Tool setup for small-batch bead making

I've been making softwood beads out of a weathered old trellis from our garden.

For the last two batches in this style, I kept the sectional dimensions of the sticks and just sliced beads off. For this batch, though, I wanted to make beads that are small enough for simple bracelets. So I milled them down to 1/2 inch square on the tablesaw first.

Slicing beads from the battens is tedious at best, so I set up my benchtop bandsaw with an angled stop and catch bucket to make things easier.

The stop isn't acting as a fence, and the wood is not in contact with it when it enters the blade. But it makes it easy to quickly eyeball each slice, corrals the pieces, and helps direct them toward the parts bucket clamped to the back of the table.

Here's a quick video of the setup in action.

It saves a lot of time to catch the beads.

I set the tablesaw fence to 1 inch and took a corner out of a scrap of plywood to make a quick drill press jig. My first setup had the dust collection chute pointed into the corner, and it whisked the first bead away the moment I released it. It gets all the dust and none of the beads where you see it.

The sliced and bored beads, ready for dyeing and abrading.

New in shop: 7 link bicycle chain bracelet

Today, I listed a bracelet that completes a set of bicycle jewelry of a particular style. Many of my pieces use the bike chain intact, like this series:

But I also have some earrings that use gunmetal jump rings to join partial links for a much lighter effect:

So I made a bracelet in the same style. Like the earrings, it is lighter in both weight and effect.

Now available in my shop.

Setting up and firing a new oxy-acetylene torch kit

Metalwork in general and welding in particular have become more and more interesting to me. I'm excited about the possibilities of integrating torchwork with my woodworking. After studying books and videos, I felt brave enough to purchase an oxy-acetylene torch kit and try it out. I recorded a rather long video about it, embedded here. First flames at four-oh-four.

I'd like to acknowledge the helpfulness and respect I was shown at the welding supply store I chose. I'm used to having to wade through some condescension when I don't really know what I'm doing, but I got all of my questions answered and was sold what still seems like just the right stuff and no more. Show some love to Praxair at 400 and Finch in Toronto.

From burn pile offcut to pretty bangle

I pulled this offcut of roughsawn maple out of the burn pile the other night.

It's about an inch thick, and big enough for a bangle.

So far, the most efficient way I've found to do this is to drill through the centre with a 1/4 inch bit, then drill partly through from each side with a hole saw sized for the bore. In this case, I used a 2.25 inch hole saw. The goal is to clearly establish the groove as a guide from both sides without going too deep and weakening the workpiece.

Then, I cut the blank free with a larger hole saw, 3 inches for this bangle.

The screw chuck I use with my lathe needs an 11/16 clearance hole, so I enlarged the central hole with twist drills and mounted it on the lathe. (A screw chuck lets you just thread the piece onto the drive screw, which is very convenient for bowl and other face work.)

I used a bowl gouge to true the blank, and then roll over the edges. The curve on the bangle is idiomatic to the gouge -- it wants to make that shape.

After a bit of sanding on the lathe, I unscrewed the bangle from the chuck and finished boring it out with the smaller hole saw.

The hole saw leaves a rough finish, so I mounted a rubber spindle sanding attachment to my drill press and worked through a few grits to clean it up, and then hand-sanded the whole bangle.

Finally, it got a rubbed coat of walnut oil and a light rubbed beeswax finish. Here it is, available in my shop:

Stripping down an abandoned television

I also got Dan's help to take apart the abandoned TV that I found on Sunday. He is getting very good at this sort of thing.

Safety nuts, be advised that I shorted out the flyback and capacitors before Dan resumed poking around inside.

I had promised him that he could smash the case if he wanted.

Dan and Uncle Michael figured that this was where the case should go. But it may become a craft project some rainy weekend. Eve was envisioning a backlit opaque acrylic screen -- she has a source of translucent acrylics with really nice texture patterns. We'll see what hapens.

I don't know if I have any use for the picture tube. Anyone know any good tricks it can do?

These are all of the things that Dan felt were worth keeping. A closer look:

The plastic plate and dial are interesting. 2 FED B 13?

I am excited about the flyback transformer. I'll desolder it and read up on ways to drive it. More high voltage hijinks to come!

The television was assembled in 1982, but it looks like this vintage printed circuit board was designed in 1978. It is very interesting looking. More fun views:

Tooling up for metalworking

I'm excited by the possibilities in adding metalworking to my bag of tricks. In addition to an oxy-acetylene torch, I indulged myself in a grinder and some wheels. Here's a photo tour of what I've assembled so far.

My brazing station. I've built up two layers of fire brick over an air gap to make metalwork on a wooden bench a not completely unreasonable proposition.

On the fire bricks: welder's goggles, striker, flux-coated brazing rod. On the bench, scrap slotted angle for supporting workpieces, a plumber's flame guard for use as necessary, more brazing rod. Not shown: leather gloves, shop apron, forced ventilation.

Clamping and holding tools. If it moves when you push it, it will move when the torch pushes it.

Fire extinguisher, solvent, bucket and gloves for cleaning parts.

Wire brushes, files.

Grinder, wire brush wheels, coarse and medium flap wheels, grinding and cutting wheels.

And it's shop night tonight! I hope to make a few interesting things.

Stripping down an abandoned dishwasher

I picked up an old dishwasher yesterday morning, and Daniel and I spent the afternoon stripping it down for parts.

Daniel had the top pulled off with manual screwdrivers before I even got out to help and get him the cordless driver.

So we've got nice casters, a strong steel frame, and a big motor.

Dan goes after the motor and frame assembly screws.

Taking inventory. We've got maybe 50 square feet of enameled sheet steel plus a bunch of structural and decorative steel angle, no end of rubber hose, a pair of motors (one big and fast, one small and very slow), and a bucket of parts. Score!

What's in the bucket?

I am sketching dishwasher creatures now.

Errands are taking longer these days

Eve asked me to pick up some bagels this morning. But right there was an old CRT TV with a flyback transformer and lots of interesting goodies in it. So I picked it up.

And then just around the corner there was a dishwasher with a lovely butcher block top, yellow steel panels, and at least one big motor.

And then two blocks later:

At least I remembered the bagels!