John Barraclough's very clever gravers

[Kerry Bogan]

Thanks John
Quite often simple is best. For creating small tools in almost limitless configuation this is a great idea!!
Kerry

 

[sam]

On long stock it's not too bad, but grinding a square shank on a 1/16" burr that's 3/4" long can be pretty tricky.

 

[Doc Mark]

J.C.

I have indexed round stock in the way you mentioned. I only grind 2 adjacent sides at 90 degrees and index these into the "V" of the sharpening jig. Quick, simple and it works great!

Mark

 

[Steece]

J.C.

I purchased the materials that John suggested and will be using them for my work with great appreciation for his willingness to share how he does things. He has some terrific ideas!!

With all due respect JC ....the kind of attitude you have exhibited in your last few comments may be a discouragement to others sharing how they do things. If you don't like the ideas, for the good of the rest of us please just let it pass by without negitive comment.

Steece

 

[Glenn]

Steece,
Thanks for your comments.
I've put together a tool using John's tubing idea and so far it looks to be a great tool for what I want. The shank of my tool was 1/16 of an inch. It soldered so easily into the brass tubing, I was surprised. I can see why John has made several tools with this method.

 

[Dave London]

Mike
K&S 1/8 round is 3/32 id the sq stock is probally the same. local hardware store or a hobby shop should have it

 

[Andrew Biggs]

JC

I have to agree with Steece.

John B was mereley presenting his way of doing things.

If you have another method of doing the same thing that's great. However I don't see the need to be so hostile and rude about it as it has, and will discourage others from sharing their ideas.

Andrew Biggs

 

[Ray Cover]

JC.

It did come accross as be-littling, abrasive, and confrontational. It wasn't the what it was the how it was said.

You may not have intended it that way but that's the way it read from the receiving end.

Ray

 

[Glenn]

j.c.

I too find you abrasive where it need not be. This forum has been a delight and so educational. These forward comments really are not necessary.

 

[pilkguns]

I guess I don't get it. I did'nt see anything abrasive or untoward in what j.c. wrote.

 

[sam]

Ok ok, I've read just about enough. I'd like everyone to take a deep breath and chill out. This thread started out as a very informative tip, and has turned into crapola. Be informed that this will not be tolerated.

 

[sam]

Now that everything's calmed down I've reopened this thread because some of you still had questions about making these gravers. I've been cutting for 2 days with the samples John sent me and they're excellent! Please feel free to continue the discussion, and thank you all.

~Sam

 

[Steece]

Hi John,

I bought the aircraft drill bits and tubing you described at the begining of the thread. There is a small bit of play between the O.D. of the drill bit and the I.D. of the tubing, is that an issue? Does the 1/16 carbide bit fit tighter?
I am very excited about developing and using this tool. I really like being able to lock the graver into the sharpening fixture having it oriented in the right place. I just wondered if the play descibed above was an issue.

Thanks again for sharing how you work. I am sure you have a lot more invaluable tips I hope you will post that we could all benefit from.

Steece

 

[John B.]

To all Café members.
My deep and sincere apologies to all that anything I posted should be the cause of
the first storm on the Café.
Like so many of you I consider myself a guest in this extension of Sam and Abigail’s
happy home that they so graciously provide for us.
Hopefully, none of us want to offend the other members or cause squabbles.
I’m sure this is true of J. C.
He has his point of view and with his unquestioned skill can undoubtedly cut well using any shape or even slightly misshaped graver.
No tool that I could contribute would be needed to advance his skill.
These gravers work for me and for some other people.
That’s my only reason for mentioning them.
Please accept my apology friends, and thanks to many for their kind words.
This being said, and with our hosts permission, I will attempt to answer some of your questions in a separate post to this thread.
Goodwill and best wishes to all, John B.

 

[sam]

By all means, John. Post away! / ~Sam

 

[John B.]

Hi John,

I bought the aircraft drill bits and tubing you described at the begining of the thread. There is a small bit of play between the O.D. of the drill bit and the I.D. of the tubing, is that an issue? Does the 1/16 carbide bit fit tighter?
I am very excited about developing and using this tool. I really like being able to lock the graver into the sharpening fixture having it oriented in the right place. I just wondered if the play descibed above was an issue.
Steece

Hello Steece, thank you for your PM, your kind words and this question.

The amount of play/slop that I have noticed is pretty limited.
I made a batch of 24 yesterday and even had to debur and slightly chamfer the end of the cobalt to get it to readly slide into the tube. They are a pretty close fit.
Using a 1 1/4" piece of cobalt inserted a 1/4 inch they usually turn out fairly straight.
You might mic the shank of your drills to make sure they are real close to .00625 inches.
I have not found any great difference when inserting a used 1/16 carbide bur or a piece of the cut-off drill stock except for the need to debur the drill.
Let me know how they turn out for you.
Once you establish both sides of your bottom cutting edge, assuming some degree of V, and a face angle and bottom relief based on this you should find you have repeatable sharpening angles.
Hope this is some help with your concern. John B.

 

[John B.]

Thank you, Sam.
Don't want to beat this thing to death, and will try not to, but would like to answer some of J.C. and others well founded thoughts.
Thank you for being such a good referee. Must say....I slept through the whole thing!
John B.

 

[sam]

John: Please respond as you wish. These little gravers are very nice indeed. I've really been enjoying the samples.

 

[Steece]

Thanks John for your gracious reply.

I really like the potential for putting a wide variety of small graver into the sharpening fixture and having them line-up without much time and fuss. I can always compensate for gravers that line up exactly right but it takes a lot more time to do so.

While I am on the subject .....my sharpening fixture does not seem to line up even square GRS stock as straight as I would think it should. The stock goes off to the left very slightly. I have thought about trying to take it apart and do some filing to correct it but always felt like I might make it worse. Any suggestions?

Steece

 

[sam]

Steece: If you have the latest version of the Dual Angle fixture there are some tricks for realignment since it has more adjustment features. When they're off as you describe, it's usually because they've been dropped or knocked out of alignment. Call JB at GRS and he can have you back to zero in short order. / ~Sam