Author Topic: True confessions of a toolaholic  (Read 11495 times)

Online steamer

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #15 on: December 17, 2019, 04:16:04 PM »
I'm calling in a Seal team to make off with that little Jones and Shipman!..... :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :cartwheel: :cheers:
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #16 on: December 17, 2019, 07:56:27 PM »
I'm calling in a Seal team to make off with that little Jones and Shipman!..... :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :cartwheel: :cheers:

lol, different eh?  I had never seen one before.  It comes with quite an elaborate overhead drive that is on a shelf at the moment...pending my ministrations.  I have to admit, not by intent, but workshop building has evolved as the hobby, but I'm going to break free and make more models soon:)

Offline propforward

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #17 on: December 17, 2019, 08:05:31 PM »
I love everything about this thread. I thoroughly enjoy the toolaholic sentiment, and these are such very fine and beautiful tools, in wonderful condition. Not only that - but the pictures are just filled with atmosphere. Each picture shows the tool in "just the right" surroundings. I can picture myself in the shop enjoying a chat about all things model engineering. Very nice - that is a fine collection - good for you!
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Online steamer

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #18 on: December 17, 2019, 08:09:02 PM »
I'm calling in a Seal team to make off with that little Jones and Shipman!..... :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :cartwheel: :cheers:

lol, different eh?  I had never seen one before.  It comes with quite an elaborate overhead drive that is on a shelf at the moment...pending my ministrations.  I have to admit, not by intent, but workshop building has evolved as the hobby, but I'm going to break free and make more models soon:)

Let me know how you make out with the F1.   I have one as well, and looking at the drawings ....that spindle doesn't look easy to rebuild...confirmed by your statements....If I was to have to do that I would make a drilling quil head with a new 90 degree mount and make it bigger!.....Probably go ER collets too.     For now I just oil it... ALOT!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #19 on: December 17, 2019, 08:37:41 PM »
Let me know how you make out with the F1.   I have one as well, and looking at the drawings ....that spindle doesn't look easy to rebuild...confirmed by your statements....If I was to have to do that I would make a drilling quil head with a new 90 degree mount and make it bigger!.....Probably go ER collets too.     For now I just oil it... ALOT!

its a big job and there is no easy way out, at least none that occurred to me.  Everything has to fit in such a small space.  To me, it was important to retain the original functionality - i.e. the 40mm OD for vertical and horizontal use in the machine.  Its darn near impossible to fit a W12 collet spindle with AC's and keep it under 40mm let alone anything bigger.  Spindle shaft and housing were ground and lapped and are within 2 microns using in indicator mic; I figured if making a spindle for an Aciera, I had better achieve their level of accuracy.....no point in all that work if its a downgrade!  The current delay is that I need to finish the soft bearing dynamic balancer (my design, so its working is far from a sure thing!) to get smoother operation out of my ID grinder before doing the housing ID.....then it should come together quickly. 

This spindle and the ER for the BCA will likely be done as articles in HSM.  I thought to offer the spindles for sale that were a plug and play into the original machine.   I'd get the parts made by people equipped to machine to tenths without having to hold your tongue just so, cnc grinding and such.  Then I'd do the assembly and grind of the collet taper.  They'd be expensive but these mills are highly prized as you know,  but without a new spindle option you can be stuck in a dead end alley.  And mine has replaceable AC's!

Thanks Stuart!  Come by for that chat anytime you like
« Last Edit: December 17, 2019, 09:22:41 PM by Mcgyver »

Offline propforward

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #20 on: December 17, 2019, 09:02:05 PM »

Thanks Stuart!  Come by for that chat anytime you like

That would be great, truthfully. Mostly I like to just listen to people who actually know what they are talking about, and take it all in.  ^-^
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Online Twizseven

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #21 on: December 18, 2019, 08:19:45 AM »
A fantastic collection and plenty for you to work on.  I have the precurser to the F1, aF12 but need to locate the arm to make it into a vertical rather than just the horizontal mill it is at the present.

Colin

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #22 on: December 18, 2019, 03:55:25 PM »
I have to admit, not by intent, but workshop building has evolved as the hobby, but I'm going to break free and make more models soon:)

I can see how that can happen. What a wonderful collection of machinery...................most of which I don't have the slightest idea of what it does.  :shrug:

Jim
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Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline bent

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #23 on: December 18, 2019, 05:18:10 PM »
Wow.  Just...wow.  One thing I've never owned, but have always wanted (all the times I whisht I had one for troubleshooting) is an o-scope.  And you have what looks to be a dozen or so...

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #24 on: December 18, 2019, 09:35:33 PM »
There's probably 4 oscilloscopes there.  Two need a bit of work, one of two 465B's are what I mostly use.  why 2?  they seem to come way so darn cheaply I like the idea of having a spare.  For the $100 I'd get for it, having a spare of one of the nicest but aging scopes ever is (for me) worth it.    Its not as hoarding-like is it probably comes across, I sell lots too.  I've built the shop up a lot by buying in bulk and selling most duplicates.

Scopes, new offshore or old quality standbys are fairly inexpensive now, you should get one.  I'm toward the beginner side on electronics but like learning and I can't image trying to learn without a scope to see whats happening.  I'm at the point where I've had a bunch wins fixing stuff, and some of my circuits work, but I've a lot to learn.  Of the things I've undertaken, electronics has been the most difficult to learn on my own.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2019, 11:47:13 PM by Mcgyver »

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #25 on: December 19, 2019, 02:50:50 AM »
There's probably 4 oscilloscopes there.  Two need a bit of work, one of two 465B's are what I mostly use.  why 2?  they seem to come way so darn cheaply I like the idea of having a spare.  For the $100 I'd get for it, having a spare of one of the nicest but aging scopes ever is (for me) worth it.    Its not as hoarding-like is it probably comes across, I sell lots too.  I've built the shop up a lot by buying in bulk and selling most duplicates.

Scopes, new offshore or old quality standbys are fairly inexpensive now, you should get one.  I'm toward the beginner side on electronics but like learning and I can't image trying to learn without a scope to see whats happening.  I'm at the point where I've had a bunch wins fixing stuff, and some of my circuits work, but I've a lot to learn.  Of the things I've undertaken, electronics has been the most difficult to learn on my own.

My first job, after graduating from the Oregon Institute of Technology in 1966, was working for Tektronix in Beaverton, Oregon. My job was to test and calibrate new oscilloscopes. I did that for 6 years and then bought a 37' commercial salmon troller and went fishing in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Oregon, Washington , and Northern California. I've always regretted not studying mechanical engineering technology instead of electronics. I turns out I was way more adapted to that.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline RonGinger

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #26 on: December 19, 2019, 03:57:25 AM »
My first job out of Cass  Technical High School in Detroit, while attending Wayne State University was in an electro-mechanical unit of Holley Carburetor company. I remember one of our technicians telling me when he got to depressed by the junk we were building he would open the side of one of our big 5" Tektronix  scopes and just look at it for a few minutes to see what real quality was. I learned a lot working there and gained a great respect for Tektronix. I still have one of the 'portable' scopes I bought in surplus in one of my cabinets. I cant bring myself to get rid of it, even though I have an imported storage scope that is much more useful.

I also still have my Heathkit OS-3 scope which I got for my 12th birthday. Its on a shelf in the garage, totally useless, but I will never take it to the dump- one of my kids  can do that when they clean up after I'm gone.

Offline bent

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #27 on: December 19, 2019, 03:51:40 PM »
I've gotten by over the years making do without a scope...but there are times when having something to measure fast transients is very helpful.  I once blew the window glass out of a fume hood in the rocket shop's chem lab, measuring ignition delays with a thermocouple hooked to a scope.  Was not allowed back into the lab for several weeks.  Mercury compounds are very reactive.
:slap:

Offline Alex

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #28 on: December 20, 2019, 04:05:47 PM »
"I did recently acquire castings for a number of engines (Allchin, Evening Star and Tuetonic class compound) and have major beam, a giant corliss, a seal and jacobs gear hobber aging on the shelf (as well as a Stuart triple to finish)"

I saw those on Kijiji; I think you'd do a great job if you put your mind to it. 3-1/2" gauge is not that popular (at least in Eastern Ontario), but at the Montreal Live Steamers it's having a big resurgence.   I build in 3-1/2 because I like building, and the resulting models are not too large.

Hope to see one of these well on the way at the end of 2020. ;-)

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #29 on: December 21, 2019, 02:17:47 AM »
Thanks for the encouragement Alex.  I don't see myself riding them, just want to build them, steam it up a few times and loo at it occaisonally.... so the lack of a track doesn't really concern me, although maybe when its made I'll feel differently. 

I'm trying to finish a Stuart triple,better get it done before starting another so as part of that have started on Ian Hunt's tube bender.  I made what I thought was a fairly fancy tube bender years ago, but I just can't the radius as tight and well formed as Ian's rig does with its bullet mandrel.  Once again down the rabbit hole of tool making.

 

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