Just consider this a brief segment in a Tutorial or Documentary. About a guy on the other side of the globe, making items to support himself and honor his Craft. We start out with Hoshau, approaching his shop in the morning ....

We traveled yesterday, to get a group of Injections. Pain level lately has just stayed high, with very little pause. It’s made for awful working conditions. Work for six hours carefully sawing, milling, sanding, contouring. Then ruin the part in two minutes, because; despite notes and markings, I perform a simple operation incorrectly.

I can medicate and compensate for one or two painful things. But I’ve often had six at a time recently. Playing tag team against me. I’ll have a painful wrist, a bum knee, terribly painful SI Joint, Lower back pain, Neck Bone Spur pain, aaaand a headache. On that playing field, the chance of a rogue hole drilled .110” instead of .088”, goes way up. (That’s simpler then you’d think). .088” is the drill size for threading a 4-40 Machine screw. And .110” is the clearance size for that same screw to pass thru material before it reaches the threads. You’ll need both for most operations with any 4-40. Don’t get them backwards when you pick them up. To blur the lines more, you never just go right for the hole size you want as a final size. The bit would always wander off position. You spot drill with a 1/16”. Then step up from there. Now, working along ... you have stepped up to an .088” hole already. Which side of the knife is this? It matters. One side has the screw pass thru clear, and the other side will be threaded. So, if you are looking at the “Mark Side” of the Folder, then you need to drill that 88 to 110. If it’s the “Pile Side” of the Knife you are looking at ... you are done. If your mind drifts or becomes clouded for a second ... you’ll up-drill that 88 to 110 and then YOU are screwed instead. Now there’s no metal to cut threads into. Heck ... just Hog it out and put a 1/2” bolt thru there ...

And it becomes amazing how you can “loose” the part you have been working on for hours. Yes ... you set it down while you chose another tool bit, made a note, swept up a messy area, took meds, or a hundred other things. Don’t get a cuppa coffee, or you’ll have to start the project all over again! Hah. Don’t ask me how I know.

Well, I’m home. All “stuck up” with a shoebox full of needles I think. OUCH!! Dr. Says ... “Now you are gonna feel a little pinch”, then proceeds to impale you with what can only be an ice pick sized needle ... “Professionally and Expertly” applied. Hahah. Hardly felt a thing. Just a few more ...

Gotta go to work. Thanks for stopping
Gary

Hi Gary,

Sorry to hear that things aren't improving for you. Been meaning to send a text and ask, but my mind isn't focused.

Your work takes a lot of focus so I home the headaches pass. Drilling and tapping the wrong parts I am sure are very frustrating. I don't think the knife would look all that good held together with a 1/2 bolt though,

Hope you get some relief.

Sorry to hijack your thread... lol

I can identify about losing a part while working on it. I had a burr on a half moon key, 3/16". I went to file it, came back to the snowblower and it was gone. I looked and looked as I was ready to assemble. Finally finding it in an odd place as I had picked up another tool and placed the key on a black cover, hard to see.

Luckily I decided to take apart the snow blower. the main bearing for the impeller was so bad, worn the shaft a little and the housing. Got a new one and should last years.







I got it all back together and no spare parts or screws! Yay!

Thinking of you...

Pedro



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2020 03:24PM by pedrog.

Hi Pedro,

Good for you getting a head start on machine maintenance before it’s a frozen Chunk of debris in the driveway. A moon key ya say. I’m a Master at it. I’d have lost the Impeller! Haha.

I know you’ll be using your snowblower before long.

The series of Injections I got Wednesday, have really begun to help me. I had allowed Pain to build too long between treatments again. There’s always so much to do and as I feel worse, the idea of a long trip sounds horrible. I figure maybe I can compensate until I can better deal with the details. Finally Kelly has to just insist. And then a few days later, I’m always glad.

It’s insidious how pain encompasses more and more. Do you have any support/family/work buds who are able to help with the weight of your needs Pedro? That’s so different then generations past. Even by the post war 50’s, families were filling the suburbs of row homes. Kelly grew up in one such cluster of around 1,200/1,500 homes near the Steel Mills of Baltimore. When the Korean Conflict ended, everybody needed a home where the previous generation had lived in several generation farms/towns/communities. You need help and there are thousands of people outside your block. And it wasn’t yet all screwed up so you were afraid to talk to them.

By early 70’s, everybody was on their own. It’s tough. Even with Church, everybody is up to their own eyeballs.

Long way of hoping you have songbnearby support.

God Bless my Friend
Gary

Keeping up with the Barnes':




Lon

Hi Lon,

I’m sorry to see that pic. “Gator Get Cha?” ahwaaay down in Miami? Trail ride thru the glades?

Hope it’s not too serious. There’s been soooooooo much horrid luck for people this year, I know a couple who aren’t showing toes. So you got a head start. I really hope it heals fast. Ok ... last question ... it wasn’t that sinful habit of yours with powder burners was it?

Hey, I’ll have a tracking no. for you. Small box. Completed your experimental project from a while back. Hope it brings a smile.

Gary

Gary,

I had a nerve go rogue, had to be removed. Dr. had to make a Tesla payment so he "straightened"--broke--the toe next door while I was sleeping. An inconvenience but it will pass.

I'm looking forward to my medallion, it will occupy a spot on my desk to remind me of you when I'm paying my Dr. bills.

Lon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2020 09:55AM by Bigbore.

I know how you feel, but my snafu's have been in wood working. Just a little slip in concentration and you end up with a table leg that the taper is cut on the wrong side from the mortise! Don't ask how i ended up with 3 extra legs ! and this is before i started going senile.
Hope the meds get you back to a reasonable pain level.

Take care, Bob

Hi Bob,

Thank you much. Anybody that’s been in business for a bit, has ended up with three extra table legs. Haha. You “can” accumulate quite a collection of said table legs. And it’s remarkable how you “can” accumulate 20, 30 and more, of said legs; and never wind up with a set of four correct. Ha. Closest you can come is one each of Walnut, Mahogany, Cherry, and Oak. Kinda like Johnny Cash’s Cadillac! Hehe.

My health maintenance is much the same. Right after I gratefully tell everyone that a series of injection or a new med has really helped me, something “spins the wheel”, and the whole thing goes “TILT”. I’ve recently been playing Dr., and adjusting the times that I take my meds. Trying to take the ones that kill my energy ... while I’m already in bed ... if possible. But ... if you have to take it 4x per day ... that means I have “night”, but; then I also have to add in 3 naps per day ... for that med. ‘;0) Then there’s the one that makes ya sleepy that you take 3x per day .... hummmmm

It’s all great fun.

In between the 9 naps per day, I’ve made a couple dies, and developed a new bracelet to increase the jewelry business. That’s helped recently. I’ve answered the call of several ladies who asked to purchase gift folding knives for their husbands. I’ve made three such.



This is the design I’ve used. Two in A2 Stainless and one in Damascus.

I’ve stayed busy. Hurt a whole bunch.

Thanks for your well wishes!

Gary