools use a threaded rod with a knurled nut for adjustment. Others use a simple wingnut to tighten the legs of the tool. Instead, Chris used a simple, but effective technique: a friction joint. A pair of disc springs and a simple brass rivet apply just the right amount of pressure to keep the legs from slipping. It works beautifully. Read on to find out how to make your own set of layout tools.

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Divider Legs (2)

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making a basic

DIYIDERg

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DIVIDER LEG

The set of layout tools consists of an inside calipers, an outside calipers, a compass, and a set of dividers. Since the legs of the dividers are the easiest to make, it's a great way to leam the basic techniques that apply to each of the tools. I'll point out any differences as I go along, but each one starts with a

mild

steel blank.

A Little About Steel. \tVhen purchasing the steel (Grade 1018) to use for the layout tools, I chose precision-ground stock that was 2" wide and 7sz" thick. This thickness just "feels right" heavy - not too and clunky, yet not too flimsy.

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The precision-ground stock is just a few dollars more than raw stock, but it means less filing and sanding to get a smooth surface. And I'm willing to pay a little more to eliminate all that extra work. You can find out where to buy the steel and all the other supplies I used in Sources on page 51.

Layout. The key to working with metal

is an accurate layout. To accomplish this goal, I used blue layout dye to color one face of the steel blank (upper photos at left). The dye provides a nice contrast for the layout lines you scratch in with a shalp scribe. This leaves you with clean, crisp lines to work to when drilling and shaping. Centerline Reference. The first mark I made on the blank was the

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Layout is Key. Use layout dye then scribe accurate lines. Mark all hole centers with a center punch before drilling (inset).

width of each leg at the bottom measured from each factory edge, as shown in Figure 1. This way, you'll only need to cut and shape one side of each leg. The next important measurement is the centerpoint of the pivot hole at the top of each leg. With this located, you can draw a centerline for the leg and the top radius. Then lay out the centers of all the holes and draw the other side of the leg. I used a center punch to mark the hole centers (left margin photo).

Drill & Countersink. It's time to head to the drill press to drill all the holes and create a decorative chamfer (lower left photos). The

chamfered holes give the toois a high-tech, modern look. There are a couple of things worth mentioning here. For safety, make sure the workpiece is against a fence clamped to the drill press table. Another tip is to have a small bottle of light oil handy. (I like to use 3-in-1 oil.) This helps lubricate the drill bit as you're drilling and minimizes heat buildup. Other

than that, it's a simple matter of drilling a hole in each leg then switching bits for each size hole.

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After all the holes are drilled, switched out the drill bit for a

small countersink, as shown in the

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L Cutting to

with

sharp hacksaw blade to cut the legs free. Jaw liners protect the

Drilling. A few drops of oil will keep the bit cool. Follow up

a slight chamfer

countersink (inset). 1B

using a

Shape. Use

workpiece from marks.

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left margin. It not only creates an eye-catching chamfer on all the holes, but removes any burrs on the pivot hole that might interfere with smooth operation. The goal is to make all the chamfers a consistent width. ]ust remember to chamfer the holes on both sides of the blank before moving on. ShopNotes No. 105

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A, Filing to Shape. The layout lines serve as a reference when filing the legs to shape. Use the full length of the file to create a straight, smooth edge.

A Hacksaw Workout. I'm not going to kid you - cutting the legs free from the blank will take a little muscle. But it goes fairly quickly. Before you clamp the blank in your machinist's vise, it's a good idea to line the jaws. This protects

the workpiece from the dimpled pattem on the jaw faces. You can use conunercial liners, like you see

in the photo at above. Or you could

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A Satrn Finish. For a smooth, satin

use aluminum or brass sheets and cut them to wrap around the jaws. File Until Smooth. After the

legs are cut free from the blank, there's a little more effort required for final shaping. Use a coarse file to start with and work to the layout line (upper left photo). And while you're at it, you can file the sharp point on each leg, as shown in the photo below. You can finish

When assembling the disc springs, brass washer, and two legs (Figure

2), you'll want the rivet to extend about 7e" beyond. This gives you just enough material to peen over the end of the rivet. The problem is the brass rivet I used was a little long. So I ground aboutl/e" off the length before moving on.

The only trick to assembling the dividers is the orientation of

up the edges with a smooth file. For final polishing, I used adhesive-backed 220-grit sandpaper fastened to a piece of vof. Take some time to sand all the straight

rivet with light, angled taps all

edges and the rounded end. A brass rivet makes a nice "handle" for smoothing each face, as you can see in the upper right photo.

around (right photo below). Keep checking the amount of friction in the joint as you go. \A/hen the legs are snug, your work is done.

the cone-shaped disc springs. The smaller end of each cone should face away from the legs. Now peen over the end of the

Brass Washer. To keep the legs of the dividers from rubbing coarse file to shape the points of the dividers. Follow up with a

against each other during use, I separated them with a thin, brass washer. A5/a"-dia. hole saw is the perfect size to cut the washer from

smooth file and sandpaper.

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L Filing Pornfs. Start with a

ftnish,

use 220-grit sandpaper. A rivet works as a "handle" to grip the workpiece.

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lii Practical.

Dividers are a

staple in any shop for stepping off even spacing and layout work.

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brass sheet (left photo below).

Assembly. You're

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L Mushroomed Rivet. Light, angled taps are all it takes to peen the rivet. Check frequently for the right amount of friction.

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Compass & Ca'lipers /

You need a compass, an inside calipers, and an outside calipers to complete the set of layout tools. As I mentioned earlier, the basic techniques for layout and assembly are the same as the dividers. But there's a little more to shap-

ing the legs of the calipers and compass. The calipers require some bending so that the points are curved. And one leg of the compass has to hold a pencil in order for it to do its job. This compass leg is a little more involved, so

I'll explain it first. CtlMPASS

The nice thing about building the compass is that one leg (the "pivot") is the same as the legs on

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the dividers. The other leg is made to hold a pencil. Figure 3 above

and the pattem on page 17 give you the details. The photos below show how to cut an "F" shape on the end with just a few cuts. The resulting "arms" are what you'll shape to hold a pencil. Forming a Pencil Holder. The first thing to do is clamp the shaped piece in a vise as shown below. The idea is to bend over the arms at a sharp,90'angle.

In the lower left photo below, you can see how a 5/16"-dia. bolt is clamped in the vise along the centerline of the workpiece. (This

diameter is just right for fitting

a pencil.) All it takes is are few mild taps to gently bend the arms around the bolt. Now you can test the fit of a wood pencil and make any adjustments. The goal is to create a sliding fit. If the pencil slides through too easily, just tap the arms a little tighteq, as you can see in the lower left margin photo.

The arms will be a little long, but that's okay. You can cut and file them to match the shape of the bend on the opposite side. The last thing to do before assembly is to tap the hole for the thumbscrew that holds the pencil in place. (Refer to the article on page 12 for help on tapping.)

Compass Assembly. You can assemble the compass just like you

did with the dividers. just make sure that the pencil holder is on the outside of the leg during assembly.

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Removing Waste. Diagonal cuts will leave a small amount of materialto be filed away (inset).

A 90" 8ends. Give the arms

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L Tap Threads. A tapped hole L Perfect Circles. Creating

hold a wood pencil (inset).

houses the knurled thumbscrew that holds the pencil securely.

Creating a Curl. Use a bolt as a mandrel to form the arms that

20

a

tight bend by clamping the leg in the vise and tapping them over.

a

circle on a workpiece is easy with your shop-made compass. ShopNotes No. 105

rN9tpE CALITERS L

CAUPEN$

work your way out to the end of

Like the dividers, making the two sets of calipers begins with a pair of straight legs. The difference is the length of the steel blanks. The legs are a little longer to account

the leg. This provides the smoothwith the least amount of effort. You can use the pattem on page77 to check your progress as you gently create the curve. Once you're huppy with the final shape, you may need to do

for the bends at the bottom end.

Tight Radius. After drilling, cutting to shape, and final smoothing, you can work on bending the ends. For the inside calipers, you'll form a tight radius, as you'll notice in the margin photo above. Here again, as/to"-dia. bolt is the perfect size. The key is to securely clamp the bolt in the vise. Then lay the leg on edge across the bolt to start forming the radius. I found that it really didn't take a lot of force to shape the leg. You'll

start at the top of the radius and

Tight Radius. A bolt comes to the rescue as an anvil for forming

the small radius.

est curve

some finish sanding to get rid of the small dents and dings from the hammer. From here, the assembly process is the same as before.

Large Radius. For making the outside calipers, I used a larger

radius so that the points would "reach" around objects. Forming this radius was a little trickier for two reasons. First, it takes a little effort to make sure both legs are shaped the same. Here again, the pattem will help you outwith this.

The other thing to note is that it takes time to get a smooth curve. doesn't pay to be in a hurry.

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Pipe Mandrel. To help create I used a 172"-4iu. r,""tpipefitting. Clamped tightly in the vise, the pipe serves

a smooth, gradual curve,

as an ideal form or anvil for creating the large radius. FIGURE

The procedure is the same as - start at the top of the curve and gently work your way to the end. Again, gentle, consistent taps are the key. You'll get a feel for the right amount of force in a short while. After final shap-

ing, you can smooth out any dings and kinks with sandpaper. Twisted Points. Once the calipers are assembled, you'll need to "twist" each leg until the points align. I found the best way to do this was to clamp the last couple of inches in the vise then use pliers for leverage to gently twist the leg. (Be sure to protect the legs with

padding to keep the pliers from marring the surface.) It won't take much effort and it pays to take

it

slow. Keep checking your progress until the points align.

Heirloom Quality. Building and using this set of tools

will give

you a lot of satisfaction. The best part is, you'll have a set of tools that will last for generations.

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OUTjIDE CALIPER LEG

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Outside. Ihese

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ShopNotes.com

Inside. Take

the guesswork out of measuring pipe and hole diameters.

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makes a perfect anvil for creating the larger radius.

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to have near a lathe to check your progress on turnings.

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OUT9IDE CALIPERS 2T