made myself a simple tool for pallet stone adjustments / shellac application

[Knebo]

Hi all,

so, for the fist time, I'm going to be repairing a pallet fork. Specifically, repositioning a pallet stone that has come off and then applying new shellac.

In order to do so comfortably, I created this tool. I tested it once with a spare fork and it seems to be useful.

 

Ingredients: 

- 1mm thick brass sheet: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/sheet-brass?code=B55335
- a cheap saw : https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/saw-frames-fixed?code=P33903
- ..and blades: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/value-premium-saw-blade-set
- a cheap set of M2 screws and nuts like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Screws-230pcs-Stainless-Assortment-Storage/dp/B08T8BB1YN
- a spare chunk of 2cm thick, heavy multi-layer wood panel
- non-watchmaking electric drill with a 2mm drill bit

 

Building steps:

I don't have many tools, so I free-hand cut a piece of the brass sheet, approx 8x5cm.  I then drilled a few holes in it.

- No 1: a 2mm hole to then cut a slit (No 5) with the saw to fit the pivots of pallet forks. After taking the below picture, I used thin strips of sanding paper to taper the slit (to accommodate different sizes of pivots).
- No 2 and 3: I drilled this hole and again used the saw to create a 2mm wide slot.
- No 4 is also a 2mm hole.
- now I sew out a piece No 6. Let's call it "holding bar". Wide enough at the ends to accommodate 2mm screw holes and tapered in the middle to accommodate different sizes of pallet fork levers.
- I loosely attach piece No6 with 2mm screws and nuts.
- two additional holes though brass and a hand-cut piece of 20x5cm wood. Then fix the brass to the wood. The brass place over-hangs the wood so that screw holes 1-4 are still free from below.
- the heavy and large piece of wood creates a solid and flat base that keeps the brass sheet nice and stable when working on the fork. Of course, it's not too heavy to be picked up and held over a sprit lamp.

 

Operation:

- loosen the screws No 3 and 4 and lift the "holding bar" (no 6). [For additional positions, one can also use the holes No 1 and 2 (in case you were already wondering...)]
- insert the pallet fork pivot in an appropriately sized section of the tapered slot.
- position the holding bar (carefully!) over the lever section of the fork.  The slot No3 allows different positions. The "holding bar can also be turned around/upside down for more flexibility.
- Carefully secure the screws to hold the "holding bar", keeping a close eye on the fork and pivots.

-> now the fork is secured and ready to be worked on.

 

Advantage of the slit and the fork position as below: this allows to separate entry and exit stones for separate cleaning and heating.

By the way, I tested using a soldering iron (15 bucks on Amazon) to heat only specific areas of the brass plate or fork. Played around with shellac for the first time. I found it very useful! E.g. if I set the iron to 400 C°, I would just slowly come near the fork (like 1-2mm distance) and the shellac would gently melt. Alternatively, setting to 180°C (minimum on that soldering iron), I could just touch the pallet for slots from the outside (not touching the shellac) and that would also slowly melt the shellac. I found that this gave me a lot of control. 

 

 

I wonder what you think of my tool

Edited February 3 by Knebo

[Kalanag]

I like it! It‘s cheap and effective 

[Malocchio]

Nice! I've been thinking about upgrading my design which is just a coin sanded flat and two holes drilled - one for the pivot and one for the safety pin rivet or whatever it's called. Is your pallet fork in the photos completely flat on the side facing the tool? So that you don't risk bending the lever.