Project by CueballRosendaul | posted 10-15-2012 12:35 AM | 5275 views | 26 times favorited | 15 comments | ![]() |
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I did not set out to make one of these today, but lately it seems that one project leads to another. After struggling with a small compass and contemplating a hafass version of a beam compass, I decided to just make a nice one that will last. It’s been a while since I posted a project anyway, so here’s my Beam Compass. The ends are from a piece of tulip wood, the beam is walnut. Finish is clear satin poly from a rattle can. I did not finish the beam however, just a couple coats of wax. The point is a finish nail that I pounded into a pre-drilled hole then cut off with wire cutters and filed to a point. It’s 100% scrap material and hardware I had around the shop. I may pencil some dimension marks on the beam, but its very easy to set using one of my steel rulers that has the hash marks stamped into the metal.
-- Matt CueBall Rosendaul. I don't think I've ever had a cup of coffee that didn't have cat hair or sawdust in it.
15 comments so far
waho6o9
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8964 posts in 3545 days
#1 posted 10-15-2012 12:42 AM
Very nice beam compass, good job.
patron
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13716 posts in 4309 days
#2 posted 10-15-2012 12:45 AM
made yourself a real beauty there matt
need good tools
to do good work
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
johnstoneb
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3165 posts in 3141 days
#3 posted 10-15-2012 02:14 AM
Beautiful tool. Nice looking tools make the work that much more enjoyable.
-- Bruce, Boise, ID
rdjack21
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268 posts in 3895 days
#4 posted 10-15-2012 03:26 AM
You know I could really use one as well and yours looks so good I just may have to make one myself when the next project comes allong that requires it.
-- --- Richard Jackson
a1Jim
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#5 posted 10-15-2012 03:46 AM
well done
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
sedcokid
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2738 posts in 4566 days
#6 posted 10-15-2012 12:11 PM
You have a very nice looking tool there Matt! Simple, functional, easy to use, and beautiful…....What more could a man wish for!! Oh and an heirloom as well!!
Thanks for sharing
-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,
ratchet
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1391 posts in 4755 days
#7 posted 10-15-2012 01:56 PM
Excellent tool. Favorited for use build.
jap
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1251 posts in 3022 days
#8 posted 10-15-2012 02:25 PM
that tulip wood look amazing
-- Joel
CueballRosendaul
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484 posts in 3108 days
#9 posted 10-15-2012 02:30 PM
The tricky part was mortising the head to receive the beam. The piece was too small to make a typical tenon on the end of the beam and not a very deep mortise. I used a tiny forstner bit and a chisel to make the hole, then filled it with epoxy and slipped the beam into the hole. Drilled a tiny hole for a small brass screw to hold it together on the bottom of the head then clamped it up straight to cure.
-- Matt CueBall Rosendaul. I don't think I've ever had a cup of coffee that didn't have cat hair or sawdust in it.
vakman
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301 posts in 3371 days
#10 posted 10-15-2012 08:59 PM
Nice work, looking forward to making a set of these myself
-- - Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true. -
Roger
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21047 posts in 3772 days
#11 posted 10-15-2012 10:45 PM
Nice lookin compass.
-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Keep your dust collector fed. [email protected]
BigTiny
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1676 posts in 3856 days
#12 posted 10-17-2012 04:19 PM
Lee Valley carries self adhesive paper tapes that you can stick down in place on the beam then spray a finish over to protect.
Excellent looking compass. This is one item on my “gotta make me one o’ them” list.
Paul
-- The nicer the nice, the higher the price!
mbs
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1686 posts in 3908 days
#13 posted 11-09-2012 10:59 PM
I like your compass. I will add this to my project list.
-- Sorry the reply is so long. I didn't have time to write a short reply.
Kristoffer
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675 posts in 4184 days
#14 posted 12-01-2013 04:54 AM
Very nice. I am also going to have to make one. I usually just use either a piece of string or some 1/2” scrap with a finish nail and a counter sunk hole for the pencil. But, I always just end out tossing the string in the garbage or the scrap in the burn bucket and have to make a new one every time. I’ve been meaning to make a keeper, but I haven’t seen a design that caught my eye until now. Thanks.
-- Cheers and God Bless
Leonard5
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377 posts in 3661 days
#15 posted 09-05-2014 12:40 AM
Nice.
-- Leonard H.
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