by Don Peterson Over the years, I’ve made a number of tools from concrete nails, which are made from high-carbon steel and hardened. From left to right, they are: a .15” diameter punch, a 1/8” punch, a prick punch, a 3/32” punch, a recessed punch (for driving finishing nails – the punch can't slip [...]
by Aaron Kohler I was helping one of our new guys assemble some parts when he discovered that the bearing diameter was a tenth or two (.0001”/.0002”) too big and the bearing would not go on. Normally, we can polish that diameter down in the lathe, but this shaft had flats milled on it [...]
by John Valencic At 67 years old, lifting and aligning the lathe chucks on my Pratt & Whitney lathe can be quite daunting and at times finger smashing. My solution was to make chuck cradles for both the three-jaw and four-jaw chucks. The cradles ride on the V-ways and the chuck is straddled by [...]
This email tip was sponsored by Alibre. by Aaron Kohler Oddball-sized work? Do you not have the correct-sized collet? No problem! A split collet sleeve to the rescue. I have a 1-3/4" collet I keep handy and a small supply of 1-3/4" tubing, for just that kind of emergency where a properly sized collet [...]
This email tip was sponsored by Benchweld. by Roger Taylor Some folks might think this is the ultimate denigration of a mill vise, but the addition of a drilled and tapped hole on the stationary jaw side allows for a stud and strap clamp to provide extra down-holding force for unusual shapes. In this [...]
This email tip was sponsored by Decimal Inch Tape Measurer. by Ron Geppert When I find it difficult to place a ferrous fastener in an awkward position or in tight quarters, I slip a small, flat (3/4" diameter x 1/8") neodymium magnet into the index finger of a thin mechanic's glove. When I put [...]
