Miniature Tools

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, Rusty.  Silicone really is incredible stuff.

Progressing slowly.   











Next - progressively finer sanding, buffing and polishing.  And maybe a little more fine tuning the handles.   Ralph

[turnnut]

looking good Ralph.

you always have my attention, something my high school teachers had a hard time with.

I have been meaning to ask you how you put the sterling stamp on the tools ?

have a good day, Frank

[Art Rafael]

Hi, Frank.  I do appreciate your attentive support.  The "STERLING" stamp is a commercial steel stamp which is applied with a swift hammer blow.  Also have "14K"  and  "10K"  stamps, but need a stamp with my brand, "RJ"  or something like that.  Ralph

[Art Rafael]

The framing hammers are finished and in the mail.  Ralph





And what became of the third one?  Since I had an opportunity to stray from the norm and exercise artistic license it just resulted.

[Lewill2]

Did you checker the face too? Another great project as always from your work shop.

[Art Rafael]

Hi, Les.  Thanks again.  Yea,  tried to make 'em original like, except for the third handle - exercised more artistic license there.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

After cleaning house (work bench) of some of the clutter that tends to accumulate around me wherever I work, I've started a new project.   
For practical purposes, and other considerations, this project will be about 1/10 scale.  I'm not exactly sure since I don't have a live model for proper measurements.   Ralph





Well, this is not really a "new" project.  It is a return to an idea that struck me years ago, and I'm just now getting around to it.
Sometimes ideas just have to incubate some, and sometimes they are on "back burner" status on my "to do list"  for a spell.

Note the date of this original sketch in the upper left hand corner.





This miniature wheelbarrow will be constructed of Walnut and Oak with brass and silver accents. 
First, I prepared some stock material, and since pieces and parts are so small, I called into play  (work) some of the miniature tools on my bench.











And put some parts together with tight joinery, glue and dowels.  Some other parts will be secured with bolts and other metal hardware.

[Lewill2]

Art nice project. I have one my Uncle gave me that at one time was my Grand Fathers or my Great Grand Fathers. The bed is about 30 - 32 inches long and the sides are removable. It has small stake pockets (steel) that the side board rails slide into. If you need pictures let me know.

[john k]

I think it is like this one, seen at an antique expo, snapped a pic of it because,  Sides come off and slip into stake pockets as Lewill said. 

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, Les.  I have pondering this one for some 30+ years and think that I have a picture well in mind. 
It is based on one that my grandfather had when I was young.  Don't know what became of it but sure wish that I had it now. 
You are very fortunate to have yours.

Yes, John.  That's the one!  Sure like that wooden wheel. 
I'm building the wheel of brass from flat stock with round spokes and having trouble getting it centered to true round. 
I always have trouble with that.  Anybody have any hints on how to remedy that problem so that the wheel doesn't wobble. 
I may have to try to build a wooden wheel - as if that would be any easier. 
Well, I'll post pics as it develops.

Ralph

[john k]

I think the only way to get a wheel running true is with a lathe.   Or when nearly finished, spin it on an axle, adjusting as you go.   I have started a full size wheel for a barrow, thought I"d use round spokes,  and tack the tire on in sections rather than a whole tire.  Wagon wheels were built that way back before the Civil War.

[Branson]

I have a Studebaker wheel barrow wheel that someday I will build the barrow for.   Like most of the elder wheels for barrows, the spokes are square, no rounding at all.  This one has only four spokes, not uncommon.  One of Roy Underhill's Woodwright's Shop episodes was about making a wheelbarrow wheel.

The old ones Kept the wheel from wobbling by making the hub wide/long enough to fill the whole space between the handles.

[Art Rafael]

Some day I'll experiment on just building wheels. One wouldn't think that a wheel, among the oldest of humanity's instruments, would be so complicated and difficult to build.
And this is for a wheel barrow - imagine building a wheel that is perfectly centered and balanced on all axis to hold up heavy weight at 200 mph+.

This build may have turned out to be more complicated than at first it may have seemed
due to the many angles built into it and the need for perfect symmetry and, of course, the small scale.
Ralph

[john k]

Excellent job, now you have something to move the miniature tools around with.   The wheel came out looking  like a cast iron wheel on some horse drawn equipment.  Building one that size in wood?   Now that would be challenging.   Was said the wheel barrow spokes are square rather than round, I also notice the felloes go to one spoke only.   On a wagon wheel the felloes would cover two spokes, unless factory steam bent then they covered 180 degrees of the wheel, only two felloes per wheel.   Now you got us wondering what's next?   

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, John.  The wheel turned out ok - hammered perfectly round with spokes evenly spaced and soldered on to the hub. 
But, somehow some spokes got shorter as it went around, and when the solder set the hub migrated. 
Slowly as it turns, it's hardly noticeable, but I know (and now everybody knows).  It is easy to change the wheel if I ever make another.

Anyway, it's not quite finished.  Little did I suspect that the bracing would be so challenging to construct and install. 
I bent and twisted flat stock every which way and never did get it right.  So I resorted to using round stock.