Kyle's Permie Bootcamp (BRK)

BRK Post 61

Okay individual latch bits went from blocks to working pieces today.

Started by rounding the gear shaft with the table saw, wood rasp, then sander. Then I moved on to redrilling the dowel holes because they weren't as straight as they needed to be. Then I gave up on trying to drill by hand and brought the pieces down to the drill press.

Cutting the slots into the round shaft was a headache. Next time I'll trust my own hand and a chisel. The router wanted to jump around and I had to clean up the slots with a chisel anyway. The pegs in the shaft are just whittled to size and tapped in.

And using the router on the bolt slot was overkill too. Next time I'll just drill the holes on the drill press then go straight to chiseling.

I tested out three different gear teeth patterns before cutting teeth into the bolt. Worked right the first time.

If I were to make the bolt again I'd make it larger so there was more wood between the cuts. I can see a cracked that has gotten larger as I cut more wood out.

Anyway all the pieces fit and tomorrow they go in the door to try them out. Then the spring arms get notched in.

BRK Post 62

The morning gardening time was filled with getting the water pump on the firetruck to work. Josiah was going to show Chris and I how to take the truck over to the creek and fill up for irrigation but the pull cord to run the water pump snapped right away and getting it repaired was a nightmare.

Anyway we're going to try again on Monday now that things seem to be working.

Back to working on the door. And the latch bolt cracked along the length and snapped behind the spring arm.

So I dug out some hardwood I brought with me and started cutting out a new bolt but making it much longer, thicker, and wider. I'm making it out of Bubinga. Its not as dense as the locust but I can't find a good large piece without cracks.

Kinda felt like a day of setbacks.

Oh noooo! How frustrating!  D:

BRK Post 63

Good stuff done today. Had a bunch of testing and redos but got the latch working at the end of the day.

Started by finishing the latch slot, gear teeth, and beveled edge. I sanded down the sides to show off the wood grain a bit better too.

When I chiseled out the niches for the springs, I angled them pointing toward the door jamb and found that didn't work well at all. So I chiseled another pair angled away just behind the first pair. Now the springs start at a forward angle and bend through a longer arc.

Had to redo the springs multiple times, the first two weren't balanced so I chose to remake the weaker one. And it took three tries to get a spring that fit in the niche and not brake.

Once they were balanced I made two saddles to hold the handle shaft in place and the whole thing works nicely.

Except on of the teeth on the shaft keeps falling out. And I'd like to fasten everything so it can be worked on without pulling apart the door. All of that is for next week.