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29895 KEMPINSKI, ROBERT M. (JSC-OS) <robert.m.kempinski1@j...> 1997‑11‑04 Raining Castings and Dogs
Short version - I've been making planes from my own castings.

Long version follows:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I knew the air was bad in Houston, but lately it's been raining castings. 

Having made the St. James Bay smoother and block plane, and then Russ
Allen's Stanley 51 replica, I figured it was time to make my own planes from
my own castings.

Never one to start small and build up, I decided to go for it and for my
first pattern, make a replica of the Stanley 52 shooting board. (To match
Russ Allen's 51 plane.)  After studying Kingshott's description of the 51
project, and  comparing it to a drawing of an actual one, I decided
Kingshott's replica wasn't accurate enough.  Some snooping found a collector
in Dallas with a mint one (still had the original decal.) He was gracious
enough to let me measure it for my pattern.

With a good drawing, and some shrink rules, I set to work making the
patterns.  I had some black walnut lying around.  Since pattern makers liked
to use mahogany, I figured black walnut would work just as well.  I started
with the quadrant and the hold down.  These were pretty easy, although I
choose not to emboss Stanley into the quadrant out of respect for the
company and to deter any claims of forgery.  The bosses for the lock pin
looked wimpy to me, so I decided to beef them up.  I think this will be an
improvement for a small run.  For mass production, you could save money by
making this section smaller.   It took a few tricks to hog out the
semicircular cut out for the pivot pin in the quadrant.  Being a wood
worker, I probably lavished more time on the patterns than needed, but hey,
I was having fun.  To make the fillets in the pattern corners I used a very
ungalootish material - bondo.  

After making the quadrant and hold down, I paid a visit to the foundry to
get their opinion.  (A nice thing about Houston is with all the heavy
industry around, there are lots of shops that cater to this sort of
affliction. As long as you are casting less than 1,500 lb., they can
accommodate your needs.  - Wow, it just occurred to me, a 1,500 lb. hand
plane.  That would make a no. 8 bedrock look like a toy for Ken, Barbie's
boy friend. 1,500 lb. of smoother would snort at curly grain.  Scoff at
cocobolla.  Of course, you'd have to be Arnold Schwatzenager to pick it up.
Oh well, never mind.)  The foundry foreman was great.  He seemed almost
amazed that someone would even be interested and somewhat knowledgeable
about this stuff.  Then he showed me some of the galoot type tools they had
scattered around the foundry.  Next, I got the $5 tour of the joint.  As a
mechanical engineer, I ate this up.  Then came the critical examination of
the patterns.  They passed with only one tweak needed - add more draft to
one corner of the quadrant. 

Some of his observations:
   - you can never have enough draft, particularly for a tall part.
  - no sharp internal corners.
  - make a simple tool from a piece of steel to shape the fillet radii
  - use pattern boards, it makes the process less expensive.

The shooting board pattern would have to be cast loose, and hence be more
expensive.  Gray iron would work, be stable and stay flat.  It is a little
brittle, so don't drop it.

Charged with this encouragement, I went home.  After slaving hours over the
shooting board, I had a pattern that was a pretty darn good replica of the
Stanley version.  Even carved "No. 52" into a recess, just like the boys
from Connecticut.  Then the casting storm hit.  Me thinks - if I can make
the 52, how about a chisel plane.  And what about that  adjustable mouthed
infill I'd been thinking about.  Sure enough, chips flew, shavings
fluttered, and bonded stunk. Before SWMBO could even complain,  I had
another pattern board with a chisel plane and an infill of my own design.

Off to the foundry I go.  By now, I had been developed a good relationship
with the foreman, the kind that comes from mutual respect for and
appreciation of making things with your hands.  Something that appears to be
on the decline in America... Oops, sorry, I digress.  When I delivered the
patterns, the foreman seemed impressed.  He actually offered me a job as a
pattern maker.  That was a hoot.  Hmmm, I wonder what it pays?

Anyway, after wearing a path in the carpet at home, pacing back and forth
like an expectant father, waiting for the castings, the call arrived.  They
were ready.  Now a lot of parents wax poetically about the moment of their
child's birth.  How it is such a thrill and joy. A sublime experience. I'm
here to say this was not quite like that, but it was fun to see the result
of all that work.  To see how the iron, molten and mean, had raced through
the molds, and left as it's imprint, a shape conjured by man.  (Whoa, get
the boots on.)

Anyway, the castings came out great, with the exception of one of the infill
castings.  It looks like the mold for that one had a partial collapse.  I
may have stretched the draft angle a little too far.  The shooting board is
dead flat, with great surface detail. It should require only a little
grinding and smoothing.  The quadrant and hold down look like Stanely made
'em. My little chisel plane, modified from the Stanley 97 by shortening and
angling the knob, should make a cute tool.   On the other hand, the infill
casting looks like a job to machine, but it should work.

Anyway, that's it for adventures in pattern making.  Don't forget to join
our host for the next exciting episode - metal working in a wood working
shop. (If I can find my way past the metal chips.)

Rob Kempinski
Lurking, but working in Houston


29927 David Hunkins <drhunk@c...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
At 11:03 AM 11/4/97 -0600, KEMPINSKI, ROBERT M. (JSC-OS) wrote:



So Robert ... how much will those Chute Boards cost, and when will they be
ready?

David
*who's only half serious, but now is wondering "Why not?"


29917 Jack Kamishlian <KamishlianJ@p...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
KEMPINSKI, ROBERT M. (JSC-OS) wrote:
> 
> Short version - I've been making planes from my own castings.
> 
> Long version follows:
> 
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> 
> Rob Kempinski
> Lurking, but working in Houston
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
Great tale!!! Better than anything I've read recently. Can't wait to
hear the next edition. You sure didn't start out with something simple.
Thanks loads for sharing it with us.
Jack


29953 Bob Brode <bob2@p...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs


Some of this patternmaker-speak was over my head, so I'd like to ask a few
probably very naive questions:

>...Some of his observations:
>   - you can never have enough draft, particularly for a tall part.

Would you mind explaining "draft"?

>  - no sharp internal corners.

How do you manage this?   (Bondo and a popsicle stick? :^)

>  - make a simple tool from a piece of steel to shape the fillet radii

I'm confused as to what this refers to - is the radius convex or concave on
the pattern?

>  - use pattern boards, it makes the process less expensive.

What's a pattern board?

>The shooting board pattern would have to be cast loose

What does "loose" mean in this context?

Bob Brode


29955 Steven Torrens <torrenss@c...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Wow this sounds like great stuff.  Robert seems to know his stuff.  I have
been dreaming of making some tools but I am only familiar with lost wax
casting.  Sand casting with patterns is a mystery to me.  Maybe if asked by
a few more enquiring minds Robert could expand his posting into a lesson on
casting and patterns.

REgards Steve,  Wonder if the Klingshot book was an inspiration?


29960 Michael D Sohn <msda+@a...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Rob, great posts. A couple of questions to you or other knowledgeable folks:

(1) Can you recommend a book describing the process? I doubt I will
cast but it sure sounds interesting.

(2) If you wouldn't mind, can you tell us the approximate costs for the
casting. General estimates would be find. Just curious what these
things costs.

Mike. 


29965 David Hegedusich <dhege@e...> 1997‑11‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Rob sez:

> Short version - I've been making planes from my own castings.
> 
> Long version follows:



You know, it's a rare occasion (lately) when Rob posts, but when he
does, WOW! Great post, Rob, thanks for sharing your story with us.

David
Who's hoping Paddy will consider putting Rob's post on the GOTW page.


29966 Esther Heller <eoh@k...> 1997‑11‑05 Slippery slope, was: Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Mike asks,

> Rob, great posts. A couple of questions to you or other knowledgeable folks:
> 
> (1) Can you recommend a book describing the process? I doubt I will
> cast but it sure sounds interesting.
> 
> (2) If you wouldn't mind, can you tell us the approximate costs for the
> casting. General estimates would be find. Just curious what these
> things costs.
> 
> Mike. 
> 
Warning, I have not done this, but I have seen it done. From here it 
looks like a slight tuck while sliding down the smithing cliff, you
have been duely warned!

1. A book that I don't own yet but that keeps coming up is by Tom McCreight.
If his general metalworking/jewelry book is any sample it ought to be 
good. Some obvious title like Casting. 

2. It all depends, mostly on what kind of scrounger you are. I saw a 
casting demo at my first Pennsic, 2 people could carry all the stuff.
One DYI variation on a propane forge with the funny white insulating 
lining stuff, running off a 20# tank, a small (couple quart) crucible,
(see recent suggestions on the list or go buy one), a mold made out of 
3' of T&G flooring, some special sand, baby powder for parting compound,
and some dead plumbing parts to make bronze (I think they added some 
extra tin from don't know what). A couple old butter knives to carve
the sprues in the sand and a block of wood to tamp the sand down, and
a reworked slipjoint pliers to handle the crucible.

The smith I met at the same event pointed out that you don't need the 
fancy heater, you can easily heat the crucible on a blacksmith's forge..
So if you have a forge and blower all you need are a crucible and it's
tongs, and the rest can be made from scrap. I warned you it's slippery
here!

For one guy's story, check out:

http://reality.sgi.com/employees/kurts_engr/foundry.page.html

I found it through the Electrik Anvil someone posted a while back.

Esther eoh@k...


30061 Jake Spiller <spiller@B...> 1997‑11‑06 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Rob Kempinski wrote:

 Short version - I've been making planes from my own castings.

 Some of his observations: - you can never have enough draft, particularly for a
 tall part. - no sharp internal corners. - make a simple tool from a piece of st
eel to shape the fillet radii - use pattern boards, it makes the process less ex
pensive. 

appreciation of making things with your hands.   Something that appears to be on
 the decline in America... Oops, sorry, I digress.   When I delivered the patter
ns, the foreman seemed impressed.   He actually offered me a job as a pattern ma
ker.   That was a hoot.   Hmmm, I wonder what it pays? 

There is nothing more gratifying than being recognized for your work by people t
hat know what good work is.

 Anyway, that's it for adventures in pattern making.   Don't forget to join our 
host for the next exciting episode - metal working in a wood working shop. (If I
 can find my way past the metal chips.) 

I really enjoyed this.   I found your little adventure pretty fascinating.   BTW
 you make any extra castings?

Just as a little aside, Keith DeGrau and I went to Pete's Maple Sale last week. 
Because of the rain, the turnout was light, but there was a silver lining in thi
s for us.   Pete's father Paul, has a complete foundry under his barn.   He was 
kind enough to give Keith and I a very thorough tour of it, as well as the whole
 process of casting.   I promise I'll write moer about later,   I've just been a
 little busy.

Jake

--

Bear Stearns is not responsible for any recommendation, solicitation, offer or a
greement or any information about any transaction, customer account or account a
ctivity contained in this communication.


31689 Russ Allen <rallen@m...> 1997‑12‑05 Re: Raining Castings and Dogs
Last month Rob Kempinski posted about his plane making and
pattern making. I made the 51 like pattern from Kingshott's book
and Rob has made the 52 like shooting board, quadrant and hold down.
I've put a few pictures at http://www.mcs.net/~rallen/pattern.html
The thread that followed from Rob's post can be found there too.

Russ Allen



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