cutters from old taps

[mikecwik]

i have problems letting go....



i didnt really think that it would work but it does. i did a quick search but didnt find anything on it. it makes much more sense to use a destroyed rotary file than a tap. is this a waste of time? what about broken drill bits?

[Blacksmith]

I don't have your level of skill but I have "repurposed" so many things or created special tools that I'm not going to criticize. If you have the time and it works - good.

[vicegrip]

The (early) American Blacksmith would have to be creditted as the
Grand Patriarc of what evolved into the American Toolmaker.

As the industrial revolution grew, the distictions have moved around
quite a bit, but the inovation and resourcefullness of the American Blacksmith,
and I might add the American Carriage Maker (skilled with virtually every material
you can imagine) are the underpinnings of a "real" Toolmaker.

That tap is absolutely beautifull, and I would question anyone calling himself a toolmaker
if he didn't have at least a handfull of special tools altered from their original state.
............as need commanded..............
vg
PS:
What is the fuzzyness, casting an indistinkt shadow in the upper left?

[ptsideshow]

Why not, If it is long enough to do what you want it to do. Generally it is great steel, and if you are careful when grinding to shape you won't have to re harden and temper for most things.

Here are tools a friend made to work on the engine model he made. The box end and open end wrenches are made from modified Allen head screws. The flat parts of the wrenches and some of the other wrenches is the flat spring steel metal from windshield wipers. On the left side bottom the round item with the little brass thing on the end. Is the tool that he uses to open the drain spigots, which the brass item is a fully working drain spigot.



There are no casting in this engine of the civil war Monitor, it is all bar, flat and built up stock. Including the cross over tee pipe. It took 17 try's to get one he was happy with. The finish is media blasted to look faux casting finish.

I do a lot of re-purposing of items.

[vicegrip]

I'm usually still asleep...........
Holy Moly, what cool stuff to wake up to!!

vg

[Dog Byte]

I love this kind of stuff. I have a few custom tools my grandpa made, and I have no idea what they are for, but I'm sure they came in real handy when he needed them.

[ptsideshow]

I'm usually still asleep...........
Holy Moly, what cool stuff to wake up to!!

vg

here are some more of it linky

Here are some more from our annual show linky

and a running /working Duessey linky

[mikecwik]

vg
PS:
What is the fuzzyness, casting an indistinkt shadow in the upper left?

that is too funny. i actually debated on whether to remove Cheeps or not from the photo. he is one of those easter chicks. he is one of my best friends and advisors. i was replacing his batteries, he has contacts along the bottom when you touch them he starts cheeping. some people hear an annoying sound in it but i actually hear answers to questions.



that is amazing stuff pt.

[ptsideshow]

that is amazing stuff pt.

I noticed that I forgot the part of the post about most if not all of it, are made by guys that recycle re-purpose items. Some of the oil lines are made from Hypodermic needle tubing. A lot of screwdrivers are used to weld, missed matched sockets to for nut drivers. Some in larger sizes not normally used with the magnets inside as long reach nut starters.
Old files are great for making one of a kind,one use scrapers. The drill rods are used a lot for shafts and other tooling.
Garage sales are a good source for the raw material for custom tooling. Pawn shops sometimes will deal on the boxes of sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers and other smaller hand tools. that come in the full tool boxes. Only you do have to watch the prices, as the one closest to my house tends to be a little on the high side, since all those unreality pawn and picker shows hit the tube.
I have a couple of wrenches, that I bent to work on cars. That I have owned in the past. One of them has surprised me the number of times that I have used it since I modified it.

Here is what I do with the roller leg sets from the desk/computer chairs.


Here is the one with an oak and trimmed base for wifey's bead storage/tool box. She keeps it in the living room.

Here is a roller shop stool that I use in the driveway and basement.
I made another lower one that replaced the mechanics roller stool that I use for brakes and such. It is shorter in height so I can work on the cars in some comfort. Getting to old for all that kneeling and up and down stuff. All from re-purposed items.

[vicegrip]

Nothing feels better on bare feet, than a Maple hardwood floor with the/any finish
worn or sanded away.
Pulled up 30 year old tile and linoleum in our kitchen.
Just left it bare, I LUV it. Mrs. vg is not in agreement.

[aametalmaster]

I have been making lathe cutters from broken taps for 30 years. I always pick them up in the shops i worked at. They work great for special shaped cutters that you may only use once...Bob

[urch55]

Mike,,
Do you have Mr/Mrs Chick sitting on the answering machine to take your calls as well??? (kinda looks like it) Are you breathing too much grinding dust as you make your bits???

[mikecwik]

it is possible urch.