Wet Grinder

   / Wet Grinder #22  
Boondox:

I can see that quite a few folks here are into woodworking. Though I prefer metal, my brother-in-law, the younger one, is a woodworker by profession.

He built a ranch home and converted the complete house into a wood shop. Next time I get over that way, I'll take some pictures inside. I think he uses all Delta-Rockwell woodworking machines. Ocassionally, I make jigs and fixtures for him that he uses in the production of his banjo's.

http://members.aol.com/banjobart/
 
   / Wet Grinder #23  
I wish I had Rockler near me. Good Company ...
Leo
 
   / Wet Grinder
  • Thread Starter
#24  
Boondox,
All I had to do was make a call to the sharpening service and found that they wanted $60 to sharpen the 4 chipper blades for my Bearcat and I knew I could justify this purchase, no problem. I have a wood lathe and jointer that I can use this for as well. Not to mention all the other hand tools I can use this with. I am going to have to make a new jig for my chipper blades because they are too big for the one that came with the grinder. Should be a fairly simple project.

5030,
For many years, I worked next door to a guitar maker. When I first met him, I thought, what an interesting hobby. I wonder what he does for a day job. Turns out, he was in the top 5 classical guitar builders in the world. He has up to a 10 year waiting list for his guitars and they sell for double what he sells them for, once they are on the street. I had many discussions with him about "supply economics", but he is truly a musician at heart. Anyway, all of his shop is jigs. Almost all made from wood. He has the most simple equipment. A 1940's Craftsman table saw for example. One day I asked to borrow a tape measure. He didn't have one in his shop. He had a micrometer, which he uses often, but nothing so crude as a tape measure. It's all done with jigs and some of the most coordinated hands I have ever seen. If interested, do a Google on Ruck guitars and you can see some of his work. Way off topic, but I found this guy to be very interesting.

Greg
 
   / Wet Grinder #25  
Daryl: that was nice to see! My dad had a similar lathe, from circa 1945, that had been in an airport machine shop where he spent much of his working life. When they shut down in the 70's, he got the lathe and a ton of tooling, along with all the DC-9 hardware he thought he could possibly use. I still have some of that, and my brother has the lathe. Too heavy for me to move around. His has a longer bed, I think. I remember finishing some 28" long pieces of cherry on it, when I couldn't get the perfection I wanted on a wood lathe.
 
   / Wet Grinder #26  
Just so happens that my brother-in-law is in the top 5 custom banjo builders in the United States too.

He's also the 2nd largest manufacturer of open backed banjo's.

An interesting thing is that we have a picture so-to-speak, of all the mother-of-pearl scraps that are left over from the inlays. It's pretty interesting.

I have one of his banjo's, I play a little Bluegrass. I like Earl Scruggs. My fingers are a little too stiff for much pick'in though.
 
   / Wet Grinder #27  
I believe you could get a 9" SB Workshop lathe in a 3 or 4 foot bed.

During the 40's and 50's, South Bend Lathe Works turned out 9" machines by the truckload. The particular machine that I have sold for about $300.00 new.

I often wonder what happened to all of them. I think that most probably wound up on the scrap heap. They are a really nice little machine although somewhat crude by today's standards.

South Bend Lathe Works, after many years of faltering on the brink of bankruptcy, was finally bought by the LeBlond Company about 1-1/2 years ago.
 
   / Wet Grinder #28  
"Ocassionally, I make jigs and fixtures for him that he uses in the production of his <font color="red">banjo's." </font>

OK....
Now you've got my ear!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
   / Wet Grinder #29  
<font color="blue">"Just so happens that my brother-in-law is in the top 5 custom banjo builders in the United States too. He's also the 2nd largest manufacturer of open backed banjo's. I have one of his banjo's, I play a little Bluegrass. I like Earl cruggs. My fingers are a little too stiff for much pick'in though.
</font>

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
   / Wet Grinder #30  
Gary:

You butchered Earl's last name, but I'll forgive ya.

Betcha didn't know a Yankee like me had an ear for Bluegrass music did you? Actually, it's sort of part of the family so-to-speak.

If you remember, a few months ago we discussed stringed instruments in another thread. I posted some pictures of my machines, maybe I should post my or should I say Barts' banjo? It was a birthday gift, however, I am sure I could never part with it. He'd kill me!!
 
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