Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
CAS TOPICS => The Leather Shop => Topic started by: Marshal Will Wingam on September 15, 2023, 05:44:40 PM
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I came by a couple ceramic door knobs in beautiful condition. No scratches or flaws, other than one minor bump in the finish on one that I stoned off with a gunsmiths stone then polished. I've been wanting to make a bouncer/pounder/burnisher/etc. for a while. Bouncers are used in saddle making but in my hands this one will be used one for a burnisher.
I rummaged around and found an unused hollow-bodied plastic file handle. I also found a 7/16" bolt long enough to go through the handle. The head of the bolt was yellow so it probably came from a long-lost Caterpillar tractor. In my Harley parts box I found an acorn nut and washer that fit the bolt.
The end of the handle had a shallow taper to it so I flattened that off so the nut & washer would fit flat on the end. I cut the head end off the bolt just long enough to go into the knob, through the handle and have 6 extra threads sticking out. Then I drilled the file handle to 7/16". I ground the unthreaded end of the bolt square so it would fit in one of the door knobs and drilled and tapped the bolt to 8-32, just like the original square lock shaft the door knob would fit on. I rummaged around in my aircraft hardware pan and found the right length flat head machine screw for it.
(https://i.imgur.com/OfqkZgo.jpg)
The hollow handle is just roomy enough to fit over the shaft on a knob.
(https://i.imgur.com/sj9uaeV.jpg)
To assemble it, I put the bolt into the door knob and secured it with the screw. Then I slipped the file handle on and snugged it in place with the acorn nut. Boom! One bouncer.
(https://i.imgur.com/aWlMDwC.jpg)
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What an ingenious way to make a useful tool out of things a person might normally discard. Many thanks for sharing this with us.
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What an ingenious way to make a useful tool out of things a person might normally discard. Many thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks, but it isn't my idea. It's an old time tool to make. Bruce Johnson has some for sale on his website here (https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/slickers-bouncers-smashers-burnishers-sale/). He also has the Osborn fitter's hammers, too.
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The darn thing kept rolling around the work bench. Rather than having to looking for it, I sanded four flats on the narrow end of the handle using the spindle sander with the belt attachment. Took all of about 2 minutes. Now it stays put.
(https://i.imgur.com/qilq9OU.jpg)
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A very simple fix to an irritating problem. It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness?
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A very simple fix to an irritating problem. It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness?
Thanks, John. Yes, it is better to light a candle.
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Marshal, could you post a photo of it in use? Trying to get an idea of how it’s used.
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Marshal, could you post a photo of it in use? Trying to get an idea of how it’s used.
I am going to use it to burnish the back side of a project where a smooth flesh side is desired. In the photo I'm burnishing the back of a scrap by rubbing it with Gum Trag.
(https://i.imgur.com/peQFEYE.jpg)
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Will, thank you.
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Very interesting tool Marshal. I always use a piece of deer antler but this seems like a great tool for larger areas.
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Thanks, Cliff. I haven't used antler so I can't compare. I do like this one for burnishing large areas, though. It's easy to hold and you can run it around in any direction easily. I've been using the polished, rounded edge of a piece of mahogany. I think this will get the job done faster. You can really bear down on it if you like but it doesn't seem to need that. I'll have to make something soon that needs the back burnished to know for sure.
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Finally got to check out this whole thread and comments. Pretty neat tool.
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Thanks, it's pretty effective, Rube. It's a good one to have.