What - non Festool - tool / workshop related gizmo/stuff did you buy today?

[woodbutcherbower]

[member=74278]Packard[/member] Thanks for taking the time to write all that. I'm in the UK, so your vendors are a little far for me to visit - but we have similar specialists over here which is where I bought the Montolit from. I've done dozens of bathrooms over the years and can 100% attest to your carborundum stone tip. I actually use a diamond plate, but the result is the same. I've already tried out the cutter on a few of the tiles which I've already purchased for the job. It's unbelievable - you can cut a perfect half-inch-wide sliver with no breakout whatsoever.

 

[Packard]

The smallest cut I’ve made is about 1-1/2”.  Now I’m going to try narrower cuts just to test it out. 

I am doing a back splash in large format tile (16” x 32”).  So this might not be idle curiosity.  My fondness for larger format tiles stems from my animosity towards grout lines.  The fewer and the narrower grout lines, the better. 

You would think it would be faster and easier than smaller tiles, but I have not found that to be the case. 

I did a bathtub surround with 24” x 24” polished and rectified edged tiles.  It was a chore, but I did end up with nice thin grout lines and a lot less of them than the small tiles I see more often.

A surprising number of interior designers use polished porcelain for floor tile in the bathroom.  It seems scary to me.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I've been lusting after a very small diameter sander for cleaning up the 40-60mm wide routed grooves in resin and wood projects which is about as tedious a job possible. I have several Proxxon's but the duty cycle makes them pretty useless, so this week when the seller had a really terrific deal on the little Mirka Aros-B 32mm sanders I grabbed one.

It's a sensational little unit that is deceptively powerful and super quiet, and is perfect for getting into the routed grooves on trays no problem. Expensive little bugger but well worth it as it'll save me many hours each week at a minimum!

Another bonus is the 2" green abrasive at front I buy in bags of 100 for around $20, and they fit, so I can glue velcro to them and then punch out my own abranet discs in 32mm and 2" for minimal cost!
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[luvmytoolz]

I bought a bunch of boxes of 200mm Abranet Ace half price thinking they'd come in handy one day, today was the day!

When I ordered the Mirka Aros-B sander above I also ordered an el cheapo punch set off Ebay for $30, figured if it lasts even a little while it'll be worth it. It worked sensationally punching out beautiful clean Abranet Ace discs!

The discs are $20AUD for 25, I punched out 200 on the flypress just before, at a total cost of around $9, a saving of $150 just in this one grit!

So stoked the punch works so well! Now only 5 other grits to go! ;-)

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[Scott in San Diego]

A $1 Veritas acquisition at an estate sale and I can't seem to find any info about it.  I did not see it in the current online Lee Valley catalog. 

I thought it might be an auxiliary mortise chisel handle for assisting in squaring up a cut?  Or maybe a story stick stop?  Or was it a photo model for one of Rob Lee's April Fools Day posts.

It is about 3" tall.  Any ideas or experience with this tool?

 

[ChuckM]

It's a file/rasp holder.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2005/06/01/auxiliary-filerasp-handle-review

User manual:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://assets.leevalley.com/Original/10092/50696-veritas-auxiliary-file-rasp-handle-c-01-e.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjizPC7rv6FAxW0wOYEHWzUCF4QFnoECBQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0uQe94igwYepp8hCza0sXA

 

[Scott in San Diego]

Thanks, Chuck.  Looks like the file holder is out of production.

 

[Packard]

It seems like a worthwhile acquisition. 

 

[ChuckM]

Packard,

It definitely is for prolonged filing or rasping work. I've used it a couple of times though I don't own one.

It was $29.50 Cdn, as found in the 2019/2020 catalog.

 

[Packard]

I would assume that pattern makers’ files were used by pattern makers, and the patterns seem to require extensive filing.

I am under the opinion that pattern makers’ files were used to make 3D patterns for sand casting and similar work.  That would seem to require extensive amounts of filing. 

Even investment casting (lost wax method) required a pattern initially.  I assume these are now made with 3D printing or CNC machining.  Which is probably why the knobs were discontinued.

 

[rvieceli]

[member=75933]luvmytoolz[/member] i have been lusting after that Mirka sander for a while but haven’t pull the trigger yet.

Where are you finding 2 inch Rolocs for 100@$20?

Thanks

Ron

 

[luvmytoolz]

[member=3192]rvieceli[/member] I bought them some time back but I'm pretty sure it was either Ebay or Aliexpress. The thread on them is the barest fraction wider than the Mirka but it goes on easily enough it's a good it.

So far as the sander, I'm absolutely blown away by the power of it, a charcuterie board I'd CNC'd concave sections into I've already spent the better part of 3 hours cleaning up the router burn marks and resin edges in super dense hardwood and awkward internally curved edges, with this sander and a single 240g disc I did more work in 5 minutes than I'd got in 3 hours manually!

It's so good and such a time saver I'm now eyeing off the 3mm orbit one. Couldn't recommend it highly enough despite the high cost.

 

[Lincoln]

Some door hanging gear - butt hinge jig, tubular latch jig and 'T' strike plate jig. Came with a pair of clamps, corner chisel and router bit. Lots of other 'plates' available for mortise locks, sliding door locks etc. Made here in Australia, by a one man operation called 'Right Gap Door Jigs'. Very impressed with the quality and the thought put into them.

A pair of the cam mitre clamps, same design as the 'Clam Clamps' that are made in the USA.

 

[Cheese]

I've been curious to try a Blue Spruce bench chisel for a while now. They did what I consider was a no-brainer, they polish the back of the chisel to a mirror surface and provide the chisel already sharpened with a primary bevel and a 5º micro bevel. I've wondered for over 20 years why manufacturers didn't provide that service as part of their product?
It's the equivalent of purchasing a new car and having it delivered to you with the plastic still on the seats, the cardboard still on the carpets and the various stickers and wax stick markings still on the windows.  [sad]

Here's a comparison between a Pfeil that I've always used and the Blue Spruce...notice the price I paid for the Pfeil, I paid $129.99 for the Blue Spruce.
The BS chisel blade comes completely coated in a Dip Seal like material. The blade is A2 tool steel, double tempered and then cryogenically hardened.
The top of the Pfeil blade appears to have a roughness value of about Ra 125 µ-in, while the BS blade is around 8 µ-in, maybe a little bit less.

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However, the bottom of the blade is where the real difference comes in. The BS is beautifully polished, it's pretty amazing. Here are a couple of bottom photos to compare. Now I need a project to try it out on.

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FWIW...just received this tidbit from Blue Spruce today, thought it was very interesting. It suddenly made it quite clear in my mind why this pre-sharpened service hasn't been offered in the past. It's the numbers that make the difference.

"May has started very hectic in the shop. Elena (chisel sharpener) is on vacation for five weeks. She is home in Romania, visiting family and friends. Zac, her apprentice, has been holding down the fort. You may not realize, but Elena and Zac hand-sharpen and hone every chisel and knife blade—thousands a month."

I'll also add, it seems that there will be a new handle option. I've been a big fan of the Cocobolo handle up to now but I may need to take a look at the future offering. I hope it will also be resin infused like the curly maple.

"Wood buying has been at the top of my agenda for the past week. I have been buying large quantities of lumber to launch the new Bolivian Rosewood chisel line. When I didn't think it could get any better, I got lucky and found 500 board feet of 1-1/2" Waterfall Bubinga, which will make a great chisel, and saw promotion in the Fall."

 

[Coen]

A moustache for my wallchaser;

(The bristles on 3 sides)

View attachment 1

 

[Packard]

I've been curious to try a Blue Spruce bench chisel for a while now. They did what I consider was a no-brainer, they polish the back of the chisel to a mirror surface and provide the chisel already sharpened with a primary bevel and a 5º micro bevel. I've wondered for over 20 years why manufacturers didn't provide that service as part of their product?
It's the equivalent of purchasing a new car and having it delivered to you with the plastic still on the seats, the cardboard still on the carpets and the various stickers and wax stick markings still on the windows.  [sad]

Here's a comparison between a Pfeil that I've always used and the Blue Spruce...notice the price I paid for the Pfeil, I paid $129.99 for the Blue Spruce.
The BS chisel blade comes completely coated in a Dip Seal like material. The blade is A2 tool steel, double tempered and then cryogenically hardened.
The top of the Pfeil blade appears to have a roughness value of about Ra 125 µ-in, while the BS blade is around 8 µ-in, maybe a little bit less.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

However, the bottom of the blade is where the real difference comes in. The BS is beautifully polished, it's pretty amazing. Here are a couple of bottom photos to compare. Now I need a project to try it out on.

[attachimg=3]

[attachimg=4]

[attachimg=5]

FWIW...just received this tidbit from Blue Spruce today, thought it was very interesting. It suddenly made it quite clear in my mind why this pre-sharpened service hasn't been offered in the past. It's the numbers that make the difference.

"May has started very hectic in the shop. Elena (chisel sharpener) is on vacation for five weeks. She is home in Romania, visiting family and friends. Zac, her apprentice, has been holding down the fort. You may not realize, but Elena and Zac hand-sharpen and hone every chisel and knife blade—thousands a month."

I'll also add, it seems that there will be a new handle option. I've been a big fan of the Cocobolo handle up to now but I may need to take a look at the future offering. I hope it will also be resin infused like the curly maple.

"Wood buying has been at the top of my agenda for the past week. I have been buying large quantities of lumber to launch the new Bolivian Rosewood chisel line. When I didn't think it could get any better, I got lucky and found 500 board feet of 1-1/2" Waterfall Bubinga, which will make a great chisel, and saw promotion in the Fall."

An object lesson on how a small manufacturer garners a loyal customer-base.  Not by bludgeoning the customers with 4 or 5 emails per day, but by making the customers feel like they are part of the process.  Well done.

 

[Peter Kelly]

Next job on the horizon is an extensive bathroom remodel using 12mm porcelain tiles on the walls. My existing cutter/splitter is old and tired - and these tiles would just laugh at it. Enter the jewel-like Montolit 63P3;

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Montolit has an upgraded carbide wheel for these, would recommend it if you frequently work with porcelain. Great tile cutter, wouldn't be without mine.

 

[ChuckM]

The replacement thickness planer R4331 finally arrived from the US depot in South Carolina, thanks to the life-time warranty.

The milling quality felt like better than the old one, which was 8 years old after all (and certain parts required for the repairs were no longer available). While the machine quality seems better, the carton box isn't:
Old box                                                                                       
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New filmsy box
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This time, I used the machine on the driveway and hooked the exhaust to a hose and directly into the green bin.

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Acclimation (ash hardwood flooring recycled):
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[Cheese]

Here are some bandfile belts in 1/2" x 18", 3/4" x 18" and 1" x 18". They're made from various materials including Cubitron™ II, Trizact™ & Scotch-Brite™. They'll be used to grind/grain stainless fittings & pipe.

The one item that's a real thing of beauty though is the large 6" x 48" Scotch-Brite belt. It'll be installed on a Jet JSG-6DC machine and if I remove the belt guard, the Jet can be used as a "slack of belt sander".  [cool]

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[rvieceli]

Hey [member=44099]Cheese[/member] what is this bandfile?

Thanks Ron

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