Miniature Tools

[Art Rafael]

You're a funny guy Papaw.  I would like to have that tiny spy camera, but actually, I'm useing a Fujifilm FinePix S4000.  It's a Nikon knock off at a fraction of the cost, and it works very well for me -- especially in the "micro - micro" mode for very very close up shots as with my miniatures.  Anyway, thanks Scott.  Yup, thats where tiny hammers come from. 

Here are my twins -- joined at the head.  I just didn't have the heart to separate them, so I built handles for them and set them up on permanent display.




I just had to have a 112 after I did the 212.  And yes, a Knowles, which I really don't know much about except for a picture in a tool book.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

My latest -- a cute little Bull nose plane.  Ralph

[Art Rafael]

A comparative scale.  Ralph

[Art Rafael]

The wife thought the tiny Bull nose plane was so cute, and she "would just Love to have a 1/2 size pair for ear rings". That's the thanks I get! As if building the tiny size wasn't tough enough, now I get to do it twice more at half that scale.








That was a Challenge.  Now an even Greater Challenge will be to make another one just like it.  I have found that in fabricating my miniature pieces, every piece is unique, and making another just like it is virtually impossible  --  except when employing the "Lost wax" process.  But that entails a totally different set of much more complicated procedures, including building and painstakenly and accurately cutting complex rubber molds then injecting them with molten wax to produce identical patterns, etc. etc.  So I will try to fabricate an identical piece to complete a set of ear rings.   Ralph

[Papaw]

Ralph- remember-
 

If Mama ain't happy, ain't no one happy!

[Art Rafael]

Well, lets keep Mama Happy.   The pair is done.  Now I'll figure out how to hang them.  Any ideas?   Ralph





A comparative scale:

[Art Rafael]

Just for fun.   Ralph


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbcCJZY6T5o&feature=share&list=UU-GXI1Wp8qMJcEsSWF5Eu5A

[HeelSpur]

That's amazing Art.

[OilyRascal]

Thank you for sharing your work.

[Art Rafael]

Thanks again Gentlemen.  Here's one from my archives.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

Well, it just didn't make sense to post a tiny picture of a miniature tool.  I'll try again.  Ralph

[Art Rafael]

And a video of it in action.  Ralph


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbcCJZY6T5o&feature=share&list=UU-GXI1Wp8qMJcEsSWF5Eu5A

[Nolatoolguy]

Ralph Ime curious as to the general idea of how there made? Are they made like a normal tool or do the steps vary?

[Art Rafael]

I employ various procedures to construct my tools.  In some events the lost wax casting process is used; it is a complex set of procedures but yields highly detailed pieces. I'll try to outline this in a separate post.  In the fabrication process the parts are carefully cut out from flat brass stock





The parts are laid out in proximity as they belong with soldering flux coating the areas that are to be silver soldered (this is really more like brazing than lead soldering). Often the pieces are pinned or tied (with thin wire) on a ceramic board. This is a very trickey procedure but it is magical because when done right the pieces aren't just "glued" together; they really do become one piece as the parts melt into each other without distortion if the temperature applied is carefully regulated. I have used a butane torch to unite smaller pieces and sometimes need to use an oxy acetylene torch. Sounds simple? Well, maybe it is untill a third piece is to be united with the previously joined parts in a multiple piece part. Keeping in mind that brass melts at 1650 to 1720 degrees Fahrenheit when a particular part requires the joining of several pieces that cannot be laid out for a "one shot" soldering, the first union is soldered with a "hard" solder which melts at 1365 degrees; the next union is soldered with "medium" solder which melts at 1275 degrees, and the third union is soldered with "EZ" solder which melts at 1240. Therefore it is important to observe and carefully regulate the soldering temperature in each case so that the second soldering heat does not remelt the first soldered joint and the third heat does not melt the previous two joints causing everything to fall apart or shift rather than adhere in place (I hate it when that happens). This got wordy because it can be a complicated process and much care must be taken. Ralph








Lots of fileing, sanding, buffing and polishing:


 

[Art Rafael]

In my reply #23 in this string is a crude graphic outlining the "lost wax" process and mold making.  It is almost too complicated to explain in a short narrative.  Ralph