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Humidity is the real bummer. One of the ladies I work with lived in Vegas for 25 years; she came back here a year ago and had an unpleasant reminder of effects of humidity. If I can get humidity under control, the heat is more bearable. The small window AC unit in the shed does a decent...

I have the 24" kiln from Sugar Creek, and I am impressed with the overall value (features vs. cost). I do not own, nor have I used, the Evenheat. But were I to require a kiln on a regular basis (read: the need to HT has progressed beyond the "hobby" level), I would give the Evenheat serious...

They're not as common, but I've seen some of the mills that have independent adjustment for each side of the roller. Most keep the rollers parallel while allowing one to move vertically for thickness changes. The ones that have adjustment on each side of the roller actually allow you to angle...

Why not just put Randy and Junior to work? Something from a fellow Dog is always a good thing.

Simonds is another American brand; sadly, they also outsource (the company's name is Simonds International). IIRC, I have some newer ones that say made in Spain. But from my experience, they seem to work OK for the price. The German files with which I have expewrience were made by Friedrich...

Mike, The file cut system works kinda like sanpaper. Rough to start, smooth to finish. As noted above, the size of the file has an impact on the cut. Even though two differently-sized files will be designated with the same cut, the actual cut will be different. For instance, a 6 inch...

Something to keep in mind is that Rob may be dealing with "mystery metal". This is akin to someone asking: "Can I make a knife out of this file?" "Will this old saw blade make a good knife?" "What about this leaf spring?" So the person asking the questions represented above are gonna...

Probably best to use the rouge on a dedicated buffing wheel. Bad things happen when different abrasive materials are mixed.

Sounds like a good idea. Experiment with it and see how you like it. Porosity is really gonna depend on the individual piece. (There are many types of "cast iron".) Sometimes porosity can actually provide a look that really compliments the project. Depends on the effect you're after...

Aw, Fred! Now you've got all of us running out to find a hard-to-find and expensive vise! I used to have a patternmaker's vise; traded it years ago for a set of band wheels. Been looking for a reasonable replacement ever since. Thanks for sharing the idea. Rob

It doesn't happen often, but there have been a few instances where I actually measured the blade and it was definitely not the length as was labled on the box. If the blade is within the spec stated on the machine, it's gotta be the machine. The manufacturers are supposed to provide some...

There appears to be burn marks in both woods. Caused by several factors, but most commonly by a dull blade, improper/inconsistent feed rate, or both. Some woods will be more subjective to this than others. If you think they're both domestic hardwoods, cherry and maple suffer the burn marks the...

Buck, if I were in your situation I would definitely hook up with Mike and work out a deal for some of that pink ivory! It is a rather difficult wood to obtain, but I believe it will give you the look you're after. I've had some that ranged from a "brownish pink" to some that was a deep...

Yes, I believe it's gonna have an impact on quench speed. How much of an impact will probably depend on the "small details". Can't speak for how much of a difference a certain coating will affect a certain steel in a certain quenchant. But I do know that if I want a differentially-hardened...

Looks good, Dwane. Bet your motor belt is thanking you for making the conversion from horizontal to vertical disc.:happy:

At first , it seems like a good idea, especially considering the wide variety of grits available. But it is not without caveats. Sandblasting is great for initial scale and rust removal. It is also a very effective method for "prep" operations; if a surface is to receive a coating of any...

Nice video. I really liked the part where you went from horizontal to vertical while still running. Sorta reminded me when they first came out with the "shift-on-the-fly" four-wheel-drive commercials! (Guess we all got a little kid left in us.) Great machine, and a super job well-done...

24" of blade? Sounds like somebody is making swords.

I've thought about doing that (or rather, having it done). Have been mulling it over for a while now. How much complication, if any, does it add to the alignment? IOW, do the crowns need to be perfectly in line with each other in order to avoid wandering, or does it seem to not matter?

I am very impressed with the Woodslicer blades. They live up to the hype. I have also had good luck with the Timber Wolf low-tension blades. For me, the WS provides the better finish, while the TW blade allows a somewhat underpowered saw to do things it "shouldn't be able to do". Glad to...