EDIT:Who's done a seam ripper??? I've done one!!

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angboy

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Awhile back, several people made seam rippers with nicer handles than the cheapo plastic ones that come with them. I have a pin chuck for doing the turning, but the one part I can't figure out is how to close up the end, where the actual metal ripper comes out. My pin chuck is a 7mm size, so the smallest I can use and still put a tube in it. And I have to be able to get the ripper part down inside the handle and find a way to make it stay. Plus I'd like for it to be removeable so that part could be replaced if needed. But I just can't figure out what to do where the opening is. What have other people done or what ideas do you have?
 
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I've seen them done two different ways. I made mine using a 4-jaw chuck and revolving center, as a spindle turning. Several problems in that you have to hand finish both ends after the rest is done. When it was all done I drilled a tight hole just big enough for the handle to tightly fit on the tang on the seam ripper, and it worked pretty good. I've made about 6 of them like that as gifts for some ladies in our church.

The other method I saw another member of our AAW chapter make. He ordered some sort of key chain kit from CSUSA to get the tube and the ends. On the end where the keys should attach he drilled out the key holder and epoxied in the tang of the seam ripper. It wasn't removable like you want so I don't have another idea to make that work. I wonder if you could make a tight fitting wood piece (7 mm dowel) that you could drill a hole the right size for the tang to fit into? Then it would be removable but it would take some experimenting to get the fit and finish right.
 
Ang got some bad news---Margie (the wife) bought everyone that Fritz had left in stock last week.
I do not know if they are going to get anymore or not. They are kinda a hit and miss deal as far as sales but last week she sold several in one day.

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Second pic is out of focus but gives you a good ideal of how to make them. We just use a drop of thick CA to hold the cutter in place.
 
I made mine similar to Gary's. I just took the plastic handle and found a drill bit that would just slip inside the hole where the ripper came out. It was tight enough that the ripper would not come out of the wood unless you wanted it to. I drill mine on the lathe rather than afterwards. I'm not sure how you'll go about it with a pin chuck. I use pin jaws on my scroll chuck.
You could have your Dad make you a fixture that had a "+" intersection of t-track that you could attach to a face plate. In each track you could have a small stop block that you would slide to hold the wood in the center. Kind of a chuck that you would have to center youself. Kind of Rube Goldberg I know but if it did work you could also use it for off center turning.
 
They are under a dollar at Wal-Mart. I sold a couple. Fancy wood is less important to the ladies than comfort and ability to change out the cutting part as they do get dull. Just make a small hole and friction fit in, do not glue.
 
Angie -- I use the tool pen that Az Sil sells and just melt the seam ripper out of the plastic handle and use it in the tool pen chuck. That combination provides the small screwdrivers for sewing machines, a tweaser, and a ball point of sorts. We leave the exacto knife out so it can go on airplanes without the security people spoiling the trip.

The ones from Joannes have a rectangle shaped shank. If you make the style that Gary shows, cut a few shavings off the corners before turning to wedge into the hole along side the shank. Trim with a sharp knife.

Gary -- Much nicer look than the blue plastic!!!
 
I do it pretty much like Ray does; but you don't even need a scroll chuck. You can accomplish the same thing with the Jacobs chuck out of your drill press. Turn down one end of your blank between centers until it will fit in your Jacobs chuck and the rest is pretty straight forward, I think. Forget the pin chuck!!
 
Thanks for the tips everyone. I think I have some good ideas from everyone. Now we'll see how I do later today when I try it.

Kevin, I'm hurt [V] that you suggested I get my dad to make me a jig- have you no confidence that I could make one for myself? [^] And just to prove you wrong, just as soon as I have dad translate for me what you said [:D][:D] I'm going to make it for myself! (OK everybody, stop laughing!! Dad, will you make one for me and let me tell them I did it? It'll work as long as they don't ask me any questions about it!) [}:)][}:)][;)][;)]
 
I'm sorry Angela [B)] His last work was so nice I figured it'd be easy for him, and of course I have no doubt that you could... but why would you when you can have Dad do it? LOL
 
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This is my version of the seam ripper. I turned between centers. Drilled hole to push the metal part in first on drill press, use it on the live center end of blank. Used spur center on drive end of blank.

Bought little metal scrap book prong things with designs on them and put them on the other end of blank. To mount them, I drill a hole big enough to accomodate the prongs. Bend both prongs in a "J" shape, in opposite directions, epoxy in the hole then push the decorative piece into the hole. This covers the unfinished end of the handle that I can't get to because it is between centers.

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Angela,

As usual the devil on my shoulder compels me to respond to your headline with some foolishness.

My way to make a seam-ripper is simply to "squat" down, seam of the pants splits every time!!![:0][:0][:0][:0].......... Oh, and its FAST, too!
 
Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />Angela,

As usual the devil on my shoulder compels me to respond to your headline with some foolishness.

My way to make a seam-ripper is simply to "squat" down, seam of the pants splits every time!!![:0][:0][:0][:0].......... Oh, and its FAST, too!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that image!!! [:D][:D]
 
Well I'm pretty proud of myself- my first attempt at a seam ripper (well OK, there was that other attempt using a pin chuck that didn't even get it turned down enough to have any idea what it was aupposed to be!). Anyway, I was pretty happy with how this came out. Next time, I need to do something to plan for a way to hopefully have the plastic cover be able to go on and stay on- wasn't thinking about that design issue at all as I made this.

I used things from all of the posts to help me. I wasn't able to fit it in a jacobs chuck b/c I made it too large. So I was stuck with two ends that I couldn't quite finish. So on one end I left the inner part unfinished and then parted it off (yes, I used my parting tool to part something! that was a major step for me since I've been scared to do that for almost a year now after mine broke and flew off and tried to kill me!!!). Then I used an old button I had and drilled out an inset area using a forstner(sp?) bit and then CA'd that in. The end for the seam ripper itself is just made tight enough that it fits in snug, but I think I'm going to use Jim's epoxy idea, since I imagine it may come loose.

It's made out of mesquite from our very own Dario!



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Congrats on doing your first ripper. Looks functional but needs a little more 'shape' to dress it up. Like the button accent as well.

-Peter-
 
Good job Angela. I didn't think of looking in the button department for finials, good idea.

Now you got a lathe and a person with a lathe needs to put more decorations on a turning. Get some scrap wood and just start fiddling around with ideas. If you take a piece say 3/4" square and 12" long and put it between centers in your lathe then start turning different designs as the mood strikes you. Some soft pine will do. If you don't have a way to cut 3/4" square stock then get a few 3/4" dowels from some place and cut them up for test pieces.

Don't worry about messing up. Mark the 12" off in four sections to represent four handles. Turn the stick round, then make different designs for each would be handle. Don't worry if you mess up one or two. Throw that stick away and turn another one. Make bumps and humps, grooves and v's, play and get familiar with your machine and your tools.
 
Thanks for the feedback everybody. I do agree it needs some more "personality" to it. I was just so convinced that I wasn't going to be successful at it, that I figured I wouldn't put much effort into making it that fancy, since it was kind of a practice piece. This one will be kept for myself. So the next one will be fancier!

That's a good idea of a way to practice though Mac! I think I'll do that- of course that means another trip to ACE! [:D]
 
Mac (& Ang)- love the botton idea! Learn something new everyday. I have seen some nice larger buttons used as cabachons (SP?) on bottle stoppers but never thought of a smaller on in tis application. Clever!
 
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