What did you get yourself for Christmas?

[wierdscience]

Been wanting a pattern torch for years, but never had the chance at one turning up at auction. Then about a month ago I was strolling through Amazon looking for something else when I spotted this at a stupid cheap price.

[Dan Dubeau]

I got some new Baffin winter boots, and a fridge. I got a the wife a heated blanket and some rechargeable hot pockets. I guess the unofficial theme this year was hot and cold lol. I also Sneakily finished installing the water line to it today, so you could say I also got her a cold glass of "door" water for the morning .

Merry Christmas everyone.

[Paul Alciatore]

For myself, for Christmas? So far, nothing.

But after two hurricanes this year and several more in prior years and too many evacuation trips for my old body, I am trying to put together a down payment and a way of financing a whole house generator. My property seems to be immune to flooding; one of those hurricanes dumped 40 inches of rain on it. But with all the trees around here, the power goes out at the slightest breeze. We recently lost power for about four hours in what was just a normal rain storm.

So next time a hurricane comes this way I plan to hunker down and ride it out with my own power. A generator will be the best Christmas present I can imagine. I hope I can get one before the next hurricane season. There is a long back-log.

[gellfex]

That's funny - do you have to use a paddle brace for the gusts, you know - so you don't tip over?

in whitewater I was known for being unsinkable on my right side --- used a scully stroke PB, the gift that keeps on giving :-)

im guessing if your already at speed and you get hit by a side gust on the sail then all you have to do is drag a blade at an angle for bracing, that's what i do in the river if I have momentum...

Well, it's complicated. The short answer is yes, if I'm ruddering on the lee side. I'm also an old whitewater hand and have pretty good reflexes left over. It's an odd rig. I had a long chat with the designers and they said they designed using that type of sail so that as you heel it spills way more wind than a normal sail would so it's actually self correcting. The other weirdness of it is the leeboard system in place of a keel or centerboard. Dunno if you know much sailing theory, but on multi-sail boats you want to trim the sails so that the pressure balances on the keel and you need very little rudder action to steer straight. But on this one you don't trim the sails, you trim the leeboards! By moving them fore and aft you can actually alter course. So sometimes I barely have to rudder.

That said, I had a close call my last time out. I was on a nice beam reach back to my put-in and decided to troll for stripers. As I cast the rod out the wind gusted and I went wayyyy over to leeward! The spilling sails and those whitewater instincts saved me, it was just like getting your rail caught by an eddyline, and my body heaved way out to windward. Put the fear of God in me alright! I was in a drysuit but it still would have been quite the swim getting it back over and back in.

[dian]

Been wanting a pattern torch for years, but never had the chance at one turning up at auction. Then about a month ago I was strolling through Amazon looking for something else when I spotted this at a stupid cheap price.

what does that do?

[gellfex]

I'm sure you'll find that it's all spelled out in "A study in Bricklaying"

Bought myself a Mitutoyo Absolute 6" caliper. I had one of the coolant-proof versions previously and use it alternately between my workshop (doing stuff - in theory) and my office (planning stuff - when I'm supposed to be working). It was never in the right place, of course, so now I have an ordinary version for the "clean" space and a coolant-proof version for the ...less than clean place. Hey, it was on sale....it would have been rude not to, right?!

Tell me, do the newest ones have the zero button recessed or not? Last ones I bought were discontinued 500-136 models because the newer ones they'd recessed the button so you need to use 2 hands to zero it! I use the zeroing function a lot. (not the ABS button) That said, my cheap iGaging is growing on me, the huge display makes up for the annoying timing out.

[wierdscience]

what does that do?

Pattern cutting torch, you cut out a steel template in the shape you want and mount it on the overarm of the machine. The tracing arm has rotating magnetic stylus that follows the template, the motor being variable speed. Basically it was how it was done before CNC control. It's still the least expensive way in thick steel, with the right tip thicknesses of 3-4 inches can be cut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbywJyLCTGI

[dian]

thanks.

[Black Forest]

Pattern cutting torch, you cut out a steel template in the shape you want and mount it on the overarm of the machine. The tracing arm has rotating magnetic stylus that follows the template, the motor being variable speed. Basically it was how it was done before CNC control. It's still the least expensive way in thick steel, with the right tip thicknesses of 3-4 inches can be cut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbywJyLCTGI

Do you often have to cut really thick material such as in the video? Just curious.

[NiftyNev]

I bought a lathe finally.

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/l691

Been sitting at work for a few weeks and got it home yesterday. About A$6K with QCTP and tooling. Need to build a bench now.and clean it. Seems to have come with a bit of gritty stuff mixed with the oil on all the external parts. Hope there's none inside.

[DennisCA]

I don't usually get myself christmas presents, but chance made that I discovered this. A slotting head for a Deckel FP2. This can come in handy for different types of operations, it basically turns the mill into a vertical mini-shaper. Main purpose is slotting for drive keys, but also splines can be made, and other types of operations. Downside is I have to lift off the vertical head to replace it, and that's heavy enough to be a two man job. So I'm gonna have to build a small jib crane that I probably bolt to the floor for the express purpose of moving accessories on and off the mill and workbench.

[true temper]

Found a real nice height gauge made in England, I have been wanting one for some time. The same guy had a quick nut for milling machine.

[true temper]

Been wanting a pattern torch for years, but never had the chance at one turning up at auction. Then about a month ago I was strolling through Amazon looking for something else when I spotted this at a stupid cheap price.

Do you have a link for this?

[Beazld]

Some 12-24 set screws, oh wait, wrong thread!

[kj4oll]

Some change gears for my 1946 Logan, and AR Warner #17 external threading kit, #19 internal threading kit.
Trying to learn how to thread w/ the lathe.