The last few days I've worked on several aspects of the second workstand being built here. I have the new lock discs done. I used a more elaborate and precise method of drilling than I did the first time.
Lock Discs
This is a picture of the setup I used, after the band-saw didn't work, to make a plywood circle. I cut several plywood discs with my hand jigsaw, figuring the sander might take a few tries, which it did. Following this with the disc sander makes a pretty good circular edge for the outside of the wooden disc.
The sanding disc is facing the camera. A strip was clamped to the bed of the disc sander. The block with a peg holds the disc. The block can be slid sideways into the sander, as the wooden disc is turned. This sands off the slight excess material, that I purposely left when I cut it with the hand jigsaw.
(Disc Sander)
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Shown below, is the second lock disc and the smaller disc used for symmetry on the other side.
(New Lock Disc)
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Numbering Both The Frames
I decided on a way to number our swing frames, since the second frame looks pretty much like the first. With numbers, we can easily tell them apart. The second frame has improvements.
I ground the angle iron down to bare shiny metal in a small area for the number. Angle iron has a dark gray to black finish. In the shiny area, I numbered it with a marking pen, followed by spraying a clear coating over it. When the clear coat was dry, I masked it off with a little piece of tape and then painted the frame. Removing the tape, the bordered frame number shows through.
(Frame Number)
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Lock Pin
I've been thinking about something a little better for the lock pin. I thought I'd try an idea on a scrap of redwood. I still haven't drilled the lock pin hole on the new redwood base. I want to experiment a little before I do.
I've had in my head the idea of a white recessed cutout, that would make the pin more flush with the surface when normally locked. I'm thinking of some kind of visual indication when the pin is not locking the frame securely.
(Lock Pin Test A)
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Janey and I stopped by Sheila's, a local beauty supply store, where I bought the brightest color of fingernail polish I could find. Probably went overboard. Luckily, they make fingernail polish remover if I decide to tone it down. But this demonstrates the general idea.
(Lock Pin Test B)
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I'd like the lock pin to be a little more finished than on the first workstand. The first workstand base, I just drilled a hole and used an old ball-cap hinge pin. It really needs some kind of improvement.
While I like the way this recesses the lock pin, I have concerns with the loss of thickness in the wooden upright, which needs to hold the pin securely. Being about half an inch in depth, the recessed hole reduces the thickness of the wooden upright that steadies the pin.
I'm considering some other ideas before I commit to this final step, actually installing the lock pin on the new redwood base. Maybe some more tests on scraps.
More soon,
John