by R.G. Sparber Before we had the need for interchangeable parts, machines were made by “cutting to fit.” There is nothing wrong with this approach in the hobby shop. The vise I built depends heavily on cut to fit techniques. Many holes must perfectly line up, but this is done by match drilling. Overall accuracy [...]
by Ian MacGregor There are low-cost carbide router bits available, frequently found on sale at your local tool supplier, which can be used on your vertical mill to save you dollars, as well as setup time. V-grooves, edge chamfers, and rounded edges are just some examples of milling operations that I have done using these [...]
by T. Alan The quill lock on a Bridgeport style milling machine tends to lock under the pull of gravity and vibration. Sometimes it's nice to have it as loose as possible, such as when doing small hole drilling or other operations that require a sensitive touch. Fortunately, the fix is both cheap and easy. [...]
by Chuck Rice For carrying odd shaped, heavy items, a Double Fisherman's Knot makes a good rope handle that will not cut into your hand. I used it to carry a 50 pound lathe headstock to a metalworking meeting. Without the knot, the headstock was an awkward, two handed load. By adding additional loops (I [...]
By Gary Edson Um, the title “Wooden Arbors” brings to mind grapes or wisteria, I guess. But for me, wood arbors are a real quick, cheap and easy means for holding stuff in lathe chucks. They are okay for situations where accuracy and rigid holding are not issues. Some arbors are one-use affairs; you may [...]
By Dave Kellogg When using a horizontal band saw to cut angle iron, sometimes it is desirable to cut through only one leg of the iron, requiring the angle to be clamped square to the jaws of the vise. Work on the mill also typically requires the angle to be clamped with one of the [...]
