I just lost a "molding bar" that was a perfect tool. It was shaped
exactly right for prying off molding without beating it up. I can't
find its exact replacement (they're all too blunt), but I'm wondering if
I got one that was close, if I could re-work it to what I want.

By re-work, I mean forge: heat to red hot and shape with a hammer. I
think they are carbon-steel hard, from my experience using one. Would I
have to anneal & re-harden after shaping? I'd rather forge than grind
because I'd like it to be wider also.

Lowe's has one that looks just like the lost one, but isn't:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-Building...-Bar/999914829

Thanks,
Bob

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
I just lost a "molding bar" that was a perfect tool. It was shaped
exactly right for prying off molding without beating it up. I can't
find its exact replacement (they're all too blunt), but I'm wondering
if I got one that was close, if I could re-work it to what I want.

By re-work, I mean forge: heat to red hot and shape with a hammer.
I think they are carbon-steel hard, from my experience using one.
Would I have to anneal & re-harden after shaping? I'd rather forge
than grind because I'd like it to be wider also.

Lowe's has one that looks just like the lost one, but isn't:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-Building...-Bar/999914829

Thanks,
Bob

I ground the ends of a Wonder Bar clone to long thin tapers for prying
off molding.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-1...515K/100093815

--jsw

On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:23:58 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I ground the ends of a Wonder Bar clone to long thin tapers for prying
off molding.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-1...515K/100093815

--jsw

I just used a file on my Stanley 12 inch Wonder Bar. Mine wasn't that
hard, easy enough to file on. Tweaked both ends so I could loosen
redwood siding and trim boards, leaving minimal marks in them.

I've done the same with several other pry bars too using
different files to get at all the needed places. They kind of suck, way
too roughly shaped for that kind of work as sold...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:23:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
I just lost a "molding bar" that was a perfect tool. It was shaped
exactly right for prying off molding without beating it up. I can't
find its exact replacement (they're all too blunt), but I'm wondering
if I got one that was close, if I could re-work it to what I want.

By re-work, I mean forge: heat to red hot and shape with a hammer.
I think they are carbon-steel hard, from my experience using one.
Would I have to anneal & re-harden after shaping? I'd rather forge
than grind because I'd like it to be wider also.

Lowe's has one that looks just like the lost one, but isn't:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-Building...-Bar/999914829

Thanks,
Bob

I ground the ends of a Wonder Bar clone to long thin tapers for prying
off molding.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-1...515K/100093815

--jsw

Different application; I have a piece of steel forged from 3/8 x 1 bar
such that it tapers to blunt 1/16 over about 6" and oval in cross
section. It came from one of those garage sales held to clean out
"Granpaw's junk" and I discovered it to be the handiest tool when
dismantling with a view to salvage for future refference such as
separating two 2 x 4 's that have been securely nailed together.
---

Gerry :-)}
London,Canada

Thanks for the replies, but if I still wanted to forge shape it, is
there a required process?

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies, but if I still wanted to forge shape it, is there
a required process?

Well, I guess the answer is it depends. Is it a work hardened steel or a
heat treated steel? Or is it just a hard enough alloy to do the job hot
rolled and stamped to shape while still red?

Nail bars aren't $5 anymore, but they are still cheap enough to destroy a
couple if you just want to try it.

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies, but if I still wanted to forge shape it, is
there a required process?

Rehardening and tempering it is the tricky part, and a very good
reason to grind a commercially hardened tool to shape instead. You can
practice on a discarded circular saw blade. I annealed one, cut it
into strips and rehardened a piece as hard and brittle as glass.

The few times I've hardened a tool I tempered it around 700F on an IR
meter, and if it was too soft to cut steel I rehardened it and
tempered cooler. That's less work than making another if it breaks
from being too brittle.
http://www.westyorkssteel.com/techni...-temperatures/

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html

When you heat the end with a torch to reharden it part of the shank
will lose its temper. Perhaps that won't matter for a prybar for
molding. Good luck with it.
--jsw

In article , Jim Wilkins
wrote:



http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html


No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac. The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

"Joe Gwinn" wrote in message
...
In article , Jim Wilkins
wrote:



http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple
wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will
bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html


No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac.
The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with
an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

How do you safely clamp everything into position?

--jsw

On 8/1/2016 7:57 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

Rehardening and tempering it is the tricky part, and a very good
reason to grind a commercially hardened tool to shape instead. You can
practice on a discarded circular saw blade. I annealed one, cut it
into strips and rehardened a piece as hard and brittle as glass.

I think will play with a saw blade - easy way to get some experience.

The few times I've hardened a tool I tempered it around 700F on an IR
meter, and if it was too soft to cut steel I rehardened it and
tempered cooler. That's less work than making another if it breaks
from being too brittle.

I annealed-hardened-tempered something once, but I think that its
hardness & temper had a wide acceptable range and was much easier than
this is looking to be.

http://www.westyorkssteel.com/techni...-temperatures/

Cool chart.

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html

When you heat the end with a torch to reharden it part of the shank
will lose its temper. Perhaps that won't matter for a prybar for
molding. Good luck with it.

I do have a thermocouple meter (for casting), but even with it I think
that this re-forging is a bad idea. Thanks for giving me enough info to
see that!

Bob

On 8/1/2016 8:54 AM, Joe Gwinn wrote:

No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac. The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

Cool stuff!

Just to clarify: the carbon rod is touching the end of the TC?

Bob

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
On 8/1/2016 7:57 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

Rehardening and tempering it is the tricky part, and a very good
reason to grind a commercially hardened tool to shape instead. You
can
practice on a discarded circular saw blade. I annealed one, cut it
into strips and rehardened a piece as hard and brittle as glass.

I think will play with a saw blade - easy way to get some
experience.

The few times I've hardened a tool I tempered it around 700F on an
IR
meter, and if it was too soft to cut steel I rehardened it and
tempered cooler. That's less work than making another if it breaks
from being too brittle.

I annealed-hardened-tempered something once, but I think that its
hardness & temper had a wide acceptable range and was much easier
than this is looking to be.

http://www.westyorkssteel.com/techni...-temperatures/

Cool chart.

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple
wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will
bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html

When you heat the end with a torch to reharden it part of the shank
will lose its temper. Perhaps that won't matter for a prybar for
molding. Good luck with it.

I do have a thermocouple meter (for casting), but even with it I
think that this re-forging is a bad idea. Thanks for giving me
enough info to see that!

Bob

This concentrates on making smithing, woodworking and stone sculpting
tools:
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Mode.../dp/0898158966
--jsw

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
On 8/1/2016 8:54 AM, Joe Gwinn wrote:

No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac.
The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged
through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with
an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

Cool stuff!

Just to clarify: the carbon rod is touching the end of the TC?

Bob

I used to design and build custom power equipment of that ilk, and
last week found a 50VA 120/240/480 transformer for my current HV
project. It was always difficult to find high voltage, high
temperature insulation that could take mechanical stress.

Fiber gasketing from the auto parts stores chars and smokes above
600F. Teflon emits nasty fumes if overheated. I have some carbon fiber
scraps that withstand 2000F but it conducts electricity. Fireproof
ceiling tiles would be good thermal and electrical insulation if they
didn't fall apart so easily, same with wood stove door gasket cord.
Fiberglass cloth melts in a flame, which at least is useful to seal
the cut edges.

I have some Fel-Ramic 2499 exhaust gasketing to try the next time I
need high heat resistance, but it has conductive wire reinforcement in
the center.

--jsw

On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:05:07 -0400
Bob Engelhardt wrote:

snip
Lowe's has one that looks just like the lost one, but isn't:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-Building...-Bar/999914829

I took a look at my smaller bar. It is Enderes D-26. Must have bought it
around 2002. It looks very similar to the linked to bar above. Measures
10 inches long. It is illustrated on page 26 in this catalog (30mb):

http://www.enderes.com/catalog/2016Catalog.pdf

I preferred the Stanley Wonder Bar. It worked better, left less marks
in the wood. Since then I've bought a Vaughan Super Bar too, think
it's the 21 inch model:

http://www.vaughanmfg.com/shopping/D...d-Pry-Bar.aspx

The flat head on it is very similar to the Wonder Bar and seems to work
much the same. It has less of a v-notch in it for pulling nails though.
I tweaked the end of that bar too. It wasn't all that bad though if I
remember correctly.

I try not to use the Wonder Bar for rough work or hit it with a metal
hammer...

I've seen another bar similar to the one you linked to that has a
really wide flat head and no nail notch. It might be in the Enderes
catalog somewhere. Didn't look through it too good yet. I'll find an
image of it if it interests you...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

On 01/08/16 12:57, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the replies, but if I still wanted to forge shape it, is
there a required process?
Rehardening and tempering it is the tricky part, and a very good
reason to grind a commercially hardened tool to shape instead. You can
practice on a discarded circular saw blade. I annealed one, cut it
into strips and rehardened a piece as hard and brittle as glass.

The few times I've hardened a tool I tempered it around 700F on an IR
meter, and if it was too soft to cut steel I rehardened it and
tempered cooler. That's less work than making another if it breaks
from being too brittle.
http://www.westyorkssteel.com/techni...-temperatures/

I think that chart only applies to plain carbon steels. I was just
looking for information about tempering EN24 (4340) and the information
I found gave a far higher temperature range for tempering, the chart
giving the various properties curves and temperatures and ranged from
450C to 650C and needed a longish soak time compared to carbon steel. I
made a few replacement pipe cutting rollers from EN24 and when hardened
and tempered according to the carbon steel chart they crumbled, now I
need to take the remaining one and temper according to the new
information and see how it performs, fortunately I have an accurate
temperature controlled furnace. Just got me thinking that if the alloy
effects the tempering temperature that much then trying to temper an
unknown alloy is likely to be hit and miss.

Regarding the IR temperature reading how did you assess the emissivity
in order to get an accurate reading from the meter.

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html

When you heat the end with a torch to reharden it part of the shank
will lose its temper. Perhaps that won't matter for a prybar for
molding. Good luck with it.
--jsw

On 8/1/2016 7:00 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

I took a look at my smaller bar. It is Enderes D-26. Must have bought it
around 2002. It looks very similar to the linked to bar above. Measures
10 inches long. It is illustrated on page 26 in this catalog (30mb):

http://www.enderes.com/catalog/2016Catalog.pdf

...

Thanks - that does look exactly like the one I lost, and am mourning.
G I can't find a seller for it & have emailed Enderes. If not, I'll
get the one at Lowe's & grind it a bit.

"David Billington" wrote in message
...

Regarding the IR temperature reading how did you assess the
emissivity in order to get an accurate reading from the meter.


My $15 commercial unit doesn't have that adjustment. However it's
close enough when aimed at the corner of the wood stove where the
thermocouple is. I use them if accuracy matters and to check the IR
reading.

Judging heat by color was good enough for many centuries of
blacksmithing. In Scouting we stuck our hand where the cooking pot
would go and counted to determine the temperature.

At Mitre I used a high quality IR thermometer with an emissivity
adjustment but the temperature reading didn't vary much on most
electronics materials no matter where I set it.

--jsw

On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:23:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
I just lost a "molding bar" that was a perfect tool. It was shaped
exactly right for prying off molding without beating it up. I can't
find its exact replacement (they're all too blunt), but I'm wondering
if I got one that was close, if I could re-work it to what I want.

By re-work, I mean forge: heat to red hot and shape with a hammer.
I think they are carbon-steel hard, from my experience using one.
Would I have to anneal & re-harden after shaping? I'd rather forge
than grind because I'd like it to be wider also.

Lowe's has one that looks just like the lost one, but isn't:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-Building...-Bar/999914829

Thanks,
Bob

I ground the ends of a Wonder Bar clone to long thin tapers for prying
off molding.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-1...515K/100093815

I have the 2pc set, the 15" bars, and the nail pullers.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...sult?q=pry+bar

The nail pullers (multipurpose pry bar) proved to be the best moulding
puller of them all. I, too ground the end to be very thin and sharp.
http://www.harborfreight.com/9-3-4-q...bar-43651.html

Another smaller bar I use is a 5" flat pry bar, with custom tapering
performed by me. Thin and sharp is good.
https://www.zoro.com/dasco-pro-pry-b...22/i/G4391292/

One of these made it into my BOB: http://tinyurl.com/h7ehxl7
It's amazingly strong, sturdy, and stainless. (retapered)

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

In article , Jim Wilkins
wrote:

"Joe Gwinn" wrote in message
...
In article , Jim Wilkins
wrote:



http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...tempering.html
The thermocouple adapter on his DVM looks like an expensive Fluke
80TK. The inexpensive TM-902C thermocouple readout I would have
suggested is out of stock at Amazon. Omega's GG-K-24 thermocouple
wire
is a good choice to make your own. Wood stove gasket cement will
bind
the cut ends of the insulation. Do you have or know someone with an
acetylene torch to fuse the end?
http://www.omega.com/pptst/XC_K_TC_WIRE.html


No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac.
The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with
an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

How do you safely clamp everything into position?

The TC is held in a vise, and the carbon is held in an insulated holder
which is held in hand. There is 110 Vac between vise and carbon, with
the 100W bulb as the current limiter.

The vise should be clamped to a wooden bench, and ideally is on the
cold side (white wire in the US) of the 110 v line and the 100w bulb is
in series with the carbon rod, so if carbon touches the vise, the bulb
lights up, but no big bang.

Joe Gwinn

In article , Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

On 8/1/2016 8:54 AM, Joe Gwinn wrote:

No TIG required. The old hack is a 100-watt incandescent lamp in
series with the TC and a carbon rod from a D-cell, across 110 Vac. The
TC wires are twisted together, heated in a flame, and dipped into
borax.

The arc from the lamp turn-on surge will weld the ends of the wire
together. Tap the weld bead with a hammer on an anvil to crack the
fused borax off the bead.

What also works is a charged photoflash capacitor discharged through
the same twisted wire and carbon electrode.

Commercial TC welders are the photoflash capacitor et al, but with an
argon blanket and no borax.

Joe Gwinn

Cool stuff!

Just to clarify: the carbon rod is touching the end of the TC?

Yes. See other answer.

I learned this trick in the late 1960s from a Grad Student who was
welding the ends of platinum tubes closed using this trick, but using
110 V DC from the University's own 1900-era power plant.

Joe Gwinn

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:23:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

....
Another smaller bar I use is a 5" flat pry bar, with custom tapering
performed by me. Thin and sharp is good.
https://www.zoro.com/dasco-pro-pry-b...22/i/G4391292/

One of these made it into my BOB: http://tinyurl.com/h7ehxl7
It's amazingly strong, sturdy, and stainless. (retapered)

The closest I have to a BOB is the overnight backpack and tool kit in
the car. The kit includes tools for house repairs when I'm visiting.
The small pry bar in it is L shaped for more leverage removing wheel
covers and inner door panels.

Since I have it out, it needs the edges ground and sanded smoother and
Gorilla tape padding to protect the door paint.

When I travelled on a motorcycle I kept watch for the smallest tools
that would do the job. I quickly learned that crosscut wood saws were
far better than a hatchet when camping, so I carried the smallest
hatchet that worked with the impact driver. It's big enough to chop
kindling and sharpen tent stakes, saws do the rest better anyway. I
think it's this:
https://www.amazon.com/Vaughan-Super.../dp/B001HWD4N0

I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

--jsw

"Joe Gwinn" wrote in message
...
....
I learned this trick in the late 1960s from a Grad Student who was
welding the ends of platinum tubes closed using this trick, but
using
110 V DC from the University's own 1900-era power plant.

Joe Gwinn

I learned a lot of tricks like that in the 60's, most of which I
wouldn't publicly admit to today.

On 8/2/2016 8:39 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
...
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, ...

I've had such a saw for years & years & years. It is handy to keep in
the car.

The key word for Googling is "folding". E.g., "folding jab saw".

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
On 8/2/2016 8:39 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
...
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, ...

I've had such a saw for years & years & years. It is handy to keep
in the car.

The key word for Googling is "folding". E.g., "folding jab saw".


There are now. I made the handle long before Google existed.

On 8/1/2016 7:59 PM, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
On 8/1/2016 7:00 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

I took a look at my smaller bar. It is Enderes D-26. Must have bought it
around 2002. It looks very similar to the linked to bar above. Measures
10 inches long. It is illustrated on page 26 in this catalog (30mb):

http://www.enderes.com/catalog/2016Catalog.pdf

...

Thanks - that does look exactly like the one I lost, and am mourning.
G I can't find a seller for it & have emailed Enderes. If not, I'll
get the one at Lowe's & grind it a bit.


Steve at Enderes created a Google map of all the retailers around me
that have ordered the D-26 bar! (That's pretty awesome thing for a
manufacturer to do.) The nearest was 15 minutes away and had the bar.
I bought one and did a little grinding to sharpen it to my taste.

Turns out that Enderes will sell direct (800 number), but local was better.

Thanks,
Bob

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 08:39:57 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:23:58 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

....
Another smaller bar I use is a 5" flat pry bar, with custom tapering
performed by me. Thin and sharp is good.
https://www.zoro.com/dasco-pro-pry-b...22/i/G4391292/

One of these made it into my BOB: http://tinyurl.com/h7ehxl7
It's amazingly strong, sturdy, and stainless. (retapered)

The closest I have to a BOB is the overnight backpack and tool kit in
the car. The kit includes tools for house repairs when I'm visiting.
The small pry bar in it is L shaped for more leverage removing wheel
covers and inner door panels.

Since I have it out, it needs the edges ground and sanded smoother and
Gorilla tape padding to protect the door paint.

When I travelled on a motorcycle I kept watch for the smallest tools
that would do the job. I quickly learned that crosscut wood saws were
far better than a hatchet when camping, so I carried the smallest
hatchet that worked with the impact driver. It's big enough to chop
kindling and sharpen tent stakes, saws do the rest better anyway. I
think it's this:
https://www.amazon.com/Vaughan-Super.../dp/B001HWD4N0

I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

I have a little stainless Firestone hand axe in the truck, plus an HF
folding pruning saw. Makes quick work of thin campfire branches.

I wanted this one: http://tinyurl.com/heny4m2
but ended up with this: http://tinyurl.com/hapv47l
It's a good size/shape for carving and whittling.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-...saw-97343.html

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 11:50:44 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
On 8/2/2016 8:39 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
...
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, ...

Kudos for the fabbing of necessary handles.


I've had such a saw for years & years & years. It is handy to keep
in the car.

The key word for Googling is "folding". E.g., "folding jab saw".


There are now. I made the handle long before Google existed.

Look at this sweetie! http://tinyurl.com/h6cjyq2
That would be damned handy in myriad places & situations.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

On Tue, 02 Aug 2016 17:39:51 -0400
Bob Engelhardt wrote:

On 8/1/2016 7:59 PM, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
On 8/1/2016 7:00 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

[...]

Thanks - that does look exactly like the one I lost, and am mourning.
G I can't find a seller for it & have emailed Enderes. If not, I'll
get the one at Lowe's & grind it a bit.


Steve at Enderes created a Google map of all the retailers around me
that have ordered the D-26 bar! (That's pretty awesome thing for a
manufacturer to do.) The nearest was 15 minutes away and had the bar.
I bought one and did a little grinding to sharpen it to my taste.

Turns out that Enderes will sell direct (800 number), but local was better.

And thanks for the follow up to the story. I read they were under
new ownership and were trying to get things up and running
again so to speak.

I was going to offer you mine if you couldn't locate one. Mine came
either from Home Depot or Menards. Suspect it was HD but too lazy to
try digging through old receipts from many years ago...

Glad it worked out for you. You should try a Wonder Bar too if you
haven't already.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 08:39:57 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

I found one many years ago (~25?) that has worked well. I think it came
from Sears or maybe US General. The later had a store in a local mall
back then. It has a hollow handle with a sliding door. You can keep a
few blades there but not the long ones. The blade holder has two ends
for either style blade. Has two different notched blade positions. It
seems to made from a hard plastic type of material that has proven to
be quite durable.

I took some pictures and put a montage he

http://www.iserv.net/~lfisk/BladeHolder.jpg

During hunting season I use to carry it in pocket/fanny pack with the
blades in the handle. Otherwise it was in one of my toolboxes for work.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 08:39:57 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

I found one many years ago (~25?) that has worked well. I think it
came
from Sears or maybe US General. The later had a store in a local
mall
back then. It has a hollow handle with a sliding door. You can keep
a
few blades there but not the long ones. The blade holder has two
ends
for either style blade. Has two different notched blade positions.
It
seems to made from a hard plastic type of material that has proven
to
be quite durable.

I took some pictures and put a montage he

http://www.iserv.net/~lfisk/BladeHolder.jpg

During hunting season I use to carry it in pocket/fanny pack with
the
blades in the handle. Otherwise it was in one of my toolboxes for
work.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

I made mine as a sheath knife with a belt loop for hiking, around
1980. It disassembles and the hollow tapered handle telescopes over
the aluminum sheath for storage in a small belt pouch. A few years
later much bulkier saw blade handles hit the stores.

The back of the blade doesn't hold a knife edge very well.
--jsw

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 12:41:50 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 08:39:57 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

I found one many years ago (~25?) that has worked well. I think it
came
from Sears or maybe US General. The later had a store in a local
mall
back then. It has a hollow handle with a sliding door. You can keep
a
few blades there but not the long ones. The blade holder has two
ends
for either style blade. Has two different notched blade positions.
It
seems to made from a hard plastic type of material that has proven
to
be quite durable.

I took some pictures and put a montage he

http://www.iserv.net/~lfisk/BladeHolder.jpg

During hunting season I use to carry it in pocket/fanny pack with
the
blades in the handle. Otherwise it was in one of my toolboxes for
work.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

I made mine as a sheath knife with a belt loop for hiking, around
1980. It disassembles and the hollow tapered handle telescopes over
the aluminum sheath for storage in a small belt pouch. A few years
later much bulkier saw blade handles hit the stores.

Nice. Compact and sturdy are Good Things.


The back of the blade doesn't hold a knife edge very well.

Wouldn't imagine it would.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 12:41:50 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

The back of the blade doesn't hold a knife edge very well.

Wouldn't imagine it would.

I had to use a wood cutting blade that was soft enough to file the
teeth for cross-cutting.

I used to have canned gas (white) aka no lead or additives -
and a chain saw, an axe, gloves mask and goggles and a 5 pound hammer
(later a 7) and a set of wood and steel chisels. And a 20' logging
chain. The steel chisels were for wire and cable if a problem.

Used the saw, gas, hammer, steel chisels, chain and a lot of sweat on a
a number of times on trips home over the mountains. After Earthquakes
trees are tipsy and if the rain hits and wind tree falls are constant.

Often there is another that happens along and works on the log across
the road. We would get them safe from rolling and flag them with red
plastic ribbon for the Highway Patrol (CHIPS) to call in tree workers
to take out the downed tree. Sometimes the we would get there as the
pro's were working and we would just watch.

My best pry bar is a 6' green spade with a large flat end. Deflection
is nominal when my weight is on the end.

Martin

On 8/3/2016 9:44 AM, Leon Fisk wrote:
On Tue, 2 Aug 2016 08:39:57 -0400
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

snip
I couldn't find a compact handle for recip saw blades, which are
longer and more useful than pocket knife saws, so I made a flat
aluminum one that attaches with a screw and wingnut. The wingnut
doubles as the handguard.

I found one many years ago (~25?) that has worked well. I think it came
from Sears or maybe US General. The later had a store in a local mall
back then. It has a hollow handle with a sliding door. You can keep a
few blades there but not the long ones. The blade holder has two ends
for either style blade. Has two different notched blade positions. It
seems to made from a hard plastic type of material that has proven to
be quite durable.

I took some pictures and put a montage he

http://www.iserv.net/~lfisk/BladeHolder.jpg

During hunting season I use to carry it in pocket/fanny pack with the
blades in the handle. Otherwise it was in one of my toolboxes for work.

On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 17:31:52 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 3 Aug 2016 12:41:50 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

The back of the blade doesn't hold a knife edge very well.

Wouldn't imagine it would.

I had to use a wood cutting blade that was soft enough to file the
teeth for cross-cutting.

What are you doing filing your own teeth? I thought you said it was a
recip blade, anyway.

A bimetal blade wouldn't have been any better, since they have HSS
teeth on a soft iron back.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

Martin Eastburn fired this volley in
:

My best pry bar is a 6' green spade with a large flat end. Deflection
is nominal when my weight is on the end.


My fave is a "St. Angelo"-style spade-end bar. 6' hex steel with one 2-
1/2" spade and, and the other drawn to a point.

I've never bent it, in decades of stump-pulling and foundation-raising.
Heck, I've cut rock and bricks with it, with no sense that I'd ever damage
anything but the cutting edge, easily-dressed.

Lloyd

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 4.170...
Martin Eastburn fired this volley in
:

My best pry bar is a 6' green spade with a large flat end.
Deflection
is nominal when my weight is on the end.


My fave is a "St. Angelo"-style spade-end bar. 6' hex steel with
one 2-
1/2" spade and, and the other drawn to a point.

I've never bent it, in decades of stump-pulling and
foundation-raising.
Heck, I've cut rock and bricks with it, with no sense that I'd ever
damage
anything but the cutting edge, easily-dressed.

Lloyd

San Angelo bars are great for prying the rocks out of New England
glacial soil but I just found that a Digging bar with a wider,
thinner, sharper chisel end is better for chopping stump roots. The
mushroom on the other end tamps the fill in post holes.

That means I need the San Angelo bar to dig a post hole and the
Digging bar to fill it, since I have both rocks and stumps to remove.

This is nearly useless for serious stump removal.
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-...dle-95005.html
It might be useful to cut brush roots in less stony soil and it isn't
as tiring to use as the solid steel bars. It seemed like it would
remove the bark from a log if I sharpened it; I had only a pine stump
to try that on. Several reviewers liked it for stripping off old floor
tile.
--jsw

On Thu, 04 Aug 2016 04:50:39 -0500, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

Martin Eastburn fired this volley in
:

My best pry bar is a 6' green spade with a large flat end. Deflection
is nominal when my weight is on the end.


My fave is a "St. Angelo"-style spade-end bar. 6' hex steel with one 2-
1/2" spade and, and the other drawn to a point.

I've never bent it, in decades of stump-pulling and foundation-raising.
Heck, I've cut rock and bricks with it, with no sense that I'd ever damage
anything but the cutting edge, easily-dressed.

Those are very nice bars. I've worked with those and the type with
the mushroom end. I prefer the San Angelo's flat cutter for tree
roots, having cut through 4" roots with one when attempting post
holes.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

On Thu, 4 Aug 2016 07:33:42 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
.4.170...
Martin Eastburn fired this volley in
:

My best pry bar is a 6' green spade with a large flat end.
Deflection
is nominal when my weight is on the end.


My fave is a "St. Angelo"-style spade-end bar. 6' hex steel with
one 2-
1/2" spade and, and the other drawn to a point.

I've never bent it, in decades of stump-pulling and
foundation-raising.
Heck, I've cut rock and bricks with it, with no sense that I'd ever
damage
anything but the cutting edge, easily-dressed.

Lloyd

San Angelo bars are great for prying the rocks out of New England
glacial soil but I just found that a Digging bar with a wider,
thinner, sharper chisel end is better for chopping stump roots. The

That's one style I haven't tried for roots. The narrower, offset tip
should work better than the wide, centered tip, I'd imagine.


mushroom on the other end tamps the fill in post holes.

What fill? Don't you mound the crete so it sheds water?


That means I need the San Angelo bar to dig a post hole and the
Digging bar to fill it, since I have both rocks and stumps to remove.

This is nearly useless for serious stump removal.
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-...dle-95005.html
It might be useful to cut brush roots in less stony soil and it isn't
as tiring to use as the solid steel bars. It seemed like it would
remove the bark from a log if I sharpened it; I had only a pine stump
to try that on. Several reviewers liked it for stripping off old floor
tile.

At 5.4#, it would hardly touch live roots and would glance off dead
ones. I bought their larger one (no longer sold) when my lovely
torsion bar didn't make the trip up here to Oregon. I'd forgotten.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 4 Aug 2016 07:33:42 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:
.....
mushroom on the other end tamps the fill in post holes.

What fill? Don't you mound the crete so it sheds water?

I try not to do things I can't easily undo, or repair if damaged by a
wind or ice storm. My posts are part of structures that are joined at
the top and diagonally braced, not free-standing fence posts that need
concrete to hold them upright. If a tree falls on them they can be
rebuilt quickly from spare timbers. Thus the posts rest on flat rocks
in sand-filled holes, except for the more permanent back deck whose
columns sit on 4' deep concrete footings.
--jsw

On Thu, 4 Aug 2016 10:06:10 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 4 Aug 2016 07:33:42 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:
.....
mushroom on the other end tamps the fill in post holes.

What fill? Don't you mound the crete so it sheds water?

I try not to do things I can't easily undo, or repair if damaged by a
wind or ice storm. My posts are part of structures that are joined at
the top and diagonally braced, not free-standing fence posts that need
concrete to hold them upright. If a tree falls on them they can be
rebuilt quickly from spare timbers. Thus the posts rest on flat rocks
in sand-filled holes,

I've never built a pole barn, but I undersand that they do it with the
gravel-bottomed rammed-earth style, similar to the way you mention.
I'm lucky, too, in that I don't even know what the term "frost heave"
means, except from reading about it. g


except for the more permanent back deck whose
columns sit on 4' deep concrete footings.

Galvanized U sunk in the concrete footing, with post on top? Works
well.

--
It is easier to fool people than it is to
convince people that they have been fooled.
--Mark Twain