| Blog series by Luke | updated 02-17-2015 01:17 AM | 4 parts | 8588 reads | 8 comments total |
Part 1: Getting into tools.
When I got started into woodworking, it was all about doing projects around the house. Every project I completed got me a new (power) tool. Its how I built my shop. I started with a circular saw and a router I got for my birthday. I built a bookshelf, got a drill. I built a built in entertainment center and got a cast iron table saw and an antique haunted jointer. My neighbor asked me to build his entertainment center and he bought me a new lighter drill and I got a 12” lunc...
Part 2: So far my favorite hand tool.
I found a 24” boxwood folding ruler on eBay for $3. It was nice, I liked it but it didn’t feel accurate. I found another one but this time a #62 with brass edges. I paid $13. When it came in, it was so worn down the numbers were barely legible. Then I found this guy: I paid $9 on eBay. It was pretty dirty. I had read Chris Schwarz’s blog about this ruler, and he mentioned oxalic acid as a way to clean it up. I looked around and didn’t have any of that ...
Part 3: Combination Square Rehab.
While sifting through a tool bin at an antique store near me, I came across a rust try square that looked like it could clean up nicely, so I took the $3 risk. I sanded the rusted cast iron base with 220, and used electrolysis to remove the rust on the rule. The ruler has a bit of wear on the tips but the edges are dead square. The spirit level in the base is still in great condition. After sanding and scraping the gunk, I gave the base a new coat of gloss black paint. Th...
Part 4: Electrolysis Rust Removal Science Project
I have about 10 saws that I’ve collected over about 5 months. As well as a few planes, and other tools. I was getting tired of sanding the rust off, and wanted to find a way to do a few things at once. I had a 12v battery charger in my garage, a few tubs to put water in, and some spare steel for the sacrificial anode. Where I am, the local stores don’t seem to carry “Washing Soda” so I had to find an alternative to Sodium Bicarbonate. I found a product that wa...
