Frazer's Corner of the Internet [photo heavy]

[Frosty]

I haven't had a drawing printed since I stopped drafting for the State. I do working drawings on graph paper so it's easy to transfer to any scale in the shop, bench floor, wall, whatever. I have notebooks full of old graph paper working drawings, boxes full of them.

Beautiful work anvil, Yellen and Kuhn would be pleased.

For others who might not visualize anvil's description of "walking" the chisel on a curved edge. Hold a chisel with one face towards you. If it's from the store the edge is straight so if you stand it vertically on a flat surface the edge contacts full length. If you tilt it at all only one corner is in contact. See it? To cut a straight line with it you MUST hold it EXACTLY on your line and strike straight down nearly perfectly and extending the line gets tough. 

If you grind the edge profile with a slight curve like an axe and stand it vertically on a flat surface only the center is in contact. Yes? 

Walking the chisel is simply leaning it slightly so one end of the edge is almost touching the work. When you strike it the cut is deeper on the trailing end and feathers out of contact on the leading end. The chisel leans towards the trailing end of the cut to clarify what I meant by that.

Because the chisel edge is curved it's EASY to see if it's contacting and on the line or scribe mark and follow it. To cut a curve you lean it left or right from the edge. Think of it like riding a bicycle, you're rolling forward (Walking the chisel forward) to turn left you lean left. Turning a line with a chisel is EXACTLY the same for the same reason. 

Once you have a cut started you simply rock the chisel in the direction you want to make the cut, Forward and strike it again. This advances the cut inline with the first cut because the chisel has NEVER left the cut. To make the 3rd. and subsequent cuts you lean the chisel BACK as you slide it forward. You don't need to feel it touch the end of the cut. Just slide it forward a little as you tilt it back and strike, then back a little, strike, stand it up a little, strike. Etc. etc.

It's a LOT easier to do than describe, believe me. Once you have a handle on the technique its a joy to use and the results will amaze your friends. It won't take much practice and you'll be able to chisel a T intersection without crossing lines. Like you'd drawn it with a ruler.

THAT is walking a chisel. I hope that doesn't muddy the picture. And I'm NOT trying to jack the thread.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

I had to retire my old phone with a physical qwerty keyboard due to the threatened G5 change. Got a Kyocera flip phone which I only call and get texts and take pictures with.  Don't want a smart phone! The hitting a key multiple times to get different letters is sure a pain though!

[M.J.Lampert]

we still have some limited 2G here as well as #G running well 4G for most people and 5G came in early last year 

i run an Alcatel flip phone and while it does the job I'm annoyed that i have "unlimited" text the 3/4 hits a letter REALLY limits texting though after a while you get so is 1 minute a text and not 10 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Mod30
Excessive quoting

[Frazer]

I have a Sonim XP5800. Luckily it's 4G compatible so I shouldn't need to update anytime soon. I don't think AT&T sells the 3G phones anymore.. or maybe the rep in the store just told me that.. Anyway, I don't really mind typing with Abc. Especially since 1. the battery is removable and 2. the phone is a tank.

It's survived quite a bit of (mis)use... Including -- but not limited to -- being set (a little bit) on fire and falling out of my breast pocket into my quench bucket. I fished it out, washed it with soap and water and it was good to go.

I find the contrast between my bother and me to be entertaining. Not only does he always have the latest and greatest smartphone he doesn't even have a case for it! The mind boggles. I would break that thing in <24 hours.

[Scott NC]

  I remember hitting a key multiple times to get a letter.   I think it was a blackberry.  I think I'll buy another 100$ usd samsung just for "business".  

[ThomasPowers]

My "new" flip phone has a military spec it meets for abuse---one of the reason's I selected it.  I found that my local lumber yard sold nylon cases for such phones with a large stainless steel clip; I got one for my insulin pump as the expensive ones the pump people sell tends to break on me in just a couple of months.  The cheaper lumber yard version has outlasted my previous pump and can take my phone if I have the pump in my pocket.  (Glenn has been very nice about selling me IFI shirts with a front pocket; as right over my hears tends to be less a danger spot for my pump than clipped to my belt.)

[Glenn]

That front pocket shirt simply means you have to move the main design to the back.  

[Frosty]

I used to have a Sonim mil-spec flip phone and loved it. It was rated to take a 9m fall with no damage or 9m under water without damage and it was EMP shielded. 

Unfortunately Verizon had managed to buy enough of the cell towers in Alaska to corner the market and "up?graded" to g4 maybe and didn't have a chip for my old phone. The ONLY phones they had were Iphones so that's what we got. Darned thing has lasted well and seeing as I can't remember my password they won't give me one of the newer Iphones to not change carriers. Deb got one but I'm still bumbling along with an Iphone 6. 

<sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

[Frazer]

1 hour ago, Glenn said:

front pocket shirt

Slight tangent, I keep my phone in the front pocket of my apron which is the wrong size. That cheap apron's time is coming to a close.. soon...

This project has been long in the planning.. more details to come.

[jlpservicesinc]

I've been a Samsung note fan from day 1.   

I was a Sony/Ericcson World 380 phone user and Palm Pilot user before they were phones. 

I love the aspect of being able to draw on the screen..  Handy and more like a computer than a phone.. My favorites out of them is the Note 9.. It had heart rate, blood O2 and a few other handy features.. 

A case is manditory.  I will usually buy the case before I order the phone and will buy extra screen protectors. For the cost they are both cheap items and keep the phones alive..  

I still have my original apron that I purchased from Centaur forge back in 86.  I still wear it once in awhile but it needs new straps now.. I have several other ones and a full body front leather apron.. .  Even covers the tops of my ankles. 

Last one i bought was for cooking at the grill as it has pockets on the front which I like. 

 

[Jobtiel1]

I recently got an apron as a birthday gift, my favorite aspects are a shoulder strap instead of a neck strap, so that the weight of the apron does not hang on your neck, and split legs so that you can still grab tongs or stock between your legs. both very much handy and comfortable.

~Jobtiel

[anvil]

Thanks for the compliments one and all. For what its worth, the uglies on the upper part of the hinge and on the upper barrel are from rust acquired from my journada.

And yet another way to deal with that "U" shape. I use a teardrop tool. I have a number of sizes and each size is a set of three. a straight, a left, and a right. Any can be used. The curved ones are pretty cool if you want to get a little creative. When I add pics for the tools, I'll include the teardrop as well.

All those pics, other than the garden trellis were done with a 35mm Nikon long before phones. 

I've had samsung phones most of my time. My last was a galaxy note 9. However I gave up on Samsung and my present phone is a OnePlus 7T pro 5g. 

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I had a Motorola flip phone for years until it died so I got my wife's hand me down Samsung S7 when she went to a note9. She just told me that one is my next hand me down. So I guess she is plotting to get a new phone.

[jlpservicesinc]

The note9 was my favorite of the note line.

Feature rich. I still have one that needs a screen replacement. Have the screen just haven't taken the time to fix it.

 

I use a note 20 now and the graphics and camera are amazing.

 

As Samsung went along they removed many of the extra features.

I don't want to upgrade to the 22 as it doesn't have removable storage any more. 

It really is a mini computer and it's super convenient to use for most things that don't need the larger computer screen. 

[Frazer]

The camera is the one thing I occasionally miss. I have a Sony NEX-5 for when I need decent pictures, but I don't carry that around with me everyday.

Those phone manufacturers sure do have a knack for removing features and calling them enhancements, don't they? I know there's the cloud, and it's incredible how much memory they can fit in something the smaller than a postage stamp, but never underestimate one's ability to fill their hard drive.

[anvil]

The graphics on my phone is great, but the camera sucks.  Very unintuitive and mediocre pics. I think general camera quality is down a lot. I have wild flower picks from a few years back that are awesome. I can't get close to that with my last phones. 

[Latticino]

On 5/10/2022 at 10:23 PM, Frazer said:

hand towel ring for the NYSDB All-Hands event

And now it is mine!  I can say that it is even nicer in person than the photo.

[jlpservicesinc]

Latticino contgrats..  Nice piece. 

[Frazer]

We didn't even have to collude during iron in the hat! The jury is still out on whether it's a hand towel ring or a door knocker without a landing.

[Frazer]

I've had an idea rolling around in my head for months now, but I wasn't sure my leather work skills were up to snuff. Well, I finally decided to give it a shot and 2 weeks, a few paper pattern design iterations and copious piles of leather scraps/shavings later, I present to you my new blacksmith's apron. I made all of the buckles, rings and loops and about half of the tools I used while making it. It was a very fun/meticulous project.

The hide a few posts above is an 8-9oz natural tanned American Buffalo leather which turned out to be perfect for this apron**. Very soft and flexible, but strong. I used light brown Pro Dye and a sponge to give it the uneven weathered look. The straps are all veg tanned cowhide, dyed the same(ish) color. All of the riveted connections are also contact cemented together. This is a photo heavy thread so here we go!

I really like the split leg pattern, but I still like to have access to my cargo pants pockets. This is why the leg straps are oriented the way they are.

I wanted it to be reasonably easy to take on and off so while there is a buckle to adjust the length there is also a quick disconnect (S hook) for the waist strap. That way I only have to undo the two buckles for the legs, undo the waist strap and then the whole thing slips off over my head. Every strap that needs one has a buckle so it can be adjusted individually for fit.

On that note, look at these little baby buckles. I made 7, and chose the 5 that worked best.

The main things I need to address at some point:

1. The shoulder pads and, more importantly, the spacer-thing (I'm sure that has a name) in the back have a tendency to slide around. As you can see in a few pictures as the spacer in the back slips down it causes the whole thing to start to sit lower than intended. I may go up to a 10oz leather for the straps to fill in more of those slots. I could also make those parts again, but kind of like the idea of a heavier duty leather up there since the shoulder straps are bearing most of the weight. For some projects I have a lot of misc. top tools in my pockets.
2. I had made paper patterns for the whole apron, but I was more or less free handing the straps. I left the shoulder straps way too long, but discovered that after I punched all the holes. Not a big deal, but it's a thing.

I'm debating whether or not I want to do a topcoat.. At this point I think I'll leave it the way it is. Down the road I may do a light coat of neatsfoot oil or something similar.

Anyway, enough typing! This thing is uncharacteristically clean and that needs to be remedied! Thanks for reading.

-Frazer

** Shout out to Sean and Kathy from Distant Drums Leather. They were extremely helpful and after explaining my initial concept and giving them some rough dimensions they dug through their warehouse and picked something that would work well. The piece they chose hadn't even been listed yet so I never would have found it otherwise.

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Outstanding apron, it should serve you well for decades. A little advice on storing it when not in use. Make sure what it is in a mouse proof container. I had an apron made in the same style that I loved.

When it was stored, I hung it in the smithy and the mice or pack rats ate a large part of it, making it unusable. For the life of me, I still try and figure out how they could gotten to it hanging from a long forged hook from the forge hood.

[George N. M.]

Frazer, that is a lovely apron.  Great work.  You have activated my apron envy reaction.  I'm sure you will do better work in it.  Is the pocket/pouch on the chest large enough for your cell phone?

Also, could you comment on the virtues or drawbacks of a split/leg apron, like yours, versus a solid one?  I'm sure folk would be interested on why you went with this design over a different one.  I have debated it in my head for years and come to no solid conclusion.  I see virtues in both designs.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[jlpservicesinc]

that is amazing..  Your apron is exactly what I have been looking for, for the last 30 years..  Very nice. 

[Frosty]

That is a work of art apron Frazer! I was thinking you'd gotten carried away with the leg straps till I saw your explanation. Makes perfect sense, I'd really like better access to my cargo jeans pockets myself. 

George I have a split leg apron myself and it's much less restrictive when I move and the leg straps prevent it swinging, it maintains complete leg coverage and catches on fewer things The air flows better too but it's not a main benefit, it's just nicer on a hot day.

I have serious pocket envy Frazer, I thought I had lots. Nice making your own isn't it?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Frazer]

12 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

storing it when not in use

Thank you for that, I kept my old one (cheapo split hide one from Amazon that I mangle-*ahem*-modified for my purposes) in the shop most of the time. This one I had planned on keeping inside, but I know me. Right now I'm tickled pink with it, but in a few months it'll just be another tool. I hope that it does last for decades... While it was fun, the prospect of making another one any time soon doesn't sound very appealing.

12 hours ago, George N. M. said:

I'm sure you will do better work in it. 

*sigh* if only apparel alone could make my work better...

Regarding the phone question, yes the large pouch on the chest is sized for The Brick. It's snug, but that's purposeful. My phone, soapstone holder, and pocket ruler used to fall out of my chest pocket 50% of the time, 100% of the time I bent over all the way to pick something up. Since leather, and Buffalo in particular, will stretch over time snug now is perfect later.

Regarding split leg vs full apron, this could probably fill a separate thread based on people opinions and how they work. However, Frosty has hit some of the high points. I will add a few based on my experience. First and IMO foremost is that I have unrestricted access to hold something between my thighs and free up both hands to work. There are many names for this technique. If you had a full apron as long as this one you might have a hard time holding something between your legs, especially as the bar gets longer and longer. Surely, there are workarounds for this issue, but based on the way I work I find having easy, unrestricted access to a third hand to be indispensable... And don't call me Shirley.

That sort of ties into the next point which is "practical" coverage. Spatter, be it molten borax or welding, just loves to poke little holes in my pants. Whether gradually or suddenly, small holes turn into big holes which are no good. This is especially true considering my work pants are also "work pants" in a office setting. The Sunday pants are no good for the latter.

So how long is "practical"? Depends. For me, since I own a flux core welder (but am not a welder) I tend to sit down and get comfortable if I need to run a passable bead. Therefore, just below the knee is a good length. Granted I don't do much welding, but if avoiding Sunday pants is the goal and putting my welders cap on for a minute here and there is inevitable, I would rather plan for the worst case than need to change into something else just to weld. Again, there are workarounds, but I'm selectively lazy and if it comes down to change my clothes or "git-er-done" I'm going to do the second option almost every time. To close out practicality, do I really need the legs to continue past my knees? For example, down to my boots and covering my laces? For me, the various costs outweigh the benefits so it's no longer practical for what I'm doing/planning to do.

Frosty has gone into the mobility aspect (which I admit some people may disagree with if their apron is on the shorter side) so I won't belabor the point. A full leather apron that starts at your chest and goes down past your knees in a single sheet will certainly be cumbersome and floppy and feel  heavier than something that is attached to you in more locations that force it to follow the natural shape of your body.

Lastly - and I have to say it - the split leg IMO looks nicer than the single piece. Aesthetics are going to be highly subjective and, yes, I know we're in the shop covered with coal dust and such so who cares.... However, whether it's a car or a special anvil or *insert list of frivolous things people spend an arguably ridiculous amount of time/effort/money on* there's a monkey brain in there that just wants the "shiny thing" that appeals to you. So I would be disingenuous if I didn't add that aesthetics were also a factor, even if they weren't the main one.

As far as cons, it's probably going to be more restrictive than a half length apron. Plus split legs are probably going to be harder to make, and therefore cost more.

Okay, I've beat that one to death..

--

Jennifer, Thank you. I'm actually very happy with this one. I'm glad I deviated from my "just wing it" default setting.. I'm sure I'll add little things over time, but this is pretty much exactly how I envisioned it.

Frosty, between my notebook, pen, keys and knife I'm frequently going into those pockets. That's the nice thing about having almost all of my pants be the same model; the pockets are always in the same spot. As for pocket envy, after one short day of use I already noticed a glaring oversight... one pocket that my hand can reach to the bottom of... I keep and use several size tong clips all the time and I don't have a spot where I can slip them in and out of easily. Fortunately, there is room for such additions. It is indeed nice to make your own.