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Thread: Walking Cane

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    215

    Default Walking Cane

    I made this walking cane for a mate with dodgy knees. As I don't have a lathe, it was all done with hand tools including spokeshaves, chisels, rasps and files, abrasive papers and some help from my Dremel. First stage was to square the stock for the shaft which is black cherry. Once squared, a 100mm long piece of 6mm threaded rod was tapped 50mm into each end. The rod at the handle end is permanent so was fixed into place using 2K epoxy while the rod at the tip is only there to support the shaft in the jig during the shaping process. cane 005.jpg The shaft was tapered from about 32mm at the handle end to 28mm at the tip. the handle was made from laminated European oak, sawn to rough shape and tapped to take the threaded rod. Another small jig used the tapping to hold the piece while it was shaped.IMG_2058.JPG I then needed to carve a figurehead for the cane and as this would also be a first, I wanted something very simple. I first tried the oak but found it splintered too easily when doing the small detail so I eventually used a piece of matai which is dense and close-grained and worked well. As you can see, the result (A Norse warrior) is rather crude but not too bad for a first attempt at carving.IMG_2056.JPG Then I needed to consider the tip which I originally wanted to fit with a brass ferrule but couldn't find anything big enough. Also, when I thought about it, the brass would take some punishment and soon look crappy so I compromised and pared-down the tip to take a brass ferrule made from a hose fitting with the hex nut removed and epoxied to the tip. The o.d. of the ferrule was exactly right to take a standard rubber chair tip. The rubber tip is a very tight push fit but will allow for replacement as it wears.IMG_2062.JPG The last job was assembling the handle and shaft and I put a small piece of mahogany between the two for contrast. Some gold (coloured) wire around the joints for decoration and the whole thing was ready for three coats of wipe-on poly to finish.IMG_2069.JPGIMG_2065.JPG Hope I haven't missed anything in the description. Cheers, Pete

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Hobart, Tas
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    Default

    I love the Norse warrior. It came out very well. Also great job on shaping the cane.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
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    Default

    That looks great. Well done.

    I love the jig. I recently have done a few handles for screw drivers (still want to post them) and now being asked by a friend to do some more. I was still struggeling to hold them properly. I also do not have a lathe or the space for it. So I will copy your jig and give that a go as well.



    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    I love the Norse warrior. It came out very well. Also great job on shaping the cane.
    Thanks Lance. I should have said that the eyes were finished with small black beads (courtesy of SWMBO). Not sure if these are visible in the final pic.Pete

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Thanks Ck. Yes, the jig worked well for me and the unused tapping can, of course, be plugged when you've finished. Let me know if it works for you. Cheers, Pete

  7. #6
    Join Date
    May 2019
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    Brisbane
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    Hi,

    That jig works great. I adapted a design for shorter stock like handles. I then added rails to be clamped on the sides so I can use my #4 and dial into defined thickness. I can also tilt the rails in order to plane tapers.

    When I tighten the wingnuts just right it has enough friction to not move on me, but loose enough for me to rotate the workpiece further.

    I don't have the space and budget for a lathe. So that is a great alternative for some projects. On the picture is a trial piece only. But I am making a handle for a friend for his espresso filter. That'll be an extra thread.

    Cheers

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Glad it worked for you Ck and I like the refinement of the guide for the plane. I'll be doing something similar making a handle for a Warrington hammer that belonged to my Dad. The head has been lying in the bottom of my tool box for years. Pete

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