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Small metal strong box.


Bill Hudson

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I thought maybe I could wake the forum back up. Back in my studio after a long brake. Finished project from my studio. This is a punch designed to put the raised crease in the handle plate for strong boxes. Once the pattern is scribed on the metal it will be sawn out. A wire handle will be bent and placed in the raised crease. It all will be mounted on the ends of the box. The punch is made from available metal from my scrap shelf. Nothing fancy. These creases were put in using a hammer. I made the punch to be used in the hydraulic press hoping it will be better. I will try that tomorrow. The reason the top of the punch is rounded off is so that when the ram or hammer strikes it the punch will not tilt.

To make the end plates consistently I used a tracing pattern to etch the outline on the metal and then cut the plate out using a jeweler's saw.

 

die - 4.jpg

die - 3.jpg

die - 2.jpg

die - 1.jpg

End-2 copy 2.jpg

plate - 1.jpg

plate - 1 (1).jpg

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Tried my punch in the hydraulic press this morning. Worked as well as I had hoped. I do not have to anneal the metal therefore keeping it hard for better sawing and strength.

press - 1.jpg

press - 2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm glad that you were able to return to the shop.  You have increased my awareness that there are many, many things to create with our metal lathes and the mill attachment.

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress!

 

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  • 2 months later...

Finally back on the box.  Have finished it. It measures 1 1/16" long x 3/4" wide and 5/8" tall.  Had planned on painting it and then aging the paint but I kind of like it as it is, maybe a little clean up but not much. I have redesigned the hinges more like the original The lid half of the hinges now have stops to hold the lid up as do the original. At this point I have only made one but I do have some spare parts so I could build five more if it turns out there is enough interest.

 

 

fin - 1.jpgfin - 1 (2).jpgfin - 1 (1).jpg

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Wow!  It is a beautiful strong metal box. Congratulations on finishing your prototype. I like the finish, it looks aged.  In the 6th photo posted on June 17, is this a pantagraph?  I have never seen this kind of tool to assist in drawing a pattern.  Can you tell us more about this tool?  My skills for scratching patterns with an awl definitely need improvement.  At Guild School this year, I learned about chain saw files- and these files saved my sanity because I wasn't able to use a scratch awl with good results.  Hard to create a beautiful part when you don't have a good pattern, so those files were great!

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Yes Tamra it is a pantograph. It is a little one used for name tags etc. It was being tossed because it had a crack in one arm. It sat in a box in my garages for many years. It was pretty cruddy and stiff.  I thought it was cast iron so never used it because of the crack. In April I took it apart and cleaned it up and polished all the joint shafts. It turnout to be made of aluminum and the crack was not as bad as it looked. I just drilled a tiny hole at the tail end of the crack so it will not travel any farther. I filled the hole and crack with wicking CA. It will out last me.  

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I am so amazed what can be accomplished with metals.  I know you have opened my eyes to the possibilities... thanks for the response on the pantograph. I have been checking out books from our library for silversmithing and I am learning about new tools that are used in the jewelers trade.  Dear Husband just bought me a small vice over the weekend, and am quite happy with my new acquisition; I will keep my radar open for a pantograph.

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