How to machine out a metal channel by hand?

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

Thank you.

Yes, I put tape over the wood before filing, and washed my hands about 5 times during the process, so I wouldn't get metal filings onto the wood. 

Edited By John Doe 2 on 25/06/2022 22:39:11

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

I don't want to appear condescending, John, but that woodwork looks to be an amazing quality job! I think I would be inclined to secure the hoops in the channels with a couple of half-round brass or copper U-clamps, though, to prevent over-enthusiastic gallopers from escaping the stands! I know that, in my youth, I would be trying to see how high I could get the rocker to go without thought for the consequences.

A job weel done!

John

[John Doe 2Participant @johndoe2]

Gosh, thank you.

I have only ever had hand tools, so I guess I have learned a certain precision over years of practise. Also, you can plane and sand quite accurately to a line if you are careful to eliminate inaccuracies such as your wrist turning over.

We needed a stand for my wife's rocking horse and I find the normal rocking horse stand pattern with all the horizontal elements to be a bit clumsy, so I came up with a twin tripod design, which is more open. I was careful to design it so that all the loads are compression loads along and through the legs, and not relying on the joins, which only stabilise it rather than support any significant load.

The sequence below shows the process – all done with hand tools.

We are in the process of moving house hopefully, so all now has to be packed away, to be finished after we have moved and I have finally built a workshop !

I will post pictures of the finished piece.

 

Tripods will fit. I can use cut down pre-made staircase balustrade pieces made from Hickory.

Glueing the first two legs. (I did use a lot of clamps for the glue-up, not shown). 

Tops cut, planed and sanded to size. Adding the third leg

Routing a groove for the metal channel

The twin tripod stand concept

Edited By John Doe 2 on 26/06/2022 12:27:21

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