wide bladed screwdriver

Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>How about a turnscrew? Here's one with a beech handle, classic shape, don't forget to flat or hollow grind the business end.

Pam

Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Jack from Maine

>Yes,that's what I was looking for. What exactly do you mean,hollow grind? I ground and polished both faces flat,then slightly beveled both faces to desired thickness just like a regular flat screwdriver.Then I squared off the end. Should the end be slightly thicker than 1/4" further up the shaft? Please explain further.

This file sure is some hard material.---thanks-Jack

Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Dennis

>Your into the "smithy" thing and the best way is to heat the file and let it cool slow then you can file,grind to shape. Small things can be done in wood fire and a small file should work.

Then when you get the shape you want,heat and quench. Then put it oven to get it to working hardness you want.

Pick up a book at library on basic blacksmithing,that will open up ideas for tool making and how its done.

One thing i will say is getting into blacksmithing has slippery slope that is really scary...DHMHIKT

Dennis

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Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Jack from Maine

>Another scary thing.I have a drawer full of junk machinists files. All worn down,some broken. I have enough stock to keep me busy for awhile.

Thanks for the info. I shaped it the hard way. I ground it on a slow coarse wheel,then belt sander.Cut out unneeded metal with a small angle grinder fitted with a cutoff wheel. I tried hacksawing it and the only part that was soft enough was around the tang.

I'm going to try the heating/retreating .I have several turnscrews that I want to make.---Jack

Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Dennis

>Well nothing like helping somebody to the slope but will tell you i pick up on all the rusty beat up files i find at garage sales and flea markets.

Try some cut nails, the hardened masonary borg type ones, can make some cool tools with them also.

Not a hand tool but a die grinder with cut off wheel cuts a lot of steel quick.

My next project,among others, is some floats and old files are great for that.

Dennis

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Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Most screwdrivers are difficult to hold in a slot because they taper toward the edge; whereas if you make them wider at the edge, most easily done via hollow grinding the edge, they'll work better. So the area right behind the edge should be thinner than the edge, or at least the same thickness.

Pam

Re: wide bladed screwdriver

Jack from Maine

>Thanks Pam. Makes sense to me. That's what I thought you meant. Back to the grinder.---Jack

Hard = brittle

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>A file, untreated but for grinding off the teeth, is a dangerous screwdriver. They're tempered hard - have to be, to cut steel - and are therefore brittle. You can snap off a file by clamping part of it in the vise and striking the loose part with a hammer (or by using it as a "pad" when hammering on something you want to protect - DAMHIKT, but I was young and even dumber than I am now), but doing the same with a screwdriver will often result in bending, or breaking only after much work.

If you don't retemper your screwdrivers, sooner or later one will snap on you while you're bearing down on it, and you'll be at minimum startled; maybe even hurt.

Heres a nice one

Todd Hughes

>I sort of collect these older craftsman made screwdrivers many of them which are made from files.I See allot of them some better then others. This example is one of my favorites, while it doesn't show any file teeth i bet it was made from one.Has some fancy file work and is engraved on both sides with the date 1847.I really like ones with Pewter bolsters but this one has a very well turned brass ferrule and handle and that is OK Too.Was pretty excited when i found it in a box of junk and didn't even try to talk the guy down from $3.....What was I thinking!....Todd

Re: Heres a nice one

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Hmmm, nice background. Now if you'd tried a little harder, the apostle could have appeared to be holding the screwdriver.

Pam

Re: Heres a nice one

Todd Hughes

>Figured the pic. would come out better if taken in natural light,[some reason they tend to come out darker when I down load them here] so took it outside and took the pic. in my cemetary....still didn't turn out to well I don't think....Todd

Re: Heres a nice one

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Assuming you're using a digital camera, take the cemetary part at a reading that's appropriate, then lay the turnscrew photo on top, add a couple of shadows, and Bob's your uncle. The way it's lit, looks like the tombstone is flat, like a sheet of paper or a photograph.

Pam

Re: Heres a nice one

Jack from Maine

>That is pretty nice.I doubt I'll get that fancy. Maybe one inside curve on each side. I'm thinking of shorter blades too. I tossed four old files into the wood stove this morning,left the door open and watched them turn red as the coals got hotter. Then it dawned on me,what'll I get them out with?DOH!!!LOML came to the rescue with a pair of barbecue tongs.

When I get them built I'll post pics.---Jack