Broken Bogata

[Raymond]

Talk about a dissapointing picking attempt. I had to remove the lever and disassemble it to get the pick out.


[img][IMG]http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb277/cookiebear7/BrokeBogata.jpg[/img][/img]

[Theist17]

The image looks to be broken, but dude. It always sucks when a pick breaks on you, especially such a reliable one as the Bogota. If you make another one, make sure you're not making it too thin anywhere near the end. That'll reduce the chances of breakage.

[Raymond]

I think the photo will work now. I was so careful to keep any bumps or dents or thin spots eliminated. Oh well, back to the work bench.

[Theist17]

Hm. It looks like you've not anything to worry about as far as craftsmanship goes. Seriously, it looks like you've done a great job. The only thing I can think of that would have caused that break is just plain old rough use or weak material.

What did you make this out of? That could shed some light on the situation.

[Raymond]

This one was my most productive opening tool. It was made from a windshield wiper reenforcement stainless. Had very good spring to it. It was never bent and this was a complete surprise.

[raimundo]

You will make them better every time you make one.

Try some other source of metal, there are threads on that.

[Violaetor]

If your making them manually with files, keep a close grip to the work surface to avoid too much vibration, if your grinding do shorter sessions like 1-3 seconds per "attack", rather than just constant grinding until you get the shape you want. Erratic heat and flexion are detremental to metal health.

[raimundo]

I work by holding the workpiece in a groove cut in the wood, while filing, this wood is actually a piece of twobyfour that is C clamped to a workbench, I can cut any special groove that I want in it.
this "benchpin"(jewelers term) is cut off at an angle and this angled surface is compatable with the height I sit at and the angle of my right arm from the elbow pushing the file forward into the work. the workpiece is in a narrow groove that I hand hold it in, its very easy to do this way. the groove is not deep,no need for that
of course the grooves are at about a 45 degree angle to me, so left hand holds work and right hand holds file and the two pieces cross right on the benchpin

its often better to file across the material at an angle, you can find an angle where the file cuts best. also fileing at an angle one can make wider flat spaces such as the pickshaft, that are perfectly flat because the file is angled to take the whole length of the flat place in one stroke.