Subject: Re: baidarka Angle grinders
From: Douglas Ingram (redcanoe@pangea.ca)
Date: Fri Dec 29 2000 - 18:10:02 EST
John,
I'm waiting for my present Black & Decker Industrial/professiomnal grinder
to wear out. Its taking a long time. The only real complaint that I have
about it is the locking mechanism to hold the spindle firm whilst you twist
the discs to change them. It uses a little button on top of the grinder
head, and after awhile it doesn't hold the spindle.
Go for a grinder that allows you to set a wrench around the spindle.
Last time I looked at grinders, I was favourable impressed by the Porter
Cable unit. It had the essential features that I liked about the B&W unit,
plus the wrench option. On the B&W unit, I like the switch, which is a long
lever along the bottom with an integral safety lock. You pick up the
grinder and turn it on all with unified motions. If for some reason you let
the grinder go, fall, cut yourself, etc, you let go of the grinder and it
turns off. Not something that happens with other kinds of switches.
Weight is an issue. You should be able tohold and control the unit with one
hand if needed, and you should be able to use it over a period of time. So
check for vibration too.
While I recognize the value of vacume attachments, the unfortunate reality
is that they hinder to work. So does that D--- extra handle that seems like
such a great idea for other applications. The finger guard befalls much the
same fate. These features pretty much force you to work with just the front
edge of the disc, when you really want to work with the sides too.
Learn to work with the flat of the disc when neccessary, and with the edge
for deep digging. Set the trailing edge of the disc, relative to the
movement of the disc across the work surface, to the work. If you use the
leading edge you risk having it "bump" into something and gouging deeper
into the wood that you want as it stops its travel.
Keep your arm moving in smooth controlled movements. any ingering will
cause the grinder to remove excess stock locally. Pay attention to your
speed of movement, and your ability to hold the grinder so that the disc
presents flat. Working on the edge makes it VERY difficult to acheive
anything like a smooth surface. Leave the edge for diggin deep
I use 24 grit fiber backed discs for general shaping, and 100 grit discs for
surfacing, form that point I am ready to sand. I have been very frustrated
getting good disc backers to keep the disc stiff enough, or flexible enough,
and with close enough support. In the end, I just put two discs behind the
one I am working with. Fiber backed discs like to bend with changes in the
humidity, store them firmly flat, and if you stack them as backers, place
them 90 degrees to each other to cancel out the curves.
Well, back out to the shop to make some more dust with my grinder. Nothing
like shaping a dozen paddle blades at a time to make you appreciate a good
grinder. Which brings me to the most important point:
PRATCICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!!!!
I always tell my students that fast tools make fast mistakes, and pay
attention to where your fingers are at all times!
Good luck.
Douglas Ingram
Red River Canoe & Paddle
Lorette, Manitoba
----- Original Message -----
From: John Gerlach <gerlach1@pacbell.net>
To: <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 1:44 PM
Subject: RE: baidarka Angle grinders
> Ok, I'm interested in trying one of these magical tools. Do the artistic
> grinders on the list have any suggestions as to techniques, brands, size,
> setup, vacuum attachments, disks, etc.
>
> Thanks,
>
> John Gerlach
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
> [mailto:owner-baidarka@lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Douglas Ingram
> Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 10:01 AM
> To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
> Subject: Re: baidarka FW: Aleut Paddle
>
>
> Hi James,
>
> Philip answered the "what's an angle grinder! question pretty well. I
would
> add that I never put 4" discs on a 4" grinder. I always use 5". This
> allows a bit of flex to the edge of the disc, giving me more of a feel of
> what I am doing, and allowing me to work the disc flatter. The 4" discs
are
> much stiffer and force you to work more on its edge. I have, in the past,
> put 8" discs on the small grinder, this allows the discs to be worked very
> flat, as it will actuall bend to the work.
>
> This is the most valuable shaping tool that I own. Some have joked that
it
> is my "magic" tool, I use it for so many different tasks, it would be
> difficult to list. I would encourage anyone who does much complex wood
> shaping to become familiar with its capacities.
>
> Sure, it makes a lot of dust. I do not believe that it is panacea for
every
> task or situation. I will offer this, though, that when one is working to
> close tolerances, abrasives often offer greater control in varying grain
> conditions than cutting tools. Perhaps I should restate that as being
more
> consistently predictable. Also, for many complex shaping situations, it
is
> very fast and predictable. I can't think of a better way to carve portage
> yokes.
>
> 600 paddle, soon to be 620, isn't such a big deal. If its your work, and
> you've been doing it for awhile, it all adds up. If you would like to
take
> a look at them, go to: www.wilds.mb.ca/redriver
>
> I am curious to see how long it takes me to make up the Aleut paddle. I
> just got my brother to acces the file for, and he is printing it up for
me.
> I am looking forward to seeing the drawings. I am going to try it out
first
> for my 10 year old son. anyone have thoughts about proper scaling?
>
> We are also starting up a kayak for him over the christmas break. A good
> father son project. Still thinking about what to build, I expect that I
> will finalize that as we start.
>
> Oh, back to those sailing boats. I do like the Haven 12 1/2 a lot. But
if
> I am going to go through the effort of building a sailing boat, my
ambitions
> for its use will be more ambitious than day sailing. I want something
that
> can keep on going. For day sailing, I would rather rig up a canoe.
>
> I have always loved the look and philosohpy of Albert Strange's boats.
> Especially Sheila, Sheila II, and Wenda. Roxanne has slowly woven her
spell
> over me with her inherent virtues. Speed, seaworthiness, shallow draft,
> trailerability, interior space, that great big cockpit, and the absence of
> all complex rigging. She looks great and apologizes for nothing.
>
> Douglas Ingram
> Red River Canoe & Paddle
> Lorette, Manitoba
>
> > So what's an angle grinder? I've never heard of one... and am very
> > interested. 600 paddles is a major accomplishment!
> >
> > At Friday, 22 December 2000, you wrote:
> >
> > >James, I can't conceive of working without my angle grinder, I'd
> > be lost
> > >without it. It has been the tool of choice for over 600 paddles
> > now. With
> > >a little practice I am sure that most people could be able to control
> > it.
> > >Choosing the right grit is very important.
> > >
> > >Once you get the hang of it, you can do amazing things, and with more
> > >control than you'd think. On the bentshaft and Freestyle blades
> > that I do,
> > >I routinely shape to very close tolerances and thin edges.
> > >
> > >The shaped blade faces, the ridge, even the groove, would be easy
> > for me to
> > >do with the grinder. But, I guess that after 600 paddles, it had
> > better be.
> > >
> > >In the end, we all choose the tools that work best for us.
> > >
> > >Douglas
> > >
> > >> Phil, I can't conceive of being able to control a disk sander
> > that well.
> > >But
> > >> I cut the hollow successfully with a belt sander all the time.
> > Rough the
> > >> shape either by hand or with the shaper, then use the nose of
> > the belt
> > >> sander to grind the final curve. It takes some practice, but it will
> > >work.
> > >> Someday I would like to get better, more accurate control of that by
> > >> building a special sanding tool; but for now, my beat-up old Makita
> > does
> > >the
> > >> job.
> > >>
> > >> ----- Original Message -----
> > >> From: "Philip A Jacobs (jaco0253@jaco0253.email.umn.edu)"
> > >> <jaco0253@gold.tc.umn.edu>
> > >> To: <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
> > >> Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 6:48 PM
> > >> Subject: Re: baidarka FW: Aleut Paddle
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> > I haven't tried this but have been following this thread. Some
> > of the
> > >> > better wood working catalogs (Lee Valley Tools, Garrett Wade,
> > etc.) sell
> > >> > scooping tools ('scorps') used to hollow out chair seats, etc.
> > on a pull
> > >> > stroke. Sort of like a ladle with a sharpened edge and a hole
> > in the
> > >> > bottom.
> > >> >
> > >> > Could these grooves or hollows be carved out with a 4 inch disk
> > >> > sander/grinder, using the edge of the disk on an angle (like
> > cutting
> > >coves
> > >> > on a table saw)?
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > Oooh, I hate to recommend this to anybody. It is a special
> > cutter I
> > >built
> > >> > up myself with the help of a machine shop (the cutter alone
> > was nearly
> > >> > $500). Tricky, expensive, dangerous as hell. A panel cutter
> > won't do
> > >it.
> > >> > This is more like a 2" high cove cutter with a long straight
> > side set at
> > >8
> > >> > degrees. If you really want to go there, I will send you some
> > photos
> > >after
> > >> > I come back from Alaska. You will need a pretty health shaper
> > for this,
> > >> > at least 2 hp. I am using a 220v Grizzly. Ask me again next year!
> > >> > -
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> > >> >
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> > >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From Jim Mitchell
> > on vacation in Juneau Alaska
> >
> >
> >
> >
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