2017 POTD Thread Archive

[dave_r_1]

Made another oil drain extension, this one for a rototiller. This time, I started with making a proper engineering diagram with dimension.

Extension, along with custom made gasket:


Better job of making the hex this time:


And the install photo:


That steel plate just above the extension actually interferes with the flange on the drain bolt (both originally, and the extension made it a bit worse). I ground off most of the flange and that helped. I didn't want to make the extension so it sticks out past that plate, as that would increase the likelyhood it gets hit sideways and bends/breaks off, as the threads are 14mmx1.5 (13mm minor thread diameter), and the through-hole is 7/16" (11.1mm), so there isn't a lot of meat left where that extension threads into the block.

 

[f350ca]

Had an opportunity to use the 8" Chinese four jaw I mounted a little while back. Was a treat to use instead of the 16" one.


Greg

 

[Firestopper]

Greg, no more hernias turning smaller jobs.

 

[f350ca]

Your so right Paco. I still need to cut the back plate down and get rid of a little more weight but even now is it ever nice to be able to mount a chuck without the over head crane.

Greg

 

[BGHansen]

POTD was another one for my lovely wife. We harvest most of the meat we eat; turkeys, chickens and venison shot off our property. Sorry if I’m offending any PETA folks out there (read Genesis 9:3 sometime), but I like my protein and know at one time it had a face.

We process our food too. One treat my wife makes are meat sticks. Think Slim Jim’s without all of the grease and preservatives. She had been using a Gander Mountain meat grinder, but the one we have processes 18 lbs. of meat a minute. Put the extruder nozzle on for pumping into ½” – ¾” casings and it’s moves about like threading at 4 tpi in open spindle at 1000 RPM!

She also uses what could be best described as a meat caulk gun. Little more hand work, but much more controllable. Finally, on to the POTD; making adapters for the Gander Mountain meat grinder tubes to fit the meat caulk gun.

Measured up the diameters with calipers and determined the tapers with protractors and angle blocks. Guessed on the angle blocks and measured the width of the tube and block together at either end. Naturally, if the angle block matched the taper, the measurements at either end should be the same. Stepped up/down by 1 deg. until the ends were parallel.

Chucked up a Delrin round, faced and turned to diameter. Drilled and bored the center hole with the compound set to half of the taper angle. Had to do a little trig as the diameter of the taper was down the tube some. Extrapolated the angle out to the base and made that the target for the ID. Turned the outer diameter down to fit the ID of the screw-on ring, then parted.

Turned out really nice; smiles and “thank you” from my wife. Next step, look for Bambii’s daddy to step in front of me in less than a week when the Michigan whitetail deer season opens.

Bruce

 

[38Bill]

Bruce, great idea. I'm actually just now taking a break from butchering my 11 year old granddaughter's first white tail. We always do some jerky and its labor intensive so I really like the idea of meat sticks. Do you have a special recipe you use?
Bill

 

[Firestopper]

I built a mounting bracket for a small security locker that fits inside a center console of a Dakota. The customer wanted to secure his pistol when left behind in his vehicle. Not sure why anyone would NOT want to keep their weapon on their person but whatever.

The console was dropped off last week and got a chance to knock it out. A template was made to fit the profile of the console base. The console mounting screws sit 2-1/16" below the bottom/floor of said console (below the four tabs profiles).

Cut out the 14 gauge sheet with a Jig saw taking the tracing line out with the blade. No further trimming was required.
Center punched the hole locations through the template (why not to use cardboard).

Test fit good.

Laid out the security locker with the flip door hinge towards the passengers side. Locker snug against drivers side of compartment.
Drilled four 5/16"mounting holes and two 1/4" locker mounting holes.
The locker mounting holes got two 1/4-20 x 1/2" studs plug welded from the bottom side of mounting plate. Only way to access nuts is from the inside of unlocked locker.

Studs plug welded (bottom view).

Transferred the holes onto locker (bottom) prior to welding studs.
Lined up well.

Now for the spacers that will be used to secure the system down into the 2-1/16" pockets below the console floor.
Four 3/4" round tubing was cut to 2" and a 5/16" flat washer 1/16" thick shares the same O.D as the tube. This will keep the plastic from being damaged when torquing the console back into the truck. Two security screws 2.5" long will keep honest folks honest while regular hex head screws in the front will be covered/blocked by the locker after install.

Bottom view: Spacers only require tack welding (hot). Any more and distortion will be a problem.


Mounting sequence: Bottom plate screwed in (rear screws are security type) followed by locker blocking two forward mounting screws.

This is how the console sits in rig (left is drivers side)

The locker lid will get a spring mounted (from the inside) to flip the lid open after combo and turn of the knob.
The customer will mount a holster to the left side of locker allowing easy access.

Inside locker view: Two 1/4-20 nuts. I provided him with two nyloc s/s nuts for final install after he paints bracket and mounts holster.

Regular looking console with the lid closed.

Now back to my projects.
Thanks for looking.
Turn and burn!

Paco

 

[Firestopper]

I forgot to mention, I offered the guy a cool option to conceal the four mounting screws by cutting a second base plate with no holes on the tabs (dimple for screw head clearance) with only the two holes that would slip over the two studs prior to installing the locker (sandwich). This would have been ultra clean but he didn't want to pay for the extra labor (45 min.) I would have given him the material. I learned many moons ago "you can lead a horse to water, but can't make him drink". NO second offer made and moved on.

 

[chips&more]

Made a universal mounting fixture for my Sherline rotary table and also a threaded chuck adapter. Note the hex hole (1/4”) in the adapter. Did that with my rotary broach (RB). Have had the RB for about 10 years. Don’t know how life would be now without that RB! I was giving the Sherline rotary table (RT) very high marks until I tried to mount the thing. Noticed the construction was not flat and not square. And that caused the RT to bind up when I mounted it to the fixture. The design of the worm as off to one side and not part of the RT itself can be a big problem and cause flexing then binding if things are not flat and square. It's all better now...Dave

 

[extropic]

I forgot to mention, I offered the guy a cool option to conceal the four mounting screws by cutting a second base plate with no holes on the tabs (dimple for screw head clearance) with only the two holes that would slip over the two studs prior to installing the locker (sandwich). This would have been ultra clean but he didn't want to pay for the extra labor (45 min.) I would have given him the material. I learned many moons ago "you can lead a horse to water, but can't make him drink". NO second offer made and moved on.

Thanks for adding that to the presentation. It would have been better.

Beautiful work, as usual.