I made this little set of carving tools. I was needing some really tiny ones, so I decided to make them. I used allen wrenches for the chisels and needles for the gouges. I am hoping to use the tools for making a giveaway, having passed 100 followers. Stay tuned!
This is what the backs look like.
I used two different sizes of allen wrenches. First I put the end in a vise and slowly, carefully pushed to "unbend" it some. I covered it with my jacket because I was afraid it would snap, and I was much less afraid once I couldn't see it :) Then I ground the profiles.
The assortment is two sizes of straight chisels, one ground on top, one on the bottom. Then I made a skew.
This picture shows the different sweeps on the gouges. The needles I used have a little dip around the eye and I snipped the eye off with a wirecutter and then made the dip deeper and longer with a diamond cutter in my Dremel. Then I ground the edges.
I love the grip I have on these tools.
Here they are in action.
I've been deliberating about making or buying my own. A friend (a mechanical engineer) swears by making his own tools to fit the job. I think I'll give it a go after seeing how succesfully you've made yours. Were the handles per-made or did you turn them?
ReplyDeletebest wishes Pepper
These tools are gorgeous! I'm a bit envies of people who can make their own tools. There is still so much for me to learn...!
ReplyDeleteExcellent work, you gave these little carvers the perfect "fit" for you! I've had a go at grinding down very tiny needles to micro cutters too, after watching Karin explain. But the little dip you mentioned is sooooo short and shallow it drove me crazy :) Yours seems bigger but most importantly, successfully made! Chapeau!
ReplyDeleteDebora,
ReplyDeleteSchmetz sewing machine needles are what I used. They are made in Germany. The dip is long as is the groove.
Beautiful handles! You are very good with that lathe!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the comments! I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeletePepper-- I turned the handles from walnut and used brass tubing for the ferrules.
Debora-- I too got the wonderful idea of needles from Karin (as I say so often, THANKS Karin) but at the time I only had these large regular sewing needles. When I saw the dip around the eye, I figured it's work. I've since gotten several sizes of the sewing machine needles with the long groove, but I couldn't get a good cutting edge on them. So I'm going to use them for 1:12 scale gouges in a tool box I am planning.
Well apparently you can't fix a typo aftyer you comment... I wanted to say "I figured it'd work" not "it's" I should have just written "it would"............
DeleteWonderful job on the tools Linda! Even more exciting is what you are going to do with them. I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteSon unas herramientas estupendas, que maravilla.
DeleteUn beso
Gemma
amazing work! so glad i found my way to your blog :D
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy and thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy and thanks!
ReplyDeleteNice work
ReplyDeleteHelping to push you towards 200!
From Tyla @
http://obscurecreationsbytyla.blogspot.ca/
Well thank you!
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