Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Yet Another Use For Handscrews


Here's another frequent task in my shop that a handscrew accomplishes with ease. Whenever I brand a creation, I use a propane torch to heat my branding iron. My torch is rather tippy and a handscrew gently tightened at an angle around the base, trapping the cylinder between the two jaws and the front screw, much like a bit in a three jawed chuck, holds it nicely. This setup gives it the hands-free stability I need to safely ignore it and focus on not messing up the branding process.


I guess you could do something similar with another type of clamp, but the round gas tank would make getting a firm hold, without squeezing too hard, a challenge. Also, the handscrew, with its large flat faces, makes for a more stable footprint than other clamps.

PS - The fire extinguisher is just out of photo to the left - in my shop, when the torch comes out to play, so does the extinguisher.


5 comments:

  1. LOL.....thanks for the Post Script....I was wondering where the Fire Extinguisher was in the picture. Fire safety is key in a wood shop!

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  2. wow, a branding iron, that is cool. I can't remember that you have ever mentioned in your blog. Or did I miss it?

    And fine use of a hand screw, Dan. My hand screw is temporarily (read: for six months now) stabilizing my shelf..

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  3. CP - I agree - too much to burn, too easily, especially shavings. Thanks for commenting.

    Michael - Thanks, and the branding iron post is here. One of these days I've got to get a better, and easier to find, search feature. There is one hiding in the upper left corner of the blog.

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  4. Branding iron: Ah-ha!!! I've been trying to come up with a good way to mark my tools and creations: a branding iron might be the way to go...


    --GG

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