Sharpening Pegwood

[AJSBSA]

I know I am supposed to do this with an knife because the irregular shape cleans better but it takes an age when you do a batch and I tend to do things in batches. it is also messy so I use 6mm pegwood and a pencil sharpener they clean just as well as far as I can tell.

 

[BLKBEARD]

Your entirely missing the point!!

Your supposed to park yourself in the Porch Rocker with a Tall Glass of Iced Tea. Set a Spell & Whittle Away.
Or maybe at your favorite fishing hole while your waiting for a bite.

 

[AJSBSA]

Your entirely missing the point!!

Your supposed to park yourself in the Porch Rocker with a Tall Glass of Iced Tea. Set a Spell & Whittle Away.
Or maybe at your favorite fishing hole while your waiting for a bite.

Ha Ha I actually quite enjoy whittling just finished a little guy

 

[R&A]

I believe a rough cut on peg wood with a knife would clean better than a smooth edge. Just a thought

 

[AJSBSA]

I believe a rough cut on peg wood with a knife would clean better than a smooth edge. Just a thought

Yes that is the current thinking but in practise I have found this not to be the case, the ultrasonic does the hard work and the pegwood is just checking it is actually clean

 

[shutterbug]

If you want it rough, do the pencil sharpener thing and then whittle a flat spot or two on it.

 

[Willie X]

I sometimes use a pencil sharpener on pegs too, except mine isn't as fancy ajsb's.
A knife actually makes a much smoother surface, just not as evenly conical.
Peg on, Willie

 

[Bruce Alexander]

Neat idea. I usually sand a dowel for pegging Great Wheel Bushings. Would be much faster to use a Pencil Sharpener. Interesting Whittle Guy btw. I probably would remove a finger trying to do something like that.

 

[kinsler33]

Yes that is the current thinking but in practise I have found this not to be the case, the ultrasonic does the hard work and the pegwood is just checking it is actually clean

That's been my experience. The ultrasonic cleaner really scrubs out the holes, and I never see any visible dirt on my toothpicks. What's interesting is that sometimes a hole with lots of black debris built up around it will emerge with a perfectly clean bore, but the plate will retain a ring of black around the hole. It wipes off easily.

The Zep 505 cleaner I've been using leaves the brass with a satisfying shine, and blued screws come out just beautifully. Then again, I tend to cook a movement for quite a while, and with heat.

M Kinsler

one of these days the whole thing will dissolve

 

[bangster]

"A tidy bench is a sign of a sick mind." --anon.

 

[Ralph B]

"A tidy bench is a sign of a sick mind." --anon.

Have to disagree.
I've never seen any good work come out of a messy, dis-organised, workshop.
The same type of thinking that produces good work also can't stand mess and crap everywhere.
Mind you, I've seen plenty of stuff come out of rubbish workshops that the owner thinks is good....

But, back on topic, I sharpen my pegwood with a quick spin on my linisher.
Doesn't have the "whittled" sharp edges but seems to work OK.

 

[Bruce Alexander]

"A tidy bench is a sign of a sick mind." --anon.

I don't think I could find room for a bench mounted pencil sharpener.
A piece of 60-100 grit sandpaper working against a cordless drill works fairly well to shape and clean my dowels.

 

[AJSBSA]

"A tidy bench is a sign of a sick mind." --anon.

I would not say sick but certainly on the milder end of the autistic spectrum

 

[shutterbug]

My work bench is basically an unorganized tool holder where I struggle to maintain a small uncluttered work area

 

[Tinker Dwight]

I don't think it is as much as people think. At work we have both
4 types. Some that keep everything neat and do an excellent job,
some that keep it neat and do a poor job, some that are messy and
do an excellent job and some that keep it messy and do a poor job.
I will have to admit, the extremes on either side tend to do the
poorest jobs.
Neatness allows you to be more efficient, it doesn't make you efficient.
Spending all your time being neat doesn't get the work done.
I judge by the end result and have found it best to just close my eyes
to how they get there.
Tinker Dwight

 

[AJSBSA]

Interesting observations by Tinker and I would not disagree with any of it, but I would like to add that the amount of space you have is also a factor I would love to leave my lathe messy and carry on to the next task however my lathe is sitting on my only work bench so tiding it away is the only way forward having said that everything in my workshop has its place and it would be very difficult for me to work efficiently if I had to rummage in a box or whatever to find anything. One up shot of having an organised workshop is that I am always happy to show it off to my customers I think they go away happy and tell their friends even before they have received their serviced clock.

 

[kinsler33]

I never bothered to set up a shop, really. There's a disused table in our shared home office to which is screwed a vise. Next to that is a rickety Chinese drill press and next to that is my bargain arbor press for extracting cannon pinions. A file cabinet serves to store disassembled movements and grandfather clock dials, and grandfather clock movements under test hang from one of our sturdier sets of bookshelves. To actually fix a clock I lug my antique oak machinist's tool case (rescued from a friend's basement) onto our dining room table, spread out my pink terrycloth clock towel to protect the table and catch rolling parts, and plug in my ten-buck Ikea work lamp. Natalie sits at the other side of the table reading one of her blood-and-thunder novels, occasionally pausing to help find a lost part, or install a screw that I'm too shaky to insert, and/or laugh at me.

The antique oak chest is getting rather beat up, so I'm thinking of buying a rolling mechanics' tool chest.

M Kinsler