T-Blades- homemade

[Choosikick]

Wow, 13-16g means I have to save 50%!
I had a handle that thin I could easily bend the surface down with a fingertip.
So my blades usually come out at 62-70g for normal headsize without the handle mounted- with the weight you mentioned the resulting blades are even at the lower end of the weight skala I think.
Do you use that glue also for fiber reinforced layers?

I have this glue for the handles and the layers without fiber:

PRO 30D Holzleim D3 | Soudal

www.soudal.de

Regarding the inserts in the handle, for some reason I immediately thought that you did this due to technical limitations, but since every blade has it, it already resembles a corporate style.
Regarding the weight of the handles. I also ordered pens from AliExpress and their weight was 25 grams, so the weight of your pens is within normal limits. A super light handle is not always good, because the balance of the blade is very important. If you make the handle too light, the balance will shift into the blade and will be difficult to play with brush.

 

[CCBladecraft]

If I’m doing a blade like wood-woven fiber-wood-woven fiber-wood (3w+2c) i will make myself 12.5g of epoxy. You have to remember that when you glue fibers every single one of those fibers needs to be saturated with epoxy. If your work time for the epoxy is 10 minutes, take your time and really make sure to work it in. Another thing is careful not to clamp epoxy the same way you do polyurethane as it’s easy to get excessive squeeze out causing a bad bond.

Also side note, that 12.5 g of epoxy I use is to glue up my oversized templates. If you want to make an oversize template just stick a pencil in a router bit bearing and trace your blade shape. My anatomic oversized shape works with most my other standard handles.

I don’t think you’re struggling with making weight at all. 15 grams for me is my lighter side when it comes to handle. I feel really good if I have a 60g-70g blank. So you are making 20g-30g handles and making blades 90 ish grams and below, then in my opinion you’re right on track. I’ve never really measured the balance precisely but hipnotic has a system that has actual measurements so you can get a definitive low to high balance point. I’d look that up to see if he’s posted how he does that. I just do the ‘ol finger balance and eyeball haha!

And plus 1 to the polyurethane glue, of course try all the glues you can or want, but poly glue is what I settled on for my all wood blades. With the poly glue I use since it expands I scrape it with a plastic card and make my glue layer as thin as possible. Press it hard and use parchment paper so the squeeze out doesn’t stick to your press.

Hope this helps!

 

[SlowPower]

Thank you @_JOOLA_ and @CCBladecraft , those information really help!
I just ordered 750g PU glue and will try it fot the next blade, at least for the layers without fiber and the handle.

I didnt know different glues need different pressure, but I understand the idea behind that.
The blade for my son is in the press right now and I will look out for epoxy coming out.

I have a 45 Minute open epoxy (needs 48-72h to harden) and it is very thin so the whole fiber should get enough of it as I give it a whole massage with the sponge I use to apply the epoxy.

In terms of weight balance there is a youtube video from soulspin using a (so looking) self constructed tool to measure the center of gravity.

I will have a look if I find it and than post it here.

 

[SlowPower]

I got it- here you go:

 

[Choosikick]

I got it- here you go:

Convenient design

 

[CCBladecraft]

Oh wow that’s nice and looks simple enough to make.

I only ran into the too much pressure problem when i started using a book press with a big handle on the top. Great for pu glue ups but pretty easy to overdo it with the epoxy.

 

[SlowPower]

I am still looking for such an old book press.

Good to know I have to be careful using it (if I will ever get one)

 

[CCBladecraft]

I got a vevor from eBay for like $70. Money well spent. The old cast iron ones are nice but I think all the ones I found people wanted a lot for them and they’re expensive to ship because they’re so heavy

VEVOR A4 Paper Press Machine Manual 5.9" Flat Steel Bookbinding Notes Heavy Duty | eBay

VEVOR 18in 460mm Paper Creasing Machine Manual Perforator Scorer A3 Steel Blade. On the other hand, two balance rods and 0.3" (8 mm) baseplate thickness facilitates it to bear m ore substantial pressure evenly.

www.ebay.com

Cut some plywood or get acrylic sheets though because it is flat on the bottom but the top you will want a flat piece of whatever you choose because of how they mount the thingy to the thing.

 

[SlowPower]

I got a vevor from eBay for like $70. Money well spent. The old cast iron ones are nice but I think all the ones I found people wanted a lot for them and they’re expensive to ship because they’re so heavy

VEVOR A4 Paper Press Machine Manual 5.9" Flat Steel Bookbinding Notes Heavy Duty | eBay

VEVOR 18in 460mm Paper Creasing Machine Manual Perforator Scorer A3 Steel Blade. On the other hand, two balance rods and 0.3" (8 mm) baseplate thickness facilitates it to bear m ore substantial pressure evenly.

www.ebay.com

Cut some plywood or get acrylic sheets though because it is flat on the bottom but the top you will want a flat piece of whatever you choose because of how they mount the thingy to the thing.

Hey,

I got my hands on a nice press (seems to be self made)- pressing the first blade tonight.

Also I bought a tiny band saw. With that thing I safe so much time producing the handles.

The babyshape for my son is ready.
2mm kiri, basalt, pine black limba. Around 1080hz and around all speed. Plays nice but for me its to flexy and slow.

Next thing is a cyberdef, a cybershapy with a bigger head.

 

[CCBladecraft]

Hey,

I got my hands on a nice press (seems to be self made)- pressing the first blade tonight.

Also I bought a tiny band saw. With that thing I safe so much time producing the handles.

The babyshape for my son is ready.
2mm kiri, basalt, pine black limba. Around 1080hz and around all speed. Plays nice but for me its to flexy and slow.

Next thing is a cyberdef, a cybershapy with a bigger head.View attachment 27789

Nice the press looks great! Ah that’s cool about the baby shape. I made one for my daughter too but she’s only two so she just smacks the walls with it lol! I’ve actually never made a cybershape myself but I did make a template. Curious to see your version of it and how you like it!

Bandsaw is definitely a good addition especially with handles! You ever settle on a glue or glues?

 

[SlowPower]

Nice the press looks great! Ah that’s cool about the baby shape. I made one for my daughter too but she’s only two so she just smacks the walls with it lol! I’ve actually never made a cybershape myself but I did make a template. Curious to see your version of it and how you like it!

Bandsaw is definitely a good addition especially with handles! You ever settle on a glue or glues?

Maybe smacking the wall now leads to a killer loop in the future as she is getting used to the blade ^^

I thought I took some photos of the babyshape but I didnt. I will get some with rubbers on.

Bought the PU woodglue to try it out, the blade in the press is the first with it. Easy to use glue, seems harder than white wood glue (joined 2 layers separately in the 1st step). But it smells very bad, even more than epoxy.

 

[SlowPower]

Just curious as to why (you are uing 2 different adhesives) ?

Also can you provide brand names of these two item ?

Thanks

Because the blade gets harder and stiffer when using only epoxy. Also white wood glue is much easier to use (no mask needed, no mixing).

I use soudal 30D and 40P and the epoxy is a e45 from Pauck that means it stays open 45 minutes which ia a good thing.

 

[SlowPower]

Hello again,

I havent been lazy all the time- so here are some new blades

13+14 (built 2 of these at the same time sharing the same sheets of veneers)
Chestnut-Zirbe-Abachi-Chestnut-Abachi-Zirbe-Chestnut.
6,2mm- 1150Hz, 88g and of course the handle shows our national colours ^^

Plays nice in everything but for my taste vibrations could be less.

 

[SlowPower]

15+16
Padouk-Basalt-Anigre-Kiri-Basalt-Anigre-Anigre
5,4mm, 87g, 1230Hz- the handle again is made of thuja.
Although frequencies are rather low its very stiff compared to my blades 8+9.

 

[SlowPower]

17+18
Limba-Abachi-Kiri-Poplar-Kiri-Abachi-Limba
5,4mm, 84g, 1230Hz- very large handle

Good allround blade, nothing special (wanted to try ready plywood of kiri-poplar-kiri which is available over here very cheap)

 

[SlowPower]

19+20
Oak-Basalt-Anegre-Kiri-Basalt-Zirbe-Limba
4,95mm, larger head 160x162mm, 88,5g, 980Hz

It was too slow for me, but there was a guy who wanted to buy them and he is very happy

 

[SlowPower]

21+21.1 (was confused when numbering my blades ^^)
Purple heart-Basalt-Anegre-Kiri-Basalt-Anegre-Zirbe
5,3mm, 1250Hz, 85g
I wanted to try something with the hardest and softest wood I have. To be honest- there is only a very slight difference between the two sides.

 

[SlowPower]

22+23
Palisander-Basalt-Zirbe-Basalt-Kiri-Anegre-Anegre
5,25mm, didnt record frequencies, 83g
I mounted the plies in the wrong direction by accident^^
Though its only ALL the blade has a catapult which is too procounced for my taste and combinded with a high arc I overshot many balls so its wasnt my blade. But a guy is totally happy with it and after testing one he bought both though he uses to play flared handles.

 

[SlowPower]

24
Eucalyptus-Kiri-93g Carbon-Abachi
5,4mm, something like 1250Hz as far as I remember, 87g

This is really special. The smoked Eucalyptus is one of the hardest woods I cut and sanded (and heavy to) so there is no need for fibers on that side. Alls veneers are parallel so I added carbon on the abachi side to give it some stability in the other direction.
The idea was to create a blade for pips on the one side and topspins on the other (thick soft abachi for easy spin). I have to play a bit more to describe the feeling, but right now its away for testing.
The handle is only made from the top plys in reverse direction and feels very good.

 

[SlowPower]

And here is 25+26

Plum-93g Carbonfiber-Zirbe-Kiri-Basalt-Zirbe-Black Limba
5,,8mm, 1200Hz, 88g

Not that stiff and fast as I expected but I only gave it a short try and have to play it a few more times.