I never did make it to Peter Ross's class, but my wife gave me a copy of his video "Forging a Compass". I finally got around to giving it a try. The first set were just to get the steps/techniques down. Here's the second set with a little file work. The last picture shows both the new set and the "test" set. Thanks for looking...bart

Very nice work.  You should enjoy using it.  

Nice job Bart. I'll bet both pair feel like solid gold in your hand.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Very nice! I'd been thinking about getting that video - would you recommend it?

Very nice! I'd been thinking about getting that video - would you recommend it?

Thanks. Yes, the video is very good. Ross does a good job of explaining the process.

Nicely done!

Those are very cool. I like the hinge very much.

What size are they?

All the best
Andy

Add it to my list of projects, nice job. 

Those are very cool. I like the hinge very much.

What size are they?

All the best
Andy

About 6-1/2 inches.

Nice.

I got to take his class a year ago and it was a great experience well worth the time you will pick up so much more I did.

That is a very nice set of dividers. its a good start. I have to make time to go into it in a little more depth and finish. this is a picture of the support arm that I built after the one he has on his bench and vice. it is a very handy tool for filing to support the work. if you want to strive to emulate any blacksmith it this time Peter would be well worth the time to strive to.

Ross also has one on butterfly hinges and one on a striking knife. Also a couple episodes of the woodwrights shop.

Everything Peter Ross has done, I would recommend.

No doubt!

But the value if any educational video rests not only in the skill of the featured instructor, but also in the skill of the film maker. In the grand scheme of things, the cost of an individual book or video isn't a lot ... But when you start adding up the cost of a sizeable collection of books and videos, it can be significant. This video has been on my 'wish list', but now that I have people giving it good reviews, I'll move it up a few spots towards the top of the list.

Cheers,
Neil

I've watched several of the Peter Ross Woodwrights Shop episodes.  He is consistently clear and articulate about what he's doing.  I entirely agree with the comment about good filming.

 

As I thought about this ,there was an episode where Peter was talking about upsetting for 90 degree corners.  As my foggy memory recalls, he said that he disagreed with the consensus view that stock was being driven into the corner.  I know I've seen it a few times and it's never been particularly clear.

 

It seems like he said something to the effect that if he makes a punch mark to define the corner when the stock is straight - that mark doesn't change position as he does the upsetting and turns the corner.  His mark was on one of the flat sides of the corner as opposed to the apex of the bend.

 

I also wanted to ask if his video covers making dividers with box joints?  

I've watched several of the Peter Ross Woodwrights Shop episodes. He is consistently clear and articulate about what he's doing. I entirely agree with the comment about good filming.

As I thought about this ,there was an episode where Peter was talking about upsetting for 90 degree corners. As my foggy memory recalls, he said that he disagreed with the consensus view that stock was being driven into the corner. I know I've seen it a few times and it's never been particularly clear.

It seems like he said something to the effect that if he makes a punch mark to define the corner when the stock is straight - that mark doesn't change position as he does the upsetting and turns the corner. His mark was on one of the flat sides of the corner as opposed to the apex of the bend.

I also wanted to ask if his video covers making dividers with box joints?

1. I've seen the forged corner episode too. I didn't understand it either.
2. The style of compasses he forges in his video are like those in my pictures at the beginning og this thread.

Is it this episode?  "Iron Work for Timber Work", still available for streaming on PBS. 

 

http://video.pbs.org/video/2178676894/

rockstar

 

  I don't quite know what you mean by " box joint " .I've never seen a box joint used on dividers ( not that, that means anything :unsure: ). The joint in the dividers in the video is a three part finger joint. It's the most common, but five and more fingers can be found on period examples.

Here is the episode you folks are referring too.

 

 http://video.pbs.org/video/2292087803/

For those in range, one of the demonstrations at the CBA spring conference in San Diego coming up in two weeks will be Gary Brown teaching us how to make a similar compass utilizing the box joint.  I intend to participate :)

 

if I get any good pictures or manage to make one that doesn't look like total garbage I will share :)

here is a link to an old clinker breaker there is a set of notes from a work shop peter did after reading the notes I made a set pair of pliers.


http://www.blacksmithing.org/CB-Archive/1990/1990-08-cb.pdf

Doc (and others).  Sorry I was away for so long.  I've seen several box joint hinged compass/ dividers at antique stores.  One half the set has a slot through which the other half passes.  Once assembled, the pivot pin has four shear planes instead of two which presumably makes them last longer.  The tools I've seen with a box joint are typically very precise with no wobble in the rotation to speak of.   I see this type of joint used on surgical and navigation equipment

Francis, that's exactly the type of joint I was referring to!  I'd still like to understand what Peter Ross was talking about regarding upsetting.

I have never seen the video on box joint I will have to put it on the list