What Did You Buy Today?

[Gaffer]

@Gaffer
Good haul there. You described the Rutland item well. Mount it on a mill table. Install a 5C collet, which is pulled/released by rotating the lever. Turn the nut, with a pin, to adjust the collet's grip on your workpiece. It's the same thing as the Phase II indexer, except without the rotating/indexing spindle feature. Example

That makes sense. Thank you.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I have been wanting a Machinery's Handbook for some time. I had been holding out for a new one but I know of too many that use very old editions with no regret. Started bidding on Ebay for a really nice 20th Edition but wasn't paying close enough attention and lost it. Searched again and found a an even nicer 17th edition for less money and with a "Buy it Now" button. So I got it for $24 shipped.



Also while working on my lathe over the weekend, I had swapped the 3 jaw for the 4 jaw. But when I was playing with the jaws the wrench was too close to the gear box for my comfort. The wrench is a 3/8" square drive so went on to Amazon and found this for $11 delivered with Prime. Will work really well.


Finally, I have ordered a bunch of small parts for the lathe from Grizzly and while I was doing that I ordered a 4 Way tool post handle and handle hub that I will bore out for my AXA quick change to replace the post nut. This was done by TerryH here on the forum and I really like not having to keep a wrench handy and don't want it on the tool post all the time. This is the perfect size. But it will require me to drill it out and tap it for M14-1.5 pitch. So I ordered these, a Taper and Plug Tap to do the work. Got them for $15 delivered.

 

[hman]

Well, I done pulled the trigger today. Ordered a Precision Matthews PM835-S "baby Bridgeport" style mill, complete with DRO.

PM-835S Milling Machine – Precision Matthews Machinery Co.

www.precisionmatthews.com

It will be a replacement/upgrade for my round column mill.

It may well be that I'm the first one here to buy one of these. I posted a request for comment about a week ago, but -crickets-. Once I get the mill up and running, I'll post photos and comments.

 

[pontiac428]

You will very much like having a knee and getting away from the round column. Congrats!

I usually don't comment on Precision Matthews fantasy shopping cart threads, but "pulling the trigger" is a commitment to action. The next two weeks or so will be excruciating for you while you wait, I'm sure! Now get that little spot on the floor cleared and start spending any remaining credit you have on tooling you may never use, because you have a limited time to act. Do you feel the urgency? Get that set of reverse-thread 5c collets coming!

The big question (the one I'm still waiting for an answer on myself) is when will it be okay to sell the old, trusted round column mill? I just can't part with mine because it's become "old reliable" while the new mill is still not completely proven... not completely.

 

[hman]

Indeed, the order is IN, and my bank website shows the credit card charge as "pending."

I don't anticipate any urgency about the delivery ... especially given PM's good reputation. The Grizzle G1007 is still working fine, and I also have a mini-mill and a mini CNC mill to stay busy on. Among the other planning/preparation activities I've done so far is to buy a pallet jack (handy to move the round column, and which I HOPE will be useful for the crate the new one comes in. I'm also planning for what tooling to sell with the old mill, what replacement stuff to buy, etc. etc. etc. Floor space (including storage of the Grizzle until it's sold) has been planned. When I put it up for sale, it'll be as a "plug and play" package, complete with tooling and accessories. I'm hoping to offer a good deal to a "new" machinist.

The PM will be something of a 73rd birthday present for myself

 

[Papa Charlie]

Indeed, the order is IN, and my bank website shows the credit card charge as "pending."

I don't anticipate any urgency about the delivery ... especially given PM's good reputation. The Grizzle G1007 is still working fine, and I also have a mini-mill and a mini CNC mill to stay busy on. Among the other planning/preparation activities I've done so far is to buy a pallet jack (handy to move the round column, and which I HOPE will be useful for the crate the new one comes in. I'm also planning for what tooling to sell with the old mill, what replacement stuff to buy, etc. etc. etc. Floor space (including storage of the Grizzle until it's sold) has been planned. When I put it up for sale, it'll be as a "plug and play" package, complete with tooling and accessories. I'm hoping to offer a good deal to a "new" machinist.

The PM will be something of a 73rd birthday present for myself

I assume you specified that it come on a truck with a lift gate. It is not always the standard. Most trucking companies charge extra for it. Too often even if it is coming on a truck with it anyway.

 

[erikmannie]

The Crucible, an art school in Oakland, has reopened. I just signed up for the weekend, 15 hour Arc Welding 1 (i.e. stick welding) class.

I took MIG Welding 1 last weekend and it was so helpful; I must have used 200 coupons. I am also taking Metal Shaping (including gas welding aluminum!) and retaking Turning & Milling.

My wife was very supportive with the purchase; she is a keeper for sure.

The Crucible is a very good school. I have been to both good & bad schools, and The Crucible is my favorite of them all. The worst school was the framebuilding program at United Bicycle Institute.

 

[gr8legs]

I buy my expanding mandrels for Breakheart Tool Co. and have been very satisfied. I wonder if yours are also made by them. Anyway, buy direct from Breakheart for a 30+% savings relative to McMaster. Breakheart also makes other lathe accessories.

I'm a sucker for a tool I don't have and these Breakheart mandrels magically showed up today. One of two boxes in the USPS delivery.

Set comes with a wooden holder and Allen wrenches to fit. 70 bucks plus shipping in a USPS small flat rate box.

.

Preliminary inspection says they look good. It does not appear that the sizes overlap so there may be some 'dead zones' but I will have to do some more tweaking to verify.

And now on to package #2

My auto hoist arm extension project needed round corners on the extension arms so after getting a couple of 'onesies' I sprung for a used set on the Bay. First time I ever needed or wanted a rounded corner on metal, now it will become a standard feature, especially on aluminum stock ~ not so much on steel as these are just inexpensive (Interstate) HSS tools. Wasn't a complete set but I filled in the gap with one of the previous purchases.



Back to massaging the pocketbook to alleviate the pain. It may help.

Stu

 

[hman]

Yup. Shipping was a flat rate $399 and liftgate service was an additional $49. The truck will be able to get right to the door of my shop (concrete driveway) and I don't anticipate any trouble moving it in from there.

 

[extropic]

I'm a sucker for a tool I don't have and these Breakheart mandrels magically showed up today. One of two boxes in the USPS delivery.

Set comes with a wooden holder and Allen wrenches to fit. 70 bucks plus shipping in a USPS small flat rate box.

View attachment 334784.

Preliminary inspection says they look good. It does not appear that the sizes overlap so there may be some 'dead zones' but I will have to do some more tweaking to verify. snip>

No such thing as a dead zone. You turn down the smallest size that is larger than the diameter you need. Only turn down the length you need so you'll eventually end up with stepped mandrels. There is a seller on eBay (factory, I assume) that seems to sell all Breakheart lathe accessories. The seller name is thirdwheelrider. I keep spares on hand (you know why). Looks like eBay is free shipping on that set. Sorry about that. I didn't think about eBay 'till just now. Also, import clones on eBay for less $$, but I can only guess as to quality. Breakheart = USA made and no problems.
Disclosure: No connection with Breakheart. Just a satisfied customer.