stopwaters, etc.

[PhilJ]

Does anyone out there know where I can get suitable softwood dowel for stopwaters? Yellow cedar, red cedar or even pine? I'd hate to have to whittle them.

Also, I need white lead putty and/or the old formula (fungicidal/homicidal) Dolphinite bedding compound. Not the wussy stuff they sell now that is about as potent as peanut butter. I remember using it 25 years ago and it made my fingers go numb.

[pipefitter]

You can pull your softwood shaved close to size through a draw plate. A piece of flat steel with the appropriate hole drilled in it. I leave the burr from the drill going thru and and push the blank through that side. I dont know how well that would work for stopwaters but I have made alot of dowels this way.

[ 07-16-2005, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: pipefitter ]

[Thad]

Works great for stopwaters.

[LLaver]

If you use a piece of steel that is reasonably thick, say 1/2 inch, it will give you a straighter and cleaner dowel than a thin piece.
It will stop the dowel from trying to skew off line as you hammer it through which causes the dowel to come out all rough.

Cheers

Lee

[Bob Smalser]

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7099973/104689778.jpg

[Jay Greer]

If you have access to a metal lathe, they are a snap to turn. Other wise the old pounding the stick through a hole stick is viable. If all else fails, I can turn them for you on my own lathe.
JMG

[WFK]

The Dolphinite that you're thinking about is no longer available. It had a fungicidal agent that I'm assuming was bad for the environment and from the sounds of it.......bad for your fingers.

Bill

[Bob Cleek]

White lead paste is available from the George Kirby Paint Co. in New Bedford, Mass. They have a web site. The paste is thickened with plain whiting to make the consistency of putty you wish.

Fungicidal Dolphinite is no longer made. However, if one adds Di-al, a product available at paint stores to add to house paint to prevent mold, the same effect can be achieved. I'd guess one bottle of Di-al in the size suitable for a gallon of paint would be about right for a quart of Dolphinite. Di-al is tributyl tin in a spirt based suspension. Tributyl tin was the magic ingredient in the effective bottom paints of times past. Works the same when added to copper bottom paint, too. Keep it a secret!