Thread: Making wooden mechanisms

As always the right tool for the job and so on....I always like a challenge.
Can you put up some drawing or photo of what you are try to achieve?

Off the top of my head you could try a abrasive blade it the jig saw, if you are only doing short cuts.. do not let it heat up and burn ...it like sanding it.
If you can mount the jig saw upside down, like in a vice, it's a bit like a scroll saw then... but only for doing the fine cuts ...You can maybe put a thin plywood plate on the bottom plate of jig saw with a slot for the blade and this will let you handle small piece much easer.

Just my $0.02 worth

Russell

The coping saw was invented for this job - and they are cheap!

Groz Coping Saw : CARBA-TEC

If your going to use the coping saw.
Get a piece of something 3/4 inch thick 12 inch by 8 inch. Drill a 19mm hole in the middle of it. And then cut from the hole to a quarter way on the short sides (2 inch from end of the 8 inch side).
Then find a way to mount this to a bench.
Jewelry Making Tools, Jewellery Tools, Broaching Device,Cutting Broaches,Bench Pin
Look towards the bottom of this page. the GS131.

Means you can put the fine work on top and the handle of the saw goes below.
Put 2 fingers either side of the work and saw from underneath.
Holds the work stable and no chance of cutting yourself as if you hit 19mm part the blade almost stops.
Peter

A variation on the Coping Saw is the Jewelers (Jewellers) Saw.

It's especially useful for holding Fretsaw blades and as it's adjustable for length can hold blades that have broken.

Several videos on u-Tube on it's use.

Cut the part out of thick stock with a coping saw ( I use 2 of them in my wood carvings).
Then slice the thing like bread. Now you have two of them, pick the best one for the project.

Plan B: possibly scale up the size of the whole project for bigger parts?

A coping saw is not bad ,but if the parts are small and intricate, in thin timber / ply , then a FRET saw, with it's ability for very fine blades is another option.

Jeff
vk4

I agree, A fret saw is much better.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll definitely give the fret/coping saw method a go.

I'll try to get some sketches scanned in so I can give you a better idea what I'm talking about, but basically there are a few pieces to it. There's a bayonette-style ring and disk mechanism which lock together to engage the mechanism (like a camera lens fitting) and a circular rotary latch with a slot cut into it for a pin which will rotate it (see the attachment)

The piece I'm making is a replica of a board game from a computer role playing game (basically a stylised dice poker set), so I have some leeway with the scale but it can't be too large.

Here's a rough sketchup of a couple of the pieces I need to make. I'll get the model finished tonight so you can see what I'm up against.

khendar
If it's any help I can cnc route these out for you.

Russell

Originally Posted by khendar

Here's a rough sketchup of a couple of the pieces I need to make. I'll get the model finished tonight so you can see what I'm up against.

A couple of holesaws and a bit of hand-shaping is about all you need for those parts.
For the type of stuff you're doing, a Dremel Rotary is a good idea, along with the plunge router and router/shaper table attachments.
A Dremel Multi-Max would be useful for a lot of the cutting and sanding too, with the plunge cutter and Multi-Flex blades.: -
Attachment 213152

Cheap alternatives to 'real' machinery.

Originally Posted by rusel

khendar
If it's any help I can cnc route these out for you.

Russell

That would be a great help and I may end up taking you up on the offer. I'd like to have a more concerted go at doing them myself but if I can't figure it out I may end up dropping you a line.

khendar
Not a problem

Russell

Originally Posted by khendar

Hey guys. I signed up to this forum an aeon ago but my plans for taking up woodworking never really took off. The costs of setting up weren't really feasible at the time. Now I've got a project I want to get started on which should hopefully give me the drive I need to get motivated.

I want to build a wooden board-game set which has a hidden mechanical locking mechanism. It's probably a little ambitious for a first project but I was never one for doing things by halves

My question is, lacking power tools like scrollsaws or the funds to purchase them, what's the best way to cut small intricate things like rotary latches and wheels ? I've made several attempts at cutting the pieces with a jigsaw but the thinness of the pieces resulted in them snapping under the force of the saw.

Part of the problem may be because I'm using ply (the only material that I can easily find in the right thickness). Any suggestions as to a better material which can be found in very thin dimensions (3-5mm) would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Hi have you thought about going to men shed! I’m shore there would be one or more in Adelaide they would have all the tools there and if you did need some help on the how to side of things that would be there also here is a location to get more information about the men shed Mens Sheds Men's Sheds AMSA Australian Men's Shed Asscociation
Colbra