Thread: What are you working on?

Today's work. In celebration of the fact that I am now officially registered as a part time craftsman in the 'Manufacture of metal tools, subcategory 'knives, cutlery and hand tools', I decided to work on a couple of my own designs. I found it relaxing to work on just 3 razors. Gave me the time to be a bit more creative. And then in the late afternoon, I spent a couple of hours stick welding a steel frame for my new charcoal fire.No pics yet

Although, to call it 'welding' would be presumptuous. I'd call it frying. It was 20 years since my one and only stick welding lesson in the materials lab in college. First I needed a half hour to figure out that I was not using enough current for the thickness of my welding rods. So it stuck to the steel every single time. And then of course the first couple of welds were bad because I didn't file the surface clean. The next umpteen welds were solid but they looked like a piece of steel with a bad case of smallpox. And the final 3 welds were clean. I finally started to get some feeling for controlling the puddle.

As I said, no pics yet but I am happy with how it turned out. It's rock solid, and the drum which is going to contain the fire drops in place without any possibility for falling over or sliding out. I have to say that's the nice thing about welding. If the aesthetics don't matter, you can get stuff done real quick.

Anyway, here are the 3 razors I created and heat treated today.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Today's work. In celebration of the fact that I am now officially registered as a part time craftsman in the 'Manufacture of metal tools, subcategory 'knives, cutlery and hand tools', I decided to work on a couple of my own designs. I found it relaxing to work on just 3 razors. Gave me the time to be a bit more creative. And then in the late afternoon, I spent a couple of hours stick welding a steel frame for my new charcoal fire.No pics yet

Although, to call it 'welding' would be presumptuous. I'd call it frying. It was 20 years since my one and only stick welding lesson in the materials lab in college. First I needed a half hour to figure out that I was not using enough current for the thickness of my welding rods. So it stuck to the steel every single time. And then of course the first couple of welds were bad because I didn't file the surface clean. The next umpteen welds were solid but they looked like a piece of steel with a bad case of smallpox. And the final 3 welds were clean. I finally started to get some feeling for controlling the puddle.

As I said, no pics yet but I am happy with how it turned out. It's rock solid, and the drum which is going to contain the fire drops in place without any possibility for falling over or sliding out. I have to say that's the nice thing about welding. If the aesthetics don't matter, you can get stuff done real quick.

Anyway, here are the 3 razors I created and heat treated today.

Nice looking Blades,with whom are you Registerd?

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Nice looking Blades,with whom are you Registerd?

Thanks. With the Belgian government. The IRS more specifically.

If you sell the odd thing now and then, nobody minds. But as soon as something starts to become more business like, you need to apply for a VAT number and an organizational number. You have to have an accountant, and do bookkeeping. And the main reason they want to know is because I have to pay social security and taxes. As long as I stay under 15K euro turnover per year, I fall in the 'small fish' category that doesn't have to do quarterly filings.

The downside is that of course, I have to pay taxes on what I earn, so I will want to keep the naked profit as small as possible. The upside is that now I can hand out business cards, and start a public website etc without having to fear that one day, the IRS will show up, and give me a huge back tax + fine.

As long as you have a main job at least half time, you can register as part time craftsman and be active in a specific industry. So for me, that was the 'Manufacture of metal tools, subcategory 'knives, cutlery and hand tools' industry. It makes the taxes a bit harder to deal with, but on the flip side it allows people like me to turn a hobby into something more.

I am making my own version of a 'sodbuster' folding knife based on the classic Sodbuster Jr. by Case. I am about done with the blade and next to make the back spring and fit it to some scales. I am thinking about brass liners and black linen Micarta.


Here is a razor I just got done profile grinding and am now rough grinding. This blade will be an 8/8 and has a 2.75" cutting edge and measures 6" overall.


-Brian

Tired of spinning sticks,starting on a loom strop.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Tired of spinning sticks,starting on a loom strop.

I've always admired those. I need more space to collect all these nice things

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

I've always admired those. I need more space to collect all these nice things

Make one,you can do it,Make one like a livi, will take two hrs out of metal,mine take a bit longer.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Make one,you can do it,Make one like a livi, will take two hrs out of metal,mine take a bit longer.

Yours look so classy though I'm having to get used to detail work. Growing up it was all about just banging things out to get them to work. Finishing is where the real work is. I'll have to give it a shot one of these days.

Originally Posted by RoyalCake

Yours look so classy though I'm having to get used to detail work. Growing up it was all about just banging things out to get them to work. Finishing is where the real work is. I'll have to give it a shot one of these days.

Thx Shane,I am never really happy with the items I make,Maybe in my next life I can do better work.
What i strive to do is make one of a kind items,that where the fun is

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Thx Shane,I am never really happy with the items I make,Maybe in my next life I can do better work.
What i strive to do is make one of a kind items,that where the fun is

You remind me of a fussy old SOB that lives in the boonies of Northern Idaho---Now what was his name