What did you do today?

[Dan Dubeau]

Taking a break from cleaning the garage. My new to me welder was the straw that broke the camels back and has forced my hand to do a massive cleanup, and gasp, get rid of some stuff. I need to get down to about 7-8lbs of stuff in a 5lb sack instead of my normal 20. I was going to take a before and after picture, but I'm not yet to a point where I feel comfortable even taking the "before" picture lol.

[AD5MB]

scouting a location for a sandhill crane nest camera setup in my back yard. I want to watch the nest from 4 different angles and live stream it. I need to have the system stable and reliable before Christmas, because they get twitchy when intruders show up.

[RB211]

Had to make some deep cuts in some 2 x 4's the long way. Had to get out the old (1950's) Porter-Cable Speedmatic BK-10 saw. I think this thing weighs 28 lbs. It worked well but took about a 1/4" kerf lol. I think I still have the instruction book for it, and it shows a carpenter reaching out and cutting rafter tails with it. That was back when men were men lol. Note the motor works on AC or DC. This is a 10". They also made a 12".

Syracuse, NY... Back when it was an industrial powerhouse. Saddens me how it is today.

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[DennisCA]

After I hit a "milestone" in the FP2 project I decided to go ahead with a shop reorganization.


The modified 2T shop crane has been one of my most useful tools.


Woodworking bench gets relocated to the door. The lower lumber racks will have to go, I will put up a new tool board, 1/2" plywood.


Bandsaw is going to get moved around to the other side of the room.


Easier than I thought, just lift it so it barely is up from the ground, one leg can even touch a little. It's easy then to move with a crowbar. And I feel, a quite safe method.


Now to move the lathe, the plan is to no longer have it up against the wall. And next to the milling machine.




Covered the mill because I did a lot of sweeping and it kicked up dust.




The advantage of this configuration is that the lathe is accessible from the rear, which I need to do in order to service the gear box. I am thinking of building a rear splash guard.

[Cenedd]

The advantage of this configuration is that the lathe is accessible from the rear, which I need to do in order to service the gear box. I am thinking of building a rear splash guard.

Loving your "help"ers there Dennis!
Definitely go with a splash guard or back board. Not only does it cut down on some of the chips being thrown about - at least in one direction - but if you design it to, it can hold all your QC tool holders. Because we both know that nice empty flat space attached to the headstock will get filled with all sorts of other junk as you work!

[vpt]

We just rolled in from our 10 day adventure to Yellowstone. Fun trip! Kids had a blast!

[Dan Dubeau]

That's whats next for me to do too, is haul a bunch of stuff out into the driveway and put it back selectively in a better layout. I'm all done acquiring any major tools (ha ha, ya I laughed when I said that too) So I need to come up with some permanent homes in a more workable layout than what I've got right now.

Made some major progress yesterday and actually have a path on the floor down the middle . Also tested out the new welder and it works great as it should.

The new welder with it's Lincoln brothers. The old buzzbox hiding on the floor in the back. Not sure what to do with it now that I've started using the squarewave for stick welding. Might keep it and build an off road cart for it so I can drag it right out into the yard with the extension cords. Or run it off a generator back at the barn. I'm going to sell my old mig, a hobart 130. No need for it anymore.


Next on my list is the cubby hole of failed hope and dreams.... I'm planning on building 2 rolling carts that slide under the step here for stock storage so that I can more easily access stuff. Right now it's all in milk crates and it's a big mess of unusable space.

Would like to finish those steps too. When I built them 7-8 years ago I had planned to make some full length pullout drawers in the floor (the face of that 2x6 showing), and build a railing around them. But like almost all my home projects, I get them to the 80% done stage and usable and then move on to other things......Material and stock storage are becoming a problem.

[vpt]

The old buzzbox hiding on the floor in the back. Not sure what to do with it now that I've started using the squarewave for stick welding.

I had that same SW 175! Also the same deal of not ever once using my old buzz box since getting it. I ended up selling the stick machine and never missed it once.

[Dan Dubeau]

I had that same SW 175! Also the same deal of not ever once using my old buzz box since getting it. I ended up selling the stick machine and never missed it once.

I'm leaning towards selling it, BUT, I hate selling stuff. I know as soon as I get rid of it, I'll need it for something. I might give it to one of my buddies so I can get it out of my garage but can always borrow it back again . I thought about making a hand truck type cart for it with big wheels so I can wheel it right outside and run it off an extension cord, or generator. When it was up on the wall it was out of sight out of mind. Had to take it down to run the gas pipe for the furnace and now it's in the way.

[Willy]

Stick is nice for the arc force it can impart. Also damn handy when you're laying under a greasy machine on your back in the mud and the wind is howling.
It all depends on what you may be exposed to for job requirements.
I used to do everything with stick, AC/DC is nice, now I hardly use it but it still ain't for sale as I know what it's capable of...if I need it.
Must admit though it is nice to be able to pick your battles.

[J Tiers]

The SW 175 Lincoln does stick and tig.... everything you really need. It's a bit big, but...... The only problem is if you need more heat. That's not so often.

Used one for a while doing off-hand stuff at work, wanted one ever since, but they go for serious cash around here.

[Dan Dubeau]

Yep, once I made a short dinse connector cable to adapt the SW 175 to match the lenco connectors on my stick leads I never used the buzz box again. It doesn't have the top end the buzz box does, but I've never needed that anyway. Plus it does DC It's just become redundant.

If I had 240v back at the barn I'd just leave it back there, but I don't....yet. I know I could sell it for more than I paid for it (think I paid ~$120-140 with a pile of rod), and if I ever needed one again they are always on kijiji for about the same money ($150-200). I'm just gonna sell it. But not before I swap the 15' power cord on it with the 5' one on the sw175 .

[Hopefuldave]

Discovered just how oily and filthy everything is in the electrical cabin on my mill - the spindle electromagnetic clutch/brake had become intermittent (didn't always engage, no sound of the contactor thunking) so opened it up, guessed wrong and found the suds pump contactor would lock in nicely -- and guess who had the pipe off and sprayed ceiling, self, everything nearby with years-old soluble coolant and an interesting blend of bacteria... Probably a cure for cancer in there, just like my mum's larder!

Ran around and turned the pump off, then found the clutch contactor would lock in if prodded, release on the brake button - so looks like it's wiring from pushbuttons to contactor coil that I need to deal with, not as serious as I thought

Following on from that, I need to sort the spindle motor contactors, at the moment it fires up in forward as soon as the power's plugged in, usable for most things as-is but one day I *may* want to run the spindle in reverse!

Couple of pics in my album "Test 2U electricals", nice vintage contactors, fuses, overloads etc. with a coating of dusted oil...


Dave H. (the other one)

[mattthemuppet]

turned down a couple of bushings a friend will weld into his truck frame as upper damper mounts


had some help writing an exam for Thursday

[jdedmon91]

I’ve had this ball turning kit in my shop for years. So recently I put it together so here is the video. https://youtu.be/rAyGx32zhYw


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