Some of you might know that I’m the “factory” approved repair and parts guy for the vintage Bridge City Tool Works tool- the Rosewood and brass tools mostly.
The older squares were assembled with CA glue aka. Super glue and then pinned in place with brass and steel “rivets”. CA glue goes brittle after 15 or so years and then a good bump can put the squares out of square.
Occasionally and more than I would like, people contact me to recalibrate their squares. It is a nerve racking procedure as you are basically breaking the tool apart to redo it.
I’ve done quite a few now and have got it down more or less to a science. I had two sent to me from the UK and I got them apart safely.
I use a press to punch out the brass and steel rivets while praying that they don’t crack the wood or lift the brass plate. The heads of the rivets get peinned in place, so they are fatter at the ends, so pushing them out can be a disaster if not supported.
I re- glued the blades to square using a 90 degree fixture that is .0005 accurate. After the glue is cured, I need to redrill, replace rivets, pein, sand flush and then wax the wood.
