What did you do today?

[tomato coupe]

Conducted a futile search for machining content.

I think you're on the wrong forum...

[Cenedd]

I think you're on the wrong forum...

This one ought to be more specifically machining-related:
http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/thr...-today/page101

[DennisCA]

Borrowed a machinist level from a friend. So I can properly level my lathe.

[Cenedd]

Don't assume that it is calibrated - first mistake I made!
Also, have strong drink available for afterwards....they're twitchy, sanity-destroying things!

[MasterMaker]

Do you always hit your boxes? My son and I setup an archery target but with nothing behind the target except the woods. Just about every arrow I shot that didn't hit the target block was impossible to find/retrieve as they just disappear. I can't see any arrows that I shoot with a compound bow. Not sure if I blink during release or if I just can't focus enough to see the arrow in travel. I can see BB's that we shoot with CO2 powered gun but those are only something like 400-500fps. I don't recall ever seeing an arrow traveling but it's so damn violent with the compound bow maybe I'm just not used to it yet.

Stretch some steel wires above and behind the targets and hang some heavy tarpaulin(canvas, not plastic) from them and make sure the bottom isn't attached to anything and free to move, if you need to use more than one layer hang them an a arrow length or more apart and that should stop any arrow you throw at it.

[DennisCA]

Don't assume that it is calibrated - first mistake I made!
Also, have strong drink available for afterwards....they're twitchy, sanity-destroying things!

True but do I need to aim for it being truly level? Isn't consistency more important, so there is no twist in the lathe.

[Cenedd]

I believe so. Logically, if everything is askew but your workpiece comes out true then it's fine. Ask me when I've gathered enough sanity to finish doing mine! Waiting for a test bar to be delivered as I have more unknowns than I can cope with.
You may find that in order to use the precision level, it needs to be pretty level first. The total range of the bubble is much less than one division on a carpenter's level. The alternative is to shim the level until it is flat but I found that very tricky to get right and almost impossible to get it consistent. My level is cheap and finicky though so you may have better luck with that level. My bench is also less than ideally rigid and it's possible my bed could be warped so don't let any negativity you might get from me put you off!

[DennisCA]

I understand, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

[Cenedd]

Regarding the lathe steady rest modifications - thanks for your input CCWKen and J Tiers - I've made a separate thread rather than keep hijacking this one.
http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/thr...or-steady-rest

[garyhlucas]

I understand, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

People laughed at that qoute from Donald Rumsfeld during the Iraq war. For those of us that build stuff it is about as close to the truth as you can get!

[flylo]

Waited all day for a FedEx delivery I have to sign for. No radio cause I can't heat the outside dog as the drive is at thhe other end of the house. I hate waiting!

[danlb]

Waited all day for a FedEx delivery I have to sign for. No radio cause I can't heat the outside dog as the drive is at thhe other end of the house. I hate waiting!

I don't have a dog, but when I want radio in a spot without reception I use a cell phone app (Pandora, iheart or sirrusxm ) to play music that matches my mood.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Waited all day for a FedEx delivery I have to sign for. No radio cause I can't heat the outside dog as the drive is at thhe other end of the house. I hate waiting!

You sir should invest in a door bell. I know all of this crazy technology is probably just confusing, but a door bell can actually make your life easier

[J Tiers]

True but do I need to aim for it being truly level? Isn't consistency more important, so there is no twist in the lathe.

Yes indeed.

With a sensitive level, though. it will be off-scale if the machine is out of level a hair. Or. really, about 0.04 of a hair... depending on the level.

[J Tiers]

Made some progress on a scraping job I took in from a friend of mine. Knee and saddle from a mill, I think it is a Millrite. A 60% BP.

That knee is a heavy thing... the ways are maybe 15" long. A good deal of wear on the left side of the knee ways.

Pic from about when it was started on. Just a little better than before I touched it.



Where it is now... just a small area at bottom left that has no spotting on it, and a couple other small blank spots. A few passes and I can start seriously checking alignment to the vertical ways. I just have the knee and saddle, the vertical ways are pretty good.