Miniature Tool Collection

[flyingtractors1]

I've decided to start a new thread to announce my collection of miniature tools and the tool board / box and work bench I built to display them. I'm also working on a video that will hopefully show more detail.  Ralph

[dsquire]

Ralph

There is not much to say about that except

Cheers 

Don

[flyingtractors1]

Thanks Don.  Thought I'd add a pic of these huge thumbs just for scale.  This hammer and the plane in front were cast in solid gold. Other pieces include silver, brass and gold with exotic wood handles on some pieces.   Ralph

[vtsteam]

Looks Great!!!   

[Mayhem]

I'm glad you put the thumb in for scale, as I wouldn't have guessed they were that small from the original pic.  That sure is a nice collection and example of craftsmanship at its finest.

Thanks for sharing

[flyingtractors1]

Thanks vtsteam and Maymem.  I think that I've got the video part figured out.  Ralph

[Rob.Wilson]

  Bloody hell Ralph ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Thats one truly impressive set of tools   

I also like the way in which you have decided to make a workbench and tool board as it makes for a cracking display 

Nice touch with the metal work vice , any chance of a close up photo of the tools in the left hand wing 


Rob

[Bangkok Mick]

That’s an amazing collection.

Cheers Mick

[flyingtractors1]

Thanks Mic and Rob.  A couple of close ups.  Ralph

[Rob.Wilson]

Thanks for posting the photos Ralph 

gobsmacked ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, just excellent 


Rob

[flyingtractors1]

Got the video figured out.?  Ralph

[Kjelle]

 

Fantastic...

Like someone wrote in another thread, Rivett608 over om Practical Machinist site does something like you... Can someone that's a member over there send him a link to this thread?

Kjelle

[doubleboost]

Hi
Ralph
Amazing work
The video is great (even the wife was impressed)
That is a collection that will be handed down to future generations
John

[krv3000]

good post 

[flyingtractors1]

Thought I'd add a couple new pics.  Ralph

Marking Gauge, T Bevel and Square



Stair Maker Saws

[flyingtractors1]

I finally got a "New" set of chisels for my collection - case hardened steel with walnut handles.  Ralph

[vtsteam]

I was going to say you'll need some lignum vitae for a mallet, but then saw the metal ferules instead of leather buttons, so I figure these can take a hammer, like Japanese chisels.

They look fine! -- Nice job on the sockets!

[raynerd]

Wow, really lovely. Can you tell us more about how you cast the hammer in gold?
Chris

[flyingtractors1]

Thanks vtsteam and Chris.  I had meant to post a pic for scale reference.  I   actually have created some scale  wooden mallets and hammers also.  Ralph

[flyingtractors1]

Well Chris, thanks for your interest.  It's a long story - the lost wax process.  But it's something like this  -
 The lost wax casting method is one in which a form of the part (a hammer head) is carved of wax and placed in a container with investment (a plaster of Paris mix) surrounding the wax model in the container. Air bubbles are vacuumed out. Then the  wax is then melted out leaving a cavity in the shape of the wax model in the plaster mold which is then cured in high heat, and molten metal is poared into the cavity yielding a solid metal version of the original wax model which is then finely filed, sanded and polished. A Rubber mold can be made, and by injecting wax into that cavity, wax patterns can result allowing the process to be repeated for any number of copies. Sorry this got so wordy. I'll try to do a pictoral build documentation. Ralph
 

[vtsteam]

Didn't know about casting additional wax patterns in rubber -- thanks for that bit of info!

Hardly wordy... by my standards anyway.

[Meldonmech]

Hi Ralph,
                  What a lovely collection you have built, complete with bench and  toolbox. You must be very proud of what you have achieved.
                                                    Well Done    David

[flyingtractors1]

Thanks David.  I am pleased with the collection and proud that my grandson has been so instrumental in its development.  He will long remember the days that he helped his grandpa with it.  That is the ultimate in this hobby.  Ralph

[flyingtractors1]

I've found a rendering from years ago describing how to cast a hammer.  This is not the lost wax process that  I mentioned above.  It is more like a sand casting process, but it uses plaster instead of sand.  This is the process that I employed when I first started building miniature tools.  Ralph

[vtsteam]

Cool drawings!