Needle Pushing Thimble

I am a person committed to RECYCLE.  The bad part of that is that I seldom ever just through anything away.  Recently I found about ten (10) pieces of carpet that were cut by the installer from the large piece that is now in my home.  I saw squares, rectangles, and runners that could be used in my home to help cover the wood floors.  The main problem was that the edge where the piece was cut from the large piece would unravel, get caught in the vacuum, and be very unsightly.  My solution was to purchase a set of 5 needles ranging from 3 inches to 4 inches long, and I found online a 100 yard role of carpet binder that is 1 ½ inch wide.  Instead of thread, I used some Fluorocarbon Leader, which is a 2 pound test fishing line used to attach between the line used by fly fishermen and the small insect looking “fly” on the end.  I ran into a problem when I tried to push the needle through the carpet edge where the binder was folded over.  The carpet had a layer of glue that attaches the fluffy pile of the carpet to the woven mat on the bottom.  At first I used pliers to grip and push the needle, and then I realized all I needed was a type of thimble, so I designed and made one.

I found this to be so helpful that I decided to make one smaller for regular length needles and usable on day to day jobs of mending clothes, coats, and other repair jobs around the house.

From a wooden dowel I cut two pieces 1 ½ in. long.  The diameter should be at least ½ in. and up to what feels comfortable in your hand.

I moved the fence of my table saw closer to the blade so that the blade would be centered on the end of the pieces. 

I lowered the blade so my test strip would be only a 1/8 in. depth, or less.  By sliding the pieces across the blade, roll it over 180 degrees and make a second pass, I am making the groove that will be needed for the thin inserts used when the glue is applied.

While I’m using the table saw, I now move the fence closer so the short piece of wood I use for a test will produce the thickness I need. 

I can test this by holding a grooved piece of dowel up to compare the fit before the full cut is made.  I raise the blade next so the cut will go through the piece of wood, and make a rip cut.  To be sure of the thickness, 

I test by inserting the just ripped piece into the groove of the dowel.

Checking the depth of the groove, I can now set my fence on my band saw and rip the insert to produce 4 pieces for my use when I get ready to do the glue up steps for the assembly.

  

From my collection of nails, I find two nails with a shaft of 7/64 in. and the head is 19/64 in.  The entire nail is too long, so a cut is made just about 3/8 in. below the head.

By placing the cut piece of the nail head beside the dowel, I can mark where I wish to place the nail inside the dowel.  This will give me the bottom mark (right) for the depth of the 7/64 drilling and the top mark (left) will show me where to cross cut the dowel to separate the top from the bottom.

I set the depth on my drill press, and drill the 7/64 in. hole.

Next I pencil mark the side of the dowel from top to bottom lightly,

then I cross cut the dowel at the mark closest to the end just drilled.

I replace the drill bit with the 19/64 in. bit and place the longer portion of the just cut dowel with the hole just drilled at the top so that I may remove about 1/8 in. for a countersink.  This is going to accommodate the head of the nail, so it is better to be a little deeper rather than a fraction too shallow.  Too shallow will allow the nail head to prevent proper alignment for the glue job of the top and the bottom pieces of the dowel during the assembly.

Now the assembly is ready. 

 I insert the nail and

 check to see if the head is down below the surface…

Then I put all parts out so that I may add the glue and not get anything in the wrong orientation or happen to get the top incorrectly turned 180 degrees when set onto the bottom.  This would likely make the opposite side groove be unable to allow the insertion of the thin piece of wood which is intended to align and secure the solidity of the unit after the glue has set and dried. 

First I dry fit the unit to be sure all is well.  Please note the double mark side which is vital to prevent the top being turned or upside down.  Here I did notice that the insert on one side was not seated in the groove at both ends.  My inspection of the problem determined that the nail head was protruding just a millimeter into the bottom of the groove on one side. 

To correct this I used a sharp blade to cut a tiny notch in the insert.

I add glue to the two surfaces of the dowel that will rejoin the dowel, join the two pieces to make one, and

add a clamp to put pressure on the glue.  Quickly I take an insert and dry fit that into its groove to be sure there is no adjustment needed.  Next glue is added to the groove and the insert of one side, and then they are joined.  Now the same procedure is used for the groove and insert for the other side. 

Using two clamps, I add one to each end and position the clams so that the pressure is on the insert pieces so they are securely squeezed into the grooves.

After letting this set for 24 hours, I take the reassembled thimble to my belt sander to sand the alignment pieces sticking out at the ends and on the sides so the assembled unit once again looks like a 1 ½ in. piece of dowel, except there is a small hole in one end and a couple of stripes, one on each side.

I sand the end with the hole to a tapered shape,

 and the other end I round like a knob.

Back at the drill press I have a 1/8 in. bit so I can drill a hole in the bottom.  This hole only needs to be about 1/8 or 3/16 in. deep.  The hole will be filled with glue, then a 12 to 14 inch piece of Polypropylene line should be folded over, the two ends are inserted into the hole, and the glue will bind it for the hold.

 

 After a couple of hours, I’m ready to slip the line over my wrist and use my thimble to accomplish a job of sewing through tough material. 

 

Flip my wrist and I can grab the thimble, insert the needle back end into the hole,

 

take aim and insert then push through.  Now I can drop the thimble because I do not need it until the next stitch, and the line around my wrist will keep the thimble ready to use again.  Just a flip of my wrist and I’m moving on.

This small item could be a perfect gift for someone that sews, and made by you.  Useful for carpet binding, darning socks, buttons on coats, needle point stitching, or any of thousands of chores that older hands needing a little help might truly enjoy.  Thanks for your attention, and good luck… 

BAND SAW BLADE GUIDE INSERT

In 1980 a Target store was closing in Memphis, Tennessee.  I found this Black & Decker Band Saw marked down to $19.99.  It was designed for someone to use their hand drill and position it so the drive shaft of the band saw was in the chuck, just like a drill bit would be.  It also came with a plastic block to support the drill and a strap to hold it snugly to the block.  I used it a few times and realized that I must have a dedicated drill for the saw, or get a motor. 

Here you will see the saw with a black vacuum hose inserted in the lower right corner, and just to the left you see the gray motor that was in my old washing machine that started leaking water and could not be fixed.  I had to find something called a “Love Coupling”, which is about an inch diameter, flat on top and bottom, and two pieces.  Each piece fits on the end of a round rod (the drive shaft of the saw and the shaft of the motor) then the two are positioned such that the couplings fit together and therefore the motor will turn the band saw.

Notice the square metal black band saw table and you will see in the very center there is a small circle where the blade passes through a plastic insert.  I got my blade twisted during a cut and the blade pushed the wood into the insert and broke it.  The saw works perfectly without the insert, but if you are cutting a small piece off the end of a dowel or some similar piece, then the part cut off will probably go down the hole for the insert and into the housing of the band saw… lost forever and sure to cause the blade to jump off the drive wheel during a critical time.  So I figured I could make a replacement.

Here is the only piece remaining after my disaster.  The top is wider than the underside.

Flip it over and you will notice that the underside is irregular.  It is a circle with two sides designed as straight, opposite each other, and parallel. 

These two shots are further support for the critical design.

The open hole further demonstrates the design of the underside of this insert.

I found a piece of MDF (fiber board) that was very hard and strong and only about 1/8 inch thick, or about 3 mm.  I measured the hole in the table and found the diameter is about 1 ¼ inch, or about 32 mm.  I’m learning that even tho I am uncomfortable with metric, it is much easier than fractions of inches.

With my compass I drew the circle and cut it out.  I knew it was thicker than the table would allow, so I took it to the table saw so I could do some milling on the blank to create a rabbet around the blank.  I took measures from the open hole in the band saw table.

I lowered the blade of the table saw and used a scrap piece of wood to shave a narrow rabbet. 

Then I clamped the scrap piece to the fence of the table saw

and positioned it with most of the table saw blade exposed.  Very carefully I pushed the round blank along the scrap wood until the saw blade begin to cut.  Then I slowly rotated the blank and made sure to keep my fingers away from the saw blade. 

Next I moved the fence about 2 mm to the right and did the same again so that I had the right dimensions for the rabbet.  Now I positioned the fence so the scrap block would be ready to make the additional two cuts

 that would accommodate the two wider shelves on each side of the band saw blade hole.  These two sides will allow the insert to drop down when inserted into the hole in the band saw table and prevent the insert from trying to spin, or turn, from the vibration while the saw is cutting.

It took many trips between the two saws to insure I had achieved what was needed.  Cut a little and see if it fit.

Finally I was ready to cut the insert so the band saw blade will pass through.  I used my band saw fence so the cut would be straight. 

I positioned the fence so that there was the same distance from the outer edge in the front

and the back of the table,

while the center of the fence was aligned with the edge of where the insert blank could sit. 

To insure that the alignment of the insert was proper for the two shelves on each side of the hole in the table where it will sit, I used a short thin metal ruler. 

I slid the ruler under the blank and rotated the blank until the ruler was in full contact with the underside of the blank on the straight edge, then I made contact with the fence and the left edge of the blank.  Being careful to keep the ruler parallel with the fence, I very slowly slid the blank forward into the band saw blade until it finally

set down into the hole in the table.

The most important part of the insert is to keep small pieces of wood, cut off of stock, from falling down the hole where the blade passes through. 

Now I have a “Zero clearance” insert in my table saw,

and I have the same for my band saw.

After I finished this project, I decided it would be a lot easier if I had a diagram and some measures to use as a target. 

For this I use Microsoft Excel and next time I have to make another insert for my band saw, then I will not have to guess or keep having to adjust and cut again.

I hope this is useful for you, thanks for looking...