POTD- PROJECT OF THE DAY: What Did You Make In Your Shop Today?

[ttabbal]

I like the speed handles Bruce. I've been thinking about making one for my Kurt as well. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Janderso]

Dang Bruce, you have been productive.
I really like the speed handle.

 

[jdedmon91]

I like the speed handles Bruce. I've been thinking about making one for my Kurt as well. Thanks for the reminder.

I made mine one for my Kurt last year. Here the video I put on YouTube

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[Franko]

My cat destroyed the rope on her scratching post, so I had to replace it.
The lathe came in handy for wrapping all those loops around the post.
I just turned it by hand, pulling the rope tight every quarter turn.
The post was too long to use the turning center, so I chucked up a small reamer and held the post between it and the tailstock.
The block of wood was to tap the loops tight every 2 or 3 turns.

My hands are really tired. Stretching all those loops was strenuous.
I will not get any thank yous for this. There is no cat word for thank you.

 

[silverhawk]

My cat destroyed the rope on her scratching post, so I had to replace it.
The lathe came in handy for wrapping all those loops around the post.
I just turned it by hand, pulling the rope tight every quarter turn.
The post was too long to use the turning center, so I chucked up a small reamer and held the post between it and the tailstock.
The block of wood was to tap the loops tight every 2 or 3 turns.

My hands are really tired. Stretching all those loops was strenuous.
I will not get any thank yous for this. There is no cat word for thank you.

No word for thank you, but you'd still wish the cat would paws right meow and tail you a thank you. I mean, you did great work kitten busy fur the feline! (Sorry for the puns, I'll shut up now. I think it's a brilliant use of the tools for the unintended.)

 

[hman]

Working in the shop isn't "work" . . . so no problem spending LOTS of time out there!

A REALLY BIG "Amen" to that, Bruce!

 

[hman]

Franko -
Great idea to do it on the lathe! I've wrapped several posts with sisal rope, myself ... unfortunately, the posts were too long for the lathe. But I'll definitely keep your technique in mind. I usually use wood glue to hold the rope to the core. Most recently, I mixed catnip into the glue ... sorta kinda like a "timed release" kitty dope

 

[Franko]

No word for thank you, but you'd still wish the cat would paws right meow and tail you a thank you. I mean, you did great work kitten busy fur the feline! (Sorry for the puns, I'll shut up now. I think it's a brilliant use of the tools for the unintended.)

It's ok, Silverhawk. You reply has groan on me.

Franko -
Great idea to do it on the lathe! I've wrapped several posts with sisal rope, myself ... unfortunately, the posts were too long for the lathe. But I'll definitely keep your technique in mind. I usually use wood glue to hold the rope to the core. Most recently, I mixed catnip into the glue ... sorta kinda like a "timed release" kitty dope

Good idea on the catnip, Hman.
I stapled the sisal to the post with a narrow crown stapler. I whipped the ends with shrink wrap.
About every six inches I shot another staple in it so I could let go of it and rest my hands.

I was concerned that she (the cat) would hate the new wrapping and not scratch it. Her main job is disapproving of everything.
Sisal rope has a rather nasty smell. After I burned the frays on the stove, it also smelled smoky.
I have some spray-on cat nip so I gave it a good squirting.
She likes catnip so much she forgot to disapprove of it and after a few minutes gave it viscous scratch.
The world is once again spinning on greased gears.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Working in the shop isn't "work"

Truer words were never spoke. (Yeah, I know, but I like that version. )

I count the hours spent in the shop golden.

 

[Radials]

I've been working on a new side yard gate. I opted to make the hinges myself because I had all the materials needed on hand with the exception of the thrust washers. I've put some 8-32 threads in the top of the barrels for button head shcs and a rubber washer so that they can easily be oiled. Also quite a bit stouter than the box store offerings.

 

[Janderso]

Fabricated an air hose reel retaining bracket for the new 12K Mohawk lift at work.
Works great!

 

[GoceKU]

Couple of weeks ago i took apart this Oktavia to fix oil in the spark plugs, and i've been waiting on oil seals to arrive from germany. Today they came, and i got right to work i scraped out all the old silicone and seals and removed and pumped out all the hydraulic lifters all 16 and noticed some of them are blacker than others, that means they are from other engine, from an engine run on gasoline, if you notice this engine is extremely high mileage but is very clean that is because from 0 mileage is run on LPG ( propane) and has had regular oil changes. Then i clean the camshaft carrier ( valve cover) and applied thin coat of good quality silicone sealant. Then i installed it back on the engine and torque the bolts to spec. This is probably the worst valve cover design ever. I'll finish the timing belt job tomorrow all the scraping of sealant took the toll on me.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

yeah, that doesn't look like any fun at all. Ford 2l Zetec engines also suffer from crappy valve cover seals, but they typically leak out, all over the exhaust manifold instead. Maybe it's to stop the exhaust manifold bolts from rusting?

 

[pontiac428]

Like many, I live where humidity levels ensure a perpetual battle with surface rust. After living for so long in Nevada, this is a bit of a novel concept to me. This post is my result with home brewed lanolin-based rust preservative.

The recipe:
Weigh out 100g anhydrous lanolin and 100g Johnson's paste wax into a container. Heat in microwave to soften and liquify, mix well. Add 10 ml of (pick one: naptha, odorless mineral spirits, stoddard solvent) and 10 ml Sea Foam (good source of glycol ethers, can use brake fluid or penetrating oil; penetrant is stinky and brake fluid softens paint, so Sea Foam is my choice). Mix well and let solidify. Apply to surface with a piece of chamois and buff.

The result:
Everything I've tried this on has worked. The photos below show some light surface rust on my mill vise, and again 24 hours after application. The rust spots fade over a few days until they disappear, and the dried waxy film leaves a protective barrier.

 

[GoceKU]

yeah, that doesn't look like any fun at all. Ford 2l Zetec engines also suffer from crappy valve cover seals, but they typically leak out, all over the exhaust manifold instead. Maybe it's to stop the exhaust manifold bolts from rusting?

Yeah all Ford Zetec engines Leak oil, they are like dogs like to mark their territory. Years ago there was a saying: look at a man's driveway, if there is oil stain along its entire length he is a Ford driver. No offence to everyone who owns Fords.

 

[GoceKU]

Why do we pay mechanic shops, to fix or destroy are vehicles. Today i continued finishing the repairs on this Octavia, i fitted new timing belts, reinstalled the engine mounts all the covers, fan belt and last couple of things it had developed a oil leak and an exhaust leak since last shop had worked on it. So i drain the engine oil and found the oil drain is stripped and they use teflon tape to hold it in. When my brother bought this car i did nut and bolt check and the drain plug was tight and the suspension bolt was also tight, last shop did do an oil change and replace suspension bushings and brakes in fact everything they did i'm having to redo and they broke even more things. I call them they denied everything at the end started to deny they ever worked on it at all, typical. Hopefully the oil pan and exhaust is the only things i still have to fix, i'm ready to get it out of the garage.

 

[Janderso]

I'm the general manager of a Ford dealer.
There are so many hacks out there!
If we run an add for a Ford trained professional with over 10 years experience, over $100K per year, we will have zero applicants that are qualified.
I think partially due to the, "mechanic" or "grease monkey" image and the lack of auto, metal and wood shops in the high schools has caused a critical shortage of capable technicians.
Todays vehicles are very complex.
We see customers vehicles with work done at a local shop all the time with missing fasteners, stripped threads, broken parts etc.
If you find a shop that can fix your vehicle right the first time and on time, keep going back.
There are some outstanding shops in this country, you just need to find them.
I'm very proud of our crew.
Good luck.

 

[TomS]

Several months ago I found some undimensioned sketches on the net that showed how to convert a coax indicator to a 3D taster. Seemed like an interesting project as I had a cheap import coax indicator that I bought several years ago that didn't get used much. After gathering the necessary materials, i.e. a 6mm rod end, #9 carbide drill, 6mm - 1.0 carbide tap, and a ruby tipped stylus I went to work.

Here's the finished product.



This is a layout of the individual parts before assembly. There is a spacer that goes between the plunger shaft and ball that is not shown.


After assembly I mounted the taster in a collet and adjusted the stylus runout until I got it within .0005" TIR. Using a 123 block clamped in my vise and a edge finder as my reference tool I located my X and Y zero points and set my mill DRO's to zero. Using my new 3D taster I probed the 123 block X and Y axis and set the taster dial to zero. I took the taster in and out of the spindle several times and probed the 123 block and it repeated to less than .001" each time. I haven't tried setting the Z axis height yet but that is the next step.

It's important to mention that the dial markings are not 1 to 1. In other words if you locate an edge and need to offset from that edge use the hand wheel dials or DRO to get your offset.

I'm pleased with the results at about 1/3 the cost of a Haimer.

 

[sgisler]

Interesting. Where did you find that?


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[Cadillac]

Had bought a adjustable sine table acouple weeks ago without the table. So the project was to make one or two. First one was a fubar my dowel pin alignment holes were off a touch and would align correctly. Good thing was the second one was about half the time to build. All holes are reamed and was amazing to have it slide on without a wiggle. Once the mounting holes were all done I drilled, chamfered and tapped a bunch of holdown holes. Then ground both sides. Felt really good to bang this out from raw stock in a 3 hr window I had while the wife had the boy out shopping.

 

[TomS]

Interesting. Where did you find that?


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I think you were responding to my post. If not disregard this response.

I've attached a write up on what I found on the internet and added a few comments about how I approached my project. My plan is to disassemble my taster and make up CAD drawings of the individual components.

This sketch doesn't show a spacer between the heim joint ball and shaft. The length of the spacer can be modified so that the needle on the indicator ends up where you want it.

Here's the sketch I found on the net.

 

[savarin]

Never heard that word before (except for food and wine)
Whats it used for?

 

[sgisler]

I think you were responding to my post. If not disregard this response.

I've attached a write up on what I found on the internet and added a few comments about how I approached my project. My plan is to disassemble my taster and make up CAD drawings of the individual components.

This sketch doesn't show a spacer between the heim joint ball and shaft. The length of the spacer can be modified so that the needle on the indicator ends up where you want it.

Here's the sketch I found on the net.
View attachment 302167

Excellent, thanks! I’ll have to dig into that. I have a Haimer at home that is the cat’s pajamas, have been agonizing over dropping the coin for another at the shop. This may be the solution!


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[sgisler]

Never heard that word before (except for food and wine)
Whats it used for?

It’s German and seems the closest approximation is ‘caliper’. However that doesn’t well describe the device. ‘Sensor’ is the way they translate it in their literature. But, it is a 3d edge finder. Really a pleasure to use but rather spendy.

Universal 3D-Sensor for milling and eroding machines

The Universal 3D-Sensor is a very precise and versatile measuring device for milling and EDM machines (isolated probe tip).

www.haimer-usa.com

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[savarin]

Thanks

 

[sgisler]

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[hman]

My German is a bit rusty, but as best I can recall, "taster" means something like "toucher" or "something that touches." "Tastatur" is a keyboard.

UPDATE - Found this on interglot.com:

 

[Superburban]

I'm the general manager of a Ford dealer.
If we run an add for a Ford trained professional with over 10 years experience, over $100K per year, we will have zero applicants that are qualified.
I think partially due to the, "mechanic" or "grease monkey" image and the lack of auto, metal and wood shops in the high schools has caused a critical shortage of capable technicians.

I do not know what the area you are looking at is, but even coming from the east coast, that does not surprise me at all. 1. Ford trained professional. Whats that, less the 1% of the population in your area? 2. 10 years experience. So you are basically looking at hiring the workers from your nearby Ford dealers. Probably down to 1% or the 1%. Even less, when you realize that most folks who have worked with one employer for over 10 years, and not looking at moving. 3. $100K per year. I do not know how the cost of living in your area compares, but that is not even close enough to get me thinking about a move to CA. My experience is that people in general do not want to make employment changes. Yes, many talk all day about moving on, but few do without being pushed out the door.

How does one get trained by Ford? Not being in the trade, I would think that one would have to be hired by a Ford dealer that will send them to Fords School.

I agree with you on the schools no longer preparing a student for a future that they like. Even though they may not line up one to one with any particular job, The many courses I took, all helped me somewhere along my lifes journey. Art class (Clay, painting, photography), Home ec, wood working, metal working (Forge, welding, lathe, mill), Small engine repair, Concrete & Masonry, Graphic arts, Drivers ed, Are all classes I took, that are no longer offered at my High School. I could go on, but it makes me sad.

 

[jocat54]

I do not know what the area you are looking at is, but even coming from the east coast, that does not surprise me at all. 1. Ford trained professional. Whats that, less the 1% of the population in your area? 2. 10 years experience. So you are basically looking at hiring the workers from your nearby Ford dealers. Probably down to 1% or the 1%. Even less, when you realize that most folks who have worked with one employer for over 10 years, and not looking at moving. 3. $100K per year. I do not know how the cost of living in your area compares, but that is not even close enough to get me thinking about a move to CA. My experience is that people in general do not want to make employment changes. Yes, many talk all day about moving on, but few do without being pushed out the door.

How does one get trained by Ford? Not being in the trade, I would think that one would have to be hired by a Ford dealer that will send them to Fords School.

I agree with you on the schools no longer preparing a student for a future that they like. Even though they may not line up one to one with any particular job, The many courses I took, all helped me somewhere along my lifes journey. Art class (Clay, painting, photography), Home ec, wood working, metal working (Forge, welding, lathe, mill), Small engine repair, Concrete & Masonry, Graphic arts, Drivers ed, Are all classes I took, that are no longer offered at my High School. I could go on, but it makes me sad.

Before I was the service manager at a Chevy dealer (and before service writer) I was a chevy master tech and master ASE tech--took a while and lots of schooling and training.
There is plenty of opportunity to make descent money in the field if you are willing to work for it and may have to start at the bottom of the ladder to get there. I have known several that started as a porter and worked their way up to good paying jobs.

 

[Superburban]

Before I was the service manager at a Chevy dealer (and before service writer) I was a chevy master tech and master ASE tech--took a while and lots of schooling and training.
There is plenty of opportunity to make descent money in the field if you are willing to work for it and may have to start at the bottom of the ladder to get there. I have known several that started as a porter and worked their way up to good paying jobs.

There is many fields like that. If a kid gets into one that they like, and a good company, they can do great. But!! In their teens & 20's, many still have no real idea what they like. I made two major career changes, due to the companies cutting back, and cutting off any chance of advancement any time soon. Then when I found a great company, a job, and conditions that I liked, my health declined, and said no. The Schools around here, are useless at helping the kids, all they push is college, but do not even help the kids pick a path for college, that fits them.