What do you make with your lathe and mill that's not tooling, a jig or fixture, but something that is useful to the average person?

WOW!!
Ask and ye shall receive!!
Thanks!!
 
I've made tooth pick holders, out of solid brass rods. I've made bushings, repaired tools, and made tools for another person. Right now I'm trying to make two rollers for drawer pulls that got broken. I don't have any plastic or nylon so I'm making them out of ABS, the color doesn't matter.
 
DavidR8 said:
What do you use those for?
(Sorry for the newbie question)


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I use a lot of thin tubing. I use the tube blocks to clamp this tubing for the sanding and filing needed to prepare miter joints for welding. The fit up should be as good as possible, and all contaminants should be removed.

The tube block is clamped in a bench vice. I know of no other way to clamp a thin tube in a bench vise or on a welding table. I will only use my V blocks on the milling table.

Also, if you are welding a thin tube, you can use a tube block (or one half of one) to clamp that tube to a welding table for the hot work. This also makes a nice heat sink.
 
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I have made these and used them extensively in the past . Mine are made to fit into the BP slots . One thing you could do to make them more bettery is to add a pin on one end . I used a pin and a lock collar mounted on the tubing for a very quick indexing feature . Food for thought . :encourage:
 
mmcmdl said:
I have made these and used them extensively in the past . Mine are made to fit into the BP slots . One thing you could do to make them more bettery is to add a pin on one end . I used a pin and a lock collar mounted on the tubing for a very quick indexing feature . Food for thought . :encourage:
Click to expand...

I wonder what a BP is.

Maybe one day you could upload a picture of this pin and lock collar. I failed to grasp the concept.
 
Bridgeport . :grin: I had to make a ton of frames for a job with different angles for connecting joints . Rather than using a Hartford head , I made up a lock collar with 4 holes 90 degrees apart . I could spin the tubing easily and lock the pin in the collar . Pretty simple , I'll see if I have them and grab a pic tomorrow .
 
I thought I would check this thread out and see what's been posted, while giving it a bump. Here's a list (so far):

-plumbing adapter for the tub drain
-bushings and spacers
-hardwood lids for my wife's 1 gallon crocks
-parts, no longer available
-prototypes for some local businesses
-snow blower shear bolts
-tool to remove the door gasket retaining clip on a front load washing machine
-hinges for the automatic gate
-plumbing adapters
-router bit shanks
-motorcycle parts
-stuff for my wife's gardening
-re barreled a few rifles
-various bushings and screws
-knobs for the range
-housing for a mega-flashlight
-latch for our Cuisinart tea kettle
-arbor for an office tape dispenser.
-make the special tool you couldn't find
-bushings
-replaced the steel acme screw and plastic nut on my gate opener with a stainless steel screw and bronze nut
-threading a rod to building a custom firewood saw or a custom wood burning central heating system
-restoring a narrow-gauge locomotive. I repaired or recreated a number of parts and in some cases made parts that had not existed before, but were improvements on the originals
-making a screw on gas cap for my tractor
-brass doohickey to match one that came off wife’s shoe
-Repaired the handle on a glass pot lid
-made a dozen Delrin feet to replace ones that fell off our fancy Italian stovetop grates
-pistol caliber case gauges
-lathe project was using a wood lathe to trim some bushings I ordered of wrong size for fixing my truck sagging doors
-pulley wheel for a home-made crane
-Used the mill to resurfaced a clutch throw out lever for the Cub Cadet 126 I am working on after welding the worn areas. A few minutes with an -end mill and a file saved about $50, the price of a new one.
-paper weights
-door stops
-spacers, just thick washers really, to level out a crooked office chair seat that listed to port
-chokes for shotguns
-a ring for my wife
-a base for a jewelry stand
-odd-ball thread
-screws for a piece of furniture
-replacement hinges to replace the cheap cast ones in the kitchen
-Impossible Dovetail Puzzles
-brass Stirling 60 engines
-gyroscope
-spinning tops
-little plastic pads
-soap dishes out of Corian offcuts
-handles and knobs for regular day to day items
-fix a backflow prevention valve
-fan rod coupler to put together 2 fan rods and hang a fan from a 20 foot ceiling
-replacement key case
-titanium studs for my tuxedo
-pump start gravity siphon
-Darts, pens, hairpins, chess/checker pieces
-knurled handle for a safety razor
-cups
-knife sharpener
-cap for my gas can
-hanger for leaf blower
-Antenna mounts and pole holders for the boat
-Curtain rods and mounts
-Adapter to mount a chevy tranfer case to a chevy transmission
-Bushings, tie rod, drag link for a 4 wheel drive van conversion
-Stainless knobs for cabinets
-speaker mounting brackets
-gas cap for an old HF motor on a chipper
-tooth pick holders, out of solid brass rods
-rollers for drawer pulls that got broken
 
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