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Lock box metal fittings


Bill Hudson

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Just getting started on developing the metal fittings for the wood and metal lock box. I am experimenting with the bottom corner protectors.  

 

 

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Not being happy with the thickness of the metal I found some heavier mild steel sheet at a local sheet metal shop. I feel this gives the needed heavy look for my corners. They need a little more work but I think in the end they will look good. Only have to make 23 more.

 

 

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The corners look nice - is there a 1/12th scale Bill H little statue that hangs out in the shop that we use to make sure the proportions are correct?  I saw Noel & Pat Thomas statues, somewhere recently on Pat's blog, and that made me wonder if other artisans had little carvings of themselves that they use for proportional purposes... (note to self - someday... carve / create a mini me!) 

 

I am guessing that mild steel has not been hardened yet, so it is easier to cut.  Are you using some kind of super shears, or a jewelers saw to cut out your corners.  Where it is folded around the corner appears to be very crisp, are you using a metal brake?  Only 23 more to go of those corners.  Are you tracing the pattern with a scribe? 

 

I am looking forward to the point where you are making hinges from mild steel.  I was reading about making your own brass hinges in TSC recently -- and the author annealed the brass to enable the bend around the hinge pin... that certainly made sense...so it will be fun to watch your progress.  I have to go to buy one of those small handheld torches locally so I can anneal metal.

 

 

Tamra 

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Tamra,  I assure you that there are no little Bill statues.  I use dial caliper for measurements. But there is a little room in my brain where little elves (sort of like the Wizard of OZ) operate the leavers that control my eyes and hands.  I just lay back and let them do their thing. I have developed a chart that brakes scale inches and fractions into decimals. I believe I have posted the chart some where on the forum (maybe general?).  Just posted it today in general.

 

I cut the blanks from .025 mild steel (which I just found to day at a local sheet metal shop) it does not need annealing until it becomes work hardened. I use a regular small shear (see Tin tutorial) to cut larger pieces then I lay them out on the metal which I have coated with die. I use a jeweler's saw to cut them out. I use a little home made metal break to bend them followed up on a sharp edged vise to tighten up the corners.

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I am a little reluctant to show so many photos but to show the progress I feel I need to do so to show Tamra and other who might be interested my process.

 

I coat .025 mild steel with die then lay the pattern out on the metal. I cut the blanks out with a jeweler saw then bend them to shape using my little home made break. I use a good mill vise (left over from my large mill that I sold) to tighten up the bends and square up the ends. 

 

 

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Don't be reluctant to show the photos.  I think everyone on this site learns from seeing your process.  Thanks again for all you share.

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Back into production.  Still on the feet. With so many feet to saw out and file I decided to try them in bulk using a metal saw on my Sherline mill.  

 

The blanks were cut to size then epoxied together with Devcon 5 minute epoxy. The pattern was scribed on one face and then clamped in the milling vise of my mill.  Using a small metal slitting saw I cut out the blanks and separated them by heating the pile with a torch.  Once the blanks were finished they were formed into feet.  I can do two sets at one time.

 

 

 

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Really interesting how you gang saw-ed them---

Can't say I have heard that expression in this context.  In the lumber industry where I see it used mostly a gang saw is several saws side by side or saw blades on the same shaft to re-saw wider planks into smaller planks such as sawing a 2 x 12 into 2x4s.  In the plywood industry we used gang saws set up to cut the grooves in T-111 plywood siding used on many houses where vertical siding is called for.

:D 

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