2016 POTD Thread Archive

[zmotorsports]

I was able to get a few little items completed Friday night as the wife had to work late.

My new to me Kurt D675 mill vise showed up so I spend a little bit disassembling and cleaning it. It was in good mechanical condition and functioned fine but it was packed with metal shavings and had a light layer of surface rust on the stationary jaw, moveable jaw and on the ways. I thoroughly cleaned it and then ran a DA over the flat surfaces with some 320 grit sandpaper. I then installed some new removable jaws and lubed it.

Here it is after cleaning and mounting on the mill.




I then knocked out a new knob for the brake on my mill.


Lastly I put together a new wall rack for my large drill bits.


I mounted it on the wall just behind my solvent tank next to my lathe and collet rack.


That was about it for Friday night and Saturday morning. Not much going on in the shop this weekend as I had vehicles that needed cleaning and a couple of items around the yard to take care of. Hopefully more time in the shop this week as I have some tasks to complete.

Mike.

 

[Charles Spencer]

Well, I did some single point inside threading for the first time. Nothing to brag about it, but it worked.

Hey wait, for me that is something to brag about.

I made a 1 1/2"-8 spindle nose protector for my lathe and I turned a cast iron weight to the same. I may make the weight into a face plate or chuck back.

Since both of my South Bend 9" lathes have that same spindle I bought a tap of that size. It fit both of the things that I made pretty well.

Gee, I love it when things work.

 

[Nick01]

Turned up a wood handle and brass ferrule to make a screw bluing tool. This will be used primarily for clock parts in the near future.
The tray for the other end will be complete next week when some more goodies arrive.

 

[Superburban]

Man, I love that idea.

 

[Firestopper]

I was able to get a few little items completed Friday night as the wife had to work late.

My new to me Kurt D675 mill vise showed up so I spend a little bit disassembling and cleaning it. It was in good mechanical condition and functioned fine but it was packed with metal shavings and had a light layer of surface rust on the stationary jaw, moveable jaw and on the ways. I thoroughly cleaned it and then ran a DA over the flat surfaces with some 320 grit sandpaper. I then installed some new removable jaws and lubed it.

Here it is after cleaning and mounting on the mill.




I then knocked out a new knob for the brake on my mill.


Lastly I put together a new wall rack for my large drill bits.


I mounted it on the wall just behind my solvent tank next to my lathe and collet rack.


That was about it for Friday night and Saturday morning. Not much going on in the shop this weekend as I had vehicles that needed cleaning and a couple of items around the yard to take care of. Hopefully more time in the shop this week as I have some tasks to complete.

Mike.

Nice work Mike!
One of my two Kurt vices is the same model, a great vice for the size mill. I appreciate your organizational skills, very clean work as always.

 

[NCjeeper]

Well I figured that if I am going to act like a machinist I might as well set my self up for success and level my lathe. It has been on my "to do" list for a while. Here is what I started out with. It is a 13x40 import.

I ordered some leveling feet and got them under the cabinets. It was really tippy and unstable. This was because the lathe is wider than the cabinets it sits on.

I decided to build some platforms for the cabinets to sit on. Off to the steel store for 1x2 stock.

Welded on some tabs for the jacks.

A little paint and assembly.




I watched Tom Lipton's Youtube video on lathe leveling and followed his instructions. Using a 3"x10" piece of aluminum stock and adjusting my Armstrong jacks I was able to get it down to .0015 difference over 8". I think this is the best this lathe is capable of.

 

[Charles Spencer]

Hey! What's with all that empty space under there?

Seriously, good job.

I was at Walmart today in the automotive section and I saw something that looked like a giant cookie sheet to be used for oil changes. I'm not sure of course, but it looked like it might be a good chip tray for your lathe. Wait, I'll look it up. Yep, here it is:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/ATP-Extra-Large-Oil-Drip-Pan/16778234

 

[markknx]

I learned a lesson today. Don't leave ammunition in the leather loops on a western holster rig.

I have lost a lot of weight this year and thought I'd try on my western holster rig for my Ruger Single Six. It had a little over a dozen rounds of .22 WMR cartridges in it. The rig is way too big now and needs to be taken down a few inches.

Before cutting the stitching, I pulled the ammo from the loops and discovered they were corroded and gunked up something fierce. While I was at it, I removed the cartridge loops, too. I won't be using those again.

Since I haven't done anything in the shop all summer, I took them out there and chucked them gently in my lathe and turned them very slow and smoothed them off with a Scotch bright pad. They are all nice and shiny now. I know. I could have just done it by hand, but I haven't turned on the lathe in almost a month. A man must find some use for his lathe once in a while.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to stitch up the belt straps so the rig will be about 4" shorter. It isn't like a regular belt, but is wide and contoured, with small straps for the buckle and tag end.

Can you just cut the small straps lose and then cut the wide belt down and then sew the small strap back on. Bring it by I have a leather sticher I need to use . A man must find some use for his leather sticher once in a while.

 

[Franko]

Can you just cut the small straps lose and then cut the wide belt down and then sew the small strap back on. Bring it by I have a leather sticher I need to use . A man must find some use for his leather sticher once in a while.

That is pretty much the plan, Mark. I have manual stitching tool and I picked up some waxed white thread for it yesterday. I also could rivet them on, or use Chicago screws. I'd like to stitch it, but I am also attracted to the idea of using Chicago screws. I expect to lose 10 or 15 more pounds, and it may need to be taken up again.

Indiana is a pretty far off the beaten path for me. I whined like a little girl when I had to drive 8 miles to the nearest Tandy Leather store.

 

[NCjeeper]

Hey! What's with all that empty space under there?

Seriously, good job.

I was at Walmart today in the automotive section and I saw something that looked like a giant cookie sheet to be used for oil changes. I'm not sure of course, but it looked like it might be a good chip tray for your lathe. Wait, I'll look it up. Yep, here it is:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/ATP-Extra-Large-Oil-Drip-Pan/16778234

Thanks on the chip pan lead. Actually I have two large crates filled with aluminum and steel stock that slide up under the lathe. I just took the picture before I put everything back.