Testing For Lead

In my pursuit of toolmaking, I don’t want others to come to harm.  I use a lot of odd bits and bobs to make things with.  Brass and bronze have a special appeal.   The problem is that these items can be full of lead.  Leaded brass is easy to work and polishes up with ease.

As long as no one looks over your shoulder or cares about the dangers, there are a lot of good reasons for a business to use leaded materials.    Since compassion is only allowed in publicly traded companies when it is dictated by law, or demonstrably more profitable, it is just not safe to assume the products we buy are safe.

 10$ and free shipping for 8 test swabs is a bargain  considering that what you don’t know can make you and your children stupid and irrational. (Free shipping on $25+ orders, so you will have to get a few other items.   Getting this marshmallow gun with it will still leave you 2 cents short.)

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April 30th, 2012 | Category: Chemistry, Environment, Hand Tools, Injustice, Metalworking, Tool Making, Tools, Toxins, Woodworking | 8 comments

A Wonderful and Free Tool Cabinet Plan!

Taunton Press has been kind enough to give a superb  Fine Woodworking cabinet design away!

 

I think it is great!  Inexpensive, pretty, and able to hold a large collection of tools.   It has great tool visibility and uses a minimum of hardware to make.   Jan Zoltowski has done a brilliant job of refining the basic tool cabinet design.

While I am not a purist, I am a predominantly hand tool user and this is a hand tool cabinet, so I see this  from a hand tool users perspective.   If you look through my blog you will find more than one tool storage design.  You will also see where I have critiqued my own designs fairly severely.   I am apparently never satisfied with my own tool storage.   So don’t take my snarking on this cabinet as a deal breaker.  It is still a great design and with a bit of modification would be a near perfect design.

Continue reading A Wonderful and Free Tool Cabinet Plan!

April 29th, 2012 | Category: Hand Tools, Tool Box, Tools, Tutorials, Woodworking | 4 comments

Hex Bit Sockets and What is possible Now

The first time I used a quick release socket it was a revelation.  I had seen the notch set up for them, but not the adapter.   For me being able to replace a bit, or use multiple bits, and not have them fall out at the first opportunity was wonderful.

Since then I have sought the perfect one.  Perfect may not be possible, but there are two of them that make me happy.   One is an adapter, and one is a creation of my own.

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April 25th, 2012 | Category: Hand Tools, Power Tools, Tool Making, Tools, Woodworking | 7 comments

A Lifestyle Woodworker – Paul Sellers Blog

I rather love the web site, http://paulsellers.com./

The results of Paul Sellers’ sharpening methods are simple and sound, and the results of  his philosophy are shiny and sharp. Or maybe the other way around. In any case his advice is worthy of study.

One theme you will see over and over in my blog is the range of tools for a tool kit.  Paul Sellers’ list is another nice one to examine.

Mr. Sellers also has a fairly extensive presence on YouTube. If you want to learn fine and effective methods for using hand tools to craft wood, Paul Sellers is one of the better sources of old school and up to date methods that you can find.

Bob

April 23rd, 2012 | Category: Hand Tools, Tutorials, Woodworking | 2 comments

A Spherification Rack, A quickly made Fixture from Split Prone Cedar.

Creme De Menthe Caviar on Haagen Dazs Vanilla Ice Creme

 

Sometimes you need to do molecular gastronomy, and you need to do it now!

Spherification is a rather nifty process where you react juice with sodium alginate in it and a calcium containing fluid to make little juice filled gelatin balls.

While adding sodium anything to your diet should always be questioned, sodium alginate has been shown to help lower retention and absorption of lead, mercury, and some other bad stuff. Depending on your situation a little bit every now and then might be quite good for you.   The entire reason I am doing this is to reduce the effect of some of my past exposure to lead and mercury.  I have been a technician for a long time and have ample opportunity for exposure.

There are reasons to fear sodium alginate and reasons to want sodium alginate in your diet. Spherification is one way to get a small amount every now and then.

The basic method of spherification is to drop drips of sodium alginate bearing juice into a bath of calcium chloride. To make a lot of them quickly you need to be able to make a lot of drops quickly. One method is to make a spherification rack.

Continue reading A Spherification Rack, A quickly made Fixture from Split Prone Cedar.

April 18th, 2012 | Category: Chemistry, Hand Tools, Recipes, Tool Making, Tools, Tutorials, Woodworking | Leave a comment
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