What did you do today?

[Bob Engelhardt]

A heat gun works well if you want to localize the re-shaping. I while back transformed a 1-1/4" vacuum crevasse tool into a T-Slot Cleaner:

[...]

I like it. So much so that I was inspired to make one. I didn't have vac tool to spare, but I had an adapter and a piece of PVC sink drain pipe. I used the oven to soften - I've had bad results trying to soften with a heat gun

[J Tiers]

........................... I used the oven to soften - I've had bad results trying to soften with a heat gun

.........................

Plastic is a poor heat conductor. The heat gun tends to heat the outside too hot before the inside of the material is hot enough. The oven can be set to any desired temp for the material, without overheating, and can be left long enough for the heat to penetrate.

The disadvantage of the oven is that it usually heats the whole part. That is where a heat gun, set properly, can be superior. Many heat guns are not really very settable, so they risk burning the material before it is softened through.

[Cenedd]

Clearly I went more cobbled-together than you guys. I just took a piece of aluminium tube from the inside of an old roller blind (I have a wife and kids - one wrecks, the other changes her mind on colour) and slightly crushed one end. Works nicely in all manner of places. 3D print if you're going for over-engineered....which usually I am

[Bob Engelhardt]

[...]
The disadvantage of the oven is that it usually heats the whole part. [...]

Yes - when I did the nozzle, the end that was supposed to be circular had to be placed over the adapter to keep its shape.

[ChazzC]

The disadvantage of the oven is that it usually heats the whole part. That is where a heat gun, set properly, can be superior. Many heat guns are not really very settable, so they risk burning the material before it is softened through.

My trusty Craftsman "Industrial Heat Gun" (along with an assortment of tips) does a good job; it has two speeds and a wide range of settings with what seems to be a reasonably accurate readout:


No, it's not nuclear powered!


Not only does the LED bar graph help when setting the temperature, it also lets you know when it has cooled down (I always run the gun on "Cool" after using).

[Cenedd]

No, it's not nuclear powered!

Shame, that would have solved the issue about getting the heat to the inside before the outside starts melting!

Mine only has two settings: kill and cremate. Sort of regret not buying the digitally controlled version...but I did intend it only to be used for bending a few acrylic tubes as a one-off, so temperature control is more a function of distance and how fast you twirl the tube! Gotta pick which tools are worth investing in I guess. Last time I did that* a little red box turned up....which, for the purposes of divorce-avoidance, had NOTHING in it. Certainly not a combination square that I was pleasantly surprised was made in MA and hasn't (yet) been farmed out overseas. First thing I've bought in a long time that didn't need finishing...and I include some Starrett made overseas items in that statement. Gotta be good; something I've bought that I'm not whinging at you guys about the state of the world over!
*Ok, I admit it was retail-therapy!

[Tim The Grim]

I’m doing a hydraulic manifold for the Engineering students and can’t show it here but part of it has a taper fitting.
I did some searches to buy a cutter for the fitting seat and all I found was a carbide cutter above $120.
Really surprised that a cutter for such a widely used fitting isn’t more available.
I took an old endmill and ground a 37* tip on it.
I got more chatter on the test piece than I expected so I did a cross section to inspect it. That’s the middle piece.
I modified the tool and did another that looked better. The bottom piece
That’s when I found a fitting in my stash and realized the angle was way off.

The angle on the drawing I was given was dimensioned off the wrong axis.
Sooo…I Re-ground the tool again, this time as a single point to put in a boring head, and finally got the right fit.

[Captain K]

Tim
Any connection of that type I’ve ever seen used an ORB fitting where yours is JIC. That’s probably why the tool is so hard to find, just not something that’s done.
With the JIC the angle it tightens up at is what you get, no adjustment possible. ORB would be simpler to machine too, straight thread with chamfer.
If you already knew all of this feel free to ignore me.

Having said all of that, nice job on the tool, looks like a perfect fit

[J Tiers]

My trusty Craftsman "Industrial Heat Gun" (along with an assortment of tips) does a good job; it has two speeds and a wide range of settings with what seems to be a reasonably accurate readout:
...............................................).

Eh, I used to have a similar gun, but it didn't have the settings like that, nor the readout. That one is actually pretty nice.

[BCRider]

Not only today. Been working on this over the past week and a half while sick with flu or the latest covid. Either way the last couple of days I was almost back to normal.

Anyway, it's a rather oddball thread tap and die for a gunsmithing deal on an old vintage Remington pump action .22. Due to liking these oldies and the Remingtons seeming to have dodged under the collector's radar I've managed to gather up 6 of the things in various conditions from poor to very nice with wear consistent with loving attention over the past 90 to 100 years.

But out of the lot I've got like 3 of the pump handle retention screws. And thus the drive to set up and fabricate a bunch of them.

Today I finished up the dies that are shown below and were cut using the shop made tap in the picture. My buddy that is lusting to get one of my Remingtons made the tap up to the point of cutting the grooves since he doesn't have a mill.

Fluting this tap was also the reason behind my adjustable mill table tail stock you can read about HERE. The picture of the tail stock in post number 13 is this tap ready to be fluted.




Anyway you can see how it came out. The dies are machined from some 7/8" O-1 drill rod that was cut down to 13/16 (0.810 actually to match the other nominally 13/16 dies I have) and then drilled and threaded on the lathe. This evening I set up the rotary table and trued up the little chuck that lives on it and cut the three gullet holes with a 3/16 end mill.

Right after the pic was taken it was into the soup can forge for hardening. And as I type this they are in the kitchen toaster oven soaking at 450F for tempering.

....DRAT! Looking at the posted picture just before hitting "Post Reply" I realized that I forget the divot for the die holder screw. I'll have to grind a shallow V notch across the rim instead I guess. No solid carbide drills in my shop.

Anyway, my buddy also made up 4 screw blanks ready for threading. That's for tomorrow.

[junkaddict]

Made a stand and plumbed the dryer to a Sharpe filter. My son has a 90 Honda EF hatch that he is making ghettofabulous, that has turned into a father son project. I have been teaching him body work, metal shrinking, and how to spray. There is a local spray booth rental place around 4 miles from me, and we have been going down there with an old hood and fenders that have been his muse. I have been showing him the ropes. He's getting pretty good. Did the jams in the driveway, but the outside is going to be House of Kolor Sunset Pearl, so it is going to be done in a booth. It's going to look like a Hot Wheel. The dryer's maiden voyage will be this paint job. Trips to the junk yards, weekend lunches, it's been a very sentimental experience for me.

[ChazzC]

Eh, I used to have a similar gun, but it didn't have the settings like that, nor the readout. That one is actually pretty nice.

I've had it for at least 25 years; kept it in the original cardboard box until I found a super deal on the Black & Decker case (a couple of $ at their local outlet/repair store, again years ago). I don't use it often, but it's great for heating 1/8" Lexan for shields/guards.

[eKretz]

Eh, I used to have a similar gun, but it didn't have the settings like that, nor the readout. That one is actually pretty nice.

I've got one of these, very handy. Infinitely adjustable from room temp to 1100°F and PID controlled. I've even used it for surface mount PCB rework with some shop made nozzles. I think the later model is 8988-20. I've had mine 10+ years.

[junkaddict]

I’m doing a hydraulic manifold for the Engineering students and can’t show it here but part of it has a taper fitting.
I did some searches to buy a cutter for the fitting seat and all I found was a carbide cutter above $120.
Really surprised that a cutter for such a widely used fitting isn’t more available.
I took an old endmill and ground a 37* tip on it.
I got more chatter on the test piece than I expected so I did a cross section to inspect it. That’s the middle piece.
I modified the tool and did another that looked better. The bottom piece
That’s when I found a fitting in my stash and realized the angle was way off.

The angle on the drawing I was given was dimensioned off the wrong axis.
Sooo…I Re-ground the tool again, this time as a single point to put in a boring head, and finally got the right fit.

https://www.suncoasttools.com/crm/ItemPage.aspx?ItemNumber=AB-CEM12074&VendorNumber=AB6571200

$87.55, but it looks like you have it handled. I too am surprised that would be limited in options.

[Tim The Grim]

Thanks, I hadn’t found that one and I’m sure at 3/8 it would do the job. I was basing mine on the 25/64 tap drill size for the 7/16-20 thread.
Either way I’m glad the piece is done and headed out the door. 😅