Setting up my shop

storebought · Post by **storebought** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 11:57 pm

I earnestly intend to start making knives. I have little experience with machine tools, but am a quick study. Here is what I think I should really have in terms of tools:

1) belt grinder
2) table grinder
3) jigsaw
4) dremel

Here is what I would like

1) mill / lathe combo
2) verticle band saw

What else am I missing? Thanks for your input.

j.a.c. · Post by **j.a.c.** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:16 am

drill press (small multispeed)
buffer or attachment for drill.

I started with a coping saw , hammer and hand drill for the first few I did ,and added tools as I went.

I still don't have much ,but if time isn't an issue you can do most of it by hand.

I upgraded and added a drill press (under 100.)
several spindles and buffing wheels for the drill.
a small 4 inch tabletop disc sanded.
several sizes of drum sanders and spindles for drill.
15.00 yard sale scroll saw.

sand paper from 150 - 3500 grit.
small peening hammer (originally used a framing hammer

not recommended)
that's about the extent of my tools , but I do it at my own leasure and as a hobby.

p.s. lots of bandaids

Dances with Emus · Post by **Dances with Emus** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:15 am

A few assorted files and jewellers files for those things that need them, such as file working the spine etc. I still do most of my knives using just the basics. Files, hacksaw, vice, sandpaper of assorted grades and elbow grease will make a beautiful knife.

storebought · Post by **storebought** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:16 am

Thanks guys; exactly the feedback I'm looking for. I have some tools already (including a $69 drill press and a great bench grinder.)

Flat grind? Hollow grind?

What about heat treating the blade?

Dances with Emus · Post by **Dances with Emus** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:26 am

Your blade grinds will depend on just where you stroke the knife across the belt (assuming your using the power tools in preferance to files). Holding the knife on the platen at your prefered angle will give you one of the Vee style grinds. Using the curve of the forward wheel with a little practice will give you the Hollow style grind. There are other styles of grind and each has its good points and bad. The grind you choose should suit what you intend the knife to actually do.
A chef's knife for example would most likely be done in Flat Vee but a very shallow convex grind is good too! A big Bowie would probably be best done with a Modified Vee, Hollow grinding would suit a skinner or a dagger style etc etc.

Heat treating can be done by just making a forge oven out of fire brick or Cinder? blocks (Not sure what the americans call Besser block bricks) and using a hand held gas (Propane?) torch, providing you aren't planning on doing big jobs or want anything fancy, other wise there are specially made gas forge ovens you can buy or companys that will do heat treating for you. Anyway hope this has gone a ways to helping you with what you wanted to know.

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:22 pm

Dances with Emus wrote:
Heat treating can be done by just making a forge oven out of fire brick or Cinder? blocks (Not sure what the americans call Besser block bricks)

PROPER term is "cylinder block" but at least 99% call it a cinder block American dictionaries list it as "cinder block" so, another case of evolution of language Once the dictionaries and a majority of people agree, the ORIGINAL useage dies

butch · Post by **butch** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:04 pm

ive been set up for woodworking for years so I had most everything but the most useful in my shop for making knives is my belt sander,5 speed benchtop drill press and my table saw.

Demonicus · Post by **Demonicus** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:28 am

This should be a sticky, IMO. I would someday like to craft myself, if I ever get the time. This would be a fantastic resource!

storebought · Post by **storebought** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:48 pm

butch wrote:. . . the most useful in my shop for making knives is . . . my table saw.

Wow Butch. I assume you cut sticks with your table saw? I have been eyeing some vertical band saws and wonder if one can put a metal cutting blade on a band saw designed for wood???

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:14 pm

storebought wrote:
butch wrote:. . . the most useful in my shop for making knives is . . . my table saw.
Wow Butch. I assume you cut sticks with your table saw? I have been eyeing some vertical band saws and wonder if one can put a metal cutting blade on a band saw designed for wood???

Generally the answer is NO

The speed is too high and the torque too low

[On some older ones with multi-stage pulley set-up you can play with pulley size/placement and "gear them down" but most newer ones ar "direct drive" and you can't slow them down enough

butch · Post by **butch** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:52 pm

Wow Butch. I assume you cut sticks with your table saw? I

its a lot easier to cut down large pieces into scales,it sure beats the heck out sanding them down its also easier and more accurate to cut a spring channels for knives like leverlocks.

TRYKER · Post by **TRYKER** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 1:14 am

storebought wrote:
butch wrote:. . . the most useful in my shop for making knives is . . . my table saw.
Wow Butch. I assume you cut sticks with your table saw? I have been eyeing some vertical band saws and wonder if one can put a metal cutting blade on a band saw designed for wood???

you may be able to friction cut steel if it runs fast enuff.

tryker

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 2:23 am

TRYKER wrote:
storebought wrote:
butch wrote:. . . the most useful in my shop for making knives is . . . my table saw.
Wow Butch. I assume you cut sticks with your table saw? I have been eyeing some vertical band saws and wonder if one can put a metal cutting blade on a band saw designed for wood???
you may be able to friction cut steel if it runs fast enuff.

tryker

True, Starett makes special blades for that, but in that case you may have to "gear up"

Dances with Emus · Post by **Dances with Emus** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 10:52 am

Vagrant wrote:
Dances with Emus wrote:
Heat treating can be done by just making a forge oven out of fire brick or Cinder? blocks (Not sure what the americans call Besser block bricks)
PROPER term is "cylinder block" but at least 99% call it a cinder block American dictionaries list it as "cinder block" so, another case of evolution of language Once the dictionaries and a majority of people agree, the ORIGINAL useage dies

Thanks for the correct term Vagrant. It helps to be a little bi-lingual on these forums and as most people here are "Seppos" which is abbreviated from the term Septic Tank which is Australian Rhyming Slang for Yank which is (slightly?) derogatory term for American, it helps to know the lingo. You know what I mean

Post by **tr4252** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 4:28 pm

Seppos? I've never heard that one before. Maybe you're thinking of a forgotten Marx brother. I thought Seppo was the one who became a gun control advocate instead of going into acting.

I use a metal cutting band saw for steel and bar stock, and a wood cutting band saw for everything else up to and including aluminum. Using one saw for everything could be impractical, even if it did have the speeds necessary, because you'd be constantly changing blades. Pitch and tooth geometry are different for the two types.

If you are new to bench work, as you say, then I highly recomend an extensive study of safety practices. Every piece of equipment you're thinking of using can hurt you one way or another. Even the hand tools. Eye protection is a must. I can't stress this enough.

A "tool" that hasn't been mentioned would be a good solid bench with a servicable vise mounted to it.

Tom