What did you do today?

[Dan Dubeau]

Gorgeous backdrop there Mower. Nice sized greenhouse too. One of those has been on my honey do list for a bit too long.

I got to play the shop puzzle game this weekend, and moved everything around except the excello, and my lathe to come up with a usable layout and accommodate the new stuff. I don't know how, but It feels like I actually have more space now than I did. Then I did some playing around with the Tig and building up some copper braze on steel test pieces for a product i'm working on. It went better than expected but I ran out of argon. I need to get a bigger bottle, seems I deplete this small one too fast for the little amount I do.

Some interesting oxidising colours on this one, the camera doesn't really pick them up too well. A very vibrant pink/red.

Shined up a bit and blackened (blackfast 181). I didn't put too much effort into sanding and smoothing this. It's just a blob of copper built up on a scrap of steel, but I've very encouraged by the outcome. I was more interested in how the copper would react with the solution. I was hoping it would have stayed bright, but actually like the aged look a bit better. I'll be playing around with various finished in the next little while and will hopefully have a finished product to show off in the coming weeks.

[DennisCA]

Pantorouter taking form


This is a Bosch 1600 and it's a dumb router. But we're not spoiled for choice here when it comes to routers with cylindrical bodies. The problem is bosch moved the switch away from router body and it's only in the bases instead. So I had to make my own starter circuit, fortunately it was pretty easy.





Now I will bypass that tiny switch and make a new flip switch that will be integrated into the pantograph handle instead.

[MattiJ]

Yesterday was interesting.

I got these welded tube ends machined. The over-aged material definitely machines poorly.

Looks like you could have used sharper insert. And less feed per rev but I guess this wasn't any eyecandy project.

Mk1 eyeball engineering also says that your thread might be actually the strongest part no matter how perfect weld you get. Give or take +-"possibly" tolerance.

[J Tiers]

So far, I went down and got stuck for Covid shot #1. Gave up on the state sites, and got it through the local large medical facility that just got their vaccine supply finally.

It was looking like I'd have to make a 6 hour drive to get it, but this was only 15 min from the house. In and out in 20 minutes including the 15 min wait for reactions.

No problem, other than that Bill Gates chip seems to have been programmed so that bad 70's pop music runs through your head.

[The Metal Butcher]

Looks like you could have used sharper insert. And less feed per rev but I guess this wasn't any eyecandy project.

Mk1 eyeball engineering also says that your thread might be actually the strongest part no matter how perfect weld you get. Give or take +-"possibly" tolerance.

The spiral was cut intentionally with a threading tool. Sharper tool may have helped, it cuts pretty poorly.

[Dan Dubeau]

It's alive in it's new home. I don't anticipate moving it from here unless I get a surface grinder in the near future.


I still have a few things left to do before making chips, but I got the power run to it tonight at least. Waiting on some parts to come in, and have to do some running around for some other odds and ends tomorrow, but I "might" be making chips by the weekend if all goes well. I hope so anyway. I've got stuff I want to make lol.

[nickel-city-fab]

So far, I went down and got stuck for Covid shot #1. Gave up on the state sites, and got it through the local large medical facility that just got their vaccine supply finally.

It was looking like I'd have to make a 6 hour drive to get it, but this was only 15 min from the house. In and out in 20 minutes including the 15 min wait for reactions.

No problem, other than that Bill Gates chip seems to have been programmed so that bad 70's pop music runs through your head.

The Bee Gees -- Stayin' Alive

[J Tiers]

That does not seem to be on Bill's playlist. Thankfully......

I am getting a small reaction to the shot, which I regard as a good thing. It was Pfizer, but if anyone knows how to handle the biz correctly, it is BJC here in town. Very smooth, professional, and apparently effective.

[Bruno Mueller]

Small repair on the internal micrometer.

Somehow I lost the front cover cap on my small internal micrometer.

I didn't want to leave the spindle so completely unprotected. That's why I remanufactured the lost cap.
For the sake of simplicity made of brass. First cut a M12 x 0.5mm bolt thread on the lathe, drilled a 9mm hole and turned on an 11mm shoulder, then tapped to fit.
Then 16mm round material was clamped and slightly overturned. Final dimension 15.7mm Subsequently drilled a hole of 11mm, 9mm deep and tapped the part at 12mm. The thread length is only 2.5mm.
I coated the threaded insert, as well as the hole, with soft solder paste, joined them together and heated them with a torch until the solder was melted. Placed in citric acid and rinsed under running water. Remnants of flux removed and lightly polished.
Engraved my logo on the face again.
Fits wiggle and has air.

[Arcane]

I changed out a light bulb in my kitchen today, a 60 watt equivalent LED bulb that has been on 24/7 since August 27, 2019. That's 568 days total. There's a very noticeable difference between the brightness of the new bulb and one installed in the same fixture on July 24, 2019; I'd say (by eyeball) 50%.

[AD5MB]

I bought a 12 gauge 25' extension cord, lopped off the female end. got a two holer outside box. the table saw now has an outlet built into the switch box. the box is set back, so I can tip it on its face and fuss about with motors and belts standing up. in the past tipping the table made the table rest on the switch.

[Ironbearmarine]

Having built my greenhouse in the sunniest spot on the property, i still have my doubts as to it getting enough light. I had previously built two small raised beds that proved to be in a good location for lettuces, but wanted to grow carrots there as well. So i decided(well before i built the big greenhouse) to cover them with visquene and add low voltage LED growlights to see what we could grow. So today i decided to add growlights to the big greenhouse. And because i like to tinker, i am thinking about a small wind generator system to power the lights. I am sure i have all the parts, inverters, batteries etc. to cobble up a little Rube Goldbergesque system...”But i only wanted to grow some herbs!” She said.

[The Metal Butcher]

I got my first Covid shot today. Otherwise, nothing!

[Tungsten dipper]

Having built my greenhouse in the sunniest spot on the property, i still have my doubts as to it getting enough light. I had previously built two small raised beds that proved to be in a good location for lettuces, but wanted to grow carrots there as well. So i decided(well before i built the big greenhouse) to cover them with visquene and add low voltage LED growlights to see what we could grow. So today i decided to add growlights to the big greenhouse. And because i like to tinker, i am thinking about a small wind generator system to power the lights. I am sure i have all the parts, inverters, batteries etc. to cobble up a little Rube Goldbergesque system...”But i only wanted to grow some herbs!” She said.

Sounds like you know what your wife wants (been married how long?) Show us pics when you get it all rigged up. Are you going to heat it?

[Mcgyver]

Little bit of show and tell from the day gig......

wet air scrubber



conveyor for a NWT diamond mine



feeder for same mine (there was also a large hopper)



lugger truck body





crane cab



lugger bins



crane truck body - there's a roll of truck body being installed behind it



Another big crane - This is one of two: 90', 80 ton, three hoist double box girder monsters. First is shipped and installed, second is about to get wired.