What did you do today?

[Kiwi]

Went Duck Shooting

[_Paul_]

Changed the oil and cleaned out the guts of my little Hydrovane 501 shop compressor, contaminated with water again.... seems to happen every six months or so .... I don't think its used enough to generate enough heat to drive off the condensation.

[MrFluffy]

Deslobbed the POS tooling storage. 23 iso30 holders, drew up a twin c spanner holder, and dusted down the trusty digital caliper model + collet holders. Then left the 3d printer rattling away and came back to it when it stopped making noises to restart next item, find some wood to screw them all to then bobs your uncle. The numbers painted on match my tool crib in the software and all the offsets are programmed in. Still waiting on some collets for the last few holders to arrive.

[Mark Rand]

Seriously jealous of the 30 taper tool collection, let alone the bracketry.

I spent the weekend making form-work and pouring grout for my surface grinder. In a perfect world, it wouldn't need it, but the concrete floor has a slight hump under it, so it rocks and the concrete is a bit too soft, so the jacking screws on the grinder tended to work into the concrete if I used them. The grout means that it shouldn't move in the future (even when my dependants try to sell the estate)

[achtanelion]

I pulled out my fishing rods and cleaned and lubed the reels, put on new line, etc. to prep for taking a group of Cubs and beavers out fishing tomorrow night. Last year I ran around in chest waders unhooking stuck hooks, untangling lines, etc. and just about gave myself heatstroke. This year I have a couple of ice packs to tuck into the waders.

[Cuttings]

This was actually yesterday. I actually surprised myself when I came up with this idea.
I was machining a little brass collar for project I have been working on and found that I didn't have any tooling to bore the center out to the size I needed which was just over 8mm.
The smallest boring tool I had was too big to go in the largest hole I could drill, just under the 8mm.
I scratched my head and looked around for a while. The smallest boring tool holder I had was 3/8"
I suddenly came to me, I have a 1/4" 2 flute end mill. I mounted it in the holder with the cutting edges horizontal.
I could take some very fine cuts with this setup and bored it out to the exact size I needed.
Makes a guy feel good when he comes up with these ideas.

[dp]

I uploaded the video I took with my GoPro camera of our band's float ride in the May Day parade here on May 9. See if you can tell when the string on my gut bucket let go. I had two days to build the float and we got a first place blue ribbon for our trouble. And had a lot of fun, too!

http://youtu.be/lk9sK8kCiOY

[aostling]

Went Duck Shooting

Where, exactly? I'll be in Auckland in September, traveling with my birding lens. I want to know where to go to see New Zealand ducks that cannot be seen in North America.

[Axkiker]

A sorta ghetto made chuck for my dividing head since I have no center or chuck for it.

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[The Artful Bodger]

Allan, are you coming to NZ and going to Auckland only?

NZ shell ducks (we call them Paradise Ducks) are well spread around the country and can be found in their pairs in town and city parks but I suspect the breeds like the whio are most likely to be encountered in Westland and Fiordland.

John

[aostling]

Allan, are you coming to NZ and going to Auckland only?

John,

Auckland is my exit, for a flight to Rarotonga, thence back to L.A. Coming into the country I will be flying from Hobart to Christchurch, with 90 minutes between planes in Melbourne. I hope that works out.

I am in search of rain, and winter, which is in short supply in Phoenix. I'll have a rental car and perhaps I will drive to your old bailiwick of Milford Sound. I was there only once, in 1974, and never saw Mitre Peak through the clouds. I'm sure I'll find rain there.

I'm not sure if I will be going through Ashburton on this trip, but if I do of course I will look in on your new abode and shop.

[The Artful Bodger]

Will you be travelling alone Allan? I could put you in touch with a very experienced guide for the Milford Sound sector!!!!

[aostling]

Will you be travelling alone Allan? I could put you in touch with a very experienced guide for the Milford Sound sector!!!!

I could travel alone as I always have done, or I could hire a guide and not be alone. Hmmmm.

I think I can find the road to the Homer Tunnel. But December 1971 when I got off the boat in Auckland, cleared customs, and stumbled bewildered out onto Queen Street, I did need a guide. All the people seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see them. The men were wearing short pants.



I walked into a hotel and inquired about a room. They looked at me kind of funny. "This is a pub," the bartender told me. I had a lot to learn.

[rythmnbls]

Took some first steps into the CNC world with some circular pockets on the franken-cnc mill.

The result.



Steve.

[vpt]

I pulled the vise off my mill today, took it apart. cleaned it, cleaned the slots in the table and reassembled everything.