Thread: Plane Blades and Chisels ( A progress report )

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Ray does this resolve the missing three firmer handles we were missing? If so I will cancel from making more.

Yes, as far as I can tell..

Still waiting for contact details for TruckieMuzz, do you have anything?

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Yes, as far as I can tell..

Still waiting for contact details for TruckieMuzz, do you have anything?

Regards
Ray

PM sent.

Hi all,
It seem as if a few of you are having a few question on how to fit the firmer chisel kits together. As all the sockets are the same for both the paring and firmer chisels you will have to open up the socket and handle to accommodate the much thicker tang. As I no longer have any chisels or handles, I'm unable to provide a detailed tutorial on how to put it all together. Maybe one of the members that received the firmer chisel kits or Thumbsucker will be able to provide one?

Thank you
-Josh

Originally Posted by Brobdingnagian

Hi all,
It seem as if a few of you are having a few question on how to fit the firmer chisel kits together. As all the sockets are the same for both the paring and firmer chisels you will have to open up the socket and handle to accommodate the much thicker tang. As I no longer have any chisels or handles, I'm unable to provide a detailed tutorial on how to put it all together. Maybe one of the members that received the firmer chisel kits or Thumbsucker will be able to provide one?

Thank you
-Josh

Is anyone in the mood to offer a few suggestions about how best to fit the handles. I'm developing an idea of how I might go about it, but would be reassured to hear some hints so I don't stuff those fantastic handles.

Any advice welcomed, I don't think I'm alone on this one.

Many thanks in anticipation,

Muzz

Well, I'm not sure if this is approriate, but a tang is a tang. So FWIW, when I'm fitting handles to rasps or files (which are often She Oak handles) I drill a stepped hole, each step about 6-10mm deep.

Hold the handle vertically (hole up) in a timber faced vise. Make sure the smallest diameter goes deep enough to get the end of the ferrule where you want it. Then drill a hole the next size up (say 1mm, but it depends on the incline of the tang), and this hole will be drilled to say 10mm less depth than the last.

The important thing to remember is that to determine the hole size you have to measure the diagonal dimension of the tang, and reduce by 1 to 1.5mm (so the tang bites into the timber).

Probably 30% of the time I have to revisit one of the steps in the hole to get the handle on properly (good luck figuring out which one ) but I have found this method very successful having fitted about 50-60 handles this way. Haven't split one yet, and haven't had one come off - but chisel handles get a far different workout to rasp/file handles!

To get the handle back off (before the final satisfying whack) hold the blade of the chisel in the vise (horizontally) and tap the handle off with a mallet onto a piece of wood onto the ferrule.

Many times the final whack results in a very nice "chink" sound as the timber gives just enough to be tight.

HTH, but someone may have a more appropriate method
Brett

Bushmiller has just alerted me: my technique might a bunch of crap - if the sockets are glued on (because of the slotted hole).

I should have mentioned (just in case it is still viable) that I use normal twist drills for this - Brad Points will catch and jag pretty badly when trying to open up the hole. The rounded twist drill will sit nicely in the hole.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

The important thing to remember is that to determine the hole size you have to measure the diagonal dimension of the tang, and reduce by 1 to 1.5mm

I was scratching my head for a bit ... but I think you mean the diagonal of the rectangular cross-section through the tang at any given point above the shoulder. Is that right?
Thanks,
Paul

Originally Posted by pmcgee

I was scratching my head for a bit ... but I think you mean the diagonal of the rectangular cross-section through the tang at any given point above the shoulder. Is that right?
Thanks,
Paul

Yep

We went through all of how to fit these with the last batch of paring chisels and quite a few options were discussed. Haven't the time or inclination to go searching the previous threads on this, as I have other priorities at the moment.

Ps, stepping the drill sizes will only work if the ferrule is removed as it is a slotted hole.

Yes of course. A round hole in the socket wouldn't prevent a drill going in....

I asked for unhandled chisels so I have what I posted in the pic #239. I assume that everyone who ordered a handled chisel has the same plus a piece of wood fashioned lovingly into a handle courtesy of .

I am thinking that this is all in component form. So I feel that somebody needs to exactly identify the problem. I had felt it centered around the size of the elongated hole in the socket, which fits, I suspect, the Paring chisels but not the Firmer chisels.

If that is the case, simply open up the hole with a small flat file until the socket is a slight interference fit. Drill the hole in the handle as per FenceFurniture's directions (several different size twist bits should suffice). Then tap the whole lot down, including the ferrule, onto the tang at one hit (several small ones are probably better) by inverting the chisel. I would probably try some test fittings of the handle without the socket before the final assembly.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

If that is the case, simply open up the hole with a small flat file until the socket is a slight interference fit. Drill the hole in the handle as per FenceFurniture's directions (several different size twist bits should suffice). Then tap the whole lot down, including the ferrule, onto the tang at one hit (several small ones are probably better) by inverting the chisel. I would probably try some test fittings of the handle without the socket before the final assembly.

That, indeed, is my problem. I understand the solution, however, as the slot is 4mm wide and the tang is 7mm, it means I have to file 1.5mm on each side. This is not a trivial amount of metal to file, I haven't got much metalworking experience and I am concerned that if I do not get it accurate enough, the handle would not be straight. Any advise?

Originally Posted by javali

That, indeed, is my problem. I understand the solution, however, as the slot is 4mm wide and the tang is 7mm, it means I have to file 1.5mm on each side. This is not a trivial amount of metal to file, I haven't got much metalworking experience and I am concerned that if I do not get it accurate enough, the handle would not be straight. Any advise?

Hi Javali,

It's not that critical, just scribe a line on the ferrule that you need to file to and work down to the line so that it clears the chisel tang, it won't matter if you go too far and it's loose in the socket, the timber handle is the part that determines how straight and tight it is.

If you make a complete mess of it we can always get some more sockets machined up as a last resort, but I think when you have a go you will find it's not too hard.

Regards
Ray

The chisel should be 7mm thick but the slot in the ferrule is 4 mm. This came about because we made one socket size for both the paring and firmer chisels. As making two sizes drove the costs up.

What you need to do is get a small file (OR a piece of aluminum or steel which has some wet&dry glued to it), and open up the top and bottom slots 1.4mm each but not on the rounded ends. You then push the socket down the tang of the chisel. This will cause the hardened steel to peen the soft brass socket over, and you will get a forged joined connection between the chisel and the brass socket.

As RayG said it is very easy to do. Brass is a soft material. Just take your time. Work towards your line. Stop and test as you get close. A thing you could do is grind the tang a little on a linisher or bench grinder so it tappers a little. That way you will have more of a wedging action and a tighter fit. Remember that the chisel is High Speed Steel and you do not have to worry about bluing the tang.

You can get some inspiration from this thread which shows how the socket was adjusted and the chisels assembled in the first paring batch order.