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Reply to "Thunder Ranch build thread"

Ed, there's some metal working tools that show up locally on Craigslist or FB marketplace from time to time, but they're in demand so you have to jump on them.  One of my high school friends, Hot Rod Randy, managed to buy all of the metal working tools from our old HS shop for peanuts when the town built a new HS and deleted the shop courses in favor of those kids going to a regional Vocational Arts school.   They weren't fancy, but they were quality tools.  I used his metal shear when I was making the plenum for my heater.  Come to think of it, I wonder what my old shop teacher, Mr. Malkesian, would think of what I've done on my car.  

Wray Schelin offers both DIY build documentation and kits of three different size English wheels and his are RUGGED.  I would love one but have no room to put it, but there are two in town that I can use if I ever start making curvy things (it would probably take me longer to learn how to use it than to make the part).

BTW, three of Wray's early English wheels, as he was developing his design, used rollers that came from the production line at Norton Abrasives in Worcester when a section was phased out.  That's the Norton/Bear sandpaper company.  Lots of good stuff was sold off for scrap prices over the years from Norton and a bunch of other factories in the area.  Keep your eyes peeled for local auction notifications.

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