Techniques

Methods, processes or procedures

3dPrinting

Printing using a 3D printer
3dPrinting

Blacksmithing

Forging and other techniques used in blacksmithing
Blacksmithing

CAD

Design of parts, assemblies or circuits using a computer
CAD

Casting

Casting of aluminium in the flowerpot furnace
Casting

CNC


CNC

Cutting


Cutting

Drilling


Drilling

Fabrication

Assembling metals using welding or fastenings
Fabrication

Grinding


Grinding

Heat Treatment


Heat Treatment

Machining


Machining

Measuring


Measuring

Milling

Milling is machining things using a rotating tool. Typically this is done using a milling machine but with a bit of ingenuity it also be done in the lathe.
Milling

Sharpening


Sharpening

Trepanning

Cutting a circular groove or hole leaving the centre material in place or forming a separate disk. A more efficient technique that boring or drilling in that it removes less material
Trepanning

Turning


Turning

Welding

Welding HistoryRTech Welding
When I was an apprentice at Dowty we were sent to Stroud College to learn some specialist skills and complete an electronics project. We decided to build a tracking solar panel that followed the sun. For this we needed a framework to support our mocked up panel. So I temporarily joined the metal work class and watched the demonstration of lots of different types of welding. I also learnt how to braze using Oxy-Acetylene. I practiced this on the framework for the tracker.

More recently I attended an evening class at Chelsea College of Art and Design with some other beginner welders where I built a giant flea sculpture using MIG welding.

After doing some research I bought a small DC TIG welder from R-Tech Welding who I also use for welding supplies. The reason for picking this is that it’s has less sparks so is safer for my small workshop and can be used on a wide variety of sizes of steel. I did not need to use the welder in a lot of different places so transporting the argon tank is not an issue. I have used this welder for variety welding projects in my workshop shed which you can see listed below. If you use MIG or TIG then I can definitely recommend getting a large refillable gas canister (in my case argon) as the small disposable canisters will run out quickly and it will become expensive very quickly. I found that even for a quick project such as my Obelisks that required multiple canisters.
Welding

Woodworking


Woodworking

Work Holding


Work Holding

Articles

Casting Article

Casting Article

This week I discovered that another of my articles had been published. Model Engineer’s Workshop had published my piece of sand casting using 3D printed patterns and aluminium, for some reason the article does not appear in the table of

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Woodwork, metalwork and a lucky find

Woodwork, metalwork and a lucky find

Some good news this week, my latest article has been published in HackSpace #12. I teamed up with The Kuriologist to make an interactive candy bowl in the style of a Monkey Skull. Also, 4 of my projects made it into “Book

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Self tapping vs. Thread cutting screws.

Self tapping vs. Thread cutting screws.

Bespoke furniture maker Jamie Hubbard asked on twitter the other day if anyone knew the name of the following screw which he’d dug out of an old car light fitting. I thought they looked very like the screws you get

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