2017 POTD Thread Archive

[LarryTheKing]

This is from a couple of days ago, but...

Forged a knife as a surprise gift for a friend. Started with a piece of 5/8" O1 round.
This was my first real attempt at a blade, so obviously there are one or two things I'd do differently if I could go back in time.



The first photo shows the knife after forging and oil hardening. You can clearly see where I accidentally bent the knife while pulling it out of the forge prior to quenching. Probably should have normalized the blade after bending it back - lesson learned.

Just meant the final knife ended up shorter than expected!

 

[Tony Wells]

As happens sometimes, another guy shows up with another idea. They don't want to power that thumb rake, but they do want to unpin it and swing it up out of the way so they can use it for actual digging. The guy I worked out the repair with said it will never happen, but the other guy insisted, so the welder who was going to cut off the old and put my repair piece on had to modify things a bit to satisfy both. I had to go up and explain why I built it the way I did and help figure out the easiest way to make everyone happy. That's done, and on the bill.

 

[Downunder Bob]

This is from a couple of days ago, but...

Forged a knife as a surprise gift for a friend. Started with a piece of 5/8" O1 round.
This was my first real attempt at a blade, so obviously there are one or two things I'd do differently if I could go back in time.

View attachment 143577 View attachment 143576

The first photo shows the knife after forging and oil hardening. You can clearly see where I accidentally bent the knife while pulling it out of the forge prior to quenching. Probably should have normalized the blade after bending it back - lesson learned.

Just meant the final knife ended up shorter than expected!

As long as it holds a good edge, you've done well.

I've made a few knives in the past and cold chisels out of old car springs, Very cheap source of materials. Once hammered into shape, harden and temper as required.

 

[f350ca]

The collection. Only had enough stainless strap to do two, the others are aluminum strap, was afraid they'd crack bending them so put a bushing and bolt at each end.


Greg

 

[ndnchf]

I finished up a little old grinder project. I Picked this up off CL the day after Christmas. Cleaned, wired, new switch and a different old motor. The grinder is from Casting Specialties (CS), and originally came as a kit to be completed in a shop class. I kept the original paint too.

 

[Whyemier]

Nothing big, a request from the brother-in-law unit. He said he needed a fitting, 5/16"-24 tpi x 1/4" fnpt . I'm sure he could have gotten one from Parker or one of the other outfits that makes theses. I've seen many fittings they provide I wouldn't have thought they did. But he asked and I had the time, so. I machined this one in a couple of hours.

Fitting 3

• Whyemier
• Jan 13, 2017

Fitting 4

• Whyemier
• Jan 13, 2017

Fitting 2

• Whyemier
• Jan 13, 2017

He said it was temporary, just needed it to check pressure on five ports on a transmission (don't ask me. He's the mechanic.) Since it was for temporary use I didn't clean all the machining marks away.

Since it's drilled 3/16" ID I'm not sure how well it will hold up. The wall on the 5/16" portion got thin when I threaded it. We'll see. Also not as sure how deep he needed the threads on the female end.

 

[Downunder Bob]

View attachment 143618 View attachment 143619 View attachment 143620 I finished up a little old grinder project. I Picked this up off CL the day after Christmas. Cleaned, wired, new switch and a different old motor. The grinder is from Casting Specialties (CS), and originally came as a kit to be completed in a shop class. I kept the original paint too.

Nice rebuild, Just concerned that the little toggle switch can handle start up current of the motor. Or have you got a relay hidden in that box. A lot of rotary inertia on that motor, I expect it takes a while to get up to speed, probably pulling 5 times rated current while starting

 

[jbolt]

My daughter came to me asking if I had a way to adapt a 1/4" ID hose to a 5/8" ID hose. I said sure and handed her a piece of brass rod and pointed to the lathe. She knows how to run the lathe so I grabbed a 3/8' double ended barbed fitting as an example and with a little coaching this is what she made.

 

[savarin]

Had a good day today despite the appalling humidity.
Finished re building the franken burner after its previous demise from fire.
So it had to be used.
I have been revisiting the altitude slo-mo controls for the scope and had to mill a key way into the altitude shaft, this meant it also needed a new tabbed washer to fit.
No worries now the eroder is working. I placed all the electronics inside the welder case so there was only a three core cable running to the eroder head.

Fully submerged in a bath of kerosene and a metal tank this time, no plastic stuff.
A small aquarium pump delivers a jet of fluid to wash debris from under the electrode.

Here is the shape that is being burnt through the 0.9mm sheet of stainless.


and here is the electrode burning out of the kerosene bath. Quite a powerful arc.


A quick check half way through, approx 40 mins.


Almost through, 1 hour and 20 mins total so far.


Finished. Just under two hours to get this far. Now it just needs a tiny bit of cleaning to fit.


I milled a key way in a 12mm bolt so I could clean up the edge.


and it fit nicely and snug with no perceptible backlash but slips along the shaft without sticking.


Total time from start to finish allowing 20 mins cool down each time the coil reached 80'C was 4 hours 15 mins.

 

[Downunder Bob]

My daughter came to me asking if I had a way to adapt a 1/4" ID hose to a 5/8" ID hose. I said sure and handed her a piece of brass rod and pointed to the lathe. She knows how to run the lathe so I grabbed a 3/8' double ended barbed fitting as an example and with a little coaching this is what she made.

View attachment 143678

Nice job, That girl has got some talent, looks better than most bought ones.