[cobalt]

A Australian gent has asked me to make a two piece hiking pole with a kookaburra topper

Had no idea what a kookaburra looked like so a quick search on the net and got some pics.

A two piece hiking pole always causes problems with alignment but have some good strong fixtures to do it and will cover the joint with a nickel silver collar

So to align a natural shank isn't that easy so any ideas welcome

fixtures

kookaburra

 

[MJC4]

Beautiful bird will make a unique topper. I have a hard enough time getting the topper straight on a stick let alone trying to line up two pieces of natural hard wood!

 

[Rodney]

This might work. The collars might make finding center easy.

Make your cut where you want it.

Put the collars on temporarily, the inner fixture should be easy to center inside them.

Turn the inner fixture upside down on the collar, a pointed end on the center threaded rod can be used to mark the center of the hole to be drilled.

The worst case would be to drill one or both halves of the shank with slightly oversize holes and use epoxy to fill the gaps between the wood and fittings. With the parts assembled, clamp the shank together aligned like you want it until the epoxy cures. Use wax or grease on the inner threads and between the two halves so you don't end up with a one piece shank again.

If it's possible to do without being unsightly a thin leather or rubber washer will allow the joint to be tightened snugly by hand without over tightening it.

It should be a fun project.

Rodney

 

[CV3]

I have not done a two piece for a while but this is the way I did the last one. I chose the place I would cut the shank. Using the large masking tape I did two raps around the shank. marked my cut line at a center of the tape, all the way around the shank. Then I made four vertical lines around the shank for points of alignment.. Made my cut and then drilled the holes for the coupler. Then with the coupler assembled I dry fitted the shank using the vertical alignment lines. When happy with the alignment I made a mark on the coupled and the shank so I could glue the coupler in the right spot. It worked out ok.

 

[cobalt]

this link may be useful for some of you

 

[Rodney]

Smart way to find center.

Rodney

 

[Gloops]

this link may be useful for some of you

Made something similar to the shank top sander using hardwood and self adhesive carborundum as used for disc sanders cut to size, also stuck some to an oversize washer for hand use.

 

[cobalt]

I was thinking about drilling the holes for the screw joint and after what glops had said about the drill size I thought I would check it out. The 1st hole I drilled was 10mm and when I inserted the screw joint it caused a hairline crack in the ducks neck .So have order a 11mm drill as a 12mm hole was just a bit to large .I suppose you could get away with it if it was glued in with epoxy

 

[cobalt]

I was thinking about drilling the holes for the screw joint and after what glops had said about the drill size I thought I would check it out. The 1st hole I drilled was 10mm and when I inserted the screw joint it caused a hairline crack in the ducks neck .So have order a 11mm drill as a 12mm hole was just a bit to large .I suppose you could get away with it if it was glued in with epoxy

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[Rodney]

Can you save it or did that blank just become an interesting piece of firewood?

Rodney

 

[Gloops]

I was thinking about drilling the holes for the screw joint and after what glops had said about the drill size I thought I would check it out. The 1st hole I drilled was 10mm and when I inserted the screw joint it caused a hairline crack in the ducks neck .So have order a 11mm drill as a 12mm hole was just a bit to large .I suppose you could get away with it if it was glued in with epoxy

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Hi Dennis I have just recieved a 11.5mm dia stepped shank jobber drill , orderd from ebay delivered in 3 days - the shank is stepped down to 10mm so that it fits all DIY drills £2.99 FD 11.0 also available but read somewhere that 11.5 ok

 

[cobalt]

I drilled out another head today using the 10mm drill bit by hand , as it was drilled to the depth I wanted and just gave it a pumping action before I withdrew the bit.

It seems to have worked okay the screw joint went in flush including the flange without cracking. I think I may have overtightened the 1st one I did pulling the flange in to far ,putting to much pressure onto the wood.

I have already ordered a 11m bit dearer than yours Gloops also from eBay think that extra room will prevent any chance of splitting the wood whilst inserting it .so if your using them Gloops try not to overtighten them .

this is the female mallard I have started on had a good couple of hours without being disturbed

I will cut a threaded bar to length and insert it straight into the shank and epoxy a bone collar onto to it at the same time.

The mallards head I placed a thin buffalo horn collar onto the head and crewed the screw joint through the collar straight into the topper ,had to countersink the topper slightly so it would sit flush with the bone collar ,seems to have done the trick okay. It looks good with contrasting collars

The hairline crack in yesterdays effort seems to be okay I unscrewed the joining screw put a touch of epoxy around the screw and refitted it not quite as tight this time so it should hold, The crack hasn't spread

I had considered using a screw joint in both the shank and topper but I don't think there would be any advantage in it.