What did you do today?

[ChazzC]

Part 2:

I also spent some time curating my Starrett Collection, replacing the ratchet on the 224AA 0" — 4" multi-anvil micrometer and cleaning up the wooden case:


The original ratchet would have been bright chrome, but the replacement black one does match the Black Japanning on the frame.

Also cleaned up the case on my recently acquired 196A1Z Set, adding additional storage holes for the extra contacts it came with (and for a future 4-48 adapter):




Finally, I reconfigured my toolboxes, getting all of my Starrett tools into the Kennedy box I picked up earlier this year (shared with my DTI's and some material testing tools):


OK, it doesn't compare with Mr. Pete's collection, but I am starting to worry – I can't seem to walk past a red box without picking it up . . .

[ChazzC]

Nothing on the machines, but did get some things accomplished. I haven't been happy with the lighting over my low-height work table where I do a lot of detailed work, so I found a Plain-Jane LED Shop Light at Sam's, rearranged the lighting I had and added the new one over the table. I didn't take before and after shots, but here is what walking into the shop six months ago was like:




And now it's like this:


Different iPhone/Camera, and further back in the aisleway, but a significant difference. The new fixture over the low table is 5,000 Lumens (5,000 °K) with clear tubes over the LED chips, and the existing fixtures are all 4,500 Lummens (4,000 °K) with frosted tubes.


Shifting the two fixtures near the Lathe & Mill also made a big difference (plus spill over from the higher-mounted new fixture):


I'm going to have to start wearing my No.5 shade safety readers!

[Ironbearmarine]

I am participating in a Craft Show in our county’s only town, Port Townsend. I have an extensive selection of sculpture and metal craft work, but i wanted to create some little doodads for the new year. I have a good supply of Damascus steel, all small pieces. So i designed some very small knives. I call them finger knives. I posted the prototypes earlier. Now here are some finger knives i will display at the up-coming craft show. Took about two hours for the entire set.
here are the prototypes too.

[Cenedd]

Found the most effective threadlock today. Turns out that if you get any Marmite* on the threads of the (glass) jar, you can then never get the (plastic) lid off. Took a long handled strap wrench (I get stubborn on occasion!) and two of us to get it unscrewed; one to pull the handle and the other to hold the jar. Make sure you only use it in threads you don't want to come apart again! ;D

*similar to Vegemite or yeast extract - dark, sticky, salty, you spread it on toast and it adds flavour to gravy.

[Bob Engelhardt]

I installed our new washing machine. Getting it into place was a challenge here: if only that opening had been 1/2" wider:

[Tim The Grim]

I made a set of devices to lock the front wheels of my nephew’s wheel chair in a forward position to help my late BIL’s widow load it into the back of a crossover van.
If the wheels are set forward, she can get them over the sill and then lever the chair the rest of the way in.
One left ,one right, mirror image. The bungee keeps them open for normal rotation.
24 hours from concept to completion with a good night sleep in there too.
I still got it. 😵💫

[Tundra Twin Track]

Here’s a new Something I Did Today. I have a little 17 foot sailboat thats about 90 years old. It sank a number of years ago and i salvaged it. It’s yoursits at my dock awaiting restoration. Heavy rains here and i didn’t pay attention. The little boat filled with rain water in 48 hours, and sank. Not to the bottom, as it was tied to another boat. I rigged a couple of float bags to the little boat, each bag having about 2500 lbs. of lift. I own a nice little beach here in Puget Sound, and when the tide is in that beach is covered in about 12 feet of water. The tide was high when i got those float bags filled. I was able to pull the boat over to the beach. When the tide goes out the boat will lay on its side (because of its deep full keel) and will pump out the remaining water. When the tide comes in (about 10 am tomorrow) she should be floating on the correct side of the water. I have these float bags and others as i have raised tugboats and larger vessel to 65+ tons previously. Used to hardhat dive. The waters here are cooold. Oh forgot, also celebrated my 71st birthday.

That’s way out of my realm living in north central Alberta but sounds interesting thanks for sharing and Happy Birthday!

[Ironbearmarine]

Here’s a new Something I Did Today. I have a little 17 foot sailboat thats about 90 years old. It sank a number of years ago and i salvaged it. Its sits at my dock awaiting restoration. Heavy rains here and i didn’t pay attention. The little boat filled with rain water in 48 hours, and sank. Not to the bottom, as it was tied to another boat. I rigged a couple of float bags to the little boat, each bag having about 2500 lbs. of lift. I own a nice little beach here in Puget Sound, and when the tide is in that beach is covered in about 12 feet of water. The tide was high when i got those float bags filled. I was able to pull the boat over to the beach. When the tide goes out the boat will lay on its side (because of its deep full keel) and will pump out the remaining water. When the tide comes in (about 10 am tomorrow) she should be floating on the correct side of the water. I have these float bags and others as i have raised tugboats and larger vessel to 65+ tons previously. Used to hardhat dive. The waters here are cooold. Oh forgot, also celebrated my 71st birthday.

[Dan Dubeau]

I like the little forge. After building my big ribbon burner one, I had an immediate want/need for a much smaller one for rod work. So I started scrounging stuff to make a something with about a 4" dia x 8" chamber, and single venturi burner. I read somewhere while doing research for my big one years ago that building forges was addicting, and there is no one size fits all.........I can see it.

I like the knives too.

[Ironbearmarine]

At a craft show last month i met a metals craftsman who had a beautiful selection of handmade knives, wood chisels, specialty hammers, and jewelry. The artist, whose name is Jim, is a spry and charming gent of 91. He is an inspiration.
Its because of him that i have decided to add small knives to my line of crafts. I currently produce a line of jewelry that is a rugged, brutalist style that uses Damascus steel and meteorites as a gem. So i designed some tiny knives that will be incorporated into pendants where the knife is the gem. Most will be of Damascus steel others will be chromoly steel. The designs have been worked out on paper, and i started on producing some prototypes. I already have well tooled workshop, decided my blacksmith’s forge was too large for this operation. So i built a small one fired with a propane torch. I call it my “fire-breathing cricket”.
I had some 26 gauge stainless steel, some kao-wool and some hardware to fabricate this. I also have some small bench tools for sheetmetal work. A 14 inch wide slip roller, a bench shear and a 12 inch finger brake. This fire-breathing cricket is about 7 inches in diameter and eight inches deep. Using two inch thick kao-wool sheet would yield a fire hole about 3x6. Just right for these little knives. So i rolled out the sheet and formed the mating ends to make a locking seam. Then i cut a disk for the bottom and welded it in place. Added 2 bolts for feet and drilled a port for the torch nozzle. Fired it up and it gets things to forging temp in about 3 minutes. This furnace could also be made using discarded restaurant size cans, but i had no cans lying around. Anyway here are some photos.

[Paul Alciatore]

Today? I guess after midnight counts as today. I got back in the shop for the first time this year. Just did some work on a long neglected project that I have all the needed materials for: replacing one of the way covers on my mill. The old, OEM cover was falling apart with several cracks.

I had purchased some of those BBQ pads used on the grill to even out the heat or whatever. What I discovered when I removed the old one was the folded, sheet metal that gripped one end was a lot heavier gauge than I thought. I tried to pry it open for reuse, but it did not want to yield. I guess the Chinese made one part well. I gave up on that and cut a couple of aluminum bars to replace it. I still need to drill and tap them.

The other end was clamped to the back of the cross slide with a single strip of a lighter gauge sheet metal and it was bending. I may use that folded over piece in it's place so a couple more holes may need to be drilled.

And the metal parts will need to be painted. Painting is not my favorite shop activity, but I hate an unfinished look.

No pictures yet.

[J Tiers]

That square drive looks straight and not tapered. Is it off a Lambert?

[vpt]

Took 4 days to get that groove done with an eraser. I was careful not to distort the square drive. Owner said he wanted to grind it down and polish it up.

[eKretz]

Might need to do a little work on that internal square fit after that welding too.

[ImFred]

[QUOTE=vpt;n2031985]Welded up a bike pedal. Then cleaned a bit in the shop, it needs a a whole lot more cleaning!

So you rubbed that groove in there with an eraser. Bet that took a while.

I hope that weld don't peel off when you machine it.

Just teasing.