Recent Articles Drill Bits Date: 1/11/2018 2:44:43 AM Blenders and Food Processors Date: 12/4/2016 1:35:00 AM Wood Chisels Date: 1/23/2016 10:47:00 PM Handsaws Date: 1/13/2016 12:18:39 AM More on Chains Date: 10/31/2015 7:02:28 PM Reel Style Lawn Mowers Date: 8/12/2015 1:14:14 AM Working with chainsaws Date: 8/9/2015 10:18:53 PM Old Tools Need Not Be Forgotten Date: 8/5/2014 1:42:00 PM Rust Date: 11/24/2013 2:40:00 PM Winter is Coming Date: 10/18/2013 1:39:00 PM Rummage Sales Date: 9/27/2013 1:38:00 PM Farmers Market Date: 6/3/2013 1:38:00 PM Kitchen Knive Sharpening Date: 5/16/2013 1:37:00 PM Farmers Market Date: 5/13/2013 1:36:00 PM The Great Outdoors Date: 5/7/2013 1:35:00 PM Lawn Mowing Blade Sharpening Date: 4/25/2013 1:35:00 PM Mini Blades Date: 4/20/2013 1:31:00 PM Chisels Date: 4/14/2013 1:22:00 PM Playing with Sharp Objects Date: 4/5/2013 1:04:00 PM Shovels and Trowels Date: 4/4/2013 1:02:00 PM
Stay Sharp Drill Bits Date: 1/11/2018 2:44:43 AM DRILL BITS In the past few weeks I have been getting a lot of inquiries about sharpening drills. I will try to explain the way we sharpen them and why there are times when I will suggest another service to do the work. First there are read more Blenders and Food Processors Date: 12/4/2016 1:35:00 AM Blenders and food processors work better and with less strain on the motor when the blades are kept sharp/ read more Wood Chisels Date: 1/23/2016 10:47:00 PM Wood Chisels With modern technology, many of the old school woodworking tools have become less used and often left to sit rusting on a shelf or hung on the wall above the tool bench. One tool that is still used by many craftsmen today is the read more Handsaws Date: 1/13/2016 12:18:39 AM Hand Saws The two types of handsaws are the Crosscut and the Rip saw. They both use the same means to determine how they cut through the wood. Most homeowners will have only the crosscut style in their arsenal of DIY tools. Very people read more More on Chains Date: 10/31/2015 7:02:28 PM When changing a chain on your chainsaw, there are a few things you can do to help save a little in the future. The first thing would be to clean all the debris out from behind the chain cover. This is easily done by taking a stiff bristled brush, such as a chip brush and brushing all the junk out. Make sure to remove the guide bar and clean the area where the bar oil comes out of the motor head. Because of the oil flowing in this area, it tends to build up with dust that can plug or restrict the lubrication to the chain. Once you have this cleaned out it will be easier to see what is going on when you reassemble the saw. It is also good practice to check the drive sprocket for wear. This is important as if the drive links of the chain do not fit correctly into the sprocket, it will damage the links, when the links are damaged, they will wear the groove in the guide bar sometimes opening it up a little which could allow the chain to slip out during use. Make sure the chain you are putti ... read more Reel Style Lawn Mowers Date: 8/12/2015 1:14:14 AM Several years ago there was a push for people to go green and cut back on the natural resources we use in our d read more Working with chainsaws Date: 8/9/2015 10:18:53 PM When I am out in the field sharpening or making deliveries, I get the opportunity to talk with people about many different things that we do in the shop. When asked if we sharpen saw chains, I always say yes. This will lead to questions about why chains act the way they do. Recently, I was asked why a new chain would not stay on the bar. The chain was tensioned according to the paperwork that came with it, but as soon as he squeezed the trigger on the saw the chain would fly off. The original chain would no longer cut in a straight line, so he bought another chain. He said he picked up the same size chain for the bar, but it seemed to be too tight when he took the slack out of it. I had him bring the saw over so I could check a few things for him. As soon as I took the chain off I realized what the problem was. Although the chain was for a 16” ba ... read more Old Tools Need Not Be Forgotten Date: 8/5/2014 1:42:00 PM Every so often we come across something that we find interesting and think about bringing it back to a useful life. Recently we found just such an item in a garage. Leaning against the wall as if forgotten and slowly rusting away, was a two man cross cut saw. The handles were missing, but it seemed to be in fairly good condition, overall. read more Rust Date: 11/24/2013 2:40:00 PM Rusty Hedge Shears. This pair of shears came in and sparked a blog entry. Many times we see things like this come in and get excited about the challenge. They were forgotten and left out during the rains we had a few weeks ago. What most would see read more Winter is Coming Date: 10/18/2013 1:39:00 PM Now that the gardening season is coming to and end, there are some things you can do to make next years season a little more enjoyable. Before putting all those favorite tools to rest for the winter months, take time to clean all the dirt and grime off them. Look over the cutting or working edges and have the ones needing attention touched up. Lastly but just as important is to put a light layer of oil on the surface. This can be either a light weight oil or spray a little cooking oil on them. This will not only help keep the rust down, but will also make them easier to use next season. read more Rummage Sales Date: 9/27/2013 1:38:00 PM While driving around, I sometimes stop and see what there is at yard sales in the area. There are always those gems that people have no use for anymore and they can't think of putting them in the trash. The ones that really get my attention are those who are moving and find they no longer have a need for the older hand tools. I have also seen many people moving into apartments or condo's and will no longer need the gardening tools they collected over the years. read more Farmers Market Date: 6/3/2013 1:38:00 PM I'd like to share some of the benefits of shopping at the local Farmers Markets. Not only will you find quality produce and crafts, but you are helping your neighbors make a living, or augment their finances. All the money spent at the markets stays within the communities the vendors sell from. Some of the crafts are unlike any you will find in the big box stores, and in many cases you can order things from these craftspeople and get much better quality at a fair price. read more Kitchen Knive Sharpening Date: 5/16/2013 1:37:00 PM If you are one of those people who enjoy spending time in the kitchen trying new recipes or inventing new dishes of your own, Then this article is for you. The one most important tool in ant kitchen is the knife. They come is all sorts of styles and sizes, and each one has a different use. The one thing they all have in common is to preform the tasks they were designed to do they need to have a clean sharp edge. read more Farmers Market Date: 5/13/2013 1:36:00 PM We are once again joining the ranks of the Rock County Farmers Market. We will once again be at Natures Touch Garden Center on Hwy 11 just south of Janesville. Check out the website for the market to get full details on the times and dates. read more The Great Outdoors Date: 5/7/2013 1:35:00 PM First of all when setting up the camper or camp equipment, start with the cookware you are going to use. If you don't have a box with a cover that protects your camp kitchen knives, make a cardboard sleeve to put them in when they are not in use. Not only will this help keep you from cutting yourself when reaching into a box or drawer full of loose utensils, but it will also protect the cutting edge of the knife. When the knives are sharp, cooking tends to be more enjoyable. Not only the knives should be kept in a sleeve when not in use, but any utensil that has a cutting edge. read more Lawn Mowing Blade Sharpening Date: 4/25/2013 1:35:00 PM Most people are not aware that there are many styles and shapes of lawn mower blades as there are brand names of the mowers. Some mowing decks will have only one blade, but there are also many that have two and three blades under the deck. The common things here is that they all need to be sharp in order for them to do a good job at making your lawn look great. A blade is sharp not when it has a razor edge, but when it is ground or filed to about the sharpness of a butter knife. Although it is preferable to have no nicks along the cutting edge, Some sharpeners, will only remove enough to maintain a good cutting edge. Only the first 1.5 to 2.5 inches of the blade are actually cutting, therefore this is the most critical area on the blade. However even in this area it is not necessary to remove all the nicks and dings. The blade will perform very well if the nicks are slowly removed over several sharpenings, and the need to replace them is also extended when they are sharpened out ... read more Mini Blades Date: 4/20/2013 1:31:00 PM This week we received a challenge from Keith in Janesville. Both he and his wife work with very intricate items, and use some really neat little tools. As you can see from the picture above, this time it was a 2 inch miniature table saw blade read more Chisels Date: 4/14/2013 1:22:00 PM A chisel is a fine cutting instrument that needs to have a razor sharp edge. It is useful for counter sinking hinges on doors, as well as cleaning out the corners of several types of wood working joints. When the cutting edge becomes dull or nicked, the finished cut will need extra steps to ensure a proper fit. As these cuts are difficult and in many cases impossible to make with a saw or router, the chisel has always been a handy tool to have in the woodworkers collection. read more Playing with Sharp Objects Date: 4/5/2013 1:04:00 PM Every once in a while we get in something we consider a little special. In this case a customer asked if we could re-tip a throwing knife. The challenge here is the knife needs to be balanced when we are done with it. This knife was missing about 1/4" off the tip. The first step was to figure out where the balance point of the knife was and try to keep it in the same place, or as close as possible. read more Shovels and Trowels Date: 4/4/2013 1:02:00 PM With each use the cutting edge gets worn a little more. Hitting rocks and gravel can take a toll on the business end of these trusty ground tools. Before using them each year, take a gook look at them. Check the handles for wear and rot. Although the wooden handles will last for years, they do become weak in time. If there are major cracks in the handle consider a replacement handle instead of replacing the whole shovel. Check the pricing on the handles, sometimes you can get a new shovel for less than a good hickory handle will cost. read more