Wide slot screwdrivers

[Parm]

Not to hijack this thread

But cousin was over last Saturday. He’s a master carpenter and currently working on a complex in Woolwich. Some 2400 doors will be installed in about 5 buildings. All are pre set in frames but require some adjustment

A normal Allen key is too slow, he wanted a screwdriver type arrangement. So a quick rummage in the parts bin and a simple drawing and a play on the lathe resulted in this. It’s all interference fit. He’s well chuffed with it. Oh it’s some 8mm brass bar and some ramndom hex

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Not to hijack this thread

But cousin was over last Saturday. He’s a master carpenter and currently working on a complex in Woolwich. Some 2400 doors will be installed in about 5 buildings. All are pre set in frames but require some adjustment

A normal Allen key is too slow, he wanted a screwdriver type arrangement. So a quick rummage in the parts bin and a simple drawing and a play on the lathe resulted in this. It’s all interference fit. He’s well chuffed with it. Oh it’s some 8mm brass bar and some ramndom hex

View attachment 159032

Tidy. I keep a snap on ratchet screwdriver and hex bits in the tool box. Always easier than an Allen key

You got the raglan working well now then?

 

[Parm]

Tidy. I keep a snap on ratchet screwdriver and hex bits in the tool box. Always easier than an Allen key

You got the raglan working well now then?

Pretty much, this is the first time I’ve played with or done anything in the workshop for months

 

[PhillipM]

I just flat the end of a wide chisel off.
With a grinder.

 

[Farside]

I had a set of drag link adjusters years ago and gave them to my mate with an old Triumph, as I've never used them and he needed one for, I think it was the chaincase drainplug or something.
Not often I give tools away, but in the intervening years I've never once wished I still had them, and I've no doubt he's used at least one of them a few times.
If I come across any at a boot sale, I'll probably grab one just in case like, and it can sit unused in my toolbox for the next twenty years.

 

[God mode restorations]

Today I made my gib screw adjuster. Nothing fancy. Hand fab on this as I couldn't be bothered to get tooling out other than a hacksaw. File and a few different grits of cloth . It's the same diamiter as the screw head as this will stop the driver from trying to walk in the slot. Needs a little more finishing but that will do....for now.

 

[Seadog]

Nicely done.

 

[Screwdriver]

Got chatting with a neighbour today after doing a bit of gardening, plumbing, roofing etc. I joked about a 2 minute guided tour of my shed if he had a couple of hours. "What do you make?" he asks, "Oh, bit of forging, welding, upcycling sort of thing, actually I'm just about to knock up some Christmas gifts, handles, hangers, candlestick holders..."

At which point he says "You know I run an online business selling that sort of thing?" "Oh right, maybe I should drag you into the shed"

We got chatting about what I may be able to make and then to the price. High volume low cost it transpires. Here's an example (not from his shop)

Yes I can make that. Anyone want to guess how much they cost trade, shipped from China?

 

[Parm]

You’ll be hard pushed to compete with China

 

[gordon stephenson]

75p or less

 

[WorkshopChris]

45p each.
You can't stand a chance while they can flood the market with subsidized goods.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Anyone want to guess how much they cost trade, shipped from China

15p

 

[Screwdriver]

£1.50

That's probably because he's only buying a couple of hundred at a time.

So no, I don't fancy making 200 of those for £300. It's a close call but the margin would be tiny. Might be more interesting if I could sell direct or on commission via an established outlet. Retail would be £4.99 ish but naturally, the smart money goes direct to China via eBay. You could find someone selling those for a pound or two if you really wanted.

I might have a crack at it though and compete on quality rather than price. I reckon I'd need at least £2.50/unit to make it interesting, even working out of the shed for "fun". Even then, I'd still need to paint them and that would be no fun at all!

Same chap is also interested in some simple lamp stands but I think they sell for less than I can get raw stock...

 

[roofman]

£1.50

That's probably because he's only buying a couple of hundred at a time.

So no, I don't fancy making 200 of those for £300. It's a close call but the margin would be tiny. Might be more interesting if I could sell direct or on commission via an established outlet. Retail would be £4.99 ish but naturally, the smart money goes direct to China via eBay. You could find someone selling those for a pound or two if you really wanted.

I might have a crack at it though and compete on quality rather than price. I reckon I'd need at least £2.50/unit to make it interesting, even working out of the shed for "fun". Even then, I'd still need to paint them and that would be no fun at all!

Same chap is also interested in some simple lamp stands but I think they sell for less than I can get raw stock...

you would make more money knocking on doors as the candle lighter than try move into the tat market...keep your little sheds for inner peace and go and stack shelves in Aldi for much better money

 

[Screwdriver]

you would make more money knocking on doors as the candle lighter than try move into the tat market...keep your little sheds for inner peace and go and stack shelves in Aldi for much better money

Yeah, you're not wrong there. High volume, low price, no thanks.

I'll probably aim at the the other end, high value one-offs, bung 'em on etsy. Gotta stop saying it and start doing it tho.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Thread drift here but I used to make the prototypes for a well known high class bedroom furniture maker.
They would send me the drawings and I would make samples for them to judge the design merits, mostly ornate metal bed frames but also chairs and tables.
I was asked to hand forge a chair they called the Bosuns Chair, it was a weird shape and the legs, back and arms were all formed out of hand forged 16 and 20mm solid bar, it weighed a ton.
I made the first one, bare metal, and charged £740, they asked me to tweak the design on the second chair and as I had already made one the second was quicker so I charged £680.
The company were happy with the design so sent the drawings out to the Philippines for production.
Cost price delivered into the UK painted and upholstered in leather with all taxes and shipping was £35 per unit, retail price was £900.
I chatted to the procurement guy and he was telling me that in the Phillipines the guy who operated the chop saw to cut the bars to length sat cross legged on the floor wearing only a pair of shorts with a piece of cardboard to deflect the sparks, every now and then the cardboard would burst into flames so they'd drag it to one side and replace it with a fresh bit.
No goggles, ear defenders, gloves, leather apron, safety footwear, dust mask.