• Indispensable, but ALWAYS IN THE WAY

    From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to All on Sun Mar 13 12:29:26 2022
    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry
    picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm
    implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

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  • From Leon Fisk@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Sun Mar 13 16:30:45 2022
    On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 12:29:26 -0700
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry >picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm >implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    Yup! Either have the stuff to do things but no room to do it... or
    have the room to do stuff but nothing to do it with... It is a
    conundrum and I have a severe problem with the prior ;-)

    --
    Leon Fisk
    Grand Rapids MI

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Sun Mar 13 21:43:59 2022
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t0lgml$rk5$1@dont-email.me...

    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry
    picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm
    implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    -----------------------

    My semi-adequate answer was to create covered outdoor storage with
    tarp-covered sides, originally for firewood and now for equipment as I use
    up the wood. The cherry picker (shop crane, engine hoist) and log splitter
    live together in the same space under the rug+tarp covered deck behind the house, the cherry picker partly disassembled and splitter suspended above
    it. LPS-3 protects their hydraulic rams from rust and contains the rust
    already on other parts. I put larger wheels on the cherry picker so it can
    roll on dirt and serve as a trailer behind my tractor. It's a Hoosier industrial model that doesn't fold.

    The Northern and HF camo wall tarps typically last at least 5 years if they
    rub on something and 10 if they don't. They are attached with screws and
    fender washers at the top and clipped together along the sides, so they
    raise out of the way for full access. They are shaded by trees from summer
    sun and this area normally isn't windy but we do have occasional strong
    squalls and wind storms which they survive well.

    My welding table is ~4' square by 1/4" thick (?), a shop-made one I traded
    for. I cut the legs and made them bolt on to reduce its storage thickness
    and added wheels on one edge to roll it around. It stores under the tarp on
    a wood shed. It's also the stand for my arbor press and HF manual tire changers.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Sun Mar 13 22:16:35 2022
    "Leon Fisk" wrote in message news:t0lk9m$ar$1@dont-email.me...

    Yup! Either have the stuff to do things but no room to do it... or
    have the room to do stuff but nothing to do it with... It is a
    conundrum and I have a severe problem with the prior ;-)

    When I needed an 18" retaining wall at the end of a new section of driveway
    I framed and decked two feet behind it as a work platform, covered with
    outdoor carpeting that keeps hardware from falling between the planks.
    Although it's too low to be a workbench it raises snowblowers etc high
    enough to work on comfortably and is a good safe and clean place to put down tools. It lifts low tables to standing height for temporary work benches for jobs that can't or shouldn't be done indoors.

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  • From Clare Snyder@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 14 00:28:06 2022
    On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 16:30:45 -0400, Leon Fisk <lfiskgr@gmail.invalid>
    wrote:

    On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 12:29:26 -0700
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry >>picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm >>implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    Yup! Either have the stuff to do things but no room to do it... or
    have the room to do stuff but nothing to do it with... It is a
    conundrum and I have a severe problem with the prior ;-)
    You need a shed - something like a "pole barn" like we call "drive-in
    sheds" or "driving sheds" -closed on 3 sides and roof and the "good
    ones" get sliding "barn doors" in the 4th side.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 14 09:27:14 2022
    "Clare Snyder" wrote in message news:ttgt2hh7p9fgkf896f7jv31sp0v6hpm0hm@4ax.com...

    You need a shed - something like a "pole barn" like we call "drive-in
    sheds" or "driving sheds" -closed on 3 sides and roof and the "good
    ones" get sliding "barn doors" in the 4th side.

    -------------------------

    After a large fallen branch bashed in the roof and sliding doors of my metal shed I rebuilt it by framing and stiffening the bent steel doors with 1x3s
    and secured it by hinging the entrance ramp to fold up in front of them,
    locked with chains from beyond the doors to an eye centered under the ramp.
    A hinge end extension under the ramp supports it when lowered.

    The doors rest on a lip of the floor platform and an added roof
    reinforcement outside retains them from falling forward. The unattached
    doors are actually easier to open and close than when they were on tracks. I keep some sort of raised flat surface near doors so I can open and close
    them with both hands free. For that door it's a stack of cribbing timbers. Folding plastic patio tables take up less space but hold less weight.

    Some of my firewood sheds are literally pole barns, framed with tree-trunk poles fitted together by chainsaw. The tops of roof beams were free-hand
    planed adequately straight and flat by using the bar width and tilt angle to guide the saw. Corrugated steel twists freely enough to accommodate
    remaining waviness.

    In spring I extend some of the roofs with corrugated steel on 2x4 rafters to provide rain-sheltered work space for the log splitter and sawmill, and temporary covered storage. Except for the overhead gantry hoist they have no outer end columns blocking travel, so the panels won't survive a winter snow load, though the PT frame does. The roof panels are tied down instead of drilled and screwed and can be installed anywhere.

    Since firewood can spread rot until it dries the shed floors and end walls
    are 40" x 48" pallets, solid ones on PT scrap for the floor and lower
    quality for the walls. The pallets support and minimize wind damage to the cover tarps. These sheds have held up well to heavy snow and strong winds
    for 10~20 years.

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  • From pyotr filipivich@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 14 09:43:56 2022
    Leon Fisk <lfiskgr@gmail.invalid> on Sun, 13 Mar 2022 16:30:45 -0400
    typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
    On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 12:29:26 -0700
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry >>picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm >>implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    Yup! Either have the stuff to do things but no room to do it... or
    have the room to do stuff but nothing to do it with... It is a
    conundrum and I have a severe problem with the prior ;-)

    B-) "downsize!" I no longer have the room or the stuff to do
    things with.
    Oh well, I always was a sort of "old school" kind of guy.
    --
    pyotr filipivich
    "With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

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  • From Leon Fisk@21:1/5 to pyotr filipivich on Mon Mar 14 13:51:01 2022
    On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:43:56 -0700
    pyotr filipivich <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:

    <snip>
    B-) "downsize!" I no longer have the room or the stuff to do
    things with.
    Oh well, I always was a sort of "old school" kind of guy.

    The fire-in-the-belly is gone... but I still find some comfort in
    knowing I have the "stuff" to make and fix things ;-)

    --
    Leon Fisk
    Grand Rapids MI

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  • From pyotr filipivich@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 14 13:03:26 2022
    Leon Fisk <lfiskgr@gmail.invalid> on Mon, 14 Mar 2022 13:51:01 -0400
    typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
    On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:43:56 -0700
    pyotr filipivich <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:

    <snip>
    B-) "downsize!" I no longer have the room or the stuff to do
    things with.
    Oh well, I always was a sort of "old school" kind of guy.

    The fire-in-the-belly is gone... but I still find some comfort in
    knowing I have the "stuff" to make and fix things ;-)

    Yeah. I have the one tool bag "just in case".
    --
    pyotr filipivich
    "With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

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  • From Snag@21:1/5 to Leon Fisk on Mon Mar 14 15:40:02 2022
    On 3/14/2022 12:51 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:
    On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 09:43:56 -0700
    pyotr filipivich <phamp@mindspring.com> wrote:

    <snip>
    B-) "downsize!" I no longer have the room or the stuff to do
    things with.
    Oh well, I always was a sort of "old school" kind of guy.

    The fire-in-the-belly is gone... but I still find some comfort in
    knowing I have the "stuff" to make and fix things ;-)


    I just a few minutes ago finished machining some bushings for the
    truck carb . Quadrajet primary throttle shaft was a bit loose . I'm
    doing a total rebuild of the motor , and it's just one detail after
    another . Fortunately I still have all my "stuff" - and still collectin' .
    --
    Snag
    My rights don't end
    where your fear begins .

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Mon Mar 14 17:15:00 2022
    "Snag" wrote in message news:t0o972$k2b$1@dont-email.me...

    I just a few minutes ago finished machining some bushings for the
    truck carb . Quadrajet primary throttle shaft was a bit loose . I'm
    doing a total rebuild of the motor , and it's just one detail after
    another . Fortunately I still have all my "stuff" - and still collectin' . -----------------

    How do you figure the press fit and the shaft clearance?

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  • From Snag@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Mon Mar 14 23:12:53 2022
    On 3/14/2022 4:15 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag"  wrote in message news:t0o972$k2b$1@dont-email.me...
      I just a few minutes ago finished machining some bushings for the
    truck carb . Quadrajet primary throttle shaft was a bit loose . I'm
    doing a total rebuild of the motor , and it's just one detail after
    another . Fortunately I still have all my "stuff" - and still collectin' . -----------------

    How do you figure the press fit and the shaft clearance?

    A thou over on both , they don't need to be all that tight . I'm
    going to put the bushings on a mandrel and do a light knurl on them .
    Put a little loctite on before I press them home .
    --
    Snag
    My rights don't end
    where your fear begins .

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Tue Mar 15 12:43:37 2022
    "Snag" wrote in message news:t0p3o5$5ue$1@dont-email.me...

    On 3/14/2022 4:15 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag" wrote in message news:t0o972$k2b$1@dont-email.me...
    I just a few minutes ago finished machining some bushings for the truck carb . Quadrajet primary throttle shaft was a bit loose . I'm doing a
    total rebuild of the motor , and it's just one detail after another . Fortunately I still have all my "stuff" - and still collectin' . -----------------

    How do you figure the press fit and the shaft clearance?

    A thou over on both , they don't need to be all that tight . I'm
    going to put the bushings on a mandrel and do a light knurl on them .
    Put a little loctite on before I press them home .

    ------------------

    Do you do anything special to ensure that both bores are aligned?

    I fortunately found cheap used 0.499" and 0.501" reamers that I extended to guide them between two separated bushing locations. Without them I don't
    know how I could have aligned both pairs of holes, which were the frame and bucket pivots on my DIY front end loader.

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  • From Snag@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Tue Mar 15 12:17:21 2022
    On 3/15/2022 11:43 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag"  wrote in message news:t0p3o5$5ue$1@dont-email.me...

    On 3/14/2022 4:15 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag"  wrote in message news:t0o972$k2b$1@dont-email.me...
       I just a few minutes ago finished machining some bushings for the
    truck carb . Quadrajet primary throttle shaft was a bit loose . I'm
    doing a total rebuild of the motor , and it's just one detail after
    another . Fortunately I still have all my "stuff" - and still
    collectin' .
    -----------------

    How do you figure the press fit and the shaft clearance?

      A thou over on both , they don't need to be all that tight . I'm
    going to put the bushings on a mandrel and do a light knurl on them .
    Put a little loctite on before I press them home .

    ------------------

    Do you do anything special to ensure that both bores are aligned?

    I fortunately found cheap used 0.499" and 0.501" reamers that I extended
    to guide them between two separated bushing locations. Without them I
    don't know how I could have aligned both pairs of holes, which were the
    frame and bucket pivots on my DIY front end loader.


    The plan is to bolt the carb base to an L block or possibly use my
    big vise , then use a piece of 5/16" drill rod chucked in a collet to
    align things . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .
    --
    Snag
    My rights don't end
    where your fear begins .

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to All on Tue Mar 15 11:58:44 2022
    On 3/15/2022 10:17 AM, Snag wrote:
    . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .


    I AM NOT!


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  • From Snag@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Tue Mar 15 15:57:40 2022
    On 3/15/2022 1:58 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 10:17 AM, Snag wrote:
    . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .


    I AM NOT!



    R2 R2 R2 !

    I have decided to make another set of bushings . The ones you buy are
    .344" OD , which is fine . The ones I made first are .348" because that
    matches a drill bit that I have . But I think I want to go to .375" and
    use an end mill to cut the pocket for the new bushing . Shorter , more
    rigid , and most importantly more accurate hole size .
    Or I could pop for the special reamer that costs 40 bucks and I'll
    probably only use once ... No , I got all these tools might as well use
    'em .
    --
    Snag
    My rights don't end
    where your fear begins .

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to Snag on Tue Mar 15 15:01:09 2022
    On 3/15/2022 1:57 PM, Snag wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 1:58 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 10:17 AM, Snag wrote:
    . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .


    I AM NOT!



     R2 R2 R2 !

      I have decided to make another set of bushings . The ones you buy are .344" OD , which is fine . The ones I made first are .348" because that matches a drill bit that I have . But I think I want to go to .375" and
    use an end mill to cut the pocket for the new bushing . Shorter , more
    rigid , and most importantly more accurate hole size .
      Or I could pop for the special reamer that costs 40 bucks and I'll probably only use once ... No , I got all these tools might as well use
    'em .


    Tangent alert!!!!!

    I picked up a D-bit grinder a while back. I throw away empty end mill
    tubes, because the end mills go in a tool holder where they live out
    their life. When they come out of a tool holder they go in a little
    kitchen pot I have in the shop.

    The pot is full of just scrap carbide. I though I might sell it some
    day. Now I make things out of worn out and broken end mills.

    I've used the D-bit grinder to make a fair number of things, but
    recently I started making real tools with the D-Bit (Tool & Cutter)
    grinder. 10 degree dovetail cutter for making an insert blade holder.
    7 degree taper mill for making insert lathe tooling, etc, etc.

    I'm starting to get a small collection of these shop made carbide
    cutters in the cart for my manual knee mill. So far I can still
    remember the specs on most of them, but I know it won't be all that long
    before I pick up one of those shop made tools and have no clue what the
    specs are much less what I made it for. Ever try to label carbide? LOL.

    Now I'm really wishing I hadn't thrown all those end mill tubes away.
    They hold labels or even just marker ink pretty well.

    How I got there from here. Carbide D-bits make fair reamers if you can
    get the cutting diameter right. Once you get that figured out you can
    make any size you want. Maybe someday I'll be that good.



    --
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    https://www.avg.com

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  • From Carl@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Tue Mar 15 22:02:11 2022
    On 3/15/22 18:01, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 1:57 PM, Snag wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 1:58 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 10:17 AM, Snag wrote:
    . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .


    I AM NOT!



      R2 R2 R2 !

       I have decided to make another set of bushings . The ones you buy
    are .344" OD , which is fine . The ones I made first are .348" because
    that matches a drill bit that I have . But I think I want to go to
    .375" and use an end mill to cut the pocket for the new bushing .
    Shorter , more rigid , and most importantly more accurate hole size .
       Or I could pop for the special reamer that costs 40 bucks and I'll
    probably only use once ... No , I got all these tools might as well
    use 'em .


    Tangent alert!!!!!

    I picked up a D-bit grinder a while back.  I throw away empty end mill tubes, because the end mills go in a tool holder where they live out
    their life.  When they come out of a tool holder they go in a little
    kitchen pot I have in the shop.

    The pot is full of just scrap carbide.  I though I might sell it some
    day.  Now I make things out of worn out and broken end mills.

    I've used the D-bit grinder to make a fair number of things, but
    recently I started making real tools with the D-Bit (Tool & Cutter) grinder.  10 degree dovetail cutter for making an insert blade holder. 7 degree taper mill for making insert lathe tooling, etc, etc.

    I'm starting to get a small collection of these shop made carbide
    cutters in the cart for my manual knee mill.  So far I can still
    remember the specs on most of them, but I know it won't be all that long before I pick up one of those shop made tools and have no clue what the
    specs are much less what I made it for.  Ever try to label carbide?  LOL.

    Now I'm really wishing I hadn't thrown all those end mill tubes away.
    They hold labels or even just marker ink pretty well.

    How I got there from here.  Carbide D-bits make fair reamers if you can
    get the cutting diameter right.  Once you get that figured out you can
    make any size you want.  Maybe someday I'll be that good.

    Rabbit hole alert!!! :-)

    I've never done this with tungsten carbide, but have you ever heard of
    labeling by electroetching? Basically you take something you want to
    label and attach the positive lead from a low voltage DC power supply.
    Stick on a stencil, then rub over the stencil with a negative electrode
    covered with a piece of cotton swab or felt and dripping with
    electrolyte solution. With the correct electrolyte chemistry and
    voltage you lightly etch the surface in seconds. Remove stencil and
    wash off the electrolyte. If the contrast is good enough, you are done.
    If not, the etched surface is rougher than the original surface and
    will hold ink from a Sharpie.

    I did some Googling and found a couple of hits worth a quick look.
    First is a company that sells systems and electrolytes: https://www.trendmarking.com.au/metal-etching-systems.html They include
    an electrolyte for "carbides" but don't say which ones and of course
    give no ingredients for any of their stuff. They do have some good,
    brief how-to info and videos. Second is a how-to video using salt and
    vinegar as the electrolyte, a 12V car jump start battery, and q-tips to
    hold the electrolyte with stick-on stencils, marking sizes on
    chrome-plated steel sockets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILPQDXV_Rf0&ab_channel=TrendMarkingSystems
    Years ago I played with marking mild steel and stainless with
    basically this setup. It worked but I wanted some pretty small letters
    and I'm much better at "functional" than "pretty" so I gave up working
    with stencils pretty quickly :-).

    I'd try following the setup in the second video on a piece of scrap
    carbide, not bothering with a stencil. Just wet the q-tip and hold it
    on the surface in one place and see if you get any reaction. If that
    doesn't work try a concentrated solution of baking soda and table salt,
    but I think that is less likely to work. Maybe try some Oxyclean and
    table salt dissolved in 3% hydrogen peroxide, with and without some
    baking soda. Not sure what else around the house might work as an
    electrolyte.

    Of course, if you had one of those 50-ish watt CO2 laser cutters you
    should be able to laser mark it :-). Anyway, good luck.

    --
    Regards,
    Carl

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to Carl on Wed Mar 16 10:18:40 2022
    On 3/15/2022 7:02 PM, Carl wrote:
    On 3/15/22 18:01, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 1:57 PM, Snag wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 1:58 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 3/15/2022 10:17 AM, Snag wrote:
    . A couple of clamp dogs and Bob's yer Uncle .


    I AM NOT!



      R2 R2 R2 !

       I have decided to make another set of bushings . The ones you buy
    are .344" OD , which is fine . The ones I made first are .348"
    because that matches a drill bit that I have . But I think I want to
    go to .375" and use an end mill to cut the pocket for the new bushing
    . Shorter , more rigid , and most importantly more accurate hole size .
       Or I could pop for the special reamer that costs 40 bucks and I'll
    probably only use once ... No , I got all these tools might as well
    use 'em .


    Tangent alert!!!!!

    I picked up a D-bit grinder a while back.  I throw away empty end mill
    tubes, because the end mills go in a tool holder where they live out
    their life.  When they come out of a tool holder they go in a little
    kitchen pot I have in the shop.

    The pot is full of just scrap carbide.  I though I might sell it some
    day.  Now I make things out of worn out and broken end mills.

    I've used the D-bit grinder to make a fair number of things, but
    recently I started making real tools with the D-Bit (Tool & Cutter)
    grinder.  10 degree dovetail cutter for making an insert blade holder.
    7 degree taper mill for making insert lathe tooling, etc, etc.

    I'm starting to get a small collection of these shop made carbide
    cutters in the cart for my manual knee mill.  So far I can still
    remember the specs on most of them, but I know it won't be all that
    long before I pick up one of those shop made tools and have no clue
    what the specs are much less what I made it for.  Ever try to label
    carbide?  LOL.

    Now I'm really wishing I hadn't thrown all those end mill tubes away.
    They hold labels or even just marker ink pretty well.

    How I got there from here.  Carbide D-bits make fair reamers if you
    can get the cutting diameter right.  Once you get that figured out you
    can make any size you want.  Maybe someday I'll be that good.

    Rabbit hole alert!!!   :-)

    I've never done this with tungsten carbide, but have you ever heard of labeling by electroetching?  Basically you take something you want to
    label and attach the positive lead from a low voltage DC power supply.
    Stick on a stencil, then rub over the stencil with a negative electrode covered with a piece of cotton swab or felt and dripping with
    electrolyte solution.  With the correct electrolyte chemistry and
    voltage you lightly etch the surface in seconds.  Remove stencil and
    wash off the electrolyte.  If the contrast is good enough, you are done.
     If not, the etched surface is rougher than the original surface and
    will hold ink from a Sharpie.

    I did some Googling and found a couple of hits worth a quick look. First
    is a company that sells systems and electrolytes: https://www.trendmarking.com.au/metal-etching-systems.html  They include
    an electrolyte for "carbides" but don't say which ones and of course
    give no ingredients for any of their stuff.  They do have some good,
    brief how-to info and videos.  Second is a how-to video using salt and vinegar as the electrolyte, a 12V car jump start battery, and q-tips to
    hold the electrolyte with stick-on stencils, marking sizes on
    chrome-plated steel sockets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILPQDXV_Rf0&ab_channel=TrendMarkingSystems
     Years ago I played with marking mild steel and stainless with
    basically this setup.  It worked but I wanted some pretty small letters
    and I'm much better at "functional" than "pretty" so I gave up working
    with stencils pretty quickly :-).

    I'd try following the setup in the second video on a piece of scrap
    carbide, not bothering with a stencil.  Just wet the q-tip and hold it
    on the surface in one place and see if you get any reaction.  If that doesn't work try a concentrated solution of baking soda and table salt,
    but I think that is less likely to work.  Maybe try some Oxyclean and
    table salt dissolved in 3% hydrogen peroxide, with and without some
    baking soda.  Not sure what else around the house might work as an electrolyte.

    Of course, if you had one of those 50-ish watt CO2 laser cutters you
    should be able to laser mark it :-).  Anyway, good luck.


    Tungsten carbide is some pretty hard stuff. I may try to some
    electrochemical etching just to see if it will work, but I think going
    forward I'm just going to start a "pot" for empty mill tubes.

    Tangent to the rabbit hole in the tangent.

    Mustard. I had a local knife maker tell me he hires out laser engraving
    for his products now, but in the past he would use stencils and mustard
    to mark high carbon steels. I never asked how it worked on the shinier
    alloys like 15N20 or 440C, but it sounded like an option for occasional marking.




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  • From James Waldby@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Fri Mar 18 01:44:10 2022
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:
    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    This may be your chance to buy a forklift! On the plus side, you
    could stack stuff up to save floor space and could move equipment and
    stock more easily. On the minus side, forklifts aren't free, and
    there would be other costs in making the idea work, like shelving or a mezzanine, because of items that don't stack well without shelving.
    While the forklift itself would take up floor space, it could park
    under a mezzanine.

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to James Waldby on Thu Mar 17 19:02:14 2022
    On 3/17/2022 6:44 PM, James Waldby wrote:
    Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:
    No matter how large or small my shop space is always an issue. So what
    big in the way things do you have that you only use occasionally, but
    when you need them they are invaluable. For me there are a few. Cherry
    picker, welding table, engine stand, pallet jack... almost every farm
    implement in the yard. There are probably more, but these are always in
    the way. I don't want to set stuff out by the canal, and some of it I
    don't even want to leave outside. No point in having a hydraulic
    anything if the ram is rusted and cuts your seals when you need it, but
    its always in the way. I used both the pallet jack and the cherry picker
    to set the new air compressor in place, but now they are in the way
    again. FRACK!

    This may be your chance to buy a forklift! On the plus side, you
    could stack stuff up to save floor space and could move equipment and
    stock more easily. On the minus side, forklifts aren't free, and
    there would be other costs in making the idea work, like shelving or a mezzanine, because of items that don't stack well without shelving.
    While the forklift itself would take up floor space, it could park
    under a mezzanine.


    I would love to have a fork lift. Yep, they are not free.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Fri Mar 18 07:16:16 2022
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t10p75$at1$1@dont-email.me...

    I would love to have a fork lift. Yep, they are not free. ----------------------
    My manual platform stacker cost me $10, plus a rebuild of the hydraulic cylinder. After I overloaded and broke it I found that a lever chain hoist
    is a good substitute, with other uses. It's a locally built version of the Wesco lift. Mine effectively occupies no space because I store things on the platform.

    At the auction the one that still worked sold for $125.

    Here's an example, chosen for its short URL. https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Lift-MPS0859-Operated-Platform/dp/B075MSS26W

    There are also fork versions for pallets.

    It's heavy, but with the platform fully raised for balance I could hook the handle onto the tailgate and tip and slide it into the 7' bed of my Ranger
    to bring it home.

    -jsw

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to All on Fri Mar 18 17:34:24 2022
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:t11pnb$ikk$1@dont-email.me...

    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t10p75$at1$1@dont-email.me...

    I would love to have a fork lift. Yep, they are not free. ----------------------

    I happened to stop at a couple of second-hand machinery dealers today.
    Compact manual lifts ran $2500 ~$3500 for electric pallet forklifts to ~$600 (half new price) for a hand truck with a hydraulic lift platform.

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  • From Bob La Londe@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Sat Mar 19 10:06:32 2022
    On 3/18/2022 2:34 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins"  wrote in message news:t11pnb$ikk$1@dont-email.me...

    "Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:t10p75$at1$1@dont-email.me...

    I would love to have a fork lift. Yep, they are not free. ----------------------

    I happened to stop at a couple of second-hand machinery dealers today. Compact manual lifts ran $2500 ~$3500 for electric pallet forklifts to
    ~$600 (half new price) for a hand truck with a hydraulic lift platform.


    I do have slip on pallet forks for my tractor loader. The bucket is
    rated for 750lbs, easily manages 1000s, and can tilt back 1500-2000
    after the main hydraulics are fully loaded. I unloaded my 1440 lathe
    and my 48" Tennsmith brake with it using that last method. Full load
    the main hydraulic, and then tilt back the bucket tilt hydraulic. The
    tractor is to big to maneuver in the shop. Usually I can lift off a
    piece of equipment and tote it around the shop on the pallet jack. It
    also doesn't really reach high enough for putting stuff up high in the
    shop (16ft eve height).

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Jim Wilkins on Sat Mar 19 14:07:22 2022
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t152ip$cvt$1@dont-email.me...

    On 3/18/2022 2:34 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:t11pnb$ikk$1@dont-email.me...

    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t10p75$at1$1@dont-email.me...

    I would love to have a fork lift. Yep, they are not free. ----------------------

    I happened to stop at a couple of second-hand machinery dealers today. Compact manual lifts ran $2500 ~$3500 for electric pallet forklifts to
    ~$600 (half new price) for a hand truck with a hydraulic lift platform.


    I do have slip on pallet forks for my tractor loader. The bucket is
    rated for 750lbs, easily manages 1000s, and can tilt back 1500-2000
    after the main hydraulics are fully loaded. I unloaded my 1440 lathe
    and my 48" Tennsmith brake with it using that last method. Full load
    the main hydraulic, and then tilt back the bucket tilt hydraulic. The
    tractor is to big to maneuver in the shop. Usually I can lift off a
    piece of equipment and tote it around the shop on the pallet jack. It
    also doesn't really reach high enough for putting stuff up high in the
    shop (16ft eve height).
    ---------------------------

    When the clerk asked how big and how high I guessed you wanted to lift a
    mold on or off a milling machine table instead of a higher pallet rack. I
    was looking for more 3" channel iron to extend my sawmill track and also inquired for you about the current street value of used manual and electric lifts that can maneuver in tight spaces. I didn't mention that you were in Arizona instead of local.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Sun Mar 20 13:46:25 2022
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t17em1$9ac$1@dont-email.me...

    When the clerk asked how big and how high I guessed you wanted to lift a
    mold on or off a milling machine table instead of a higher pallet rack. I
    was looking for more 3" channel iron to extend my sawmill track and also inquired for you about the current street value of used manual and
    electric lifts that can maneuver in tight spaces. I didn't mention that
    you were in Arizona instead of local.



    I don't do many molds that big and heavy, although the bridge mill is
    intended to be able to do some larger stuff if I can make it rigid and
    accurate "enough."

    ------------------

    I had to give him a credible answer. The stuff I built for a living was so
    new and unusual and generally confidential that I learned to translate it
    into more familiar terms to vendors.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Bob La Londe on Mon Mar 21 10:07:31 2022
    "Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:t17pat$uur$1@dont-email.me...

    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:t17em1$9ac$1@dont-email.me...

    When the clerk asked how big and how high I guessed you wanted to lift a
    mold on or off a milling machine table instead of a higher pallet rack. I
    was looking for more 3" channel iron to extend my sawmill track and also inquired for you about the current street value of used manual and
    electric lifts that can maneuver in tight spaces. I didn't mention that
    you were in Arizona instead of local.



    I don't do many molds that big and heavy, although the bridge mill is
    intended to be able to do some larger stuff if I can make it rigid and
    accurate "enough."

    ------------------

    I had to give him a credible answer. The stuff I built for a living was so
    new and unusual and generally confidential that I learned to translate it
    into more familiar terms to vendors.

    -------------------

    Examples:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_radio

    "SpeakEasy, the military software radio was formulated by Wayne Bonser, then
    of Rome Air Development Center (RADC), now Rome Labs; by Alan Margulies of MITRE Rome, NY; and then Lt Beth Kaspar, the original DARPA SpeakEasy
    project manager and by others at Rome including Don Upmal."

    MITRE Rome couldn't build it, so the project landed on my bench as manager
    of the Digital Communications Lab at MITRE Bedford, MA. Though I don't have
    an EE degree I had already demonstrated my extensive experience with A/D converters and computer hardware by designing, building and programming a 16 bit data acquisition board for a Macintosh computer for them.

    We were buying and incorporating state-of-the-art components such as the ultra-fast A/D converters for digital sampling oscilloscopes and I couldn't described the actual military application to vendors who wouldn't understand
    if I was allowed to. Some of the exotic devices we bought had hand-written single digit serial numbers.

    "The project was the first known to use FPGAs (field programmable gate
    arrays) for digital processing of radio data."
    The processing to recover low power signals from noise is very complex: http://web.mit.edu/6.02/www/f2010/handouts/lectures/L8.pdf
    An early commercial application was the coding that allows scratched music
    CDs to play cleanly.

    FPGAs are amazing. You draw a CAD schematic, simulate and compile it, store
    it in a PROM, and the FPGA reads it in at power-up and transforms itself
    into that circuit. Your thoughts become reality.

    I was also a lab tech for the inspiration for 3D printing, which does that mechanically.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_ink
    "In 1982, Robert Howard [who invented cable tv] had the idea to build a revolutionary small color printer system before he left Centronics
    Corporation. Two years later he formed a new company, Howtek, Inc., to carry out this mission. The Pixelmaster printer used "Hot melt" Thermoplastic ink jetted by piezo crystals that could spit out millions of small droplets of
    ink of each of the primary colors- red, green and blue - as well as black,
    on to a piece of paper."

    Actually it printed the subtractive primaries cyan, magenta and yellow. Cyan
    is commonly called Teal. CMYK refers to the set, with K for blacK to print
    text with single instead of 3 color dots. https://www.boingographics.com/blog/why-do-i-need-to-know-the-difference-between-rgb-and-cmyk

    The ink piled up high on the jet test stand. It was too brittle to make
    things but the idea was obvious. The machine could print Braille and color-separated offset printing plates, though.

    That article describes some of its many problems which greatly increased complexity. The running joke was about adding a Diesel generator.

    "Some founders and many former employees of Howtek left and joined 3D
    printing companies."
    But I went to MITRE and then Segway. R&D is like building bridges, when the
    job is completed you look for another.

    Another less tactful tech created this bumper sticker, "Technicians do what engineers can only dream of".

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