Author Topic: So there I was, hacksawing away...  (Read 7684 times)

Offline Allen Smithee

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So there I was, hacksawing away...
« on: November 18, 2014, 11:23:33 AM »
...at a piece of mild steel clamped in the vice, listening to Radio 4 and happy as Larry, when suddenlt the cut stopped feeling "clean". I assumed the saw blade had lost some teeth or something so I stopped and examined the blade - it was fine. So I started sawing again, but it didn't feel right. I wondered if the job had come loose in the vice, so a grabbed it and gave it a bit of a wobble. Next thing I know I'm holding the vice to stop the whole thing vanishing through the bench which seemed to have developed a sink-hole:



This is the bench left by the previous owner of the house, and closer examination showed a rather severe attack of woodworm. I've given ity a coat of woodworm-killer, but I'm thinking the whole bench would probably benefit from a new surface layer glued on top. It's 15' long by 2'6" wide, so that's going to be cheap...
 
>:(

AS
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Offline Jo

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2014, 11:37:39 AM »
...at a piece of mild steel clamped in the vice, listening to Radio 4 and happy as Larry,

Careful: next you will be admitting to being an Archers fan  :ShakeHead:

Wood worm that likes chipboard  :( a new work top is called for.

Jo
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Offline Stuart

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2014, 11:46:05 AM »
Take it out and burn it PDQ it the only cure for certain. You never know that wood worm may get a taste for steel :facepalm:

Hope it's not a wooden workshop  :toilet_claw: the best stuff to sort it is now banned in it's good full fat state is creosote but it stinks the place out

Your title brought back a memory from my school days about 1960 ish . We did metal work classes well one guy , no girls at our school . Was sawing a bit of metal with a hacksaw with his finger behind the work to stop it making a noise , he got halfway though the said finger before he realised , thank goodness we actually did first aid lessons as part of our studies


Stuart
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Offline Jim Nic

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2014, 12:24:21 PM »
My local Wickes DIY shed has a "casualty" section where I picked up a shop soiled Formica (or whatever the ersatz EU current equivalent is) covered kitchen worktop of about the size you need for £20.  Be a good woodworm who chomped his way through that!
Jim
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Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2014, 12:47:08 PM »
My local Wickes DIY shed has a "casualty" section where I picked up a shop soiled Formica (or whatever the ersatz EU current equivalent is) covered kitchen worktop of about the size you need for £20.  Be a good woodworm who chomped his way through that!
Jim

Can you ask them to shopsoil one for me in a nice plain grey colour?

AS
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Offline pgp001

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2014, 01:07:52 PM »
I got a three metre length of kitchen worktop that had a slight mark on it from our local kitchen unit firm.
I think from memory they charged me £20.

Phil

Offline Jasonb

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2014, 01:29:54 PM »
If its 2'6" wide then get some old fire doors from an office refurb or similar. My benches are all 2hr 54mm thick doors :)

Arbalest

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2014, 06:14:18 PM »
Woodworm on Chipboard?! Gosh they must be mutant woodworms!  :Jester: As said, rip it all out and burn it. I'm not a fan of Chipboard, Sterling-board or MDF, I prefer Ply or solid wood but depends on your budget or what's available.

Offline LittleGhost

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2015, 01:29:11 PM »
the best stuff to sort it is now banned in it's good full fat state is creosote but it stinks the place out




Stuart

You might be happy to know that you can still get the real stuff! I live in Scotland in a rural farming area, we have a farm supply type shop called TARFF VALLEY FARMERS they are a chain of shops and sell mostly farm stuff including  REAL Creosote!! My dad got some and on the side of the container (25ltr) it says for industrial use only and recommends creocote (the mickey mouse stuff) for domestic situations.
My dad has used this stuff from way way back and swears its the real deal, so it is out there and maybe if you have a farm supply shop near by you can get them to get it, it is not cheap however
Anything that goes wrong is to be considered an intended example of one way not to do something!

Offline Alan Haisley

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2015, 06:16:33 PM »
I don't think that one layer, 3/4" thick, chipboard is at all sufficient to hold a vise. I have two layers of 3/4" pine plywood under mine and sometimes wish it was even heavier. And it's only a 4" vise.

You might go with 3/4" (19mm) MDF over the same thickness of plywood. The plywood gives stiffness while the MDF gives a harder, smoother, surface.

Alan

Offline Frank Boyle

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Re: So there I was, hacksawing away...
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2015, 09:39:58 AM »
Hi Everyone
Late for this post but one of the best bench tops can be made from either door blanks at7 ft *3 ft /8ft *4ft both 44mm thick they consist of hardwood strips glued together and coated in thin ply on both sides, you would require assistanc to lift these as they are very heavy.Another useful and cheap top can be made from CLS timber at 3.75"* 1.75" in 8ft lengths. CLS stands for Canadian Lumber Selected and is regularised with a smooth finsh and in England is readily availiable from builders merchants.Hope this helps someone.
Regards to all Frank

 

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