Skeleton handle folder

[LennyD]

So, i am making this folder, and wanted the handle to be "skeletonized" (refer to picture below) the handle is made of some old scrap mild steel, its about a quarter inch thick (i wanted a nice heavy beefy handle so i can actually use it for hammering or whatever odd job im workin on) and i would like to know what the easiest way to cut out those triangles would be, besides a hand file. (Plasma cutter is not an option haha) i have every imaginable file, sander, dremel bit, drill bit, hacksaw and a propane torch, and a bunch of other basic tools to work with.

[LennyD]

[ThomasPowers]

Easiest or easiest cheap way that you can do yourself?   Wire EDM, waterjet, laser all quite easy....

[LennyD]

All of those are out of my budget range for now... I have started cutting them out by drilling holes around the borders,and just fileing them. It'll take a while, but ill get it done.

[ThomasPowers]

Drilling larger holes that are tangent to the sides of the cut and using a good hacksaw works too.

[LennyD]

You mean a hole hat touches all sides of the triangle?

 

[ThomasPowers]

Or just two sides towards a vertex that would allow you to saw 2 complete sides. (Work both directions from the tangent points.) It you want round ended vertices I'd drill small holes there to saw into. 

There is a trick using a a fancy bandsaw with a blade welder where you drill a properly sized hole, break the BSB and inset an end through the hole and weld it back together and remount it and band saw internal waste space out.  I've seen it done but never owned a fancy band saw, sigh.

[LennyD]

Yeah, ok ill try that. I do have a bandsaw, but  it is in need of repairs at the moment. I had never thought of cutting the blade and welding it back together. Bright idea!

[ThomasPowers]

Big industrial bandsaws often came with a built in blade welders for that very reason as well as repairing broken blades and making new blades from a coil of blade stock.

[LennyD]

Wow that's pretty neat

[LennyD]

Heres my progress so far. Didnt turn out to good, but maybe the second half of the handle will be better. Criticism is expected an welcome.

[Frosty]

A saber saw will do the job for you as well. There are lots of methods available.

Frosty The Lucky. 

[LennyD]

Yeah? I may just try that out...

 

[Frosty]

You'll still have to drill holes to start and do some file work but a good narrow bimetal blade will do it for you. don't make the mistake of buying a fine blade though, the rule of thumb for TPI is 3 teeth on the stock at all times. It's hard to find saw blades coarse enough to meet the rule though. 12 tpi is right for 1/4" thick steel. 

I love my saber saws. 

Frosty The Lucky. 

[SLAG]

I have used jeweler's saws for the initial cut after drilling an initial hole. You can. then,  switch to a single hacksaw. (the type that is held down with only one 'screw'.  Or an electric saw. etc. etc.

SLAG.

[ThomasPowers]

1/4" thick is a bit much for a jeweler's saw; especially for someone with no experience with one though. 

Be nice to have a die filer for cleanup!

[LennyD]

Well ive finally finished cutting out both halves, i drilled some 3/8 tried using a jig saw, but it didnt work as well as a saber saw probably would have. (Thanks anyways though, Frosty!) So i instead cut as much out with a hacksaw as i could, then cleaned it up with a file, and some sandpaper. My hands are cramped up, but its done! 

[LennyD]

Yeah! A die filer sure would be nice to have.Maybe my next addition to the shop....

[bigfootnampa]

I bought a little 1/2 inch pneumatic belt sander for jobs like that.  I don’t use it often, but it’s a real treat when I do have work for it!  Mine was only about a hundred bucks online!  

[ThomasPowers]

I have a friend who uses one of those to clean up hardy holes that are damaged or oddly punched.

[LennyD]

Big foot, 

I have a 1" belt sander, But how do you get the belt inside the hole though?

[ThomasPowers]

 One like this.

[LennyD]

I've got another question. So the long piece there is going to go between both sides of the handle and stop the blade from folding back to far (the peice will be flatter/thinner when it's finished) and im wondering what the best way to get it to stay there beside welding it. My ideas are: thread some holes all the way through and screw in some all-thread; rivet it (but the piece is pretty narrow so i dont know how well that would work); or drill some holes and force some nails through while the handle is hot...

Thomas,

Ohh nice!

[ThomasPowers]

Small bolts or small rivets are commonly used.  Have you gone and looked at knives like the one you are making to see how they did it? (And what you liked best?)

[LennyD]

Well... Looks like most of them have something like this, with the heads countersunk. Why i didnt think of countersinking them, remains an enigma.