Miniature chisels

[Nige52]

I have been asked by a niece if I can make some dolls house bits and bobs, so I need some very small chisels, or at least a parting type tool, even my Sorby Micro Modular sets are too big.
I was thinking of making my own parting tool from something, maybe a hacksaw blade? I saw on a YouTube video somebody had utilised a dentists pick, but as I don't have a dentist's pick, or many teeth for that matter, I need to find something else, any ideas?
Ta so

 

[Woody]

Hi Nige I made a set chisels for dolls house furniture from masonry nails and they kept there edge for ages but I got rid of them when I gave up making dolls stuff

 

[Grump]

Yep hacksaw parting tool. Masonry nail chisels all goodly fun init?

Manicure set and heat it up quench it then heat it again let it cool and stick andles on love doing all that init?

 

[Nige52]

Ahhh...masonry nails, thats a good idea. I didn't know about the quenching, so I get them red hot in my blow torch, then dip them in cold water, then heat them up to red hot and let them cool down naturally, yes?
:thanxs:

 

[Grump]

Ahhh...masonry nails, thats a good idea. I didn't know about the quenching, so I get them red hot in my blow torch, then dip them in cold water, then heat them up to red hot and let them cool down naturally, yes?
:thanxs:

There are many methods of hardening and tempering and many arguments of how to go about doing it.
That is my method and it has never failed me, it is a simple method which makes a simple tool that is all you require for this project.

No need to do it to masonry nails they are already hard enuff just grind the head off and shape and sharpen.
Make a handle or use a watchmakers vice for very good results init?

 

[Dalboy]

I have used allen keys to make small tools

 

[Grump]

I have used allen keys to make small tools

Well that just serves you damn well right Mr, you'll get no sympathy from me init?

 

[Penpal]

Allen Keys for me as well but I do have small chisels anyway. You can do most small things with those masonry nails or those gun pins that are fired into masonry or steel as well.

Have fun my experiences with dolls stuff the space the dolls house takes up and the sundries become quite a long term project bit like toy trains the Dads monopolise them and the mums keep the dolls house theme rolling.

Peter.

 

[Louie_Powell]

I've made small skews, scrapers, point tools, and 'skewchiegouges' (a tool that is round like a gouge, but that doesn't have a flute and cuts more like a skew) from old screwdrivers, hex-shank interchangeable screwdriver bits, allen wrenches, and drill bits.

These steels start out fairly hard. It would be nice to treat them for additional hardness, but the main objective would be to help them hold an edge longer. My experience is that even without additional hardening, they can be sharpened and are great for fine work that doesn't involve hogging away large amounts of waste.

One thing to be careful about is the length of the shank - if the shank is too long, you will have unacceptable vibration and chatter. But the shank has to be long enough to support the overhang that you must have when using the tool. One solution to this dilemma is to make the main shank of the tool from mild steel bar, and then embed the cutting tool in the end of that bar with only a very short extension (perhaps 1/2"). You can mount a mild steel bar in a wood lathe (in a scroll chuck) and with it spinning, use an ordinary file to smooth and taper the end. It's slow work - just be patient and it will happen. And you can drill a receiver hole in the end of the bar on the lathe just as you would drill a pen blank. Once you have the hole, you can glue the cutter into the hole using epoxy. If you ever need to remove the cutter, just heat the glue joint to soften the epoxy.

 

[Woody]

I never harden masonry nails they don't need it as Brian said and if you dont want to make your own handles just buy some cheep file handles down the market

 

[Nige52]

Thanks for all your advice :-)
I've ordered a bag of 75mm Masonry nails and also a set of those Watchmakers pin vices as Brian suggested. I will be turning my own handles for them to slide into though. Fun fun fun, in the sun sun sun....as they sing in Red Dwarf

 

[Woody]

Just keep dipping the metal in water to keep it cool as you grind it Nige

 

[Bill Mooney]

Some good advice there me boy.

 

[Nige52]

I'll probably remove the new white wheel off my grinder and put the standard old grey one back on for this job, don't want to ruin the new wheels

 

[chas_41_uk]

I have used allen keys to make small tools

Derek beat me to it. I've seen ground down Allen keys used before

 

[Penpal]

Fabulous tools easily made from drill blanks and tool steel you can easily handle these up and they come in all sizes for metal lathe blanks.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

Easy enough to make your own tools.

 

[Nige52]

I looked on ebay for HSS steel bar. There are loads of sellers offering round bar stock quite cheaply, but most from China/Hong Kong. I was looking at the 3 and 5mm bars.....but am not sure if they are really HSS or monkey metal.....? Anybody ever tried this stuff?

 

[Penpal]

Yes with great success but there is no need to go in that direction head for reputable and reliable. Look on the net scour clubs Metal Lathe groups on the net top tool steel hangs from every second tree well there is lots about England must be the fount of good steel there are numbers of steelies on this forum nearer you that should be tapped for suppliers.

Good fortune, Peter.