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

[verbotenwhisky]

Cleaned up the edges on some A36 discs (they'll show up on my Shop thread once I have time to finish editing the video):

View attachment 487511

Either the Craftsman belts on my 2x42 belt sander/grinder are crap, or I've been overworking them:

View attachment 487512
I'm only getting an average of 15 years out of them – counting the original that came with the machine, this is the third one!

I find the Blue belts work better for metal....

 

[FOMOGO]

Finished up the Z axis PF install. After getting every thing back together it occurred to me that as I was in the process of installing the DRO that I might want to be able to use the hand crank for fine movement of the Z. Hasn't been an issue on the BP because I've just been using it for gross up and down. The only hitch is that with the PF installed the shaft is too short to use the handle. So, tear everything apart, machine an extension .100 oversize, and drill it out to 5/16. Then set up the steady rest as the spindle is too small for the shaft to pass through, drill and tap the existing shaft. Bolt the two together, and weld it up. Back to the lathe and turn it down, and Bob's your second cousins, X wife's nephew. Considered putting a spring between the crank and the drive stub to keep it from inadvertently engaging during operation, but tried running it in both directions in rapid, and it stays put at it's furthest point out. Probably not doing to much else for the next month as I'm having cataract surgery on both eye's two weeks apart, and they have a boatload of restrictions during recovery. Mike

487541[/ATTACH]

 

[mmcmdl]

Just got back from buying my last Aunt . She was 94 and lived a great life along with her 3 sisters . Her husband was a machinist at Crown Cork and Seal until he died in 86 at 60 YO . His Dad had a machine shop in the early 1900s . My Dad was the only male in the family and passed away in 1968 . ( I think it must have been growing up with 4 females in the house ) . Back to regular programming at this point ............cutting grass .

 

[ChazzC]

I find the Blue belts work better for metal....

Based on my usage over the past 30 years, I’ll install my last Craftsman 50G belt in 2039-ish, so I’ll check them out then

 

[ChazzC]

Just got back from buying my last Aunt . She was 94 and lived a great life along with her 3 sisters . Her husband was a machinist at Crown Cork and Seal until he died in 86 at 60 YO . His Dad had a machine shop in the early 1900s . My Dad was the only male in the family and passed away in 1968 . ( I think it must have been growing up with 4 females in the house ) . Back to regular programming at this point ............cutting grass .

Condolences, Dave.

 

[FOMOGO]

Added a little operation video. Mike

View attachment VID_20240421_123008470.mp4

 

[Larry$]

Considered putting a spring between the crank and the drive stub to keep it from inadvertently engaging during operation, but tried running it in both directions in rapid, and it stays put at it's furthest point out. Probably not doing to much else for the next month as I'm having cataract surgery on both eye's two weeks apart,

I made a new shaft when I put the Z feed on my Jet mill. I also put a spring on to keep the handle from engaging.
It's been quite a few years since I had Cataract surgery. I got the kind of lenses that automatically adjust focus rather than the fixed focus type. Cost me an extra $8600±. They work great. Highly recommended. Weird sensation having your eyes open while they zap the laser burning away your real lens. There is a chance that some debris will collect behind the new plastic lens. If that happens they can burn it away with the laser at a later time.

 

[FOMOGO]

I'm getting the step up from the standard lens. The surgeon said the highest option wouldn't work for me unfortunately. Closeup will be better than I have now, but will need readers. He says 1.25 for reading, and 2.5 for welding, or apparently Amazon has some graduated readers. Have to wear safety glasses most of the time anyway, so not too big of a deal. Mike

It's been quite a few years since I had Cataract surgery. I got the kind of lenses that automatically adjust focus rather than the fixed focus type. Cost me an extra $8600±. They work great. Highly recommended. Weird sensation having your eyes open while they zap the laser burning away your real lens. There is a chance that some debris will collect behind the new plastic lens. If that happens they can burn it away with the laser at a later time.

 

[dkemppai]

... It's going to be a big task the clear it out by myself and convert it to a gym.

Hopefully loosing all that weight was a good thing. (Not health issues, or something like that!)

I'll be worth it getting something set up at home. Not having to drive that far to access a gym and not having to share equipment is really nice. Keep us updated on what you do. FYI, I have a buddy that poured concrete weights during covid so he could work out at home. It doesn't take a lot of expensive equipment. Also shopping around for used, or getting 'good enough' cheap import stuff is good too.

Oddly enough, I worked on gym space today too. Ordered an incline bench, and finally assembled it today. It's just a cheap chinese import from amazon, but it works. I can see how I want to modify it already, but not having to make all those parts from scratch makes it worth while. It fits in the squat rack so I can safely do incline bench by myself.


The gym space isn't very large, but it's adequate for the wife and I to workout together. Most of this stuff was used stuff I picked up just before covid hit (when prices were still really good). About 8 cents on the dollar compared to new. I think the stall mats for the floor may have been the single most expensive part (It's really nice to be able to drop or set weight down and not hurt anything! Dead lift, bent over rows, etc.)