StayAtHome projects

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

So, we are all stuck at home.

Sky for some of us has been unfavourable for astro, so you want to keep busy, active and doing stuff. One thing this StayAtHome is offering many of us is the chance to do some of those projects, astro or not, that have been on the backburner for a LONG time.

You are welcome to add your project to this thread! It will be a welcome change from some of the dire threads of late too.

~x-X-x~

Me, I've been wanting to make a knife for some time now. I'm sick of the ones I have at home that just refuse to hold an edge, or the ones that do hold an edge I can't take with me camping or to clean up animals taken at the family farm.

I was not about to forge one out of wrought steel - too time consuming and requires a skill set I don't have. But there is an easy to acquire quality of high carbon steel that is perfect for this - old steel files! This was not my first file-steel knife - I lost the first one I made, and it was very crude compared to this one, but the experience I gained from it was invaluble.

Yes, I know that files can be brittle. This is especially the case for new ones, and I have also broken one. So I found some old Australian made Whiltshire files that I rescued from the recycling tip. And to shape it, I used an angle grinder, being careful not to let the blade get too hot so not to lose the temper (hardness) of the file, constantly cutting a small amount and then spraying it with water. I deliberately left some of the original file cutting texture on the blade and tang. The steel is protected from rusting with good ol' canola oil.

The scales (timber used for the handle) was from good ol' Aussie red gum that Wavytone gave me - thanks mate! :thumbsup: The scales were epoxied on as the unannealed steel is just too hard to drill through to use rivets. Then the scales were shaped and varnished.

The final edge was given after the varnish had cured for a few days. And Goddamn it is sharp!!! I can shave my arm using any part of the length of the blade.

Thanks for looking and adding your project to this thread.

Alex.

[fsphotography]

Nice, thanks for the inspiration. On my last fishing trip at Venus bay SA a knife that i had treasured for 35 years went overboard and now lies somewhere on the bottom, tried to replace it but no longer made.
I'm going to give this a go.
Oh,i haven't come up with a project because my good wife has taken control of that department.


Frank

[xelasnave]

Alex
I think you first heat the file and let it cool slowly to soften the steel, then make your knife blade.
You then reharded it by heating it red hot and plunging into water, polish when cool so you see the shine of the steel.
Place blade in a gentle flame so as to produce the colours along the edge, when straw brown plunge into oil.this is called tempering and the colour determines if it will be a knife a spring or a file..that is my recollection but Google the hardening and tempering of steel for a run down. This is the way I have done it since I learned in high school..a leaf spring is your best source of good steel particularly very old leaf springs although coil springs are very good but a little more work shaping.
Alex

[Merlin66]

What about building a spectrograph???
A couple of lenses, a reflection grating and pencil sharpener blades for the slit.
Check out the webpage for more info.

[Merlin66]

Alex,
My dad used to make some very nice knives from used 2” hacksaw blades.

[FlashDrive]

That's nice Alex ...:)

[Rainmaker]

Nice project Alex.
My "Project of the Day" was Hedge trimming......

My neighbours on one side are doctors who are working long hours due to Covid, on the other side the couple are in their 80's and getting frail so I spent the day trimming their pittosporum and photinia hedges which had got away from them.....

I am considering making a smaller version of Excalibur, maybe a 6"F4

[JA]

Lovely job on the knife Alex:thumbsup:

If you don't already, you should watch the series, Forged in Fire an American reality TV show based around knife making. It's on Foxtel and possibly YouTube. Better yet, sign up as a contestant.

I made (rehandled) a lovely old hunting knife many years ago in American Walnut. (I wish I knew where it was.)

Best
JA

[Dennis]

Rather than going out to visit local forests and parks to be in nature, I've taken to exploring our back garden where I found a Paper Wasp nest.

They didn't seem to mind me sneaking up on them with my macro lens.:)

I reckon they are 7-10mm in length.

Cheers

Dennis

[DJT]

Nice projects! I am having a go at green woodworking. This piece was a mallet (not a club as my now terrified CFO keeps intimating).


Bit of wood lying around, then some axe work to shape it.


Am calling it an apprentice piece( and apologies to any apprentices out there)

[StuTodd]

You can do some scientific research classifying Galaxies from your bubbles...
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo/

[lazjen]

Was going to suggest this show as well - I've only seen the first season so far and it's been interesting.

My main project has been looking for a new job :( - however I probably should find something else to do as a project (day time - astro for night, weather permitting). Problem is I don't have a lot of kit to do much - normally would go to my father's place to do the projects there, which of course is right out now.

[Aurorae]

Why not bake your wifey some cupcakes? You're welcome (you'll understand after you bake them)...

I totally respect the knife making, but you could also potentially do some volunteering (using online platforms). Most schools will be from home across Australia, young kids especially those with a disadvantage would need extra support, like tutoring or mentoring. An example: https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/get-involved/volunteer/itrack-mentor

[Merlin66]

I agree 100%.

[peter_4059]

Great stuff Dennis.

[RB]

Because Bronte woman is watching....

:lol:

[mental4astro]

Cup cakes won't do - wifey doesn't have a sweet tooth.

However, how does baking 12 pizzas, two pies, a baked ricotta, two loaves of bread, 4 bread rolls and a bunch of bread sticks sound? That's what I did on Sunday :)

Oh, and Bronte Woman lives just down the road...

Thanks for the comments and the addition of your projects! Please keep the projects coming :thumbsup:

[FlashDrive]

Let's all head to Alex's place for a feed ... !! ;)

[gaseous]

Great photos Dennis! I'm glad your wasps are so accommodating. The paper wasps at my place are absolutely ferocious, particularly after I accidentally run a hedge trimmer through their living room. They sting like the dickens.

[lazjen]

No cup cakes for my wife either, but we did some great roo tacos together last night. :)

[RB]

One at a time, please !!

:lol:

[glend]

My daughter baked a couple of dozen Hot Cross Buns yesterday. Sadly all I got was a photo, as neither one of us can travel.

I did get my new electronic drum kit assembled in the music room. Some setup and tuning to do, and moving the Sample Pad to a dedicated stand, but already much nicer than my old kit.

[drylander]

Alex nice knife. There's also a utube video where a guy makes knives from old circular saw blades and uses a side grinder and belt sander that hold a good edge.
I'm going to facet some rough I have and also cab some other rocks with the off cuts into my tumbler.

[FlashDrive]

I have a box full of new and old radio parts ( Bakelite Dials / Coils of various Values / Detectors / Brass Binding Post ) ...about 10kg's worth of weight.

Making ' crystal Radios ' is a hobby I mine .... so it's time to make another one or two.

It can consume a lot of time to get the ' coils wound and making sure detectors are correct values....etc.

These don't run on electricity or Batteries.... just use a ' long wire ' antenna and a good ' grounding ' earth .... and use a pair of ' High Impedance Head Phones ~ 2000 to 3000 ohms.

Col... :)

[napster]

cool

[UniPol]

I decided to clean the lathe down and make a few parts for my scopes which have been on the back burner for a good while now. One thing led to another and so decided to sort out a few model steam engine projects which are nearly finished or part finished which probably go back nearly 45 years which is how long I have been married. Things like work, having kids, holidays, moving houses as well as amateur astronomy got in the way so I don't feel too bad not having achieved all that I wanted in my hobbie(s).

[glend]

Love your work Col. :eyepop:

[FlashDrive]

Now that's what I call a Work Shop .... just walk out to the Shed and make whatever you want.

Col..

[FlashDrive]

Many Thanks Glen .... pity I don't have a ' coil winder ' ....got to do it all by hand.

[Dennis]

Thank you Peter and Patrick, I appreciate your comments.:)

Wow Patrick, my wasps seem quite placid and good natured as gusts of wind have driven their nest into my flash diffuser several times with the result that they take off, do a couple of circuits around me, then settle down again.

I wonder if its because I shoot with Canon gear....;):lol:

Cheers

Dennis

[Photo Challenge]

Grab a camera (or phone) and why not post an entry into the monthly IIS Photo Challenge.

Think up some unique take on the monthly topic and have a go.

It's just a bit of fun in down times, and now seems like a good time to get into it.

Especially as the topic this month (April) is "ISOLATION"

It is "stickied" in the Terrestrial Photography Forum HERE (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=14)

Have Fun, Stay Safe, Stay Home

[mental4astro]

Or!!

Guess WHO is the Photo Challenge stig???

Great suggestion! :D

Steve, blooming great workshop :thumbsup:

[morls]

My social-isolation job is to iron out a few bugs in my recording console. I'm self-taught with all this but have managed to do a lot of modification to the desk. There are a few issues with a couple of input strips, so now is the perfect time to track down the causes.
Cheers
Stephen

[rrussell1962]

Awesome!! A lot better than the one I built from the Ladybird book "How to make a radio"

[Rainmaker]

I got a 6pack of Corona Extras and spent the day cleaning eyepieces in my motorhome............. keeping a social distasnce frm my wife who wanted me to du shome garderning... hic....

[UniPol]

Sounds like the motorhome would make a pretty schmick dog house if and when the need arises Matt which might be pretty soon :rolleyes:

[glend]

Mate I have been inside it briefly, when Matt was at Coolah, it is very schmick. A very nice place to be serving out a quarantine.

[alval]

Nice work and castings, if they go back forty years the castings are worth a fortune now. Buying castings is still a bit rich for me, so I make mine from bar stock. The rest of my time has been fixing the little things that have been annoying me in my workshop for years but havent had the time or will to do before, probably got enough to last for quite a while unfortunately.
Al

[mynameiscd]

Might get my old school analog Studiomaster 16/8 desk out and finally get around to fixing those scratchy pots.
Thanks for reminding me
Andy

[UniPol]

Great little project you've got there Alan, a lot of thought and planning has gone into your design I'll bet. Fabricating is very satisfying as you can often find bits of old stock to make various projects instead of buying expensive castings. Most of my castings are Stuart Turner bought back when they were affordable. My pic of the vertical twin steam engine is their Swan double acting marine engine 2 1/4" bore x 2" stroke producing around 3hp. I still have to fabricate a lot of parts including the reversing gear. I am also making a Stuart Turner Cygnet engine which is the same as the Swan but only a single cylinder version. This is shown in the earlier pic with the painted red crankshaft which I fully fabricated. As you say we probably have enough in the way of projects to last a good while. I've attached a pic of what the completed "Swan" engine should look like when completed.

[Sunfish]

I made some sourdough Hot Cross Buns and gave six straight out of the oven in a super cleaned box to the neighbour. A lot harder than the sourdough bread but smelt and tasted right even if they look more snail than bun.

My daughter sent me images of her hot cross buns from Paris and I think she is winning the international bake off, although in the frittata section , my sons Vietnamese herb frittata is a winner.