Miniature Tools

[Art Rafael]

Papaw,

You are most deserving for all the exceptionally professional work that you have done for Tool Talk Forum.  This is THE piece that was featured in the above thread build portion custom built with you in mind.  Wish that you could have been here to observe the process from start to finish.  Actually, in a way you were.  Thank you for all that you do.   

Ralph

[johnsironsanctuary]

HooRay Ralph!  I could not agree with you more. Beautiful work. Beautiful gift.

[Jim C.]

Looking good Ralph!  This is still one of my favorite stops on the forum.  I'll keep watching.

Jim C.

[Art Rafael]

Scott,

Thank you for the wonderful bundle of exotic wood pieces that you sent me.  WOW!!!  Am I the lucky one!  These exotic pieces will escalate my interests in building miniature tools and who knows what else.   Some of it is foreign - new to me.  You've helped me id most of it, but I need help with a couple other pieces - pictured below.

Ralph

[HeelSpur]

Hey Ralph, I've got some mahogany boards if your in need of some.
They're plained down to 1" thick.

[Art Rafael]

I appreciate your offer, HeelSpur.  At present, I have plenty of Mahogany.  Raincheck?  Who knows what the future will need. 

Thank you , Ralph

[scottg]

Hey Ralph
 I am pretty sure one is cherry, but unless the other one is cherry too, I just don't know.
 
   Glad you liked the wood
       yours Scott

[Art Rafael]

Close enough, Scott.  I shuda guessed that.  I'm sure you are right.  Thanks again.  Now to the drawing board.   Ralph

[Art Rafael]

I rounded up some more tools for a group picture.   Ralph


See the video on YouTube at    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARI533ZplhM&feature=share&list=UU-GXI1Wp8qMJcEsSWF5Eu5A

[OilyRascal]

I very much enjoyed the video, Ralph!  Of course they're all amazing works of art, but I especially like the pipe cutter and the fact you actually use it.

[oldtools]

Amazing Art work.. Wow! 250 reply's already, popular post...

[Art Rafael]

Thanks, oldtools.

I do appreciate your thoughts.  And thoroughly enjoy the interaction and exchange of ideas on this forum.  I am gratified that you and others appreciate my work.

Ralph

[Art Rafael]

Hi, everybody. 

I am a builder of miniature tools, and also collect tools of sorts. 
There are many vises in my group - most of them are small,
although also several large blacksmith vises and vises of other sorts which are often used in my other shop (the barn).

My wife says that I should have as many virtues   ; )

Pictured below are some of my smaller blacksmith vises.  I'm not sure that I  know the actual proper name.
But I know what I like.





For proper scale I get help from my helper.





No, He is not a Rottweiler, although in a certain light he may look like one.





Another scale reference of the smallest at 3 1/2 inches:





My intent behind all this rhetoric is to announce that I am hoping to build a real miniature version of this type of vise.
I have pondered such a build for quite some time now and have decided to just jump in
and build one 2/3 the size of the smallest one I have.  That would make it about 1/8 scale of the full size one in the barn.


I have a Good start.  I've wrapped my head around this vise and can see it in three dimensional space.
Next I'll cut and carve the hard wax into the proper form then cast it to build a master pattern
from which will result a rubber mold to produce casting copies.  This will be a long process.  I'll try to document and post.

I think.?   Ralph


 


 

[Lewill2]

Like all of your previous post/projects I look forward to seeing the progress on your vise. I'm sure it will result in a piece to be proud of like all the rest.

[Art Rafael]

Thanks for the confidence in me, Les. 
If I was sure that I can do this I would have done it long ago. 
It's been on my mind for quite some time now. 
I think that I have figured it out enough in my head now to start.
The thing is that this project will call into play all the skills and procedures that I know
and some that I'm not so sure about.
First - it will ultimately be a very heavy pour - close to 4 oz - ,
and that increases the danger and chance of failure I figure.
An extreme pour at my scale is 3.0 oz.
But before that, I will have to alloy some sterling silver
then carve an exact replica (master pattern) of the rear jaw and stem at 2/3 scale in wax then cast it in metal.
I'll use that master pattern to produce a rubber mold from which a rear jaw will be derived.
The rubber mold will produce two wax rear jaws, and from one I will remove the clamping apparatus and anvil
leaving an exact copy of the rear jaw with only the long stem to serve as the front jaw.
Then I will form a "casting tree" containing both parts - front and rear.  This is why the pour will be so heavy.
An alternate plan would be to cast each piece alone in its own mold - This doubles the work. 
If casting the pieces in one mold does not work I'll resort to casting them separately - effectively tripling the work.
Once all that is done it will be a long run of filing, sanding, buffing and polishing -
not to mention some machining, drilling and thread cutting for the screw and tightening rod.

Well, thanks for listening.  I think that I've got it now.

Ralph