Lead Tools

I stumbled across this trio of tools the other day.
Lead beating tools I made back in 2005.

Homemade lead working tools

I made these so I could work on fitting lead roll mops to a flat roof on an old property we were working on in the Teme Valley.

Somehow buying these tools didn't enter my head. Instead I found some beech I had in my store and knocked them up in a night so they were ready for the next day. The bossing mallet was a little big (I only had a picture to go on) but it was still useful to "pull" the lead round corners, whereas the chasing chisel was great to get the lead tight into corners and edges - the ferule is a bit of 28m copper pipe to save the end from splitting.

Make Your Own Slate Rip

This was something I was meaning to post ages ago but forgot! I was stripping a section of roof before Christmas to add a new back gutter to a chimney when I realised I had forgotten my slate rip.

I managed to make a temporary one out of an old disposable hand saw. Cutting the to the side of the hanging hole on the saw to make a notch.

It's then just a case of slipping the "rip" between the slates and over the nail, hitting the handle downwards to pull the nail out (or snap the head off).

This doesn't last for too many slates, as the plastic on the handle can only take so many hits, but it meant that I could carry on working and strip an area big enough to carry on.

Anyone else made a temporary tool lately?

Tool Auction & Tool Making

Another busy weekend.
Yesterday I got up early and went to Ledbury Tool and Timber Auction with a pocket full of cash (and an uneasy wife left at home). In the end I didn't buy much just 4 large pieces of very twisted Apple, quite thick though so it should be alright for turning (probably as tough as old boots). There was a few things I should have bid higher on but you always think that on the drive home!
Today has been productive, as well as tackling the weeds at the allotment I've started to have a bit of a tidy up in the shed and I've come to the conclusion that I need to build an extension before I build my big extension. This is because I have nowhere to store any timber, but more on that in another post.
I also started to use my High Speed Steel (HSS) that I order from china (and some from Yandles) to make some more tools.
One I made using a square section of steel, ground so it forms a point. Before I could grind it I made a simple jig (in the picture above) to make sure it always went on the grinder the same way.
The other was made using round HHS bar and is basically a spindle gouge without the flute (called a "form tool" or somethimes a "cove tool" I think). I made beech handle for them both and although not identical handles they're starting to look like a set! I've got quite a few more bits of HSS so I'll be making some more woodturning tools over the next few months. anyone got any good ideas on what I can make?

To the Grind Stone

Last Thursday I committed a sin.

I lent my labourer a chisel (I'm sure you can see where this is going...)

It came back lighter than it went out. Still a little time on the grinder and its as good as new (a little shorter maybe, but as good as new), this is why carpenters don't lend tools (I know he didn't mean to do it though)

At woodturning I have been grinding some HSS bar that I brought at Yandles to make some new woodturning tools. The first of these tools is a three point tool, it seems a good tool to work with (when I've borrowed Chris's) with loads of uses and good for fine detail, as well as forming beads on bowls.

The raw materials used (Beech blank is a bit big but its all I had)

I made the handle out of beech and fitted a brass ferrule onto it. The steel took a long time to grind but it was quite easy to do as I used a triangle piece of MDF as a jig, this was to make sure all three sides were even so they met in the middle.

I'm quite please with it and I know I'll enjoy using it.

Anyone else been making their own tools lately?