20 January 2009

To bandsaw or no?

Don't you just hate destroying something you made? At a loose end last night, I went out to the 'shop to potter about for a bit and then I remembered I'd bought a magnetic bit holder so I decided to sort out a handle for it to turn it into a screwdriver. A couple of years ago I made a small octagonal chisel handle (about 25mm across flats) in ebony that was being used for something else, so I thought that this would be suitable. I hoicked out the old blade, drilled it out to about 6mm and pushed in the bit holder...everything fine, so I took it indoors at 9 o'clock and sat polishing it all evening with a duster whilst watching a film on the box at 9 o'clock (...don't say anything, I know I'm a sad git!)
But then the niggles gradually started in what's laughingly called the 'grey matter'...was the handle just the teeniest bit too small for a 'driver? I didn't do anything, just kept on polishing and I thought I'd sleep on it, no point in being hasty is there? Come this morning, the momentous decision had been made...it was too small! So it was out to the 'shop with the intention of sawing through the handle on the bandsaw (which is what I normally do with all my cock-ups) ...but do you know what? It was so pretty, I couldn't bring myself to do it, so I just knocked out the holder and am now left with a spare ebony handle with a 6mm hole down the middle. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I 'spect it'll eventually find a home in the 'shop again for another tool, not that I'm a collector of such items you understand...

3 comments:

Kari Hultman said...

Can you make a blade for a marking knife to fit the handle? I know what you mean about not being able to toss a beautiful piece of wood. I have lots of tiny offcuts that I'm SURE I'll be able to use some day.

Woodbloke said...

Kari - if you have a little look at the Blog entry 'A Nice Pair' you'll see the sort of knives I make on my lathe - Rob

Philly said...

NO picture, Rob??
Come on - lets have a look ;)
Philly