Since I do all my mitering work by hand, with a set of files and a protractor, I’m mentally revisiting the idea of setting up a station in the basement where I can knock out all my mitering work prior to heading up to Princeton to do my work.
The thinking here is that when I’m in Princeton, I should be maximizing my time with the specialty equipment that I don’t have and can’t currently afford. Theoretically, I can knock out ST/BB and HT/DT miters for a couple of frames, take them with me to Princeton, where I’ll braze and cold-set them, then bring them home where I can prep the next set of stuff. In theory, I could miter up entire frames before ever doing any brazing work. It’ll just require careful adherence to the blueprint. That may be something that I consider for the current batch underway.
Anyway, yeah. So I’m ready to build a station. With bare minimums, it’ll set me back about $650 to get everything. That list includes:
- workbench
- vise, with removable softjaws
- files
- hacksaw and blades
- tube blocks
- a vernier protractor
- aircraft shears
- a jeweler’s saw and blades
- a cheap level
Ideally, I’d like to buy a set of Anvil‘s lug vises, but those are $325 for the set. Ouch!
On the plus side, I’ve got all my drafting equipment in-hand, so I can handle the blueprinting portion of all this at home now, rather than wasting time after I’ve gotten to the shop. Will be getting the drafting board set up tonight.
I can’t remember if I mentioned this in the past, but before I picked up a lug vise I used a tail pipe expander from Harbor Freight with a lot of success. If you’re building with standard size tubes its too big, but oversize it works for almost everything if you’re creative. For 10 bucks, why not. I caught a deal on a lug vise (strawberry occasionally has NOS stuff for half price or so) and switched, but still use the expander from time to time.
http://www.harborfreight.com/small-tail-pipe-expander-37352.html
Yeah, that’s the route I think I’m going to take re: the lug vise. Got one in the shopping cart now. 🙂
Due to the fall-through of the space, I think I’m going to push forward with the plan to set up this mitering station.