I've been inlaying more Lapis in this Bali-Song Damascus Knife for a Martial Arts Client.

My grinder (which I built in about 1976) developed an issue with belt tracking. My mind had been fussing over the task in its back room. One day, a few weeks ago, it occurred to me how to correct it and make "Knob adjust tracking" on the unit. I couldn't alter it then, but when it ate another belt the other day (and I'd never liked reaching over the shaft to manually track its lever adjust) ... that was it. 41 YEARS! My patience ran out. I altered it ....



... ... do you think I was .... hasty???

Works like a champ.

.....

More inlaying. I'm doing it all on this grinder ...

Gary

Got one more inlay to do. 7 out of 8 done.

It's gonna be an elegant knife.



Gary

Gary,

Glad you did rush into making the change on your shop machine.

Cannot wait to see the knife.

Larry

Thanks Larry,

I appreciate your comments.

Hey .... thru the years, we've had some great conversations. I wonder if you'd consider making a new post on the "Jeepney" hybrid transport that are so ubiquitous to your environment. If you could drop in some pics, it could provide days of enjoyable conversations.

I've finally connected with my Dr., and have an appointment for six days from now. It's going to be brutal. I've been sleeping in a chair in the living room. I can't stand the pain from lying down in bed. During the worst flare up periods, the pain is actually best relieved ... while standing. But, I find that when sleeping while standing; there is a strong tendency for the covers ... to fall off.

And "standing" is not a generic term. Shift weight and ....OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok .... Jeepney ..... I'd love to hear about them. What's the biggest you've ever seen, with the smallest engine???

Thanks Larry,
Gary

Gary,

I am in the central area and we don't have Jeepney's here just motorcycles with sidecars, and buses. There are some running from City to City but not in town.

The jeepney's I have seen use Isuzu salvage engines and running gear from 2 to 10 ton trucks. One problem I noticed is they believe that Thermostats do not work in this heat. Not true but they refuse to use them. So they make huge radiators to slow the water down and let it cool and run the engines as cool as 120F. Well that means the engine is running cold and then they drill out or use use bigger injectors to supply more fuel that the cold engine needs to run. Like driving with the choke stuck. This causes excessive fuel use, reduced power, and more pollution. But they will not add thermostats.

Jeepnes run 24 hours a day with two drives each doing 12 hours. So if they convert to Electric when will they charge? If you change batteries then you need huge charging and exchange stations and a huge supply of batteries which is the most expensive thing about electric power not to mention the manpower and power to run them.

Jeepneys are cheap to build, repair, and own. The cost of an electric truck that can carry 22 to 30 people must be huge when compared to parting out salvaged trucks and welding up the chassis and bodies with local cheap labor.

There are 600,000 or so Jeepney drivers in Luzon. I do not think they will allow this to happen. A 100% strike in which the buses, trikes, and taxis joined in would cripple Luzon and the capital.

I think converting them to LPG is cheaper, smarter, and almost as good. But that is not on the table.

As with any country talking about big change follow the money.

Just my thoughts.

Larry

Thks Lon,

Interesting. Quite a Hybrid.

I must have gotten my terminology wrong. I was thinking of the much smaller personal or family conveyances with the motorcycle engines. Three wheel contractions. Weed eater powered golf carts, etc. ha. What do they call those?

That's interesting regarding the thermostats. Amazing how entire groups of people will be willingly blind to the facts on many things. And, I'm sure if you installed a thermostat, tuned it, got it smooth running with 25% better gas milage ..... they'd call you a witch and run you out to sea.

Thks Larry
Gary

No build thread?

Nice arcs on that inlay.

Lon

More words Lon. You aren't a millennial... haha. Use more words. Build thread on what? The grinder?

Hey, why hasn't there ever been an enterprising person recognize that I've built a shop full of specialized equipment ... and done so from simple materials (raw steel, simple bearings, skateboard wheels, etc). And then with those grinders, my power hammer, rolling mill, presses, jigs, cutters, dies, bits, cherries, and even modified cheap home shop tools (woodworking bandsaw to cut steel) .... I Won the highest awards of my Day and Field. I got the Magazine Covers, the Feature Articles. Won the Best of Show Awards. The Tournaments. Won the Master Bladesmith Ranking. Lectured at the Seminars. But I've always been required to ALSO be my own Biographer. And I contemplate .... is what I do so very common, that no one in the fields of sharing curious talent; has found my work unique? I have to dream the idea, build the tools, make the thing, chronicle the build, publish the build, market the object, promote the whole mess. AND, do it all ahead of the bills and the meat wagon. All the while I watch "documentaries" on some guy who makes plywood sun glass frames with a laser cutter. You know .... HANDcrafted.

Hey, I'm in chronic pain. Please allow me to fuss. I'm sure I'll have to dig the hole ...

AND .... I'm just teasing Lon. He knows that.

Millennials. My kids. Laugh at my "complete" texts. While they will plan Thanksgiving - location, time, who's bringing what ..... with an Acronym.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2018 04:41PM by barnespneumatic.

Gary,

Build thread on the topic, Tracking knob.

How did you shape those nice arcs on the lapis? Jig? Some type of rotary holder?

Lon

Lon,

Milled cavities first. High speed sharp mill bit. Use quite a few depth passes.

I scribed the Arc with a needle scribe. Inside diameter templet. New belt on vertical platen section of grinder. Ground to line, by eye.

Gary

Gary
That's a great looking bunch of stone and metal work . I would been sanding the skin off my finger tips doing the lapidary lapis work . I've always really loved the different stones and there natural beauty. Then add a great craftsmen to bring out the best ! Wow who could ask for more .

Thanks
Kurt

All 8 inlay.

Forgive if I posted this elsewhere. I thought I posted it ...



Gary

Hey
Nice picture too . The old double backwards reversal in the mirror photo trick ! I like it . Those are some great choice stones too . That's looking great . I can't believe how many projects you have going on at once let alone all the different projects on that knife alone . Great

Thanks
Kurt