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Gold Prospecting
Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects
DIY Plug Digga Spade plans with stick on template and instructions
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<blockquote data-quote="Daggy" data-source="post: 311801" data-attributes="member: 9035"><p>I don't actually use a template for knife making, that way I can be assured that each knife is unique. </p><p></p><p>A chain bar would be great for a heavy duty pick or digger. When you choose a bar, only use the solid ones. A lot of newer bars are three piece's spot welded together to make them lighter.</p><p></p><p>I start by lighting a fire large enough to make enough coals to turn the entire bar cherry red. Once the temp is hot enough, cover the bar in a good layer of coals and then cover the whole pile in sand or dirt. Leave for two days to cool down and the bar will be fully annealed and as soft as mild steel.</p><p>Draw your design on the bar and cut out with an angle grinder and then a bench grinder if you have one to smooth any sharp edges.</p><p></p><p>This is the hard part if you don't have a forge and anvil to thin the bar out.</p><p>Hand filling. Don't try to finish your blade in one day, there's a lot of metal in a chain bar and you will get sick of pushing that file for hours on end, and spend a few bucks and buy a good file (not cheap Chinese crap). You can use a linishing belt but it takes a lot of practice to get an even result and if the blade gets hot and changes colour it will harden and make life hard when your going through grades of wet and dry to finish.</p><p></p><p>Try a small one first and let me know if you need advice. Once you have your blade shaped the way you want I'll talk you through the next step, preparing the handle and finishing the polish.</p><p></p><p>Good luck</p><p>Daggy</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Daggy, post: 311801, member: 9035"] I don't actually use a template for knife making, that way I can be assured that each knife is unique. A chain bar would be great for a heavy duty pick or digger. When you choose a bar, only use the solid ones. A lot of newer bars are three piece's spot welded together to make them lighter. I start by lighting a fire large enough to make enough coals to turn the entire bar cherry red. Once the temp is hot enough, cover the bar in a good layer of coals and then cover the whole pile in sand or dirt. Leave for two days to cool down and the bar will be fully annealed and as soft as mild steel. Draw your design on the bar and cut out with an angle grinder and then a bench grinder if you have one to smooth any sharp edges. This is the hard part if you don't have a forge and anvil to thin the bar out. Hand filling. Don't try to finish your blade in one day, there's a lot of metal in a chain bar and you will get sick of pushing that file for hours on end, and spend a few bucks and buy a good file (not cheap Chinese crap). You can use a linishing belt but it takes a lot of practice to get an even result and if the blade gets hot and changes colour it will harden and make life hard when your going through grades of wet and dry to finish. Try a small one first and let me know if you need advice. Once you have your blade shaped the way you want I'll talk you through the next step, preparing the handle and finishing the polish. Good luck Daggy [/QUOTE]
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Gold Prospecting
Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects
DIY Plug Digga Spade plans with stick on template and instructions
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