Tim McTigue Posted April 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I plan to use a piece of ceramic tile between the iron and the base, plus have the iron up off the base by about 1/4" (i.e. a 1/4" of open space under the iron). I figure that should remove any worries about heat damage to the base, which I'm planning to make out of wood. I will definitely have to complete this soon, as the work on the belly is proceeding at break-neck pace compared to the back. I may be in position to do purfling by this weekend... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Molnar Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I've always wondered what that fiber gasket might be. It wouldn't be asbestos, would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.B.Fiddler Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I wondered if it were asbestos as well. My dad use to use asbestos sheets to solder on, but they were thinner, denser black sheets. They were fiberous, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andres Sender Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 Darren--I think that's unlikely. There are many synthetics that work adequately as heat barriers. Kevlar fiber and PTFE plastic among them. Some of these can be found at McMaster-Carr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMM22 Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 On the IBEX, it looks like ceramic fiber to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andres Sender Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 Cool stuff, that, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davet Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I'm using some backing board that is used with the installation of ceramic tile. It's about 3/8" thick, has some type of fibers in it, waterproof, and cuts similar to wallboard or gypsum board. Probably has gypsum or CaSO4 in it but it is stronger and does not dust or come apart like wall board. I'm using two boards thick. Also I put some steel washers around the mounting screws as spacers between the wood case and this tile backing board to further insulate the wood from the bending iron base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andres Sender Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 That's overkill IMO. It's metal-to-wood contact that's the worry, and if the insulation can withstand contact with the hot metal at all it will work without being thick or itself isolated. Remember that mounting screws will also transmit heat. Apparently this is not an issue with the Ibex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McTigue Posted April 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 quote: Originally posted by: Andres Sender Remember that mounting screws will also transmit heat. Apparently this is not an issue with the Ibex? Hmm. Hadn't thought of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andres Sender Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I'm not sure how much of an issue it is, but if you want to be extra careful you could have your mounting screws (machine screws I assume) go through oversized holes in the wood so they don't touch. Get some PTFE washers from Mcmaster-carr and use those to insulate the iron on one side, and the nuts on the other side, so there's no metal-to-wood contact. Plot it all out ahead of time so you choose the exact right size of washers. Or perhaps you can find ceramic fiber products to use in a similar way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_A_T_T Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 quote: Originally posted by: Andres Sender Remember that mounting screws will also transmit heat. Apparently this is not an issue with the Ibex? They just go through holes in the wood and are anchored by a nut and washer each. It doesn't seem to be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McTigue Posted April 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Getting close now. Almost done the grunt work (and, in this case, that's a very accurate name!). Hope to be ready to take it for a spin this weekend or early next week. I think its first task (test task) will be to bend some linings. I've arranged the waste aluminum in the foreground - I do think this'll keep me in bar stock for a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davet Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Earlier in this thread there was a safety discussion on the aluminum dust. Another safety item would be the final shaping of the bending iron. Presumably everyone is aware that using a grinding wheel/grinder on aluminum is not recommended. Filing (as Tim is doing) and using a belt sander (as Chet et al have suggested) is the safe way. The stone wheel in a grinder can load up with aluminum and throw the balance of the wheel off. This imbalance can lead to disaster. I haven't personally tested this but would suggest it isn't one that you should try at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McTigue Posted April 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Even a file can load up. Anyone have a good tip for getting the aluminum out of a file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strauzart Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Tweezers???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil_004 Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 File card. If it is really stuck you can pick at it with a sharpened stick. Regular cleaning with a file card is much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Rice Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Tim, I'm no metalsmith, but I think for working on soft metals, such as brass and aluminum, some people load the file with chalk to prevent the metal from getting imbedded. not especially related to this discussion. but I sawed some aluminum alloy sheet recently with a sabre saw, and the aluminum actually seemed to weld itself into the gullets of the blade! I couldn't remove it. I had to either get a new blade or use a new portion of the old blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.B.Fiddler Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Hi Tim, What was the size of the block you started with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iburkard Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Chalk is your friend... so is the file card/brush combo. You should be able to purchase one for a few dollars, depending on how the $ is doing these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McTigue Posted April 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Thanks, guys, that chalk idea sounds like something I'll have to try next time. I have to admit, when I first read "file card", I thought of the 3X5 kind, and went, "...huh???", but then I remembered what "carding wool" meant, and the light went on. I guess for now I'll continue to use a broken hacksaw blade, it works okay, and next time I'll definitely try the chalk trick... C.B. the block was originally 3"x3", and 4" high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andres Sender Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Tim--do your files a favor and don't use the hacksaw blade. Endgrain of a piece of wood works usually and is kinder to the file. (spruce works well as I recall). Chalk's a good idea but as I recall with the coarse file I used for this I didn't have a problem with loading. Maybe it was the particular alloy (no idea what it was). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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