# Goofs & Blunders You Should Avoid.



## David S (Jul 24, 2016)

Forget my previous smart ass thread and lets see if we can contribute to the OP's original intent.

I do a lot of machining with small drill bits, cutters etc on my drill / mill.

When chucking up a very small diameter drill bit in a 13 mm three jaw chuck it is very easy to get the chuck to tighten down on the bit when it is between just two jaws and not centered among the three.

Turning on the press without first doing a manual sweep can break the bit or damage the work piece.

Always rotate the chuck after tightening by hand to check clearance.

David


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## T Bredehoft (Jul 24, 2016)

I've found that seating the back end of the drill bit in the back of the chuck makes centering the drill bit a little easier. Of course, if the drill is shorter than the depth of the chuck this doesn't work. 

In the spirit of blunder. I have had the following experience. I needed to drill two .040 holes in a piece of aluminum, 3/16 thick. After breaking three or four drills I realized that the hand feed on my mill was not sensitive enough for me to feel when the bit was in aluminum, and i'd jam it into the material before slowing the feed. Talk about ham handed.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jul 24, 2016)

I am game, made a few errors over the years.
Do not leave the drawbar wrench on the drawbar and then turn the spindle on with a Bridgeport type mill. This I have done  in the past, I am short in stature however and no harm was done.

Turning the spindle on when it is holding an indicator is not recommended.
The last few years I have been programming CNC lathes, rapid moves go from the current position to the start position in a hurry, I have managed to break 2 parting tools so far, I have no problem with parting operations I do seem to bugger the rapid moves however.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 24, 2016)

don't leave the handle for your shop press in the jack, it'll poke your eye out- i had to explain that to a new work trainee, because i almost poked my eye with the handle he left in the jack.
don't mix synthetic grease with non-synthetic grease, you'll replace bearings soon after. i repair machines that are routinely ruined by operators not knowing that.
don't ever think that you know enough to not take advise.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jul 24, 2016)

As a side note, if you ever run a large lathe/mill with powered rapid controls do not place your kneecaps near the hand wheels and engage this feature as it will easily hurt you a good deal and may break some bones.


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## brino (Jul 24, 2016)

Yesterday I was wondering what was wrong with my drill operation, it just wasn't working right.......and then realized the bit was spinning backward!
Some years ago I had installed a reverse switch on my drill press.....don't exactly remember why I needed it.
Apparently I had managed to toggle the rocker switch when I moved the drill press around the shop last week.

-brino


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## astjp2 (Jul 24, 2016)

When its -40* don't lock your keys into your vehicle, always have a spare key in your wallet...in case you do.


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## Reeltor (Jul 25, 2016)

astjp2 said:


> When its -40* don't lock your keys into your vehicle, always have a spare key in your wallet...in case you do.



It doesn't have to be -40* F for it to be a problem locking your keys in the vehicle.  I like the keypad on the driver's door to unlock 1 or all doors.  Years ago I had a client lock the doors with the engine running.  Next car I bought and all since have the keypad.


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## astjp2 (Jul 25, 2016)

Reeltor said:


> It doesn't have to be -40* F for it to be a problem locking your keys in the vehicle.  I like the keypad on the driver's door to unlock 1 or all doors.  Years ago I had a client lock the doors with the engine running.  Next car I bought and all since have the keypad.



Yeah, I can tell that you have not spent much time at -40 from your comment, batteries don't work to well for your keypad unless its heated, hell doors don't even close properly, windows don't roll down, and at -40, locking your keys in is a life threating event...


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## 4GSR (Jul 25, 2016)

Hey, at 100 degrees F and 98% humidity, it's a life threatening event!!!


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## pineyfolks (Jul 25, 2016)

Take any tooling you're not using out of the tailstock. After running a 3/32 drill half way through my arm in shop class I learned real quick.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 25, 2016)

astjp2 said:


> When its -40* don't lock your keys into your vehicle, always have a spare key in your wallet...in case you do.




only works if you don't leave your wallet in the car...


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## David S (Jul 25, 2016)

how about clearing swarf on the lathe.   Never ever use ones hands to push, clear, untangle the swarf building up.  Use a brush to push it away or perhaps smooth handled pliers to try and grab some.  The idea is that you don't want the pliers to get caught and pull your hand into the works.

Best of all turn off machine and remove the swarf and build up.

David


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## 4GSR (Jul 25, 2016)

I have a pair of H-F needle nose pliers at each lathe for removing stringers, balls, etc. from the cutting tools.  I learned way early in life, they will slice fingers all the way to the bones!  Still give me the hibby-gibbies thinking about it..


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## Martin W (Jul 25, 2016)

Never ever take a rubber mallet and hit the piece that's turning in the lathe. My former class mate knows this because he lacks his front teeth.


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## epanzella (Jul 26, 2016)

I was drilling a hole in a spinning piece with the tailstock.  After checking that the quill was clear of the tooling in the QCTP I began drilling the hole It was a small deep hole so I was pecking and suddenly I heard a rubbing noise. A tool holder was rubbing the spinning chuck. Because I was going slow it barely left a mark but could have been a real crash. I turned out that although the quill was clear, there was a bolt sticking out the bottom f it that was out of view from above. It touched the tooling and It was pushing the whole carriage along with it.


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## Martin W (Jul 26, 2016)

On the weekend I was turning a flange on the face plate. I only had 1/8" clearance between the part and the ways. I made about 4 passes with a boring bar. Then I pulled the lever up to stop the lathe and I cranked the carriage out of the way to measure. The aluminum cover that protects the ways must have been sticking up some on the end and caught the still spinning piece and broke it right off.
Looks like a tig  welding project this week end
Martin W


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## george wilson (Jul 27, 2016)

Did someone delete MY goof?

My Hardinge HLVH starts up at 3000 RPM in a half second or so. Forward and reverse are buttons down on the cabinet. To unscrew a collet, I had reversed the lathe. I started the lathe up without looking at it starting,and using a collet to hold the brass rod I was working on. For some reason my tool would not cut. Then,I found out I had left the lathe in reverse!! Give me a chance to learn. I have only been using that lathe since the late 80's!!


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## olcopper (Jul 27, 2016)

Don't ever p*** on an electric fence, no matter how many beers you've had and who dares you.
Never ever leave the chuck wrench in the chuck before turning it on
kill all the power to a machine before replacing collets. A Mr. Sajo taught me that one!
Insure you tighten the clamp bolts on a round column mill-drill--took me two 1/2" carbide end mills back to back to learn that one
And many more
olcopper


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## RJSakowski (Jul 27, 2016)

Not life threatening or even machining related but here's one to avoid.  Years ago, I was into developing my own color slides.  I was in the process of developing the slides from a three week vacation out West  and had loaded two rolls of film into a light tight cassette.  I set it down to do and another task and, on returning, opened the cassette in bright light to see if I had loaded the film. Doh!


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## george wilson (Jul 27, 2016)

Back when I was in about the 2nd grade,I walked daily past a pasture of cows inside an electric fence. I must have leaned on that fence about 3 times,and got a BIGGGG jolt before I remembered to not lean on it while looking at the cows!!!

There was a bull in a pen across the road from the cows. He was very friendly to me(At least it seemed to be so while I was pulling up grass and feeding it to him. I never got INTO his pen!!!) One day the men were running about pretty alarmed because that VICIOUS BULL had gotten loose!!


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## MSD0 (Jul 27, 2016)

george wilson said:


> Did someone delete MY goof?
> 
> My Hardinge HLVH starts up at 3000 RPM in a half second or so. Forward and reverse are buttons down on the cabinet. For some reason I had reversed the lathe. I started the lathe up without looking at it starting,and using a collet to hold the brass rod I was working on. For some reason my tool would not cut. Then,I found out I had left the lathe in reverse!! Give me a chance to learn. I have only been using that lathe since the late 80's!!


I've done the same thing so many times. A few times I ended up regrinding the tool and checking center before I figured it out.


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## brino (Jul 27, 2016)

george wilson said:


> Did someone delete MY goof?



I wish someone would delete a few of mine! 
-brino


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## kwilliam (Jul 28, 2016)

I've lost count of the times I've used an edge finder, and forgotten to add the offset.

I'll learn one day.


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## Charles Spencer (Jul 28, 2016)

Don't put your retirement money into any fund that charges 2% or more per year.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 28, 2016)

better yet don't put money in a retirement fund.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 28, 2016)

https://i.imgur.com/9LYpp1x.gif


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## Franko (Jul 28, 2016)

I've learned so much from my mistakes. I'm thinking of making some more.


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## dulltool17 (Jul 28, 2016)

A smart man learns from his mistakes; a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

This philosophy leads to "lurking" on internet forums....


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## savarin (Jul 28, 2016)

dont listen for the gas at the tig nozzle when you have a high frequency start.


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## kwilliam (Jul 29, 2016)

When things don't work - always calm down and think before you do something stupid.

Like when I got my new mill. Nothing worked. Could not get it to fire up.
Was all ready to jump on the phone and explode.
Calmed down, thought about it.

I knew it had a lot of lock-outs, but missed the one on the chip sheild *click* all works now!

Saved myself some embarrassment.

Oops - now everyone knows.

Shame.


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## Hawkeye (Jul 29, 2016)

Cut it out, guys. It hurts amost as much to laugh as it does to cough.


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## markba633csi (Jul 29, 2016)

Don't smoke a joint and run a big bandsaw. Just don't. Ouch. Band-aid.
MS


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## george wilson (Jul 29, 2016)

Probably best to just not smoke a joint,period.


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## markba633csi (Jul 31, 2016)

Dumb kids in high school do dumb things.  I'm a little wiser now, at 61.
Mark S.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 31, 2016)

savarin said:


> dont listen for the gas at the tig nozzle when you have a high frequency start.





put a balloon on the end


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## savarin (Jul 31, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> put a balloon on the end


Now thats a good idea.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 1, 2016)

Not me, but at the shop today a guy running 80" long 5" X 1/2" steel bars in a 4020 Fadal mill using 3 vices to hold them, these machines have removable panels on each end of the enclosure, he had them off.
After one end is done it rapids towards the front to make it easier to move.

The part sticking outside hit a steel roof coloumn and rotated the machine, it weighs 10,500 Lb's. Made quite the racket.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...YeTPARhJD4InSj0Tc7CdmQ0w&ust=1470173531584744


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## samthedog (Aug 2, 2016)

When you adjust the tool post angle, ensure the post is tightened enough to avoid it turning on you while you machine. I have ruined a few parts having the post turn on me
Don't machine with long sleeves, even in cold weather. It's better to wear a vest than to get your arm ripped off
Place a piece of wood or a nylon cutting board on the drill press table then your job on top. When you see different colored swarf it's time to stop. I have seen some unsightly holes drilled into the table that could have been avoided
Never forgo safety for convenience. I caught some fiberglass in the eye from an angle grinder disk that nearly drove me crazy before it could be surgically removed
Never assume a capacitor is discharged. I nearly rode the lightning into the next life with this one
Don't walk away from a machine in operation. Strange things happen the moment you take your eyes off the machine
When you see a good deal on a machine, assume EVERYONE has also seen said deal and is frantically trying to organize funds and transport. Buy first, work out logistics later
All goofs above were learned by yours truly either directly or indirectly.


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## george wilson (Aug 2, 2016)

In reference to the above post,if you are using an old fashioned lantern tool post,clamp the tool holder in such a way that the cutting tool swings AWAY from the metal being turned,rather than INTO it if it comes loose under the pressure of cutting.

For Aloris type tool posts: If you can't seem to get the tool post tight enough,place a couple of pieces of BROWN PAPER BAG paper under each side of the block that holds the tool. I say brown paper because it has no CLAY in it. Shiny magazine papers have clay in them,and are slippery. If in doubt,just use plain old,dull finished brown bag paper. DO NOT USE brown paper that has had a shiny coat applied to it,as some butcher's papers have(to make them not leak blood). Those papers will slip,too.

I also use slips of clay free  paper in my Kurt vise. Slippery metals like brass and aluminum will be held in a death grip by the paper! Really!!!!

I wish I'd done that years ago,(and I KNEW better,too,but was in a hurry,as so many accidents are caused!). I was drilling a hole in a sharp cornered block of brass in the drill press. The block was held in a smooth jawed toolmaker's vise. Clamped TIGHT,too! That brass sucked up out of the vise,spun and cut my finger about 1" from the end quite DEEP. It was at least 10 years before feeling got back into that part of my finger.

I was in a hurry,and did 2 things wrong: 1; use paper in the SMOOTH jaws. 2; grind a vertical flat on the cutting edges of the 1/2" drill so it wouldn't suck up the brass when it broke through. This is GOOD,GOLDEN advice when you are drilling Plexiglass,too. It will shatter when the drill breaks through. Take this advice and save yourself lots of money when drilling a sheet of plexiglass!! Grinding a vertical edge on the drill causes it to scrape rather than cut. It doesn't seem to make the drill less effective when using a drill press. Might hurt when pushing an electric drill by hand. Keep the edges sharp.

I was in a Hi Fi shop where the owners had made a clear Plexiglass speaker cabinet(why see all those wires? I guess to gloat over the expensive speaker!). They remarked that they wouldn't be asking so much for it if they hadn't broken so much plastic when drilling it. I showed them how to grind their drill for the next time. You used to could buy drills for brass. I have some. They are just like twist drills,but their flutes are straight,not twisted. Since brass still has to be drilled,I wonder if some specialist still sells them?


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## Reeltor (Aug 2, 2016)

samthedog said:


> Never assume a capacitor is discharged. I nearly rode the lightning into the next life with this one
> All goofs above were learned by yours truly either directly or indirectly.



I once knew a guy who thought it was great fun to toss a fully charged capacitor to "the new guy" to catch.  
I never saw the retribution but I always assumed that at least one person had a meeting with this yahoo after work and off company property.

Looking back as some of the practical jokes that we played; none seem funny.


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## Reeltor (Aug 2, 2016)

george wilson said:


> I was in a hurry,and did 2 things wrong: 1; use paper in the SMOOTH jaws. 2; grind a vertical flat on the cutting edges of the 1/2" drill so it wouldn't suck up the brass when it broke through. This is GOOD,GOLDEN advice when you are drilling Plexiglass,too. It will shatter when the drill breaks through. Take this advice and save yourself lots of money when drilling a sheet of plexiglass!! Grinding a vertical edge on the drill causes it to scrape rather than cut. It doesn't seem to make the drill less effective when using a drill press. Might hurt when pushing an electric drill by hand. Keep the edges sharp.



George,

I'm having a mind freeze on this vertical flat idea.  Can you post a sketch or photo?


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## george wilson (Aug 2, 2016)

A charged capacitor can stop your heart. Horsing around like that by ignorant clowns can have tragic results. Air hoses can blow up your intestines and kill you,too. That's why the safety models with the holes drilled through their sides are made. You know exactly where some idiot is going to jam an air hose.

I don't have a picture of the drill. The cutting edge of drills is a wedge shape made by the angle of the bottom edges of the drill,and the angle where the spiral flute meets the cutting edge. Just grind the spiral flute into a vertical angle where the spiral flute meets the cutting edge. That way the drill scrapes instead of cutting as it drills. It's not complicated. You only need to grind  a 1/32" tall vertical spot on the drill for this to work.

Google "How to grind a drill bit for drilling in brass". There are several sites to go to for pictures and demos.


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## chips&more (Aug 2, 2016)

Don’t go looking for a Pokemon and leave the lathe/mill running with the power feed on!


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## RJSakowski (Aug 2, 2016)

Speaking of capacitors, I remember an incident in HS Physics class where a Wimhurst generator was being used to demonstrate static electricity principles.  A Leyden jar (an early form of capacitor) was sitting on the counter and I absentmindedly picked it up and brought the ball terminal up in the vicinity of my lip.  It was charged to something more than 50KV and the lesson was learned.  To add insult to injury, I touched the ball with a finger and again learned a lesson that even though you discharge a capacitor, there is usually a residual charge left.  

Ever since then, I discharge capacitors not once but twice before handling.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 2, 2016)

Reeltor said:


> I'm having a mind freeze on this vertical flat idea. Can you post a sketch or photo?



When I was growing up, we called that a "titanium rake".  Its a flat ground on the twisted face of the drill, parallel the axis.  No. I dont' have a picture, either.  As George said, it makes the drill scrape instead of cut, like drawing a knife sideways across a piece of wood.


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## Whyemier (Aug 2, 2016)

A note about 'chip breakers' and long chips.

When I had my first 'real' job as a machinist, well machinist's helper was the title.  We made punches and dies for mass production in a small shop.  So tool steel was the norm for turning and milling.  I don't know what I was turning in the machine, I didn't know one metal from the other at that time...come to think of it if I ever did I've forgotten most of it...the cut produced a long continuous chip.  Very ductile material.  I wasn't thinking about breaking the chip and let it go where it wanted.  It wanted to wrap around the levers and knobs on the apron of the carriage. 

When my cut was nearing the end, very close to the chuck I might add, I reached down to disengage the feed.  Well as things go the chuck chose that moment to grab the chip, catching my finger in a 'loop' of the chip and snatching my hand up from the lever.  It caught my finger and sliced it to the bone, had it been an eighth of an inch lower it would have taken part of the finger at the joint. That was forty two years ago and my right hand index finger is still numb and it aches like the dickens on cold days. Could put it all down to ignorance on my part or blame the machinist for not keeping an eye on the helper but I know I have no one to blame but me. When working with machine tools we all need to be aware of what is going on at all times.

Point is, break the chip if it doesn't break on its own.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 2, 2016)

When using a vertical band saw to cut aluminum, don't push where the blade will come through. I put a screw driver slot in my left thumb many years ago. The scar's still there, a line connecting the two corners of my thumb nail. The skin inside it is ultra sensitive, like the nerves grew back with a vengeance. 

I was cutting up some scraps to make pads for the jaws of a vise.


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## ChipsAlloy! (Aug 2, 2016)

savarin said:


> dont listen for the gas at the tig nozzle when you have a high frequency start.



Happened to me a couple times, not in the ears but on fingers.

Pressed the pedal to feel the gas flow..
We have different tig welders at work, plus my own at home wich is ''lift arc''. Only one of these machines is high frequency so having done lots of welding with the other machines I kinda forgot this particular one was HF.

For those not familiar with the high frequency thing here's a short definition from the millerweld website:

_*the current must heat the tungsten so it becomes a better emitter of electrons; at that point, the arc can jump from the tungsten to the work piece. One traditional option for solving DC arc starting problems, and the standard method for improving AC arc starts, involves superimposing a high frequency (HF) current over the welding current. Basically, the HF current forms a path for the welding current to follow and so the arc can be established. 

- See more at: https://www.millerwelds.com/resourc...a-tig-welding-machine-qa#sthash.WO8QKFyp.dpuf*_


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## TOOLMASTER (Aug 2, 2016)

make real sure transformer is unplugged before adjusting contacts on a jacobs ladder..

never set your coffee next to other chemicals..they never taste the same.


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## xman_charl (Aug 3, 2016)

Many years ago, while working at this factory. Making parts for military.

Work area I was assigned, assembly machines, very little machining to keep them running.
Just remove, replace part.

Know a little how to run a lathe, mill, surface grinder.

Supervisor put me in grinding room.

Showed me how to use a 2 wheel grinder, used for sharpening end mills.

Forgot to turn 1 wheel off, reached in for the part, bam, cut finger below the skin.

Have a 1/2 scar on my middle finger from that. Supervisor got reprimanded, told
shop foreman, he really need those parts.

Worked there about 6 years, 3 or 4 machinists, got their fingers chopped off
in that grinding room.

I was lucky.

Be careful !!

Charl


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## george wilson (Aug 4, 2016)

Did you all see the video when a high school muscle man lost a contrest between himself and hanging on to the chuck key of a largish lathe? He started on the back side of the lathe,and got flipped over to the front side. I can't recall the injuries he got before another student hit the off button!! Fortunately,I don't think he was seriously hurt. Another incident done when the teacher wasn't looking.

In the high school where I went my last 2 years(I wasn't taking metal working. I was interested in making guitars in woodshop). The metal working teacher was always gone from class. Where,I have no idea. The students would throw files at each other,make the torch sound like a machine gun,and do other assorted dangerous things. Old teach finally got fired when he was gone so much that his students actually managed to build a STILL,and were actually getting alcohol to drink from it!

We had a very advanced printing shop because they printed the school yearbooks there,pictures,binding and all. The teacher nearly got fired when the FBI showed up to search the shop!! The teacher was showing the students how accurately the equipment could reproduce material,and he printed one side of a $5.00 bill!! I remember that guy. He was a kind of goof off.

I also heard about the time the FBI showed up in force and searched every building and basement in the whole mile long museum in Williamsburg where I later worked for 40 years. They were determined to find the GAMING TABLES!!!!The director was unintentionally buying dice for a board game they sold from a member of the mafia in Florida!! The company lawyers threw their hands up at that one and refused to help. The director managed to keep his job. How was he to know,really?


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## silence dogood (Aug 4, 2016)

I made a living as an electronic organ technician.  A number of years ago, I had to work on a Hammond organ.  It was one of these situations that I had to turn the instrument on and off in order to find the problem.   Unbeknownst to me, the lady of the house(I have no idea why) turned it on when it was off and then she walked away.  Fortunately, for me, nothing happened.  However, after I got back to the shop,   I made a box  that consisted a  fuse and a lighted switch which I could plug any organ into.  This little device gave me complete control.


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## george wilson (Aug 4, 2016)

I loaned a friend a 12" thickness planer years ago,similar to a Belsaw. not a lunchbox type. He was changing the knives,WITHOUT HAVING UNPLUGGED IT,when another guy came in and idly flipped it on. Totally ruined the loose knives and the gibs which flew out and got all bent. That cost them $130.00 for new parts! NEVER,EVER work on a plugged in machine. Many years ago,I had an old 6" jointer that would turn itself on!! Needed a new switch. 

I heard about another guy who ruined the infeed table on his Makita 6" jointer/planer combo. He was changing knives,answered the phone,came back,and idly turned the machine on! It took a hunk out of the infeed table. He was lucky to not get hit by blades or gibs. Then,he was complaining about the lack of response from Makita!!


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## silence dogood (Aug 5, 2016)

george wilson said:


> I loaned a friend a 12" thickness planer years ago,similar to a Belsaw. not a lunchbox type. He was changing the knives,WITHOUT HAVING UNPLUGGED IT,when another guy came in and idly flipped it on. Totally ruined the loose knives and the gibs which flew out and got all bent. That cost them $130.00 for new parts! NEVER,EVER work on a plugged in machine. Many years ago,I had an old 6" jointer that would turn itself on!! Needed a new switch.
> 
> I heard about another guy who ruined the infeed table on his Makita 6" jointer/planer combo. He was changing knives,answered the phone,came back,and idly turned the machine on! It took a hunk out of the infeed table. He was lucky to not get hit by blades or gibs. Then,he was complaining about the lack of response from Makita!!


 George, I never have been able to figure why someone would flip a switch even when there is a tag on it.  Thinking back on working on that organ, I think that I left the plug in was because I would have to crawl under a piece of furniture to get to the plug-in.   But I learned my lesson and that was why I built that control box. 
A friend of mine told me a story about his father-in-law.  He was a pilot for what I believe a B26 and he was selected to take some officers to some meeting in Europe.  Behind the pilot was a jumpseat and a second luey was in it.  He saw and reached up and pulled this switch.  Suddenly everything including the engines shut off.  The pilot calmly reached back turn it back on and had his copilot help him restart the engines.   Just before takeoff on the return trip, The general handed him his 45 and told him he had his permission to shot anyone who tried that again. The flight back was uneventful.


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## benmychree (Aug 7, 2016)

Bottom line, do not do the same thing twice, expecting different results.


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## george wilson (Aug 7, 2016)

Does that include getting remarried?


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## Reeltor (Aug 7, 2016)

Only if it's to the same woman


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## xman_charl (Aug 7, 2016)

How do you shut their mouths?


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## tq60 (Aug 8, 2016)

In a past life working on motrac mobile radios all day (these were mobile 2 way units that were almost all solid state but had a tube final amp with inverter that only ran when mic ptt acticated) you simply pull the cover to reset the tube then attach and then tune.

After about 6 to 9 of them yiu work on the base radio under the desk and out of habit pull the cover...but being line powered the high voltage of about 500 or so volts is always there and with this unit on the floor under a desk the desk somehow lifted about a foot...

Person in office came running to ask if I was okay...responded with something like leg wss cramped up and needed to stretch...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## george wilson (Aug 8, 2016)

XM: Tig weld!!!


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 8, 2016)

george wilson said:


> I was in a Hi Fi shop where the owners had made a clear Plexiglass speaker cabinet(why see all those wires? I guess to gloat over the expensive speaker!). They remarked that they wouldn't be asking so much for it if they hadn't broken so much plastic when drilling it. I showed them how to grind their drill for the next time. You used to could buy drills for brass. I have some. They are just like twist drills,but their flutes are straight,not twisted. Since brass still has to be drilled,I wonder if some specialist still sells them?



Straight flute drills, some call them die sinking drills.
http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...544&004=20105638864&026=-99&002=2167139&025=c


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## MrFixIt (Aug 8, 2016)

george wilson said:


> Did you all see the video when a high school muscle man lost a contrest between himself and hanging on to the chuck key of a largish lathe? He started on the back side of the lathe,and got flipped over to the front side. I can't recall the injuries he got before another student hit the off button!! Fortunately,I don't think he was seriously hurt. Another incident done when the teacher wasn't looking.


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## 4GSR (Aug 8, 2016)

If my dad ever had a hunch us kids were going to pull a stunt as above, I would have been drug by the ear behind the tool shed and got the beating of my life time.  Even though I already have had a couple beatings of the life time already!


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## MrFixIt (Aug 8, 2016)

Anyone doing something like that _deserves_ a good trashing. 
And what's with his idiot friends giggling like school girls while he's being mangled?


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## Martin W (Aug 9, 2016)

I  won't even watch that video  You know what will happen. Dumb !ss.


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## savarin (Aug 9, 2016)

I just love watching Darwin in action


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## BGHansen (Aug 9, 2016)

Too many for me to mention, but most boil down to the same root cause:  impatience.  I've broken dozens of taps and drill bits trying to hurry a project.

I've had two close calls on a table saw.  First one was a real "duh" moment.  I was going to cut a rabbet on a piece of 3/4" wide x 1/4" thick plexiglass.  I was using a wobble-wheel style dado blade.  Squatted down to sight the blade height to half-way on the plexiglass.  I turned the saw on while still squatted; wobble wheel was to the left and when it came back to the right caught the back edge of the plexiglass and whizzed it past my head.  Other table saw close call was with a molding head and a blade set for cutting the cope on ends of the rails for cabinet doors.  Rail was clamped to a universal jig with a sacrificial tear-out block hand screwed to the back side for tear out.  Just as the cut was finished the hand screw vibrated loose and fell into the molding head.  It splintered the 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" maple in a heartbeat and threw it back into the heal of my left hand.  No puncture, but left a nice bruise.

I also recall being in a hurry changing an 8" chuck on a lathe and instead of bending down to pick up a chuck block put my hand under the chuck to catch the weight.  Guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was, dropped the chuck off the spindle and put my thumb between a rock and a hard place.  Whole nail went black instantly.  Needle over a match and a quick poke relieved the pressure.

Worse one by far is why I'm sporting 4 1/2 fingers on my right hand.  Like an idiot I was splitting wood on a hydraulic splitter.  I was loading logs with someone else running the ram.  Yes, you would never load sheet metal into a stamping press and let someone else hit the palm buttons.  To make matters worse, I knew the person had been drinking all day . . .  I was just setting a log in place when he cycled the ram.  The middle joint of my right hand index finger was crushed on 11/24/1991, amputated on 11/27/1991.  I wish I would have grown a pair and walked away before the accident.  Miss picking my nose with that index finger . . .

Bruce


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 9, 2016)

Back in the 'late '60s I was installing a multi blade (5" dia) dado head (above mention reminded me) on my table saw. The  cut-out on the table was out, I had an open end wrench in my right hand, spanned the cutter with my left hand and attempted to tighten it. Before the wrench went on the nut, somehow my clothing moved the toggle start switch.  Back of the blade put a lift on my second finger left hand, lifting my thumb off the blade. It left me with a bit of road rash on those two fingers, but no other harm. The next day there was a shield on the switch.

After almost 50 years as a carpenter, ship's carpenter, then Tool  & Die maker, I still have ten complete fingers. Three had minor damage, but nothing major. I am very grateful.


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## george wilson (Aug 10, 2016)

I recall my earliest shop teacher demonstrating the table saw(Delta). He was cutting a bit off the side of plywood squares about 16" square. No blade guard was on the saw. Not the best thing to teach the students. The first one got caught by the blade and rapidly spun like a frisbee past him. So did the SECOND one!!

The lesson must have really been: Don't cut SQUARES off on the table saw,using the FENCE. A strip of wood screwed onto the miter gauge to extend its width would have been appropriate.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 10, 2016)

Ahh, table saws!  Thanks to one and my own stupidity, I ended up with forty stitches and one thumb an 1/8" shorter than the other as a teenager.  My Dad had an 8" MW table saw with the on/off switch on the base of the motor.  I reached over the saw to shut it off and caught the blade.  Fortunately there was only about 1/8" of exposed blade but my right hand looked a bit like hamburger.  The only good thing was it got me out of writing a term paper for a few weeks, even though I'm left handed.

Ever since then, whenever my hand is close to the blade, I make sure that at least three fingers are hooked over some sort of anchor.

I work with chain saws, radial arm saws, jointers, and even a 30" 50 hp. buzz saw for fire wood but, to me, the most fearful is the table saw.


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## Charles Spencer (Aug 10, 2016)

Of course nobody does it like the Army.

I was at a demonstration on how to safely use pyrotechnics.  The guy in charge picked one up, held it in front of his face, and said

"You never want to pull the string like this..."

BLAM!

It was a very effective teaching method.  Fortunately he only had flash burns.




RJSakowski said:


> the most fearful is the table saw



I agree.  Things happen pretty fast at the speeds they run.


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## Tony Wells (Aug 10, 2016)

Too many people underestimate woodworking machinery.  That applies to veterans as well. The uncle I had that recently passed away had been a carpenter/cabinetmaker for 70 years or so, and had all his fingers, but about 5 years ago ran his palm across the jointer pushing a board through. I never saw him use a push stick, but apparently he was good....up until then. Maybe age caught up with his spacial sense and he thought he was clear. I wasn't there when it happened, but saw it later. It wasn't too bad, but there was no excuse.

I think one of the main things different about woodworking machines is the speed they operate at. With metal equipment, by comparison, we may have time to pull our fingers back, or react to protect ourselves, but with ww equipment, it's all over by the time we realize there is a danger.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 10, 2016)

The big difference between woodworking and metal working machines, as I see it, is that when working metal the work is securely fastened down and moved to the cutting tool or the cutting tool move to the work in a controlled manner.   Additionally, the controls are typically removed from the cutting zone.


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## george wilson (Aug 10, 2016)

What brand is a MW table saw?


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## Tony Wells (Aug 10, 2016)

I'm guessing Monkey-Wards, George..............but I could be wrong.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 11, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Monkey-Wards,



I said that to myself before I read your answer, Tony, Montgomery is just too long to even remember.


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## george wilson (Aug 11, 2016)

I KNEW it would be clear once I heard the answer!!! Just couldn't extract MW from my head. I wish people would not abbreviate words so much.


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## jpfabricator (Aug 11, 2016)

george wilson said:


> I KNEW it would be clear once I heard the answer!!! Just couldn't extract MW from my head. I wish people would not abbreviate words so much.


M2  

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## brino (Aug 11, 2016)

IKWYM

-brino


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## mcostello (Aug 11, 2016)

OK


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## Nick01 (Aug 13, 2016)

Pay very close attention to the position of your cross slide while using the power feed.
3 jaw chuck vs cross slide  
This was my introduction to what's called a learning curve in the field of machining and to make matters worse, happened before the lathe lost its "new car" smell (first week)


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 13, 2016)

brino said:


> IKWYM


M2


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## mcostello (Aug 14, 2016)

Machinery is merciless!


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## GA Gyro (Aug 14, 2016)

astjp2 said:


> When its -40* don't lock your keys into your vehicle, always have a spare key in your wallet...in case you do.



IMO this also applies when it is pushing 100 outside, concerning ones work truck or van...


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## Tony Wells (Aug 14, 2016)

I was on a job a couple of summers ago building a new hospital. Walked back out to the vehicle. Didn't need a key. Right rear passenger window was in tiny little pieces (safety glass). Never really figured it out. They were doing some mowing around the area, but it was record hot that day, and my vehicle is black. I looked inside thoroughly for a foreign object from the mowers.....kind of hoping it was them so I could make someone pay for the glass, but never found anything. Guess it could have bounced off.  Watch where you park if there is a contract mowing crew around!

Funny thing was, even the dealer was not able to get the correct tint. It has (now has one) really dark passenger glass. Factory says no, it doesn't. I had to put the wrong glass in. I started looking, and about 80% of the ones I see on the road HAVE the near black glass. Others have a sort of goldish tint. I went aftermarket and got as dark as I could.......still burns me. I drove around with a Plexiglass window for 2 months looking and trying to get the right one. Now I see them on ebay all the time. I just hate to buy one twice. If I do, I'll try to sell this wrong one to somebody.


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## jmhoying (Aug 16, 2016)

Another tablesaw story. Back in 1987, I was ripping a 20" long board on the tablesaw and the board started to pinch the blade and was hopping a bit.  I reached past the blade to hold the end down that had already been cut.  At that moment, the wood caught the blade and shot out backwards, and pulled my hand with it.  Completely split my thumb long ways and mangled my index finger.  They ended up saving my thumb, but there isn't a joint in it, and I lost half of my index finder.  It's been 29 years and I can still hear the sound of that board catching on the blade.  I'm a cabinetmaker and still work with a tablesaw every day.  I had respect for it before my accident, but I have a lot more now.
Jack
Fort Loramie, Ohio


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## RJSakowski (Aug 16, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> I was on a job a couple of summers ago building a new hospital. Walked back out to the vehicle. Didn't need a key. Right rear passenger window was in tiny little pieces (safety glass). Never really figured it out. They were doing some mowing around the area, but it was record hot that day, and my vehicle is black. I looked inside thoroughly for a foreign object from the mowers.....kind of hoping it was them so I could make someone pay for the glass, but never found anything. Guess it could have bounced off.  Watch where you park if there is a contract mowing crew around!


I had the exact same experience.  I never found any missile either.  Fortunately, my comprehensive covered most of the bill.  

The guy that came out to replace the glass told me that the tempered glass windows were extremely susceptible to scratches, as he was gingerly scraping off the sticker on the new glass.  A tiny scratch could make the the window spontaneously shatter.  He told me that there were a lot of replacements in hot weather due to the glass heating and the stress building to the point of shattering.  The glass is designed to break into tiny pieces with square edges to help prevent injuries.

When I was in high school, I used to make an oddity called a Prince Rupert's Drop.  It is made by heating glass to the melting point and allowing a drop to fall into into cold water, resulting in a teardrop shaped piece.  Because the resultant stresses from the sudden cooling and shrinking were so well balanced, you could hit the drop with a hammer withou breaking it but if you snapped the thin tail of the drop off, it would shatter into dust.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 20, 2016)

Was turning a plug for holding the bearing bores in the end of tubular parts for OD turning yesterday, didn't tighten the chuck enough and pulled one out which rotated the tool post, this in itself is not a big problem. However it is an old CNC chucker lathe with a 24 tool library, when you realign the tool post you have to reset the work shift and reset all of the other 23 tool offsets, this is time consuming and tedious at best.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 20, 2016)

When I got my new G602 lathe, I hadn't built the stand for it yet.  It was still strapped to the pallet on my shop floor.  Being the curious person that I am, I started playing around with it.  I pulled the three jaw chuck off the lathe to try the four jaw and faceplate and then reinstalled the three jaw.  However, I didn't install the chuck retainers.  

I powered the lathe up an started it running forward. Then I started in reverse.  The chuck spun off in an instant, falling on the ways and leaving an imprint of the chuck jaw on the rear Vee way.  Fortunately, that surface is used by the tailstock which never reaches that position but it serves as a reminder every time I use the lathe to *make sure the chuck retainers are installed.*


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## brino (Aug 20, 2016)

I put one of those wooden shed kits together a number of years ago. During the build I kept checking each 2x3 as I pulled them from the stack and rejecting the ones that were bowed/warped/twisted.

The shed turned out great, however, in the end I was left with a pile of rejects and nothing else to build the door with!
The twisted ones would have worked fine for the walls, just not for the door.
I did the best I could with the lumber that was left and ended up needing several "toggles" between the two doors and at the top of each door just to keep the doors mostly mouse-proof.

I could have fixed it afterwards by buying more wood, but instead I left it as a constant reminder to think thru the operations from start to finish during the work.

I still have to turn several toggle to open that shed.
My wife says it feels like going thru Maxwell Smarts apartment door.

-brino


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 20, 2016)

brino said:


> I put one of those wooden shed kits together a number of years ago. During the build I kept checking each 2x3 as I pulled them from the stack and rejecting the ones that were bowed/warped/twisted.
> 
> The shed turned out great, however, in the end I was left with a pile of rejects and nothing else to build the door with!
> The twisted one would have worked fine for the walls, just not for the door.
> ...


Sorry about that Chief.


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## george wilson (Aug 20, 2016)

No,mine are fluted all the way up


Wreck™Wreck said:


> Straight flute drills, some call them die sinking drills.
> http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...544&004=20105638864&026=-99&002=2167139&025=c


to the distance a normal twist drill would be fluted. They are HSS,not carbide. Their sides are ground into a relief too,just leaving the "margin" touching the edges of the hole they are drilling.

I have not seen them for sale anywhere,which seems too bad because they would be useful drills to have. I guess now days no one would know what to do with them.


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## Silverbullet (Aug 20, 2016)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> Not me, but at the shop today a guy running 80" long 5" X 1/2" steel bars in a 4020 Fadal mill using 3 vices to hold them, these machines have removable panels on each end of the enclosure, he had them off.
> After one end is done it rapids towards the front to make it easier to move.
> 
> The part sticking outside hit a steel roof coloumn and rotated the machine, it weighs 10,500 Lb's. Made quite the racket.


Where's the pictures , that must have been scary as bell.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwia-bC5laHOAhXI8x4KHdLWBCsQjRwIBw&url=http://www.dirwww.com/2011-fadal-vmc-4020-ht-cmc-vertical-machining-center.html&psig=AFQjCNH1heYeTPARhJD4InSj0Tc7CdmQ0w&ust=1470173531584744


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 20, 2016)

No pictures, it happens very quickly, that machine rapids at 200 inches per minute which is quite slow by 2016 standards, modern machines of this size will rapid at 1000 inches per minute or more.


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## Tony Wells (Aug 20, 2016)

Yep, and during that 200IPM move, the E-Stop shrinks to the size of the head on a pin, and moves to a completely new location.


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## jpfabricator (Aug 20, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Yep, and during that 200IPM move, the E-Stop shrinks to the size of the head on a pin, and moves to a completely new location.


Also a certain part of the anatomy shrinks to the size of a head of a pin!  

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## Tony Wells (Aug 20, 2016)

Yeah, I've heard that....something about a needle and a bulldozer.


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## British Steel (Aug 21, 2016)

silence dogood said:


> George, I never have been able to figure why someone would flip a switch even when there is a tag on it.



I like these, have 'em in my workshop!


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## AlbertNakaji (Aug 23, 2016)

This doesn't apply to experienced folks, but for newbies (we were all newbies at one time):  Don't adjust the crossfeed dial (to whatever amount) and expect that it'll remove that exact amount.  I did that many times, thinking there was something wrong with the machine, until someone explained to me that there was something called, "tool spring".  Perhaps it's not too bad with really stout machines, but for "normal" home shop size lathes (and milling machines, perhaps), tool spring can account for quite a bit of "error".


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## MeredithJL (Aug 26, 2016)

Just because you can slice a bagel in half on a vertical bandsaw at break time doesn't mean you should.   Never realized how dirty a bandsaw blade is until I did that


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## RJSakowski (Aug 26, 2016)

AlbertNakaji said:


> This doesn't apply to experienced folks, but for newbies (we were all newbies at one time):  Don't adjust the crossfeed dial (to whatever amount) and expect that it'll remove that exact amount.  I did that many times, thinking there was something wrong with the machine, until someone explained to me that there was something called, "tool spring".  Perhaps it's not too bad with really stout machines, but for "normal" home shop size lathes (and milling machines, perhaps), tool spring can account for quite a bit of "error".


I think there is a corollary to Murphy's Law which states " on a final pass, whatever you set the feed advance to be will actually be doubled'.


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## AlbertNakaji (Aug 26, 2016)

MeredithJL said:


> Just because you can slice a bagel in half on a vertical bandsaw at break time doesn't mean you should.   Never realized how dirty a bandsaw blade is until I did that



More generally, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.


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## Jimsehr (Aug 26, 2016)

I think the new guys can get hurt on the drill press because they don't fear them. And the part spins as they break thru part. If part  not clamped down.

Also see new guys leave a small dia bar hanging out of back of lathe under power and bar bends. Acts like a weed eater.

Jimsehr


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## francist (Aug 26, 2016)

Yep, that reminds me of something my old boss did many years ago. Was coming on springtime and he was gearing up to set his boat back in the water and do a bit of fishing. Figured the line on his salmon reel was kinda old, so maybe replace it. Well, that was just going to take way too much time unspooling it by hand, why not chuck a bolt in the drill press and take the line off on onto that?

Fortunately I wasn't there, but his son said the yells for HELP from the shop could be heard down the whole valley. It started off nice, of course, but the more line the bolt took on, the bigger the diameter so the faster it unspooled the old Peetz reel. And you know, a salmon rod is kinda long, so by the time you figure out what's going on you realize that you're the only thing holding that rod and you're dang near eight feet away from the OFF switch with no way of letting go!

Son said his dad's eyes were as big as dinner plates when he got there to turn off the machine....

Poor guy, he died rather young but was like a father to me for the years we worked together. And he makes for a good story now and again, yes?

-frank


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## TOOLMASTER (Aug 27, 2016)

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=275720022811936
			




forget to add oil....


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## george wilson (Aug 28, 2016)

I heard about a high school shop student who got killed on the drill press. He was trying to drill out one end of a lead ended old fashioned auto battery cable. Not properly clamped down,and lead is not the safest stuff to drill! The cable swung around and hit him on the elbow. He bent over with the pain,and when the cable came around again,it hit him in his head,killing him. This happened pretty fast.

Thank heavens I never had an accident happen in 6 years of teaching shop. Bet that teacher got sued.


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## george wilson (Aug 28, 2016)

Here's another one: I had become friendly with a student while doing my student teaching at a high school. The next year,I was teaching shop(mostly because I wanted access to the machinery after hours). The student had come to the shop that night and was using the table saw. He called out to me"Hey,I've figured out how to tell if the teeth on the blade are facing the right direction; just put it on so the brand name is on the outside,where you can read it". I was busy at something,and did not pay much attention to him. A few minutes later,smoke was coming out of that saw in VOLUMES!!!! And,he was STILL trying to push the wood through!! He had put the brand name on the outside,but the teeth WERE BACKWARDS!! So much for his theory! You'd at least think that a LITTLE THOUGHT would tell you which way to put the blade on!!! I guess I had thought he was smarter than he was.


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## xman_charl (Aug 28, 2016)

had my right middle finger cut open below the skin. 1 inch scar.

supervisor put me on an unfamiliar machine, had two grinding wheels for
sharpening end mills. Showed me how to operate it, needed the parts done.

Have used the regular grinding machines for stuff, one wheel.

So forgot to turn off,  one of the wheels, reached in to remove part.

Nurse is always there at this factory, so thats where I went, for care.

 as I worked there for 6 years,
recall 3 or 4 employees, their fingers where cut completely off.

Charl


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## dulltool17 (Aug 28, 2016)

Back in high school metal shop..1975...cutting a v-groove in a drill press vise jaw on a horizontal mill.  45 RPM, climb milling.  We used old-fashioned oil cans for cutting oil and I was "thumb-pumping" oil ahead of the cut.  The class joker, Henry, came up behind me and says "hey, Wilhelmi- why don't you stick the tip of the can in the cutter and see what happens?"   Sure enough, that was enough distraction- I ended up getting the spout into the cutter- pulled my hand through and cut the tip off the third finger on my left hand.  Scared the crap out of the shop teacher- more than me.   Two years later, I had to have CRS chips excavated from 1/8" below the end of the finger.  I always wondered how my middle and index fingers went unscathed; all I can think is that I pulled my hand out so fast that I ripped the tip off the third finger as it was running through the cutter.


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## silence dogood (Aug 28, 2016)

dulltool17 said:


> Back in high school metal shop..1975...cutting a v-groove in a drill press vise jaw on a horizontal mill.  45 RPM, climb milling.  We used old-fashioned oil cans for cutting oil and I was "thumb-pumping" oil ahead of the cut.  The class joker, Henry, came up behind me and says "hey, Wilhelmi- why don't you stick the tip of the can in the cutter and see what happens?"   Sure enough, that was enough distraction- I ended up getting the spout into the cutter- pulled my hand through and cut the tip off the third finger on my left hand.  Scared the crap out of the shop teacher- more than me.   Two years later, I had to have CRS chips excavated from 1/8" below the end of the finger.  I always wondered how my middle and index fingers went unscathed; all I can think is that I pulled my hand out so fast that I ripped the tip off the third finger as it was running through the cutter.


 Did that kid get expelled?  I had something similar happened to me.  I was routing a piece of wood and the neighbor thought it would be funny to unplug the router while I was using it.  I explained to him not very nicely that when someone is using a machine, any machine, to stand back, keep your mouth shut, until the machine is completely shut off.  The good thing is no one got hurt.   No one should distract a person whom is busy operating any kind of machine.


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## Tony Wells (Aug 29, 2016)

Speaking of things pulled through milling cutters, I lost a nice 6" scale.....chopped up into little pieces because I was raking chips away from the cutter. Bad idea.


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## JimDawson (Aug 29, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Speaking of things pulled through milling cutters, I lost a nice 6" scale.....chopped up into little pieces because I was raking chips away from the cutter. Bad idea.



I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done that  Forgot all about it until you posted

Also wound an acid brush around a cutter.


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## george wilson (Aug 29, 2016)

Must have messed up the cutter!


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## jpfabricator (Aug 29, 2016)

+ 1 on the acid brush.

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## RJSakowski (Aug 29, 2016)

At a company that I worked for some years back, one of the production workers needed a hole drilled but the machinist was not in.  He selected a drill bit with a Morse taper shank and chucked it in the drill press.  As he started drilling, the drill started to wobble and came flying out.  It hit a concrete wall leaving a fairly respectable divot.  Fortunately no one was injured  in the escapade and production workers were henceforth barred from using the machine shop.


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## Joe_B (Aug 29, 2016)

OK, here is one you would never suspect. Don't hook the ground clamp to the edge of your welding bench. If you lean forward , the clamp will slide off the end of the bench and find a new clamping spot in a very vital area. Don't ask me how I found this out.


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 29, 2016)

Don't try making a compressed air storage tank from an old water heater tank.  I saw one fly around the weld shop, hit the wall, broke a window, hit the ceiling, came back down, hit the guy having it welded, broke his left arm in two places.  Welders were hence forth forbidden to work on 'government' work.


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## AlbertNakaji (Aug 29, 2016)

astjp2 said:


> When its -40* don't lock your keys into your vehicle, always have a spare key in your wallet...in case you do.



Was having problems with my electric windows and door locks on the truck.  Repairman came over, fussed with it, and said the door locks were fixed.  To demonstrate, he pushed the button to lock the doors and they locked.  He then closed the door.....with the keys in the ignition.


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## AlbertNakaji (Aug 29, 2016)

Franko said:


> I've learned so much from my mistakes. I'm thinking of making some more.



I've learned so much from my mistakes, I keep making more to learn more.  Kinda doesn't seem to work, however.


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## Fitter Bill (Aug 29, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=275720022811936
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Good one....This is about a mile from the house. I didn't go this year. I always miss the real good ones.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 29, 2016)

Shop foreman handed me a 3/8-16 tap and told me to turn the shank down to less then the minor diameter as he was tapping holes deeper then the threaded portion. He is standing behind me waiting, I finish  and grab it by the threads and pull it out of the  chuck and say "it's hot" he grabs it and immediately  flings it across the shop where it gets lost under a bench.


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## TOOLMASTER (Aug 29, 2016)

if I had a dollar for every person that grabbed something aluminum that I just got done welding....they learn quick


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## mzayd3 (Aug 29, 2016)

Speaking of welding, place your ground close to where you are welding. A few years ago, we had to replace all the wiring a conduit because a welder was about 200' away from his ground.  Turns out, our copper #14 ground was better than all that he had welded. That #14 heated up and took all the control wiring for the plating line with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dieselshadow (Aug 29, 2016)

mzayd3 said:


> Speaking of welding, place your ground close to where you are welding. A few years ago, we had to replace all the wiring a conduit because a welder was about 200' away from his ground.  Turns out, our copper #14 ground was better than all that he had welded. That #14 heated up and took all the control wiring for the plating line with it.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Damn. That's never good. I always like to clamp immediately next to the weld if possible.


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## Martin W (Sep 1, 2016)

Never weld a rim with the tire still inflated. My uncle was killed putting a weld on a large wheel from a slag hauler in a steel mill. Those are huge tires on those machines, it exploded and hit him. 
Be safe
Martin W


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## David S (Sep 1, 2016)

And I guess you shouldn't engage the carriage feed with the carriage locked?

David


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## george wilson (Sep 2, 2016)

If you engage the carriage lock tightly,and apply the power feed,you may be soon treated to the sight of your lathe being bent into the shape of a very large "C" clamp.


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## george wilson (Sep 2, 2016)

Well,I did exaggerate a LITTLE!! But,I have seen more than one lathe with the right side of the quick change gear box torn out. Caused by someone leaving the lathe unattended until the tool ran into the chuck,or taking too heavy a cut,or,indeed,by locking the carriage down!


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## 4GSR (Sep 2, 2016)

George, talking about that.  Dad told us of an incident that happen at the shop he worked at back in the 1960's.  They had a long bed lathe, talking about 30 something feet in length, had powered rapid traverse on it.  The guy running it some how engaged the half nuts at the same time the lever for the rapid traverse was hit to return the carriage back to the end of the 30 foot long part.  Got pretty ugly as the lead screw was bent into very large presel as the carriage was traversing back.


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## jim18655 (Sep 2, 2016)

Martin W said:


> Never weld a rim with the tire still inflated. My uncle was killed putting a weld on a large wheel from a slag hauler in a steel mill. Those are huge tires on those machines, it exploded and hit him.
> Be safe
> Martin W
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Youtube has videos from testing labs and tire companies showing how dangerous this is. It doesn't always happen while welding but the heat from the weld builds up or starts the tire on fire internally and you soon get the explosion.


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## Cheeseking (Sep 2, 2016)

As a HS kid working summers in a tool and die shop did my fair share of newbie blunders.
.....forget to turn on the magnet when grinding a group of tall skinny perforator punches in a punch block.   I can still feel the sting and taste of the vitrified bits that ricocheted somehow under my face shield.   That was the summer of black boogers grinding all day long.

... Borrowed a nice test indicator from a guy to dial in a part on lathe.  Some reason I thought you could run the lathe at speed with indicator still in contact.   Oops.  Payroll deduction


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## francist (Sep 2, 2016)

Giving in to that "hey, this is going pretty good..." feeling when turning plexiglass on a woodworking lathe. Bonus points if you think it's going so good you can take a deeper cut.

It's been hanging on a nail behind my lathe for twenty years, just to jog my memory every now and again. 

-frank


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 2, 2016)

see some guys on youtube doing this and don't understand the reason.  can't read if it's moving so fast.



Cheeseking said:


> Borrowed a nice test indicator from a guy to dial in a part on lathe. Some reason I thought you could run the lathe at speed with indicator still in contact.


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## Cheeseking (Sep 2, 2016)

Agreed Albert.   Of course if one is careful and knows what they are doing and the potential risks (very low rpms/ a smooth surface that is not way out, etc) its can be done without incident.    I think tubalcain has a video out there where he's got the needle on an indicator a whumpin pretty good.   I ribbed him a little in comments but again theres a perfect example of a guy who knows his stuff and uses his professional judgement and takes a risk.   I think all of us have done things where we say to ourselves "well this may or may not go well but I need to get this or that done.  Heck with it lets roll!"


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 2, 2016)

Another mistake that's related to not realizing there is such a thing as "tool spring", is not realizing there is something called, "backlash".  My lathe enough of it when I got it (first lathe I owned) and after making a cut and backing out the cross slide, I wanted to take a little more so I used the compound to feed in a few thou.  Couldn't figure out why it wouldn't cut.  Of course, I kept feeding in and trying, not knowing how much backlash there was, so I inevitably cut too much.  Typical newbie error....but I learned.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 2, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Yep, and during that 200IPM move, the E-Stop shrinks to the size of the head on a pin, and moves to a completely new location.


You want a bit of High Drama program an internal left hand thread. When you push the start button the tool rapids through the bore and threads from left to right. Normally I run the program one line at a time with no tool or part.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 3, 2016)

AlbertNakaji said:


> Another mistake that's related to not realizing there is such a thing as "tool spring", is not realizing there is something called, "backlash".  My lathe enough of it when I got it (first lathe I owned) and after making a cut and backing out the cross slide, I wanted to take a little more so I used the compound to feed in a few thou.  Couldn't figure out why it wouldn't cut.  Of course, I kept feeding in and trying, not knowing how much backlash there was, so I inevitably cut too much.  Typical newbie error....but I learned.


I fail to understand why backlash has an effect on the work being done, you are using the same side of the lead screw for the actual work and have returned it to the same position, please explain this.


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## Tony Wells (Sep 3, 2016)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> You want a bit of High Drama program an internal left hand thread. When you push the start button the tool rapids through the bore and threads from left to right. Normally I run the program one line at a time with no tool or part.




Not really the best approach. Shouldn't cut with forces pulling the part away from the chuck or bottom of soft jaws unless you have to.  Use M04 instead of M03, and left hand tooling. And unless you have a sufficient width thread relief to start at the bottom,  there can be sync errors with the spindle encoder trying to get everything up to speed. But, ya gotta get by with what you got sometimes.

I've pulled parts out of chucks on manual machines cutting -Z- plus. I try to avoid it.

But you're right, when it rapids to the bottom of the bore, there is a bit of white knuckle time. I appreciate single stepping through a new programming on those types. I've worked with programmers who made virtually every program a white-knuckler. Couldn't even trust him with an old program. He was always tweaking it, and never said a word. New tape, new wreck.


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 3, 2016)

I initially used the cross slide to make the cut, backed it out, and moved the cross slide back to the original reading before making the next cut.   To make the next cut, I used the compound by turning the dial in a few thou, but only from where the dial was positioned, without taking up any backlash.  The compound had been previously backed out, so when the dial was cranked in, it was still taking up the backlash.


Wreck™Wreck said:


> I fail to understand why backlash has an effect on the work being done, you are using the same side of the lead screw for the actual work and have returned it to the same position, please explain this.


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## Tony Wells (Sep 3, 2016)

In no case should you be taking a cut without taking out the backlash from whatever you move to set the cut, whether it is the compound, as in threading (for some folks) or the cross slide. It just isn't done


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 3, 2016)

That's why it's called "goofs and blunders you should avoid."



Tony Wells said:


> In no case should you be taking a cut without taking out the backlash from whatever you move to set the cut, whether it is the compound, as in threading (for some folks) or the cross slide. It just isn't done


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 3, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Not really the best approach. Shouldn't cut with forces pulling the part away from the chuck or bottom of soft jaws unless you have to.  Use M04 instead of M03, and left hand tooling. And unless you have a sufficient width thread relief to start at the bottom,  there can be sync errors with the spindle encoder trying to get everything up to speed. But, ya gotta get by with what you got sometimes.
> 
> I've pulled parts out of chucks on manual machines cutting -Z- plus. I try to avoid it.



Have done hundreds of 2"-4 TPI LH  acme threads in HRS/CRS and have never pulled a part out of the chuck, I do them in pairs 1 LH 1 RH for turnbuckles used in ship building at the Philadelphia Ship Yard, the only change in the program is the beginning Z and ending Z all else remains the same, thread depth, lead and tool.

If you can pull a part out before the insert breaks the chuck is not tight enough, the tool will break well before that.

On a side note I set up a chucker lathe for a new guy to run a 100 part job on this week, 2 tools on a quick change post, an 80 Deg. insert turn and face tool and an 80 Deg. boring bar.

Turn and face, bore then flip the part and  face the back, this requires 1 manual tool change per part, face, bore, face so the face tool is already in for the next part. I showed him what will happen if he left the boring bar on when the program called for the facing tool, "It will crash the boring tool right into the chuck said I, when you hit the start button it will rapid to .100 away from the start position said I, start the next operation without the tool and the spindle off"  within 1 hour he called me to the machine and said that the insert had broken. He was right he had of course crashed it and this also rotated the tool post so I had to square it and reset the work shift and reset all of the other tool offsets, it was a long day.

Set up the same lathe for another guy early this year, 1000 parts of 3/8" CRS that have a .220 diameter X ,350" long bearing journal on one end so requires no tool changes, put part in chuck, push button, remove part insert next. After 45 minutes he told me "the insert broke", it wasn't broken it was destroyed. This is a very simple Bridgeport CNC lathe one must start the spindle like a manual lathe with a lever on the apron then push the program start button, after 30+ parts he turned the spindle on in reverse and hit Start, this approach does not work well.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 3, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> In no case should you be taking a cut without taking out the backlash from whatever you move to set the cut, whether it is the compound, as in threading (for some folks) or the cross slide. It just isn't done


Well explained Tony, personally I only use the compound when threading very course leads on multiple parts in a manual lathe, 6 TPI or less, I set the compound at around 45 Deg. or so as this clears the handles nicely. Touch off  the tool with the cross slide and zero the X dial or DRO then set the compound dial to 0, then dial in the cut with the compound, retract the cross slide and return to the start. Return the cross slide to 0 and advance the compound for the next pass without having  had to move  it back, repeat as needed.

Works a charm and makes threading faster.


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## Tony Wells (Sep 3, 2016)

In 40 years, I have only pulled one part out of a chuck while cutting away from the chuck, and it was because of a problem with the feed clutch. Bossman didn't believe me. It was cutting a fairly wide, deep groove in a part about 6" ID. Working off a travel indicator, I intended to stop the feed a bit short, and cut to the face by hand and feed back out of the groove to finish that wall. Well, I had bumped the indicator I guess, or something had moved....I power fed right into the wall (shoulder) of the groove and started taking a cut about 1/2" deep (per side). Naturally, first I tried to disengage the feed. It was relatively thin walled, and I wasn't running a chucking plug so I couldn't crank down on it. For whatever reason, I could move the feed lever to kill the feed, but it didn't disengage. I don't know why. It was like the lever was just flopping around and not even connected to the clutch. At any rate, once it started cutting and the feed got stuck, it didn't break anything....insert, tool, nothing. But it did of course scrap the part (groove too wide, to say the least), and it did manage to pull the part out before I could get the presence of mind to just stop the spindle. About 3 months later, running some other part, but again feeding out, boss had the same kind of incident. The feed just would not disengage. We never did figure out why it was doing that, but we sure were cautious about feeding out from the chuck on that lathe lol. I reminded him about my scrap part, and he finally had to admit it was the machine's fault. Weird thing was, on this lathe, there were two ways to get the feed to run -Z- positive. It was all in the arrangement of the feed selectors in the headstock and in the carriage. That was an 20 x 120" Edestaal(sp?) lathe. New in '79.

I am certainly not saying you can't cut things away from the chuck, but I am saying there are risks inherent to doing it, and if you don't really have to, you shouldn't. But there is a good argument in cases like your turnbuckle parts where it just makes sense to just edit a couple of lines of code and you have a workable program. You just have to make sure you have a grip on the parts, and that the part geometry will not give you any problems doing it that way. Especially I think if it is a manually operated chuck, where the tightness of the chuck is a bit subjective due to the operator, as opposed to the air or hydraulic power chucks usually on NC/CNC machines. 

On that BP CNC lathe, would that be one of those ProtoTrak types where you can actually "teach" the machine by running a part manually and have the machine generate the code from how you ran it? I have always wondered how good those were. never had a chance to run one or be in a shop with one.

I know exactly the type of operator you are talking about. What they are really good at is "shrugging". I dunno what happened!!!


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 3, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> On that BP CNC lathe, would that be one of those ProtoTrak types where you can actually "teach" the machine by running a part manually and have the machine generate the code from how you ran it? I have always wondered how good those were. never had a chance to run one or be in a shop with one.
> 
> I know exactly the type of operator you are talking about. What they are really good at is "shrugging". I dunno what happened!!!



Bridgeport EZ Path lathe, a Romi manual with ball screws driven by DC servos using a Bridgeport control, the C axis is an encoder on the spindle that allows threading but can not be indexed to a fixed position, it has a mechanical spindle brake much like the clutch on an automotive AC compressor. The control is programmable in straight G-Code but it's strength and ease of use lies in the conversational mode, for canned routines such as threading it merely requires entering data in several fields, lead, thread depth, depth of first pass, minimum depth after the first pass, # of spring passes, start diameter and end diameter, (Tapered pipe threads or any other such thread), start Z and finish Z, approach angle and clearance distances between passes.

A threading program in conversational mode would look like this, field on the left input added by user on the right for say a 1"-8 thread

Thread
Lead                                                               .0625
Thread height                                             .062
First pass                                                     .005
Minimum pass                                          .001
Spring passes                                              2
Clearance                                                      .100 This gives one the option pulling the tool well clear of the part if chips become a problem
Approach angle                                         29.500 Deg
Start diameter                                            1.000
End diameter                                             1.000
Start Z                                                          0.000
End Z                                                           - 2.500
M0

Boom, set tool, determine Z work shift, fill out a dozen or so parameters, close door, turn on spindle, push button and thread away, measure with gauge or over wires and adjust the thread height as needed. The input data is what an experienced manual machinist would already know, Bridgeport marketed them in the 90's as a bridge between turning centers and manuals so as not to scare off the GOMM's (Grumpy Old Man Machinists) and let them ease into NC.

By far the most simple conversational control that I have ever seen, has a peck drill screen, straight line feed screen and a 45 Deg. chamfer function. There are some things that the conversational will not allow because the software has crash protection built in therefore it will not produce an undercut, this must be done manually with line by line coding. There is someone that frequents this forum that has a BP EZ Trak knee  mill, these are the same controls with canned milling routines rather then turning.

Have never used Mazatrol which is considered user friendly by some, we have some mills with Fanuc controls which are not terribly easy to learn.

As far as a teaching mode goes I  have no idea but will have a look next week.


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## Tony Wells (Sep 3, 2016)

I ran a little Quick Turn (18T I believe) Mazak with their conversational control. I didn't care for it too much.  Management at the time thought the operators could program their own next job while running the current one. They were wrong, in the case of the kind of parts we were running. We also had a couple of Webb knee mills with pretty good conversational controls. Everyone who ran them seemed to like the Dynapath controls. One was a 4 axis and it still was pretty straightforward to understand. I kind of wish I had one of those Webbs in my shop. We had an M4 rebuilt and a Dynapath control put on it. It didn't go over as well with the lathe operators as the Dynapath for mills. I didn't run it too much, but it seemed ok to me.


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 6, 2016)

Stopped by a commercial machine shop last week to chat with a guy about a tap.  While there, I saw a guy cutting on a lathe and he was pulling out the long "chips" with his fingers.  Told him he should be using pliers, to which he replied, "It's around here someplace".
Today, as I'm cutting a piece and seeing some chips wrapped around the piece, I start thinking about the guy I saw and what I told him.  Of course, I pull the chips with my fingers and get a very nice cut.
One should practice what one preaches.  I don't know whether this is a goof or blunder, but it sure makes it in the "stupid" category.


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## RJSakowski (Sep 6, 2016)

Words to live by:  Pain is nature's way of telling you that you screwed up.


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## Tony Wells (Sep 7, 2016)

Don't use an Allen wrench for a chip hook.....they're too short. I reached for a stringy chip just as the chuck jaw did, so there for a half second or so, we had a tug'o war. The lathe won. I still have no feeling in that finger. Cut to the bone and the chip broke. I had to go sit down for a few minutes.

Chip hooks need to be long enough to keep out of the way of the chips coming off the cut, even (or maybe especially) if they are stringy and shooting off pretty fast. They can change direction without notice, and get wrapped around the spindle in the blink of an eye. My favorite chip hook is a piece of copper wire, like used on the side of a power pole to ground it. It's stiff enough to work, but soft enough to bend before it drags you into the machine. I have it in a screw on file handle. After a while, the steel chips will wear through the bend in the end, and I have to bend a new hook on it, and it does get shorter, but I use only about a 1/2" hook on it. I have longer, stronger ones for cleanout with the machine stopped, but I'll use the copper one while running.


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## lindse34 (Sep 8, 2016)

When AC stick welding on an I beam in hot weather I had an arc strike down my forearm that was holding said I beam. My welding gloves and leathers had gotten pretty wet with sweat and lost insulating properties with sweat being conductive. What amazed me was the distance the arc jumped to my arm. My hood was up and I swear it cleared a 3 inch gap. When I popped my jacket off I could see 4 little burn marks where I assume the AC wave changed polarity. My saving grace was the current flowed out my hand and not through my torso and the swinging motion I was making continued and opened up the gap enough to stop the arc. Moral of that story either keep your welding gear dry or don't hold the workpiece (which in this case wasn't an option).


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 9, 2016)

AlbertNakaji said:


> see some guys on youtube doing this and don't understand the reason.  can't read if it's moving so fast.


On a large lathe holding a large part it is difficult if not impossible to rotate the spindle by hand, this is especially true if you are indicating 60" from the spindle as there is nothing to hold onto on a round part, I gear the lathe slow and jog the spindle around.

As a disclaimer I have never watched a how-to machining video. I have no problem running the spindle at speed with an indicator on it, however I do a good deal of large parts where max spindle speed is less then 200 RPM,s.


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## Groundhog (Sep 9, 2016)

I learned just 10 minutes ago that you probably shouldn't drain your air compressor into a pan just used to brake-clean parts. Especially when you open the valve too far and blast the contents onto your face, chest and arms. Oh well, the shower felt good and the safety glasses I had on felt even better!


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## kvt (Sep 9, 2016)

Not recent but a long time ago when I was young dumb and thought we were invincible,  welding a small section on a car body,   No gloves on,  one hand and the car and grabbed the lead,   Well just so happened that it had a bad spot on the handle,   Did not get the rod close to the car, but the hand that I was using to steady myself on the car,  had on my wedding ring,    Boy did I jump and everything,   Had fun pulled my finger out of the wedding ring as it was stuck to the car,  blister from hell on my finger.   It took me a long time before I would get close to the welder again,  It belonged to someone else, and they had to get it fixed and prove that it was fixed before I would even get near it.      Now wear gloves even on hot days,   but from what Wreck Wreck said I may want to keep some dry spares around.   By the way the wife told me not to wear my ring as long as I was working on things all the time.   Did buy a new one but still have the old one just because.   
Now I am wandering if that is not part of the reason my heart is not quite like it is supposed to be.


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## AlbertNakaji (Sep 10, 2016)

I'm not convinced that this is either a goof or blunder.  Seems like something quite unexpected and perhaps even unforeseeable.  Good lesson, though.



lindse34 said:


> When AC stick welding on an I beam in hot weather I had an arc strike down my forearm that was holding said I beam. My welding gloves and leathers had gotten pretty wet with sweat and lost insulating properties with sweat being conductive. What amazed me was the distance the arc jumped to my arm. My hood was up and I swear it cleared a 3 inch gap. When I popped my jacket off I could see 4 little burn marks where I assume the AC wave changed polarity. My saving grace was the current flowed out my hand and not through my torso and the swinging motion I was making continued and opened up the gap enough to stop the arc. Moral of that story either keep your welding gear dry or don't hold the workpiece (which in this case wasn't an option).


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 10, 2016)

Blunder last week, had to bore into a recess in an existing part for a repair, couldn't get the #1 tool into the recess to set the Z axis position (the #1 tool is what all other tool offsets are based on) could have put a gauge block in the recess against the shoulder and touched off the 1 tool on that to set Z. But no, it was a rush job and I am lazy so I touched off the boring bar an inch or more inside the end of the part and reset the bar Z offset to zero.

With predictable results from doing such a thing several hours later using the boring bar on another job I forgot about the 1"+ offset difference and rapided it to .100" from the end of the part, naturally it crashed at 100" inches per minute feed rate, broke the insert and rotated the tool post. Then had to spend an hour or more squaring the tool post, setting the work shift for tool 1 and resetting the offsets for 23 other tools, a real time saver. The good thing is that I never rapid a tool to the start position with the spindle running.


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## British Steel (Sep 11, 2016)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> Shop foreman handed me a 3/8-16 tap and told me to turn the shank down to less then the minor diameter as he was tapping holes deeper then the threaded portion. He is standing behind me waiting, I finish  and grab it by the threads and pull it out of the  chuck and say "it's hot" he grabs it and immediately  flings it across the shop where it gets lost under a bench.



Sounds like the time my ex lost the keys for the disc lock[1] on her Yamaha - careful "shielding" the bike before making lots of sparks with the angle grinder, remains of the lock fall off after 5 minutes (those things are Hard and Tough - maraging steel!), she dives in with both hands and grabs the pieces, past my hands in heatproof leather gloves... She spent the next week smoking store-bought, couldn't roll cig's for the blisters 

[1] a small shackle lock with a pin through the front brake disc, to prevent "roll-away" thefts


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## cs900 (Sep 16, 2016)

some good lessons learned in this thread already, but I guess I'll add a few of mine as well.

Had just gotten done converting my PM45 mill to CNC and was excited to make some chips so I cut a part without the chip guard covering the Y axis ball screw (mistake #1). Being completely absent minded I though I'd clean the chips off the ballscrew before going onto the next tool. Stuck my fingers down there (mistake #2) to get the chips, and jogged the machine (mistake #3) to make the ballscrew rotate. Well the machine did exactly what I told it too, the ballscrew rotated and the saddle moved towards my finger. Almost sheared my finger off between the base casting and the saddle....rookie move...

Next one happened while replacing the suspension bushings in my buddies RX7. Tried pressing the bushing out of the rear a-arm, and the center of the bushing pressed out while leaving around 1/4" of rubber still on the a-arm. Being young and stupid I decided to take a sanding drum on a dremel and grind out the remaining rubber. Ok, worked like a charm....until a piece of molten rubber flew into my face and landed _just_ under my eye. For those of you who have had molten rubber on you know it sticks to skin VERY well. Of course I wasn't wearing safety glasses. I ended up waiting for the rubber to cool and peeling it off, subsequently taking a few layers of skin with it.

But did I learn my lesson...of course not, I am invincible...Several years later I was cutting a bolt with one of those thin cutting wheels for the dremel (you can see where this is going) the wheel broke and sent a piece of itl flying right into my eye. There must be a god out there because at that very second I had blinked. The wheel hit my eye lid, and while it hurt like a bastard, it didn't cut/scratch/or otherwise effect my eye.

lessons learned:
1) don't be stupid!
2) patience pays off
3) wear safety glasses at all times in the shop, no matter how quick the job
4) wear safety glasses outside the shop too!





did i mention safety glasses? Use them!


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## kvt (Sep 16, 2016)

CS your eye one reminded me of one form abut 30 years or so ago,   Remember the old big VHF antenna that you use to have on the roof.   
Well got up there to do something,  did not realize the pole was loose,  it was windy I turned around just as the big gust of wind rotated the Antenna.   One of the Aluminum rod ends right in the eye,  
needless to say I had fun getting off the roof.   Got in side tears running down my face,  looked in the Mirror and could see the gash across my cornea.    WEll,   drove to the local clinic, they then chewed me out and put me in an ambulance to take me across town to the ER.  WHere I got it again.   Then when I got out had to find a way back across town to get my car.   Which they did not want me to drive.  What was bad my glasses are safety glasses, and did not have them on that day.  I have been told that I am accident prone or an Accident magnet.  
Expect the unexpected.


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## john.oliver35 (Sep 20, 2016)

About a year ago I made a 1" arbor for my Rockwell 21-100 mill to use this blade with:


It has worked great - cut through 1.5" 4140 bar stock.  A marvel of modern cheap carbide.

Turns out if you accidentally put the mill in reverse, even to touch off, you harvest a small pile of 28 teeth.  Harvest time was tonight!  Time to order another one!


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## george wilson (Sep 21, 2016)

KVT: Did your eye heal up? Can you see out of it well? I hope you are now O.K..


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## kvt (Sep 21, 2016)

Yea the eye healed took a while and a lot of ointment.  Tell you what it did give you a headache  and a half.  Now I seem  to a bit cautious on things.   My glasses are expensive as I want the safety style glass etc.     case that was the second major thing with them.   First was burn from welding flash.   Was real bumb young kid and my father was welding outside between a white house and a shiny galvanized tin fence.   I though it was fun to watch the bright lights on the fence.   Till the next morning when I could not open my eyes.  Of course he got in trouble for not watching me to ensure I stayed out of trouble.


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## scroggin (Sep 24, 2016)

In at the local galvanizers they have a photo on the wall from a trailer they tried to galvanize. After assurances that it was fully vented internaly they started dipping it in the molten zinc. One section wasnt vented. the buildup of pressure inside the box section caused it to explode sending shrapnel everywhere. There was a tidal wave in the zinc bath. They ended up with two ton of zinc on the floor and they couldnt move the crane to lift the trailer out because some of the shrapnel cut the electrical wires. It took two weeks to get operational again. Oh and dont ask them to galvanize  something with internal venting. If they cant see the vent holes they aren't there!


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## kvt (Sep 24, 2016)

I bet that guy had a big bill, and had to start over on his trailer.


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## george wilson (Sep 25, 2016)

My glasses are all polycarbonate. They do a good job of keeping flying hot chips out of my eyes. Only has happened  just a few times,but a few hot chips have bounced off my glasses. But,once is enough if you aren't protected. Hot chips can stick to skin,too.


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## xman_charl (Sep 27, 2016)

some metal will really thrown chips on a mill, so besides eye protection,
a plastic face shield, HF has some cheap ones

Charl


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## tq60 (Oct 4, 2016)

We call them flying hit chips "fire bug bites"...with short sleeves yiu look like a swarm of bugs got you. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## kvt (Oct 4, 2016)

Yea,  and down the loose necked shirt will make you just a little bit.


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## Aukai (Oct 5, 2016)

I have a quote "Experience is something you get right after you need it" New to machining, hope I don't have a bunch of new experiences that are painful.


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## 2volts (Oct 5, 2016)

todays goof and blunder - when refilling something with oil, replace the drain plug first.

pete


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## Charles Spencer (Oct 5, 2016)

2volts said:


> todays goof and blunder - when refilling something with oil, replace the drain plug first.



Ha!  I saw somebody do that on an Army tank.  That took 35 gallons of oil.


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## kvt (Oct 6, 2016)

I thought your always did that to wash out the old oil,   or at least that is what I told the wife.  
but it is almost like remembering to put the drain plug back in the boat before you launch it.   Have seen several boats have to be recovered because of that.


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## Charles Spencer (Oct 7, 2016)

Don't trim your beard while wearing head phones that have a skinny wire.


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## Heckle and Jeckle (Oct 7, 2016)

Pay attention to what you are doing, do not clear grass from a running lawn mower. A ladder only has so many steps. Life is tuff for stupid people.

Last but not least use common sense and think for yourself.


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## george wilson (Oct 7, 2016)

My ex boss showed up at my shop one day,with the end on one finger missing at the first knuckle. Put his hand down to the grass outlet of his riding mower to clear something. At first he thought he'd hit a twig when he heard the "whack".


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## jpfabricator (Oct 7, 2016)

george wilson said:


> My ex boss showed up at my shop one day,with the end on one finger missing at the first knuckle. Put his hand down to the grass outlet of his riding mower to clear something. At first he thought he'd hit a twig when he heard the "whack".


I read this and my stomach did a backflip. 

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## 4GSR (Oct 7, 2016)

george wilson said:


> My ex boss showed up at my shop one day,with the end on one finger missing at the first knuckle. Put his hand down to the grass outlet of his riding mower to clear something. At first he thought he'd hit a twig when he heard the "whack".


I don't know how many times dad drilled that in my head to turn off the mower before reaching down and touch!


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## jim18655 (Oct 7, 2016)

george wilson said:


> My ex boss showed up at my shop one day,with the end on one finger missing at the first knuckle. Put his hand down to the grass outlet of his riding mower to clear something. At first he thought he'd hit a twig when he heard the "whack".


I worked with a kid that did something similar with a gas powered hedge trimmer. He was trimming Christmas trees and a bee was bothering him so he started swatting at it. Guess where his finger went.


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## george wilson (Oct 9, 2016)

My boss didn't realize just how far out of the grass port the arc of the cutter extended.


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## dpb (Oct 9, 2016)

I rebuilt a 1935 Delta 14" bandsaw.  Was having trouble getting the blade to track properly, so I had the upper wheel guard off while I made adjustments.  Decided to turn the saw on.  Saw ran for about 2 seconds, then the blade broke at the weld.  Broken blade lightly kissed my face as I attempted to teleport away.  Upper wheel shot skyward, hit the shop roof still rotating at speed, shot sideways and crashed into my tool chest, 20' away.  I had 4 tiny blood drops on my face, 1/4" apart, and a skinned knee from my get away.
Don't run tools without guards in place.


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## MrFixIt (Oct 9, 2016)

george wilson said:


> My boss didn't realize just how far out of the grass port the arc of the cutter extended.



Mr. Stubs knows now.


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## wawoodman (Oct 9, 2016)

I was drilling a hole in a metal table, wearing sandles. A blue chip fell under the strap. I did the owie dance all over the shop, trying to get it out.


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## John Hasler (Oct 9, 2016)

wawoodman said:


> I was drilling a hole in a metal table, wearing sandles. A blue chip fell under the strap. I did the owie dance all over the shop, trying to get it out.


I can go that one considerably better.  I was soldering pennys to screws to make tuning capacitors for a coaxial filter.  Being a college kid I wasn't wearing socks.  I was, however, wearing ankle-height boots.  I tinned up a penny and then dropped it in my boot.  I got the boot off very, very, very quickly, but not quickly enough.  I had to pry the penny off with a screwdriver.


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## P T Schram (Oct 9, 2016)

First off, I spent 19 years as an EH(S compliance engineer working in some pretty heavy industries.

Sadly, I've seen many, many people hurt badly. It only takes a fraction of a second of inattention for an accident to take place.

I wrote the Powered Industrial Truck program for a local factory and trained everyone there on the process. What I didn't know was that one of the forklifts ahd a broken seat belt that would unlatch without using the release. The guy who drove the forklift refused to have it fixed because he could jump out quicker. He drove over a dock palte he didn't knwow as there, the forklift toppled over, the seatblet released, he fell out of the seat and under the firklift. SHATTERED both legs and he was off work for two years and when he returned was terminated for cause and it was upheld becaus ehe violated a safety rule. His medical bills were paid fortunately. He can baely walk almost 20 years later.

Next was the guy who was using a 500 volt meter on an 80KV circuit at 500 hertz. The RF blew the fat part of his hand off and blew the tip of his big toe off. He healed up but he no longer works as an electrician.

At my last EH&S job the plant manager made me write an article for the plant newsletter. After the first edition of "How I Hurt Myself at home over the weekend" he decided it might not be such a great idea.

The worst/most recent injury I suffered was milling a weldment that was flimsier than I thought. It began vibrating and an harmonic was apparently setup that I didn't notice and the next thing I knew I had broken a 6" LOC 1/2" mill bit. It had been a long time since I'd had to search for my eyeglasses (yes, safety glasses. First thing on in the morning, last thing off in the evening) through blood. I fileted my face pretty good from right inboard of my left eye all the way to my chin. Fortunately, it did no damage to my magnificent moustache I've been working on since 1982!


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## jpfabricator (Oct 9, 2016)

A moustache is a terrible thing to waste. 

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## brino (Oct 9, 2016)

dpb said:


> as I attempted to teleport away



If you ever master that one, explain it in a sticky thread....I am sure we could all use it.

-brino


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## JPMacG (Oct 9, 2016)

Breaking off a drill as the final operation on a part that I just spent 5 hours milling.  I thought drilling would be the easy part. But it grabbed and broke before I could react.  I'm thinking of paying to have it EDMed out.


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## wawoodman (Oct 9, 2016)

brino said:


> If you ever master that one, explain it in a sticky thread....I am sure we could all use it.
> 
> -brino



Teleporting is easy. Just watch a cat jump into a bathtub, and realize that it has water in it.


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## savarin (Oct 10, 2016)

JPMacG said:


> Breaking off a drill as the final operation on a part that I just spent 5 hours milling.  I thought drilling would be the easy part. But it grabbed and broke before I could react.  I'm thinking of paying to have it EDMed out.


Make a simple spark eroder it works extremely well as I can attest to being such a ham fisted worker.
The only expensive part is the power source but once you have the machine it will find heaps of uses.
from post 19  http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/tumbler-reverse.10122/
from post 14  http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/keyed-washer-spacer.40953/#post-351659


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## savarin (Oct 11, 2016)

I would like to know how many times do you pull swarf with bare fingers (machine not turning) before you stop doing it, ever.


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## Randall Marx (Oct 11, 2016)

I don't know...I seem to have not hit that magical number of times yet!


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## kvt (Oct 11, 2016)

Well the Nitrile gloves do not help any more than the bare fingers.   and I have not hit the magic number either,


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## george wilson (Oct 13, 2016)

wawoodman: Re:Teleporting; Also watch a cat jump onto a hot stove!!


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## booker (Oct 22, 2016)

I was removing that part on the machine in my avitar using a crane with a sling hook that was missing the safety catch. The strap jumped out of the hook as I pulled it over to let down to the floor and the part was free falling... except for my knee that it knocked out of the way. Cut me down to the bone, but never cut my Dickies dual layer pants. 27 stitches later I was in good shape.

Always make sure your equipment is maintained properly....


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## Glenn Brooks (Oct 24, 2016)

Goofs and blunder to avoid.  OK.  Here is one to definitely avoid:  don't stare at the cutter or threading dial to hard when single point threading round stock.

 I just finished cutting a bunch of 6" long threads in  4 pieces of 3/4" round stock.  Iam using the round stock to mount an adjustable center pivot plate in a concrete foundation to support and turn a 12' LOA turntable for a 12" gauge miniature railroad.  See photo above.

On my third piece of stock, I became so focused and proud to have cut two perfect sets of threads that , on the last pass on the third piece - a .003" finishing cut- I very carefully slipped the half nut in play, and moments latter,  noticed the cutter wiping  out  the entirety of my threads - cleaned them right off the stock.  Rather than engaging the half nut, I threw the power feed handle next to it, by mistake, do to being mesmerized by the threading dial turning around to the proper mark, and thinking to much about the  perfect job I had just done cutting the previous threads in  the first two pieces of stock.  So whilst I was reflecting on my proficiency and genius as a machinist, I cut all the threads off my third piece.

Fortunately the other end of the stick came out OK ( see top end of the round stock in the photo.  The mistaken ends will be buried feet first in cement - where they belong.)


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## Tony Wells (Oct 25, 2016)

Glenn, those are design features to make sure the piece is oriented correctly in the concrete. Timing marks, if you will.


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## tq60 (Oct 25, 2016)

No they are gripping rings to insure solid footing in the concrete.

Just modify your drawing to indicate it is designed that way then it becomes perfect...

That is how the feds do it...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## Superburban (Oct 25, 2016)

Not a great pic, but it shows how not to lift a mill. We were removing it from the trailer. After I pulled the trailer forward, the mill proved to me how the center of gravity really works.


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## jpfabricator (Oct 25, 2016)

How  to make a vertical  mill a horizontal mill.

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## kingmt01 (Oct 25, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> if I had a dollar for every person that grabbed something aluminum that I just got done welding....they learn quick


So far I've picked them up 3x. I don't know how long it will take me to figure out my ATGW gloves aren't my MMA gloves.



brino said:


> If you ever master that one, explain it in a sticky thread....I am sure we could all use it.
> 
> -brino


I've mastered it. & don't want to ever do it again.

I used to power my gate from my fencer by hooking a wire from the fence to a wire I had wrapped around the gate. It was a heavy fog on that morning & I had the wires unhooked hanging. I bent over & the top of my head touched that wire. I don't know where I went but it was really dark there & it seemed an eternity before I came back. I really thought I'd died.

I don't have any stories from fast spinning blades. Probably because I go into high altar around them. I usually don't use guards or anti kickbacks because I found them to get in the way & cause safety problems themselves. So I'm paying really close attention to my body & where it is along with anyone else around. I have some very dangerous tools that have to be well under control all the time that they are powered.

I did have a day that I really shouldn't have been anywhere but bed. I was riding my bike home from work early morning & hit a deer. I hit it square on then it came down the side of my bike hitting my leg & bouncing my leg off the engine block. Nothing I could have done about that but the stupid part of this story is when I got home I started running my Sawmill & as I was loading a log I forgot to chulk the others. I have my mill at the bottom of a hill & roll the logs to it by hand down the hill. As I was putting one on the mill my wife started yelling "honny". No idea why she doesn't ever speak what the danger is but this time she didn't have to because I already knew what that sound was so I started running for the nearest escape without wasting any time to turn around & look where they was at. I had some waste piled up at the end of the mill & jumped to clear it. I almost made it. The log caught my ankle while I was in the air. I got lucky & nothing got broken that day even though I felt like both times that same leg got broken. The only damage was a bent break control & a bent loading ramp. The ramp works fine as is & I actually like the position on the brake control on my bike better now. My leg has even quit hurting.


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## sgisler (Oct 25, 2016)

kingmt01 said:


> So far I've picked them up 3x. I don't know how long it will take me to figure out my ATGW gloves aren't my MMA gloves.
> 
> 
> I've mastered it. & don't want to ever do it again.
> ...



Now that's bad day!


Stan
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rcaffin (Oct 26, 2016)

Safety is all in the mind.

We were moving a very heavy ex-WWII wooden bench out of my lab. I was on one end wearing flip flops, a workshop guy was on the other end with steel-capped safety boots. Going through the doorway the table slipped out of our hands and fell.
Now, you might think you know where this is going? Or maybe not!

Because I live in flipflops, I know when to jump and in which direction. I jumped. The workshop guy didn't need to jump as he had safety boots on, didn't he? Yeah, right.
So we took him to the hospital to get the crushed steel toe cap off his toes. Turns out the hospital sees so many of these crushed steel toe cap injuries they had a special hydralic shear made up to open the steel toe caps. He recovered.

Cheers
Roger


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## brino (Oct 26, 2016)

rcaffin said:


> He recovered.



...but can he still count to twenty? 
-brino


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## savarin (Oct 26, 2016)

Roger, shouldnt that be "Thongs"?
Australian safety boots, same as I wear.


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## Tony Wells (Oct 26, 2016)

Had a great uncle who worked for the RR up in Wash State.....back when they carried the rail irons by man-power. Got a section of rail dropped on his safety toes.....cut the toes off clean as it mashed the steel cap flat.

My brother wears some sneakers with safety toes....but they aren't steel, but some composite. Very light and comfy he says. Of course, no tests yet for him. I'll stay with my steel toes and still try to get out of the way. I have a very bad habit though. Working QC for a while, I developed this habit of catching things (instruments, delicate parts, etc) with my feet. Hard to NOT stick them in the way sometimes.


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## cs900 (Oct 27, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> Had a great uncle who worked for the RR up in Wash State.....back when they carried the rail irons by man-power. Got a section of rail dropped on his safety toes.....cut the toes off clean as it mashed the steel cap flat.
> 
> My brother wears some sneakers with safety toes....but they aren't steel, but some composite. Very light and comfy he says. Of course, no tests yet for him. I'll stay with my steel toes and still try to get out of the way. I have a very bad habit though. Working QC for a while, I developed this habit of catching things (instruments, delicate parts, etc) with my feet. Hard to NOT stick them in the way sometimes.


 I have a bad habit of doing the same thing. It's instinctual for me to try and catch something with my feet. Has almost gotten me in trouble many times.

Although on the flip side I'm sure its hysterical for my friends when I do realize not to do it as I flail my feet in any direction other than under the object. I'm sure I look like the biggest sissy ever, but I don't care I still have all my toes!


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## atunguyd (Oct 27, 2016)

I have the same habit if catching things with my feet.  Fortunately for me it had never caused any serious injuries, but it has saved many a cell phone and even the occasional glass. 

Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk


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## John Hasler (Oct 27, 2016)

atunguyd said:


> I have the same habit if catching things with my feet.  Fortunately for me it had never caused any serious injuries, but it has saved many a cell phone and even the occasional glass.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk


I do that to.  It has occasionally resulted in a small object that probably would survived a collision with the floor just fine zinging across the shop and ending up in the bottom of a box of scrap.


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## kvt (Oct 27, 2016)

It is hard to get out of doing something like that,  but then have something like a knife stick in the top of the show, and it makes you think.   Luckily it was not tennis shoes.  after that i'm like CS900 and look kinda funny trying to get out of the way of things,  but in tight spaces that can make other tings fall.


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## aametalmaster (Oct 27, 2016)

Never ever use fingers to remove chips. Had this happen to my chip brush. Glad it wasn't my hand..Bob


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## dieselshadow (Oct 27, 2016)

Was there an Alligator in your lathe?


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## aametalmaster (Oct 27, 2016)

dieselshadow said:


> Was there an Alligator in your lathe?


There sure was. Was thinking Happy Gillmore...Bob


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## RJSakowski (Oct 27, 2016)

Tony Wells said:


> .... I have a very bad habit though. Working QC for a while, I developed this habit of catching things (instruments, delicate parts, etc) with my feet. Hard to NOT stick them in the way sometimes.


My first job out of college was working as an analytical chemist.  Some of the chemical analyses involved ashing samples at 1200ºC in platinum crucibles.  When removing one from the muffle furnace, it slipped out of the tongs.  The crucibles were quite expensive and dropping one to the floor would ruin it so I instinctively stuck my hand out and bounced the glowing crucible onto the counter.  Fortunately when it hit my hand, it was upside down and I only suffered a thin ring of a burn.  It would have been much different had it hit right side up.

BTW, I use the foot catch trick as well. Old habits are hard to break.


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## Groundhog (Oct 27, 2016)

About 25 years ago I used the "capture between your arm and side" method when I dropped one of the kitchen knifes out of a set in a dark hardware store. I was holding it up to the light so I could see it better. After pulling an inch of steel out of my arm, and with my girlfriend applying pressure I paid for the knife set, then got a bunch of stitches. I still have the scar and the knife set, but not the girlfriend.


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## savarin (Oct 27, 2016)

My favourite trick when I started my trade was removing a large copper pan with brass handles from a very hot oven with cloths, then tucking said cloths into my apron and using a bare hand to remove the lid, also with brass handles.
Usually it was so hot my palm would skid over the brass with a hissing noise searing the palm. It stung like hell, the air turned blue  but never raised a blister, sort of branded the palm.
The other thing with knives we were always taught to jump back if a knife fell off the bench.
I still do this to this day automatically if I drop something.


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## Groundhog (Oct 27, 2016)

savarin said:


> The other thing with knives we were always taught to jump back if a knife fell off the bench.


 I do now!


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## silence dogood (Oct 27, 2016)

I wonder if the employees jump back if they drop a knife at the Buck Knife Company.  However, if you are ever in Post Falls, Idaho,  get a tour of the company. They will give you a list of rules that you must follow such as wearing shoes not flipflops, no pets, etc.  The last sentence is "After all this is a knife factory".   Also the tour is  free.   Well, sort of,  you will find yourself buying a knife like we did after the tour is over with.


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## Groundhog (Oct 28, 2016)

Shoot, I didn't know Buck was in Post Falls. I lived in Idaho 15 years and took motorcycle trips almost every nice weather weekend. Would have been a nice place to go to.


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## silence dogood (Oct 28, 2016)

Groundhog said:


> Shoot, I didn't know Buck was in Post Falls. I lived in Idaho 15 years and took motorcycle trips almost every nice weather weekend. Would have been a nice place to go to.


 

 Buck Knife moved from San Diego Ca. in 2005.  At the tour, the guide explained that Kalifornia was getting hard to do business in.  So it was either have the Chinese make the knives (which they did for a while in order to keep up the demand) or move.   The problem with the Chinese is that Buck did not like their steel, besides they real wanted to stay in the US.   By the way their steel either comes from Ohio or Sweden.


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## CluelessNewB (Oct 28, 2016)

Don't install the spindle and back gears on your Atlas mill without putting the belt on first.   DUH!


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## kvt (Oct 28, 2016)

For those of you who work on old cars,  If you are working on the window rollers in an old car door, with your arm in the door be careful how you pull it out.   That old car door can be very sharp.   They did not have the same old safety rounded edges like they do now.   After a bunch of stitches, and some healed tendon sheathes the spot can still bother you.  bad thing is once is not bad enough then I had to try with the other arm.   Boy was the wife upset.


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## jpfabricator (Oct 28, 2016)

I think some car manufacturers had a honing room to send stuff to if it wasent sharp enough.

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## Randall Marx (Oct 28, 2016)

Sounds about right! Never got stiches because of the car door, but have been cut pretty badly a few times working on old junk.


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## Randall Marx (Oct 28, 2016)

Reminds me of another one...the warning stamped into the radiator cap about it being hot is no joke!


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## cs900 (Nov 1, 2016)

anyone who's worked on cars has a story or two. speaking of sharp sheet metal, I was taking the sunroof assembly out of my RX7, or at least trying. Had all the bolts out and the darn thing wouldn't come out, until I tried to look at what was holding it up. you guessed it, finally let free and smacked me right in the head. For note, I have learned from my previous mentioned stories and WAS wearing safety glasses!

Also more fun car stories, I was replacing the strut on one of my old RX7s (yes I have an obsession with those as well), and decided to jack the rear of the car up on the bottom of the strut...not sure what I was thinking, but of course I wasn't using jack stands and as soon as I got the bolt out holding the strut to the car the strut compressed and the back of the car fell on top of me and bounced off the top of my chest. Thank god for the strut bump stops! I now use jack stands ALL the time now too.


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 1, 2016)

...don't feed the mice (they can set up inside your wire EDM cabinet and chew)... And DO put $ in a retirement fund (hopefully a 401K that your employer matches some % Early retirement here when 55 yrs old and lovin' every minute of it!! (55(and still alive) + 35 yrs of it chewing up metal = the ("our") rule of 90 = yeah boyz!!!


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 1, 2016)

...always (always!) stop that lathe spindle when peeling off (grabbing with your gloves, pliers, "coat hanger") a rats nest of stringy chips (like from turning stringy CRS) IE: Don't learn the hard way with a nasty cut (or worse!)


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## CluelessNewB (Nov 1, 2016)

Never pull one of those plastic wire ties tight with pliers toward your face.


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## Tony Wells (Nov 1, 2016)

CluelessNewB said:


> Never pull one of those plastic wire ties tight with pliers toward your face.



Especially those from HF after they get a little old.


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 2, 2016)

3 true stories over 35 yrs:

...I once (that's all it took) in the 70's learned why a correct machine shop floor plan has their line of lathes with each set at about a 30 degree angle with only wall in line with the spindles and why yoose' shouldn't stand in direct line with a spinning chuck! (with or without a part in it)... luckily just cut up lips, a bkn nose, and of course 2 black eyes....

... are any any of you guys (and gals) familiar with rolls of 2" wide abrasive (sandpaper, various grits)?...anyway, we had a H.S. METAL SHOP TEACHER! hired on temp. for the summer...his 1st week in June he tore off a long length, wrapped it around a big OD and long work piece in our big American Pacemaker (to "sand" and "even out" the diameter to print), he wrapped the paper around his wrists while griping (top and bottom ends) of it while manipulating it back and forth along the spinning part while pulling hard....anyway, I got all this from seeing the accident report (I didn't see the carnage but I heard "it")...I later heard he got out of the hospital weeks later and he didn't loose his hands or arm(s)...

...the  worst (a death) in one of "our" production depts. on a swing shift: It is said (guessed) the operator, with door open, had his upper torso inside a CNC (MS) lathe, with the safety micro switch switch taped while doing some hand radius work ("polishing", sanding...with paper again)...no one knows if he reached around to the control and hit the cycle start button by mistake or what but a 3/4" (mighta' been a 5/8") boring bar went through his head as the cycle started and finished leaving his tore up body hanging on the tool change magazine...2 of my friends (a set up man and a programmer in that dept.) and a couple of others released the tool (boring bar) and carried him down to the main 1st aid room to wait for the ambulance (all in that dept. were offered counseling if they chose)

Sorry for the bummer but I tell these on every machining site I venture in to (Be careful (smart) out there)


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 3, 2016)

Always remember which side of the parting tool is Z 0.000


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## Groundhog (Nov 4, 2016)

"Always remember which side of the parting tool is Z 0.000"

With me it is usually the _other_ side.


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## atunguyd (Nov 4, 2016)

Christian can you elaborate on your first story. For us ignorant youngsters please? 

I assume the chuck came off while spinning? 

Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 4, 2016)

Sure my friend (and I was just beginning the trade (as an operator) too back then...the pallet was loaded with a batch of simple unfired ceramic parts about 9" OD by 3/8" thick with about a 1/2" hole in the middle that were flat on one side...my secondary operation was to turn the OD and face the "thickness" on the "bad side" to print...But guess what?! The set up was a  "vacume" chuck set up to suck those flat sides in and hold while turning (I thinks' you can picture the rest?!)...All the supervisor said and wrote up was that I shoundt' been standing right in line with the spinning chuck (LOL)....Later years, during my Apprenticeship is when I learned and read other basic safety thangs' like that and like never have/leave a chuck wrench or key in chuck without your hands on it...or never file without a handle on it (IE on a lathe too many guys have ended up with the tang sticking through their hand (etc.)
Another story is a guy in our shop reversed the spindle on a Hardinge HLV Toolroom lathe but didn't "turn" the chuck (for the "pin in groove" spindle nose (whatever it is called) mounting system) for that reverse direction, he took a cut and the chuck came flying off (but he was standing enough to the side towards the tail stock correctly and the lathes were all at an angle so it just crunched into the drywall instead of nailing me at the lathe right in front of him)


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 4, 2016)

Uh oh, now you got me reminiscing/thinking (Hey! I heard that!)...Another example why to stand to the side of a turning lathe spindle/chuck: Even in our Machine Shop/Tool and Die/Mold (around 90% "one offs" ("make 1 that will make hundreds or thousands")..."Luckily the Programmer/Machinist was standing to the side when our big blue CNC Slant Turn Mazak let go of about a 2 ft long by 12" OD hunk of Alum. at high RPM (Yes, facing was done, tailstock and live center was into the center, and the chuck end of the stock was back against it (the chuck).. (too big of a cut was surmised)...anyway, it came through the door taking the door with it smashing into and taking out the top drawers of its (the Zak's) tooling cabinet that was about 4 ft in front of "Big Blue" (Besides waking up the shop, it woke up every dept in the building!)


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## kingmt01 (Nov 6, 2016)

I don't think I want to stand in a shop beside you.


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 6, 2016)

LOL kingmt01! But read my previous posts for content....except for a few stringy chip cuts and that round that flew off that vacuum chuck and smacked me in the face whan I was a 20 yr old "newbe" in the 70's, none of my examples (posts)  were moi. (But yes, over my 40+ year career in the trade, in retrospect, there are a handful of peeps' I wouldn't want to stand beside (or hire again) either!! (LOL)


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 6, 2016)

Always mind the hand wheels on machines that have a rapid traverse feature, I often use a 27" X 100"manual lathe which has an electric motor in the apron for this purpose, pushing the rapid button will spin the hand wheels rapidly, on this machine the Z axis wheel is at knee height and will rip your knee caps off.

Rapid traverse is awesome, hand cranking a 600 Lb carriage up and down the bed all day quickly becomes a chore.


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 6, 2016)

...all great posts all and I must say "Goofs and Blunders to Avoid" often (or at least sometmes) lead to safety issues

Uh oh! (which brings to mind (Hey! I heard that!)...before I started the Machining trade...in the early 70's as an 18 yr old I was being trained on a biiiiigggg shear at Timpte Beall (aluminum and stainless tanker trucks)....we scribed the lines on the "sheets" (up 1/4" thick), 2 or 3 guys line up the lines (using overhead hoists etc.) and push the 2 big red buttons and the shear head comes down and cuts those big sheets before rolling them at the big rollers and welding the seams...anyway the guy that was assigned to train me on that shear came in drunk a lot (usually had a bottle of jack danials in his car for lunch break!!)..and he was missing about 2 or 3 fingers on each hand (various "stub" lengths)!!!!!


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## kingmt01 (Nov 6, 2016)

Christian Poulsen said:


> LOL kingmt01! But read my previous posts for content....except for a few stringy chip cuts and that round that flew off that vacuum chuck and smacked me in the face whan I was a 20 yr old "newbe" in the 70's, none of my examples (posts)  were moi. (But yes, over my 40+ year career in the trade, in retrospect, there are a handful of peeps' I wouldn't want to stand beside (or hire again) either!! (LOL)


Exactly
That's why I said beside of you. It just sounds like I'd end up being the next story to tell.


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## Christian Poulsen (Nov 6, 2016)

Oh I get it KI LOL (actually though, over decades, it's perty' much a given that one is gonna' work next to some that their "hands just don't fit the handles", so it's always good to learn how to duck! LOL


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 12, 2016)

When turning parts to within .010" of the hard chuck jaws do not forget that you have faced .020" from the length and set Z zero there.

Did this last week, fortunately I always run the first part slowly with a finger on the feed hold button and only scagged an insert when the tool hit the jaws.

Brain fade


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## mephits (Nov 21, 2016)

I grew up around blacksmithing. Dad put me on blower duty at the ripe old age of 7 (as soon as I was big enough to crank the forge blower) and by 10 or 12 I was swinging my own hammer. At about 15, I knew I'd seen it all and knew how to do _everything!_ As a seasoned metalsmithing pro, I'd just finished forging this nifty _tanto_-shaped blade. Now it's time to fit the handle (stacked leather disks with brass bolster and butt). In preparation, I'm cleaning up and squaring off the tang with an angle grinder; the knife held firmly in a leg vice. It looks great and I know I've got it made. I turn off the grinder, wait for it to spin down (for safety!), set it down, and grab hold of the tang of the knife...

You know, it's funny how the really, really hot things feel cold and slippery. The cold is because the nerves are misfiring as they die from the heat and the slippery is from your own skin melting. I melted the fingerprints off the first four fingers of my left hand with that little "oops." Couldn't touch anything for days and didn't get the fingerprints back for about six weeks. I still have that knife, though. Holds a right fine edge. I guess I made a pleasing offering of pain to the metal gods.

Never forget that grinding adds huge amounts of heat to your workpiece or that steel doesn't glow until about 900 degrees fahrenheit!
--
Hurley in Memphis


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## Tony Wells (Nov 21, 2016)

I don't think it's been mentioned, but get your tetanus shots when due. Might keep you out of a lot of trouble.


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## kvt (Nov 22, 2016)

That reminds me that I am probably due, or over due for some.   When I was active duty any time I went in for anything and they saw the cuts etc,   They would just give me one as a precaution.


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## Groundhog (Nov 22, 2016)

Tetanus vaccinations are not without risks, some severe. My favorite aunt died a painful death from Guillain-Barre syndrome that was caused by the tetanus vaccination. Other reactions are more common than you think (paralysis, seizures). I still get tetanus shots, but not indiscriminately, I make sure I am due for one and definitely not "just for precaution".


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## Tony Wells (Nov 22, 2016)

Like many things, they are a means of risk management. It's true there could be adverse side effects (as with most any medical treatment), and you should not take them indiscriminately. But in our line of work (or hobby) there are definite risks of infections that are non issues if we are current on our shots. It is a personal decision, of course, but the generally accepted reasoning is that the risk of side effects is low in comparison to the risk of serious consequences resulting from an infection that would have been prevented by the shot. I've been taking them since I went into this line of work, every 10 years I believe.


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## brino (Nov 25, 2016)

Just today, I remembered one that had slipped my mind......

I was doing some woodworking in my multi-use shop and noticed that saw dust from cutting or sanding was building up on my new MIG welder.
Well I can't have that....so I looked around and there was some vapour barrier left over from a recent renovation.
Using nothing more than scissors and a stapler, I made a very serviceable dust cover. It worked a treat.

Days later I needed to weld something. I try to be careful about any flammables including saw-dust etc. so after a good vacuuming I pulled the dust cover off the MIG machine put it aside and continued the welding project. Part way thru and out of the corner of my mask I saw some "moving light"......what was that?

Some sparks had hit the vapour barrier and set it on fire! 
I must say I was surprised by how well that plastic sheet supported a flame. It would burn, drip flaming goo, and both the fresh edge and goo continued to burn.

Hmmmm, we build houses with this? Sure it's behind the sheet-rock fire barrier, but once a fire gets in the walls, look out!

I guess I need a big piece of leather for a spark-proof dust cover.......

-brino


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## Groundhog (Nov 25, 2016)

You would think vapor barrier would be flame resistant. That's kinda scary.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 26, 2016)

Chip control or a lack thereof, did a bunch of parts in 303 SS from 3 1/2" diameter stock in a 3 jaw chuck, when roughing the chips came off in small C shaped bits, this was excellent.
The finish cut was a nightmare however, the chip would not break in this material, it coiled a single strand around the part, tool and chuck.
Ran the next one and went to get a cup of coffee, the chips wound around the chuck jaws in an epic birds nest and turned all of the lock line coolant components into little blue and orange plastic bits.


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## kvt (Nov 26, 2016)

Ok,  you went to get a cup of coffee.   Glad I do not drink the stuff.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Nov 27, 2016)

kvt said:


> Ok,  you went to get a cup of coffee.   Glad I do not drink the stuff.


CNC lathe, it will run all day without input, sometimes the chips between material production runs will cause problems however. It is best to run several parts whilst adjusting the feeds and DOC's in order to get the chips under control, once this is done let it eat, the next bar may be different.


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## 4GSR (Nov 27, 2016)

Try to trepanning or ejector drilling  a hole in a 30 foot bar of 303 SS sometime.


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## kingmt01 (Dec 1, 2016)

Speaking of welding. I laid my phone down better then arms reach & a couple feet above where I was welding. When I finished there was a few chips melted into the glass. I flaked them off thinking that isn't to bad. However within days I had cracks running all over the screen.


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## Tony Wells (Dec 2, 2016)

Watch where your grinding sparks go if you are using a hand held angle grinder. If, like some of you, you share your shop with your wife's garage, those little sparks will embed in the glass of the windows and windshield. On the windshield (or windscreen for you other blokes) they are hard on the wiper blades.


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## paulinlapine (Dec 3, 2016)

I have worn eyeglasses for 50+ years and credit them for still having eyesight at all, since I'm lax on using safety goggles and such. When doing grinding I'd get the tiny pit marks in the glass lenses. Who'd think the hot sparks would pit glass? Odd think is, the last 10 years or so, I have had my lenses made from polycarbonate plastic. I haven't had a pit mark in my lenses since. Who knew?


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## kvt (Dec 3, 2016)

Those sparks can set clothes to smoldering.   Tennis shoes,  pant leg, etc.    Watch where the sparks are hitting, They may not seem that bad but as you grind they continue to build in spots.  
And like Tony said if you share your work area with others, or even other things like wood working, be careful.    The saw dust can be a ready fire starter,   Have seen those results in one garage shop,  
keep the fire extinguisher handy.


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## savarin (Dec 4, 2016)

kvt said:


> Those sparks can set clothes to smoldering.   Tennis shoes,  pant leg, etc.    Watch where the sparks are hitting, They may not seem that bad but as you grind they continue to build in spots.


 been there, done that, it hurts before you realise whats happening.


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## kingmt01 (Dec 4, 2016)

kvt said:


> Those sparks can set clothes to smoldering.   Tennis shoes,  pant leg, etc.    Watch where the sparks are hitting, They may not seem that bad but as you grind they continue to build in spots.
> And like Tony said if you share your work area with others, or even other things like wood working, be careful.    The saw dust can be a ready fire starter,   Have seen those results in one garage shop,
> keep the fire extinguisher handy.


I've never seen it for myself but I remember a story about a table saw being used for cutting steel & apparently pine dust is much like gasoline.


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## Superburban (Dec 4, 2016)

kingmt01 said:


> apparently pine dust is much like gasoline.



Much worse. Even many things that are not flammable can be explosive when in dust form. We did all kinds of experiments trying to use dust as an explosive multiplier. While it could do a tremendous job, we could not get it consistent or predictable.


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## bfd (Dec 5, 2016)

savarin, what did the spark sound like? I'm sorry but as I type this I am laughing. this is one thing I can learn from others. thanks bill


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## bfd (Dec 5, 2016)

I laugh every time I read your post sorry but I can just imagine what it felt like.


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## bfd (Dec 5, 2016)

I had trouble with my enco lathe spindle d1-6 would not close down tight on the tapered spindle face combo. so I was bluing the taper section to find the problem. I had taken my backing plate to work to see if it would fit. It worked on the leblond d1-6 spindle perfectly. so I determined that the spindle nose was too large. so I was stoning it down and blue checking the fit I was not locking the cams while I was blue checking the fit. slid the chuck on got interrupted and came back  and turned on the lathe. then realized the chuck was in but not locked down as I stayed away I watched the chuck slowly work its way out. boy was that stupid. as the chuck finally let go hit the ways and bounced to the floor I stayed back and waited for it to stop about 20 feet away from my lathe. no real damage except to the concrete floor ( big divot). ways ok chuck scratched but ok. me ok and slightly less stupid got the chuck to fit ok after lots of emery cloth and stoning bill


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## Tony Wells (Dec 5, 2016)

Bill, chances are that you could have adjusted the pins and got a lock on it. They are designed to be moved in or our a turn at a time, while using the socket cap screws right beside them to clock them. The tapers on most machines are very close, but of course practical manufacturing allows for variations. Hence the adjustments possible. But as long as you got it on there and are happy with the fit, great!


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## savarin (Dec 5, 2016)

It was sparks from an angle grinder burning into the groin area that eventually burnt through.
The language was a tad loud and harsh


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## Tony Wells (Dec 5, 2016)

The problem with pine sawdust is that the pitch or resin in pine contains the basic source of turpentine, or at least live trees do. It is distilled on a commercial basis, but I wold imagine there is enough of the raw materials in pine, even dried, to pose a flammability problem.


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## mephits (Dec 5, 2016)

It's not shop related, but I can also say that you should be very wary of fires when you're wearing wool pants. That's another of those stupid teenager tricks I was so good at. At about the age of 13 at a freezing-cold, very windy February campout, I had planted myself downwind of the camp fire happily warming myself. I was quite startled and more than a little angry when my father tackled me from offsides and threw me to the ground unexpectedly. Upon my less-than-charitably asking just why he'd done such a thing, his only response was to point at my shins. I realized that the fronts of the legs of my heavy wool army-surplus pants were burned away over half-way up said shins and I'd never felt a thing! Oops...


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## Round in circles (Dec 5, 2016)

Mt


David S said:


> how about clearing swarf on the lathe.   Never ever use ones hands to push, clear, untangle the swarf building up.  Use a brush to push it away or perhaps smooth handled pliers to try and grab some.  The idea is that you don't want the pliers to get caught and pull your hand into the works.
> 
> Best of all turn off machine and remove the swarf and build up.






Swarf ...the bane of a machinists life .

*Never ever use an airline to blow it away or clean the lathe*  for your likely to get blinded or impaled by the tiny high speed razor sharp bits of turned off metals your blowing around .
*
Always use the power off kill switch to ensure the machine cannot be accidentally turned on during cleaning operations ..  never ever clean a turning machine or remove swarf from one , its far too dangerous. *

*TIP.*
My pal has put a rather strong toroidal/ doughnut  magnet (  taken out of an old scrapped microwave oven ) into a home made can using 3 inch dia thin wall aluminium  tube & an end plate " Tigged " on all the way round the joint  .

  The magnet is glued to a pull lever which has an end disc  / flange of aluminium screwed onto the end so it looks a bit like one of the caulking guns you use to put sealant on out of a plastic tube . 
The rod runs up the inside center of the can .

Between the magnet & the top of the can is soft  6 inch long compression spring over the pull rod  . At the very top of the can is a light steel cross brace with a central hole in it .
The pull rod pokes up out this hole & the top end has been shaped to form a finger grip for four fingers .

Riveted to the top outside of the can above the furthest reach of the pull rod is a simple inverted " U "  shape flat bar handle  3 mm thick x 13 mm wide . 
Run a two inch wide strip of quality industrial grade sticky plastic tape round the can about 3 inches up from the base of the can , if it's placed thoughtfully it will indicate the average area of attraction to the ferrous material when it's at rest down a the bottom end of the tube .

To quickly & safely collect the smaller ferrous swarf you put the magnet end of the aluminium  can over the swarf area & it picks it up . If you have birds nests of turnings then why not make yourself a swarf hook / scraper off device ?  Make it out of some 3 mm thick x 13 mm wide by 22 inches long flat steel /stainless steel bar & make a formed ring at the opposite end to the 3" "L " shaped hook to hand it up by .

 Move it over to the waste bucket ,   one handedly pull the lever with the magnet on it up & the swarf falls off the aluminium  case & lower side of the can .   Release your grip & the spring pushes the magnet back to theh bottom of the aluminium can ready for the next go .


Store this magnetic swarf picker up / collector anywhere that has a steel surface to stick it to , for it is magnetic after all .


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## kvt (Dec 5, 2016)

Savarin,  At least mine was just a shoe, that started to smolder a bit. 
Not machine related per say,  but in the Texas panhandle where I grew up one of  the things that always had to watch out for when working on equipment in an grain elevator was the dust,   It blew out the side of the elevator, derailed a train, and killed a few just because the guy got lazy and did not grease the bearings on the conveyer properly, or at least that is what they said happened after a long investigation.
So yea,  dust can be very explosive


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## jocat54 (Dec 5, 2016)

Lots of things are flammable in a dust or powder form----try a little coffee creamer powder--burns well


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## mephits (Dec 6, 2016)

_<Dusts off his ragged, abused bio-chem major hat>_ Pretty much anything which oxidizes readily can catch fire or explode in dust form. Note that this includes many forms of iron and aluminum. It has to do with mass-to-surface-area ratio. Oxidization is a heat-generating reaction (exothermic, to use the $5 term). If you have a big mass to absorb that heat and little surface area at which the reaction can happen, you don't get much except for the formation of an oxide film (i.e., rust or patina). When there's no place for that heat to go internally, all it can do is go out into the environment. In a pile this can quickly become a fire. Floating around airborne, this can go "boom!" Just yet another reason to keep your workspace clean!

[edited for clarity, 12/6/2016, 6:13 pm CST]


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## savarin (Dec 7, 2016)

I have to show my stupidity in action in case anyone else attempts this.
I did not have sufficient kerosene to totally immerse the burning tip on my spark eroder so resorted to trickling it on with a spoon.
Whoops, bad move, it got hot enough to hit its vapor point and ignited.
The fireblanket made short work of the flames but not before they had melted all the solder joints and burnt off the insulation.
Luckily the coil is untouched so a rebuild will be quick.


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## JimDawson (Dec 7, 2016)

OOPS!


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## mephits (Dec 7, 2016)

As a total newbie, I have a completely honest question. Why would one use a volatile, flammable liquid as a coolant for a tool that has an open ignition point (that is, the spark)? This seems like an open invitation to danger. Thanks!


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## savarin (Dec 8, 2016)

The kerosene works extremely well as long as the ignition point is kept submerged.
I have burnt out at least 6 broken taps, made a couple of tabbed washers in 1.2mm stainless with no problems.
The fault here was mine in only dribbling the liquid over the contact area which was 12mm in dia.
The liquid is not only to cool the point but to flush debris away.


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## Superburban (Dec 8, 2016)

Liquid kerosene will not burn. Like gasoline, and diesel, it needs to be mixed with oxygen to support combustion. Gasoline appears to burn, because it vaporizes easily, and that is what you see burn when you toss a match in a bucket of gas. Unless it is a super hot day, you can toss a lit match in diesel or kerosene, and chances are the match will burn a few seconds, then go out. You need the vaporization of the fuel to get the flames. That's what Savarin caused by slowly adding kerosene to hot metal with sparks.


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## David S (Dec 8, 2016)

And a lot of automotive fuel pumps are submersed in the fuel tank and the fuel flows right over the commutator and brushes.

David


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## Tony Wells (Dec 8, 2016)

For much the same reason, cooling. Which is why you really shouldn't make a habit out of running your fuel tank low. What isn't used in the injection system is sent back to the tank, so there is a constant flow. The pump is never "dead headed".


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 8, 2016)

A friend and work associate passed away last week . While at the wake yesterday some stories were told that were long forgotten.

 A young GMI student was working at our plant and was in the Forge Shop one day. He decided that if he was to learn, he needed to help. Sounds like a plan so far. Bob, my deceased friend. asked the kid to help him. Now, one peculiar thing about Bob, he was a stickler for doing things to the letter. You really needed to watch how you said things around him. Ok, Bob asked the kid to hold a large pin while he pounded it into the hole. Before anyone could caution the kid on choosing his words. he yelled to Bob, got it, when I nod my head go ahead and hit it. Without hesitation Bob did just that, he hit the kid right on the head. Not hard, but enough to let the kid know he said the wrong thing. I don't think that kid will ever forget that day.

That is a true story people, you just can't make those things up.

 "Billy"


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## Randall Marx (Dec 8, 2016)

I needed a good laugh, Billy. Thank you for that!


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## Tony Wells (Dec 8, 2016)

Sounds very much like something I would do. Teach people to think about what they are saying. What's that old saw....."Make sure your brain is in gear before letting out the clutch on your mouth" or something like that.


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 8, 2016)

Then there was Rawhide. He worked at GM on the third shift bar line. (Automatic Screw Machines) He slept a lot. He ran a bank of 4 1"-60 New Britains. Smash ups were inevitable. One set-up man decided to get even. The machine totally went down, drills, form tools. cut off blades, everything broke. When the machinists were done the set-up man went to work.

 Changed all the tools and broken fixtures. Now to stock it up, this is where the fun began. Instead of loading it with the .967 solid stock, he went to the tool crib and cut off all the handles on the bad brooms. He painted them all black and loaded all the spindles with them. He finished the set-up and gave the machine back to Rawhide to run. True to form Rawhide engaged the spindles and went back to his stool and fell asleep. Than machine ran wooden outer races for the next 3 hours.

 The parts were awesome, fit the gages perfectly. Ole Rawhide had some tall explaining to do. It seemed like he was upstairs for hours. Final total 1073 wooden cups.

 The guys were telling these stories over and over again at the wake. We decided then and there to get together once a month. More to follow.

 "Billy G"


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## SapperDave (Dec 9, 2016)

mephits said:


> _<Dusts off his ragged, abused bio-chem major hat>_ Pretty much anything which oxidizes readily can catch fire or explode in dust form. Note that this includes many forms of iron and aluminum. It has to do with mass-to-surface-area ratio. Oxidization is a heat-generating reaction (exothermic, to use the $5 term). If you have a big mass to absorb that heat and little surface area at which the reaction can happen, you don't get much except for the formation of an oxide film (i.e., rust or patina). When there's no place for that heat to go internally, all it can do is go out into the environment. In a pile this can quickly become a fire. Floating around airborne, this can go "boom!" Just yet another reason to keep your workspace clean!
> 
> [edited for clarity, 12/6/2016, 6:13 pm CST]



 Aluminium and Iron dust mixed together happens to make a thing called Thermite. Little spark and that mix will burn through anything. Very dangerous stuff.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 9, 2016)

SapperDave said:


> Aluminium and Iron dust mixed together happens to make a thing called Thermite. Little spark and that mix will burn through anything. Very dangerous stuff.


It's actually aluminum and iron oxide dust.  The red iron oxide (Fe2O3) or rust, that is.  I'm not sure that the black oxide (FeO2) or scale from hot worked steel reacts the same.
Edit: This was not intended as a correction on the spelling of aluminum/aluminium.  Married to a Brit, I have come to accept either spelling.


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## SapperDave (Dec 9, 2016)

You're quite correct RJ, but to be fair it doesn't take a long time for Iron dust to rust.


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 9, 2016)

Helicopters with HMM 161 carried 2 Thermite Grenades on every hop while in Viet Nam. The Crew Chief was the only one that had access to them. They were issued when the day began and turned in at days end. If a chopper went down and was not retrievable they were used to destroy it. I destroyed a CH 46 on one occasion. ($6,000,000 +)  It didn't take long to reduce that chopper to a pile of nothing. Thermite is fast.

 "Billy G"


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## Tony Wells (Dec 9, 2016)

Your Chinook reference reminded me of a project I was part of a few years ago:

http://corrdefense.nace.org/CorrDefense_October_2005/project_news2.htm

I was senior design consultant for that system.


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## uncle harry (Dec 9, 2016)

SapperDave said:


> Aluminium and Iron dust mixed together happens to make a thing called Thermite. Little spark and that mix will burn through anything. Very dangerous stuff.



Thermite needs a touch more than a little spark from my memory. I have heard that thermite users would also use a small amount of powdered magnesium to get the reaction started.


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## Fitter Bill (Dec 9, 2016)

67U20 
1970-1972


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 10, 2016)

Chinook is a Army CH-47, Tony. A CH-46 is it's smaller cousin  used by the Marines. It's a common mistake. The Army turned down the 46 because it was small. We had CH-46D models.  We didn't have any trouble with size or payload. The GE-10 1400 horse engines were more than adequate.

 "Billy G"


http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/ch46_sea_knight.htm


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## Tony Wells (Dec 10, 2016)

Oh, I know, Bill.....just what you were talking about reminded me of that project. We had units in Kuwait, one featured in that article there at Wheeler, one under construction at Hunter in Savannah, GA. And plans for many more JAN projects. The Texas National Guard brought one down to us to play with.  If I can find some footage, I may post it. It may be long enough now. This was all pretty tightly held information at the time, on the technical side, and now as far as I know there may still be ongoing litigation that might make it unwise to get too much into. 

Its far OT anyway. Interesting, but OT.


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 10, 2016)

Somewhere in my collection of combat pictures I have  before and after pictures of the chopper I destroyed. I flew on that chopper for 17 months an average of 9 hours per day, 24/7. It was heartbreaking to watch it go. In all I crewed choppers in combat for 37 months for a total of over 7,000 hours. Most of those hours were flying MedEvacs. It wasn't the best life but I volunteered for it so it was what it was. If a pilot was hit he was removed from the cockpit if he could be and the crew chief took his place. The old man taught all crew chief the basics of flying a chopper. I had to on a number of occasions. Once when both pilot and copilot were wounded.

OK, I have held this thread hostage long enough with war stories. Let's get back to the original topic. Too many memories are popping into my mind and the mind is a terrible thing to waste.

"Billy G"


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## savarin (Dec 10, 2016)

I find them interesting Bill


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## dieselshadow (Dec 10, 2016)

Bill, you are indeed a hero. Please accept a huge "thank you" and know I have a lot a gratitude and respect for you and others who volunteered. My hat is off to you sir.


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 10, 2016)

Nope, just another Marine crew chief doing his job, getting as many as he can out of harms way and hopefully home safe. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. but I did my best and that's all the Marine Corps expected. Once in a while I do miss those days, but it is an extremely fleeting thought.  LOL

 "Billy G"


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## dieselshadow (Dec 10, 2016)

I too was a Medevac crewchief. Only I was in Blackhawks in the Army. Wasn't during wartime either. Although we did get shot at once, I never did what you did or for the duration. I can't even begin to imagine the stories you could tell. That's a huge accomplishment on your part Bill. There's always a cold beer here for you sir.


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## Tony Wells (Dec 10, 2016)

I checked.....I still can't (or am not supposed to) release any tech data including photos or video of that product. It was designed to service anything from a Kiowa OH-58D up to the CH-47 Chinook. I have the flight and service manuals around here somewhere. Maybe when the lawyers get done I can share some of that project. It was pretty fun.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Dec 11, 2016)

Friday I made a bunch of parts in POM, 1/4" bore thru, .375 +.002 -.000" counterbore .312" deep using a 3/16" carbide boring bar.

The last 2 lines of the program were rapid moves .200 X, 1.000 Z then 2.000 X,  Z 1.000 for working room for the next part change.

I failed to insert the decimal point on the first rapid move, this resulted in the obvious. The tool went right through the part, did not break the bar however which was nice.


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## master53yoda (Dec 11, 2016)

David S said:


> how about clearing swarf on the lathe.   Never ever use ones hands to push, clear, untangle the swarf building up.  Use a brush to push it away or perhaps smooth handled pliers to try and grab some.  The idea is that you don't want the pliers to get caught and pull your hand into the works.
> 
> Best of all turn off machine and remove the swarf and build up.
> 
> David


I cut my finger to the bone trying to flick off a piece of swarf After i shut off the lathe but before it stopped turning.   That was 40 years ago and that end of my finger is still dead feeling.

Art B


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 11, 2016)

You probably cut the nerves if you cut that deep. Nerves rarely heel, they stay severed. Don't ask how I know.

 "Billy G"


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## master53yoda (Dec 11, 2016)

I had a nerve on the outside of the cut that finally callused over but for probably 5 years it was just like getting shocked with 110 every time i touched it


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 11, 2016)

Been there bdone that. It isn't close to being funny.

 "Billy G"


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## brino (Dec 11, 2016)

man I wish there was a "delete post" button on this site!
or at least a way to add quotes during an "edit" of a already posted response.
-brino


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## brino (Dec 11, 2016)

mephits said:


> Why would one use a volatile, flammable liquid as a coolant for a tool that has an open ignition point (that is, the spark)?





savarin said:


> The kerosene works extremely well as long as the ignition point is kept submerged.



exactly why I decided on distilled water for my EDM.......I can't be trusted! 
(@savarin, it is not meant as a gloat or "I told you so", just as a example of a compromise/substitute for safety's sake).

Yes my EDM vise is rusty, I want to try a wax coating or something......

-brino


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## brino (Dec 11, 2016)

jocat54 said:


> Lots of things are flammable in a dust or powder form----try a little coffee creamer powder--burns well





Superburban said:


> Even many things that are not flammable can be explosive when in dust form.





kingmt01 said:


> I've never seen it for myself but I remember a story about a table saw being used for cutting steel & apparently pine dust is much like gasoline.



I spent some school-time summers working mechanical maintenance at a plant producing diapers. They had large towers for both storage and processing("fluffing") of talcum powders. They went to great lengths to make sure that even a static spark could not ruin everyone's day.

Myth Busters did a huge fireball with "coffee whitener".......and saw dust, and other common powders.

Be careful out there!
-brino


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## Glenn Brooks (Dec 14, 2016)

Reading through the thread, saw a couple of posts about welding sparks pitting windshields on cars in the garage.  This reminded me of a small welding project I did two or three summers ago.  I always wear protective gear when cutting or welding -summer and winter.   So took off a nice new fleece pullover, and put on my old leather welding jacket. Buttoned it up to the neck, doned  the gloves and hood  and went to work.  About 10 minutes later I had welded the fixture up and took off the leather coat to put everything away.  As I turned around, I noticed my nice new pull over fleece I had folded up and placed behind me on the ground, out of harms way, had turned into a small synthetic bonfire.  The flames had burned a nice hole right thru the center of my garment, right down to the pavement.  Somewhere along the line, welding sparks had somehow bounced into the fabric and ignited.   I stamped the fire out. But holding up the pullover, could see nothing left except the arms, neck, and zipper, and a bunch of ragged, burnt and melted fabric around the edge of the garment, with avery large hole burned clean through the body.


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## SapperDave (Dec 15, 2016)

When using an angle grinder on an I beam on the floor, do not kneel down when your cutting. Having a diamond blade run up your inner thigh hurts, Stitches in your inner thigh hurt even more, especially if you do it the day before your first holiday in years. It was fun explaining to my wife why I was in the medical centre.


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## mephits (Dec 17, 2016)

Apologies to all for taking so long to respond. My wife had surgery at the beginning of the week and I've been a little preoccupied. It was a routine endoscopic procedure that went beautifully, but she still had some recovery to do afterward. She's fine now!



Superburban said:


> Liquid kerosene will not burn. Like gasoline, and diesel, it needs to be mixed with oxygen to support combustion. Gasoline appears to burn, because it vaporizes easily, and that is what you see burn when you toss a match in a bucket of gas. Unless it is a super hot day, you can toss a lit match in diesel or kerosene, and chances are the match will burn a few seconds, then go out. You need the vaporization of the fuel to get the flames. That's what Savarin caused by slowly adding kerosene to hot metal with sparks.



All true, but kerosene's flash point is only around 150ºF. That's not much hotter than water from the hot tap. And on top of that, it's autoignition point is only around 425ºF! The cutting point on an EDM is going to be much higher than that. And it's true that ignition requires oxygen, but it still feels like tempting fate to use kerosene around an open spark, even totally flooded. Seems like all it takes is one mistake...



David S said:


> And a lot of automotive fuel pumps are submersed in the fuel tank and the fuel flows right over the commutator and brushes.



Also true, but there we're talking about an automotive electrical system. Much lower wattage than an EDM. On top of that, if you're getting sparks in your motor, it's destroying itself. Those sparks will erode the commutator and rotor just like they erode metal in the EDM.



brino said:


> exactly why I decided on distilled water for my EDM.......I can't be trusted!
> (@savarin, it is not meant as a gloat or "I told you so", just as a example of a compromise/substitute for safety's sake).
> 
> Yes my EDM vise is rusty, I want to try a wax coating or something......



Interesting. So the EDM doesn't push enough wattage to crack the water into free hydrogen and oxygen? That would create a whole new set of flammability issues!

So as a question to all and sundry who actually have EDMs. What about standard cutting fluids like emulsified synthetics makes them less desirable here? Conductivity issues? Cost?


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## brino (Dec 19, 2016)

There were some comments above about removing swarf.
Here's a shot of the acid brush I use to remove swarf and apply cutting oil to the work area:



The milling cutter grabbed it, pulled it thru and spit it out the other side.
I am so glad it wasn't my fingers.

I still use it.....keeping it as a reminder......

-brino


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## brino (Dec 19, 2016)

mephits said:


> Interesting. So the EDM doesn't push enough wattage to crack the water into free hydrogen and oxygen? That would create a whole new set of flammability issues!
> 
> So as a question to all and sundry who actually have EDMs. What about standard cutting fluids like emulsified synthetics makes them less desirable here? Conductivity issues? Cost?



Hi Hurley,
I want to respond with what I know, but this page looks like my soliloquy.
In order to keep this thread on topic, I'll respond here:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...hine-version-2-edmv2.49689/page-2#post-443894

-brino


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## ddickey (Dec 19, 2016)

Do not center your piece from the off center hole but between edges or this will happen. Duh.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 19, 2016)

Glenn Brooks said:


> Reading through the thread, saw a couple of posts about welding sparks pitting windshields on cars in the garage.  This reminded me of a small welding project I did two or three summers ago.  I always wear protective gear when cutting or welding -summer and winter.   So took off a nice new fleece pullover, and put on my old leather welding jacket. Buttoned it up to the neck, doned  the gloves and hood  and went to work.  About 10 minutes later I had welded the fixture up and took off the leather coat to put everything away.  As I turned around, I noticed my nice new pull over fleece I had folded up and placed behind me on the ground, out of harms way, had turned into a small synthetic bonfire.  The flames had burned a nice hole right thru the center of my garment, right down to the pavement.  Somewhere along the line, welding sparks had somehow bounced into the fabric and ignited.   I stamped the fire out. But holding up the pullover, could see nothing left except the arms, neck, and zipper, and a bunch of ragged, burnt and melted fabric around the edge of the garment, with avery large hole burned clean through the body.


It would have been worse had you been wearing it at the time!


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## mephits (Dec 19, 2016)

brino said:


> Hi Hurley,
> I want to respond with what I know, but this page looks like my soliloquy.
> In order to keep this thread on topic, I'll respond here:
> http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...hine-version-2-edmv2.49689/page-2#post-443894



Thanks very much! That looks to answer my questions. And my apologies for hijacking the thread. We should definitely get back to our regularly scheduled programming of "Stupid Machinist's Tricks!"


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## RJSakowski (Dec 19, 2016)

mephits said:


> Also true, but there we're talking about an automotive electrical system. Much lower wattage than an EDM. On top of that, if you're getting sparks in your motor, it's destroying itself. Those sparks will erode the commutator and rotor just like they erode metal in the EDM.
> 
> Interesting. So the EDM doesn't push enough wattage to crack the water into free hydrogen and oxygen? That would create a whole new set of flammability issues!
> Cost?


Re:  the in-tank fuel pumps, my first encounter was with a Chevrolet Vega and I wondered about them at the time.  As I recall, all brush type motors create sparks, regardless of size or power.  If I recall correctly, the brushes weren't even enclosed to allow for gasoline cooling the motor.  The saving grace is that the constant flow of gasoline cools the area so there is little possibility of vapor and there is no oxygen present. I don't recall if the pump sat in a sump so it couldn't ever be exposed to air.

Re:  the EDM process in water probably does break water into hydrogen and oxygen.  However you have fuel, oxygen, and ignition source in the immediate vicinity.  They would spontaneously be combined to produce water vapor which would be condensed to water again.


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## kvt (Dec 20, 2016)

OK,   RJ you are dating things,   I use to have a Vega,   There was a small sump area but not that big.   That stupid plastic screen kept clogging up on mine,   what was the use of the fuel filter when it could not get that far.  Of course I would swear someone put something in my gas tank just to p___ me off.  But at least it was not as bad a trying to put a fuel pump in the tank of a Ford Aerostar when it quite just after you  filled it up.   I would swear I smelled like gas for 2 days,   on that road trip.


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## Kevin J (Jan 12, 2017)

brino said:


> There were some comments above about removing swarf.
> Here's a shot of the acid brush I use to remove swarf and apply cutting oil to the work area:
> View attachment 141751
> 
> ...




It looks like you can get a better grip on that brush now.

Kevin J


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## Mach89 (Jan 12, 2017)

When turning on a lathe (especially close to the chuck) make sure you know which lever disengaged the carriage feed. I was turning a piece of 9" od aluminum and was almost to the end of my cut so I reached down and grabbed a lever to be ready. Turns out it was the cross slide lever. So I ended up running my tool into the chuck jaws before I even noticed I had the wrong one.

Long and short of it; pay attention to what you are doing at ALL times.


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## Mach89 (Jan 14, 2017)

Be careful when using a 4-1/2" angle grinder with a stiff wire brush wheel on it.
Last spring I was at work making the bearing adjustment nuts in the first pic and had to clean up the bur on the threads. I didn't really have a good way of doing it available, but I had a grinder.
Using that was my first mistake. Using that wheel was my second. I was knelt down on a pallet with one of them standing up between my knees. I was holding it with one hand and running the grinder with the other. I was trying to stay in line with the threads but I got twisted just enough for the wheel to grab and pull the grinder out of my hand. Of course, it went flopping around like a fish and went right across my knee (second pic). Needless to say, I found a different, albeit slower, way to do it. Using both hands is not always easy (sometimes impossible) depending on the work, but a good grip, and proper wheel can prevent a lot of damage. Looking back, I can see numerous mistakes I made doing that, and I'll always have this scar across my knee to remind me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## Mach89 (Jan 14, 2017)

Kevin J said:


> It looks like you can get a better grip on that brush now.
> 
> Kevin J


They'll do the same thing thing to a shop vac hose. Found that out the hard way.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## brino (Jan 14, 2017)

Mach89 said:


> Be careful when using a 4-1/2" angle grinder with a stiff wire brush wheel on it.



Absolutely agreed!
I'd rank the knotted wire cup brush on my angle grinder second only to my chainsaw for most dangerous tools on the property.
Either will grab loose clothing and wrap it all around pulling you in.

The difference is the chain on the saw is further from the trigger and people have been trained not to hold what they are cutting with it.
With the grinder it seems like it should be controllable, but my experience has shown it is not!
You just need to catch a corner of the part your trying to clean and the tool is off in unexpected directions.

-brino


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## Dean Segovis (Jan 14, 2017)

How about one of those wheels for a 4.5" grinder that has CHAIN SAW TEETH on it!!!?? I was using one (reluctantly) on a job site in Hawaii on a decorative wood log. It had no guard on it. (stupid) It caught on a knot, jumped out of my hand, hit my right thigh about 2" below the "twig and berries", rotated several times thus wadding and shredding my pants around it's wheel-O-death, then hung there in the OFF position!! 
Fortunately it had the "dead man" style trigger that turned off when released. I uncoiled the beast expecting to see mangled flesh and blood but only saw a circular grind mark in my leg that had not started to bleed yet. You know, that kind of wound that takes a few minutes to eventually ooze forth blood then slowly bleeds for 30 minutes. I was relieved but also slightly woozy at the thought of what MIGHT have happened. I could have ended up a transgender.

I removed the aforementioned wheel-O-death from the grinder and sent it flying Frisbee style into the sugar cane field never to be seen again.

First mistake was even using the thing! 
Second, no guard in place.
Third, climbing cut with the cutting edge spinning TOWARDS ME!!!

Stupid mistakes.

Lucky me eh?!


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## Bill Gruby (Jan 14, 2017)

My wife loved the you know what part on line two. She's still laughing.

 "Billy G"


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## kvt (Jan 14, 2017)

Well I know that both will a 4.5 grinder and a chain saw hurt.  
While in Alaska I was cutting a bunch of trees and for firewood and wind kicked up and caught a tree sent the thing flying back at me.   even though you let off the trigger it still spins.  Came down across my knee,   A couple of little cuts in the paint leg, but when looking at the know you could see the slices from each tooth on the blade right down into the knew cap.       Patched it up and went back to cutting.  
using a 4.5 with the brush cup and caught the corner of the work,  it was the old style with lock on trigger,  had not guard on it and kicked right back into my stomach wrapped my shirt around it but left a nice little abrasion scar where the brush poked through the cloth    nice thing was it was a cheep one with out much power, and unplugged is self.   or it could have been worse. 
I have been told I am just a disaster waiting to happen, and at times it seem like it.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 14, 2017)

SapperDave said:


> Aluminium and Iron dust mixed together happens to make a thing called Thermite. Little spark and that mix will burn through anything. Very dangerous stuff.


They use that process to weld railway lines together in situ.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 14, 2017)

Bill Gruby said:


> Nope, just another Marine crew chief doing his job, getting as many as he can out of harms way and hopefully home safe. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. but I did my best and that's all the Marine Corps expected. Once in a while I do miss those days, but it is an extremely fleeting thought.  LOL
> 
> "Billy G"


I disagree bill, All men and women who have served, or are serving, particularly volunteers are heroes to my mind. Nothing less than respect is good enough.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 15, 2017)

Tony Wells said:


> Like many things, they are a means of risk management. It's true there could be adverse side effects (as with most any medical treatment), and you should not take them indiscriminately. But in our line of work (or hobby) there are definite risks of infections that are non issues if we are current on our shots. It is a personal decision, of course, but the generally accepted reasoning is that the risk of side effects is low in comparison to the risk of serious consequences resulting from an infection that would have been prevented by the shot. I've been taking them since I went into this line of work, every 10 years I believe.



Throughout my working life a s a marine engineer we were required to have shots for everything. I've now been retired for a while and recently when turning 70 I saw my doctor for a major checkup and asked about an updated tetanus shot, he said at my age and considering how many I've had, that I'm covered for life. Hope so.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 18, 2017)

brino said:


> There were some comments above about removing swarf.
> Here's a shot of the acid brush I use to remove swarf and apply cutting oil to the work area:
> View attachment 141751
> 
> ...



 I was told as an apprentice to never use a brush any where near a running machine, If you cant use flood coolant use a spray can or a squirt gun, and that was 55 years ago. And to use a proper swarf hook to remove swarf.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 18, 2017)

Tony Wells said:


> I was on a job a couple of summers ago building a new hospital. Walked back out to the vehicle. Didn't need a key. Right rear passenger window was in tiny little pieces (safety glass). Never really figured it out. They were doing some mowing around the area, but it was record hot that day, and my vehicle is black. I looked inside thoroughly for a foreign object from the mowers.....kind of hoping it was them so I could make someone pay for the glass, but never found anything. Guess it could have bounced off.  Watch where you park if there is a contract mowing crew around!
> 
> Funny thing was, even the dealer was not able to get the correct tint. It has (now has one) really dark passenger glass. Factory says no, it doesn't. I had to put the wrong glass in. I started looking, and about 80% of the ones I see on the road HAVE the near black glass. Others have a sort of goldish tint. I went aftermarket and got as dark as I could.......still burns me. I drove around with a Plexiglass window for 2 months looking and trying to get the right one. Now I see them on ebay all the time. I just hate to buy one twice. If I do, I'll try to sell this wrong one to somebody.



That safety glass can do that, Explode in the heat. A few years ago we bought a new table for the outdoor BBQ area. The table was glass top made out of auto type safety glass. About a month later, came home and found the glass shattered all over the place. Took a photo and a bag of the glass pieces back to the shop. they replaced the table, no questions , but when it happened a month later they said they would replace it but not with a glass top, so we've had a timber topped table ever since. On both occasions it had been a very hot day around 42-43c Shortly after that they stopped selling glass top tables for outdoor use.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jan 28, 2017)

Just remembered doing this, , using the carriage feed to push the tailstock along the ways setting up for a long part, failed to pay attention  and pushed it right off he end into the chip pan, this is not a recommended practice


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 28, 2017)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> Just remembered doing this, , using the carriage feed to push the tailstock along the ways setting up for a long part, failed to pay attention  and pushed it right off he end into the chip pan, this is not a recommended practice




Just a s well it didn't land on the concrte floor might hav edamamged bothe floor and the tailstock.

My lathe has a peg, screwed into the base under the ways, that prevents the tailstock from falling of the end. I guess it would shear the drive pin off in the feed shaft, or break something else. The peg can be removed if needed. 

However I don't see myself using that method as my lathe is very short only 16" between centers, and the tailstock moves quite easily. How about installing a limit switch to stop it happening again, or a linkage to disengage the feed, there is always more than one way to solve these problems.


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## mmcmdl (Jan 30, 2017)

Never take your eyes off a 750 lb driveshaft , 15 ft in the air held on with two 1/2" taper pins only . Although we had 3 straps holding onto such shaft , when your pins snap , gravity has a way of shifting the load ( right onto my left hand ) . I had my hand on the edge of the scissor lift and bent down to get the taper pin remover when they sheared . Got me a trip to the ER this past Tuesday , and an invitation into the woodshed for a safety talk .


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## kvt (Jan 30, 2017)

Ouch


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 1, 2017)

mmcmdl said:


> Never take your eyes off a 750 lb driveshaft , 15 ft in the air held on with two 1/2" taper pins only . Although we had 3 straps holding onto such shaft , when your pins snap , gravity has a way of shifting the load ( right onto my left hand ) . I had my hand on the edge of the scissor lift and bent down to get the taper pin remover when they sheared . Got me a trip to the ER this past Tuesday , and an invitation into the woodshed for a safety talk .



 Yes definitely ouch, would some lessons on rigging come in handy.


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## David S (Feb 1, 2017)

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet.  When I machine long tapers on my 618 with the compound, I lock the carriage x travel.  I always worry that I may forget and engage the power long feed for another operation.  So for the only time that I place anything on the bed, I lay the locking wrench across the ways as a reminder.

David


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## Mach89 (Feb 1, 2017)

David S said:


> Not sure if this has been mentioned yet.  When I machine long tapers on my 618 with the compound, I lock the carriage x travel.  I always worry that I may forget and engage the power long feed for another operation.  So for the only time that I place anything on the bed, I lay the locking wrench across the ways as a reminder.
> 
> David


Smart thinking. It's amazing how something so simple can save you from a lot of problems later.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## R DALE (Feb 9, 2017)

savarin said:


> Now thats a good idea.


THAT IS FUNNY ,,CAN'T WAIT TO TELL THAT ONE TO THE GUYS


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## Screen Guy (Feb 22, 2017)

silence dogood said:


> George, I never have been able to figure why someone would flip a switch even when there is a tag on it.  Thinking back on working on that organ, I think that I left the plug in was because I would have to crawl under a piece of furniture to get to the plug-in.   But I learned my lesson and that was why I built that control box.
> A friend of mine told me a story about his father-in-law.  He was a pilot for what I believe a B26 and he was selected to take some officers to some meeting in Europe.  Behind the pilot was a jumpseat and a second luey was in it.  He saw and reached up and pulled this switch.  Suddenly everything including the engines shut off.  The pilot calmly reached back turn it back on and had his copilot help him restart the engines.   Just before takeoff on the return trip, The general handed him his 45 and told him he had his permission to shot anyone who tried that again. The flight back was uneventful.


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## Screen Guy (Feb 22, 2017)

Ok, I'll try again.  In the late '70's I did a student overseas thing in Bogata and lived with a local family.  When the lights failed in the bathroom, I could no longer shave.  I was the only one of shaving age, so I took it upon myself to fix the switch, successfully navigating a local hardware store in broken Spanish.  I instructed the maid and the lady of the house in Spanish and English REPEATEDLY no to turn the power back on til I came down from the bath.  The maid of course turned the power back on as soon as I was out of sight.  I don't know what voltage they use in South America, but it felt excessive to say the least.


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## Screen Guy (Feb 22, 2017)

RJSakowski said:


> I had the exact same experience.  I never found any missile either.  Fortunately, my comprehensive covered most of the bill.
> 
> The guy that came out to replace the glass told me that the tempered glass windows were extremely susceptible to scratches, as he was gingerly scraping off the sticker on the new glass.  A tiny scratch could make the the window spontaneously shatter.  He told me that there were a lot of replacements in hot weather due to the glass heating and the stress building to the point of shattering.  The glass is designed to break into tiny pieces with square edges to help prevent injuries.
> 
> When I was in high school, I used to make an oddity called a Prince Rupert's Drop.  It is made by heating glass to the melting point and allowing a drop to fall into into cold water, resulting in a teardrop shaped piece.  Because the resultant stresses from the sudden cooling and shrinking were so well balanced, you could hit the drop with a hammer withou breaking it but if you snapped the thin tail of the drop off, it would shatter into dust.


I can confirm the tempered glass story as a flat glass worker.  The slightest knick at the edge and it disintegrates.  On occasion tempered glass breaks spontaneously due to stresses set up when the glass was heat treated. Seen it once or twice.


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## jpfabricator (Feb 26, 2017)

I opened my brand new 1/4" center cutting carbide endmill, chucked it up in the mill, and proceed to break it off with the rapid traverse on the power feed. Less than 5 minutes from bringing it through the door, to throwing it in the trash. WHOOO HOOOO! 

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk


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## brino (Feb 26, 2017)

jpfabricator said:


> Less than 5 minutes from bringing it through the door, to throwing it in the trash. WHOOO HOOOO!



You are not the only one of us that's been there......
-brino


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## dieselshadow (Feb 26, 2017)

I've always enjoyed the art of breaking a new tool or part.


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## wawoodman (Feb 26, 2017)

I'm in good company, then.


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## savarin (Apr 6, 2017)

Always ensure the chuck jaws are engaged in the spiral.
Very quickly I set up a half inch wide cut off of a large plastic pipe and used the three jaw to expand outwards on the inside of the pipe so I could true the face.
OK, nice and tight, start to cut and zoom, bang!
two of the jaws flew across the room, they had expanded enough to pop out the spiral but the plastic ring kept them in place so I hadnt noticed.
Luckily I was not in the line of flight.


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## JPigg55 (Apr 11, 2017)

*The cost of being lazy and not paying attention.*
I was machining a Tee shaped mounting bracket the other day for a small stepper motor.
As a final step, I was attempting to make a larger, shallower countersink hole to facilitate a small taper around the shaft bushing instead of a bigger through hole. I opted to use my mill since the piece was already set up there. Long story short, I went too deep and got into my vice jaws. Ouch !!!!
Luckily, it didn't do too much damage and I was able to smooth off the small boogered up area with a file. Lesson learned.


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## RandyWilson (Apr 11, 2017)

Learned this one last night. When installing hardware on new cabinets, and the new looking box of bits you found in the FiL's collection  just doesn't want to cut, might want to check the packaging and see if you inadvertently grabbed a box of left-handed bits...


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## David S (Apr 11, 2017)

First time ever for this hobbyist.  I was side milling a fairly small part held in the vice on two parallels.  I taped the part down onto the parallels while tightening the vise.  The part being milled was outside the vise jaws.  Long story short one parallel managed to slip forward and crash the end mill.  Parallel survived, milling cutter not so much.

I took a piece of shipping steel banding and bent it into a U to hold the parallels tight against the jaws and also made sure the part was seated firmly on both parallels.

David


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## darkzero (Apr 12, 2017)

brino said:


> There were some comments above about removing swarf.
> Here's a shot of the acid brush I use to remove swarf and apply cutting oil to the work area:
> View attachment 141751
> 
> ...



Sorry for quoting an older post, I was away during that time.

Funny! Reminds me of Randy Richard on YT. In one of his videos he shows it in action!

Pretty funny! I'll have to try that sometime!

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/milling-machine-aka-automatic-brush-roller.32385/


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## coolidge (Apr 16, 2017)

When running a CNC machine turns your feeds down to 10% on the first part when proofing a new program. This guy in our shop, running a lathe the size of a mini van with a 3 foot chuck and a 6 inch thick boring bar, chucked up a 30 inch cast iron brake drum, hit the green button and let her fly at 100% speed. It knocked the brake drum out of the chuck, it blew the door off the lathe and landed out on the shop floor BOOM. Our shop foreman ran down there and chewed that guy's ass for like 20 minutes. lol


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## Charles Spencer (Apr 16, 2017)

When doing an utterly simple calculation it pays to still think about it and double check.  I was making an arbor for a 7/8" plain mill cutter.  Near as I can recall the old brain figured something like this:

"hmm, 7/8"?  Let's see, 3/4"  = 0.750 so 7/8" = 0.875"

So I then proceeded to turn it down to 0.750".  A simple double check would have prevented it.

Fortunately it was only for 1/2" in length and I had left ample length on my cut off bar stock to fix it.


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## markba633csi (Apr 16, 2017)

Coolidge your foreman should have put that clown on the street BOOM


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## pineyfolks (Apr 24, 2017)

Speeds and feeds are always important no matter what the material you're turning.


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## westerner (May 21, 2017)

Teleportation-- After test driving the truck I just put a new ring and pinion gearset in, I bent down under the truck to feel how hot the diff housing was. As I crawled under , my left hand closed around the "remote start" feature on the keyfob! In only a handful of nanoseconds, I was on my feet, several yards away!


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## dlane (May 21, 2017)

Whoops, ain't no warning label on that thing, there every else


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## kvt (May 22, 2017)

Wait a min,   Isn't there supposed to be a safety in there some where so it will not do that.


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## brino (May 22, 2017)

kvt said:


> Wait a min, Isn't there supposed to be a safety in there some where so it will not do that.



The "safety" is usually a switch that detects if the hood is open. In this case I suspect he was checking under the vehicle with the hood closed.
....or it could be that the switch got stuck down (open)....like mine did!

-brino


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## westerner (May 22, 2017)

There are actually several safetys that must be satisfied before the vehicle will start- trans in park, doors and hood closed. They all worked fine! No safety available for a careless mechanic crawling around under the rig! Another teleportation I have achieved- I had stuffed myself under the dash of a Mack dump truck to repair some wiring. Not an easy fit. The floor of the cab is 5 feet off the ground, the seat and pedals and shifter take up ALOT of room. Repair finished, just gotta shrink the tube over the repair. When the heat melted a nylon air line with 120 psi in it, I was certain I had awakened a rattle snake VERY CLOSE BY. I was NOT very close by, the very next thing I knew! I have no recollection of the trip.


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## kvt (May 23, 2017)

Wait till the car tried to run over you.      they bring in a car from the school that had a fire under the hood.    Had to replace the wiring harness under dash, and hood,   Carb, distributor  and other things.   Last thing under the hood was to drop the distributor in,  So put the starter bump button on and got all set up,   Bumped the engine a little to get the distributor to set down,   Well,   had not put the steering column back in place yet,   When it dropped,  It started, in drive at about 1500 rpm,  I went up and over, the fender, the car planted about 2 foot into the wooden work bench and cabinets.   Boss was not happy.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jun 10, 2017)

Remember where to set the spindle speed gearbox settings, 2 weeks ago when turning the OD of a 9 1/4" SS round at 260 RPM's or 613 FPM, (a bit fast but it worked) I put the spindle out of gear to measure the first pass diameter, this machine has an electric spindle brake which will not allow you to rotate the chuck by hand when in gear. The diameter was well within the desired range, put it back in gear (the wrong one) and started the spindle and feed and it went to 750 RPM's and the tool fed about 1/16" into the work before I could hit the feed hold button.

This caused the expected results, many sparks were created and the insert edge was toasted, 1700 FPM at .012" feed per revolution will do that. 

Note to self, low range is to the left, high range is to the right on this machine.


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## mcostello (Jun 10, 2017)

Know a Guy that left a 400lb mold in a SMT still chocked up with a overhead crane. Crane did not get pulled down, the mold blew the door off on its way out. Many expensive parts and hours to fix that. Around 5-600 rpm. Pucker factor was off the scale on that one. No one hurt or fired.


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## bobl (Jun 11, 2017)

David S said:


> First time ever for this hobbyist.  I was side milling a fairly small part held in the vice on two parallels.  I taped the part down onto the parallels while tightening the vise.  The part being milled was outside the vise jaws.  Long story short one parallel managed to slip forward and crash the end mill.  Parallel survived, milling cutter not so much.
> 
> I took a piece of shipping steel banding and bent it into a U to hold the parallels tight against the jaws and also made sure the part was seated firmly on both parallels.
> 
> David



Springs are also good 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## Wreck™Wreck (Aug 23, 2017)

savarin said:


> Always ensure the chuck jaws are engaged in the spiral.
> Very quickly I set up a half inch wide cut off of a large plastic pipe and used the three jaw to expand outwards on the inside of the pipe so I could true the face.
> OK, nice and tight, start to cut and zoom, bang!
> two of the jaws flew across the room, they had expanded enough to pop out the spiral but the plastic ring kept them in place so I hadnt noticed.
> Luckily I was not in the line of flight.


I always spin the chuck by hand in a small lathe before running the spindle. unusual run out will tell you immediatley that something is wrong, keep this in mind.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Aug 24, 2017)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> I always spin the chuck by hand in a small lathe before running the spindle. unusual run out will tell you immediatley that something is wrong, keep this in mind.



Iguess that's one advantage of having done an apprenticeship. I was taught to always check that thejaws are well engaged. If my set up looks like being anywhere neer the limit of engagement I check where that limit is and see how much margin I have. If it looks a bit risky then I can reset the jaws on the next step, or use another set up plan.


----------



## mcostello (Aug 24, 2017)

Another tip is, If using a magnetic chuck, turn it on, then try to move the piece, a quick shake can save the day. The first grind job when I got My surface grinder was to sharpen a lathe groove tool. It was Stellite and found out it was non-magnetic. Glad I checked. Saved a pair of undies that day.


----------



## richl (Aug 24, 2017)

How about this one....
I really enjoy welding, I don't get to do it too much. Mig And stick machines in the shop, so there really is no reason not to. Getting up in age almost 60, eyes aren't so good anymore. The last year I've really had trouble welding, I could not see the puddle, and my welds were wandering anywhere but where I wanted them.

Well jump forward to monday, eclipse, welding helmets make decent glasses for them. I broke out a couple helmets... I noticed that there was protective film paper on the glass of one of the helmets... crap!!! Peaked off all film from all lens I replaced over a year ago!!! My welds just have substantially improved lol

Won't forget that one anytime soon

Rich


----------



## MonkMan (Oct 12, 2017)

How Not to move a CNC Lathe. Don't hire these guys!





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1439233499531090


----------



## Aukai (Oct 12, 2017)

MonkMan said:


> How Not to move a CNC Lathe. Don't hire these guys!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OOPS, what could go wrong....


----------



## Downunder Bob (Oct 12, 2017)

Aukai said:


> OOPS, what could go wrong....



Yes, what could go wrong, please don't tell me this happened in a civilised country.


----------



## Silverbullet (Oct 12, 2017)

SCRAP FOR SALE CALL 1-800- FORKLIFT TWINS


----------



## markba633csi (Oct 12, 2017)

LOL Love it
M
ps just let me get my HF autobody repair tools...


----------



## hman (Oct 13, 2017)

bobshobby said:


> Yes, what could go wrong, please don't tell me this happened in a civilised country.


I did notice some kind of Chinese ideographs on the lower forklift near the end of the video.


----------



## brino (Oct 28, 2017)

MonkMan said:


> How Not to move a CNC Lathe. Don't hire these guys!



If only they had a third, bigger fork-lift to lift the one on the ground........
-brino


----------



## savarin (Oct 28, 2017)

should have hired these guys


----------



## 4GSR (Oct 28, 2017)

brino said:


> If only they had a third, bigger fork-lift to lift the one on the ground........
> -brino


Brino, 

Somewhere on the internet is a picture of three fork lifts, one on top of each other, reaching about 30 feet in the air.  With a man cage on the upper forklift extended up.  The guy is in the cage using a cutting torch to cut a beam or angle, not really specific.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 28, 2017)

savarin said:


> should have hired these guys


Neither wearing seat belts.  What could possibly go wrong???


----------



## Downunder Bob (Dec 9, 2017)

george wilson said:


> Does that include getting remarried?



|Most definately


----------



## Wreck™Wreck (Dec 9, 2017)

Lathe crash.
Set up a 2 axis lathe this past Thursday for someone to run 2000 parts in 1" OD X 1/16" wall aluminum tubes, the lengths are centerless ground then saw cut to 8.100". The lathe work is face to 8" +- .020" in length an put a small deburr chamfer on each end and they are done.

Simple work, chuck part against stop, push start button and let run. When it stops unchuck and flip 180 Degrees and repeat, this all takes about 45 seconds of spindle time, he ran 300 or so on Thursday. and turns the machine off for the night. Friday morning he turns it on and runs the first part before I get there and check it, to no ones surprise but his it lost position whilst powered down and crashed right into the first part with the tool body.

Like so. It formed the end into a flange, it did not stop until the part spun in the chuck and overloaded the Z axis servo drive, the chuck jaw marks are clearly seen, these are mild steel soft jaws. Had about 1" to go before the tool ran into the 8" 3-Jaw chuck which would have been very ugly indeed.

It scared the pants off of him, he won't do it again.


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## middle.road (Dec 11, 2017)

Note to self, check lathe carriage for 'stink bugs', the brown variety that we have here in East TN in abundance. 
Was turning and threading some 1" aluminum tube to 7/8-32. (No relation to Wreck™Wreck's post above  )
On the second skim pass on the threading operation to verify it, the half-nut did not disengage and my reflexes 
were not quick enough to hit the BIG RED stop button.
There was a large nest of the bugs up in the carriage. So bad that their carcasses in the upper portion of the half-nut
assembly had prevented the slide from retracting and disengaging. 
At the end of the crash the face of the 3-jaws were jammed nice and tight against the AXA holder, the piece was
mangled and the bit was buried deep into the 1" portion of stock.
Thankfully, due to dumb luck or maybe an over worked guardian angel, the chuck didn't collide hard with the compound.
It did mess up the shaft on the quick-change gears, had to dis-assemble and de-burr.
The half-nut assembly still isn't right, so I guess I'll be doing a carriage tear down.
Also I'm now threading using the _inverted bit, threading away from the chuck,_ method.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 11, 2017)

Dan, that's new new one on me.  Lends new meaning to "get the bugs out".


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## dlane (Dec 11, 2017)

Did they stink when they crashed your lathe


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## middle.road (Dec 12, 2017)

dlane said:


> Did they stink when they crashed your lathe


Most definitely. But I ignored it. They are such a nuisance and camp out everywhere that one ceases to be amazed.
I fired up my bandsaw for the first time in over a year and they were falling out of the motor housing. *stench*
And those tarps you have stashed up on a shelf? They had better be double bagged in plastic bags else you have a boat load. 
I've had my fill of them that is for sure.


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## Scruffy (Dec 12, 2017)

I was splitting some kindling for my shop wood stove yesterday morning. Yep the old hatchet was very sharp, and no I didn’nt know the dog had followed me on to the shop.
Results.  One cold nose to my butt and one nasty cut to my left thumb.  Then the day just got worse.
Thanks ron


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## hman (Dec 12, 2017)

Guess ya shouldn'ta been out chopping wood with your nether regions exposed   Safety equipment should include pants.

Then again, there was the country granny who usedta chop wood by propping it up with her slippered feet.  Some busybody told her she oughta be using safety shoes.  She replied that she'd tried them once, but they dulled her axe.

OK, sorry to be off topic ... but I just couldn't resist.


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## dlane (Dec 12, 2017)

Get chickens, they like bugs, but then :


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## Wreck™Wreck (Dec 15, 2017)

This past Thursday a guy was drilling holes in 4" wide 1/4" thick stainless channels, the last op was drilling the holes in the leg sides. Holding them in 3 Kurt vices. They are nearly 100" long so he had the side door panels off so they would fit.

Long story short the first part made a 200 IPM rapid to the first position and hit the yellow roof post in the background and bent the part.
Do not try this at home. This Fadal is a stout machine.


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## KBeitz (Jul 22, 2018)

remote start ... Wont have one....

I came home one day and my neighbor was out plowing snow with his plow
truck. He had the hood open and was doing something. i ask if he needed
help. He said his truck ran low on tranny fluid and need to go to town to get
some. i said hop in I'll take you... when I got back I pulled my Jeep Wrangler 
up along side his truck. He dumped the fluid in and pushed his remote switch.
The truck was having a hard time starting. he said give it some gas. I reached
over to the carb and pulled back the throttle. The truck started and the carb 
stuck wide open,  The truck was in gear and was also in 4 wheel drive. With 
all 4 tires spinning it started to move and slide towards me. I had no place to 
go. I was between the jeep and his truck. I was getting rolled between the two.
I remember flattening out my mirror on my jeep. The only thing that saved me
was the trucks plow hooked on the end of my bumper and made the truck 
slide away from my jeep opening up a space so I could run. My friend had to 
jump over a large bank to get away from the truck. He climbed back up the 
bank and said there she goes... Yep... Wide open down the road. The truck 
climbed a steep bank and flipped over. No one was hurt...


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## jmhoying (Jul 22, 2018)

Apparently a poorly installed aftermarket remote starter, as any decent one would have to have the emergency brake engaged and it would have to be in neutral when shut off to start the vehicle the next time.  Door lock sequence comes into play also.    Lucky you weren't killed!




KBeitz said:


> remote start ... Wont have one....
> 
> I came home one day and my neighbor was out plowing snow with his plow
> truck. He had the hood open and was doing something. i ask if he needed
> ...


----------



## brino (Jul 22, 2018)

jmhoying said:


> Apparently a poorly installed aftermarket remote starter



Agreed. Even my el-cheapo unit had a lock-off switch when the hood was open.
Safety switches are required on these; I accidentally started the truck several times just having the remote in my pocket when I bent over.
-brino


----------



## MrFixIt (Jul 22, 2018)

Holy crap, glad you're okay, that was a close one! Too close!




KBeitz said:


> remote start ... Wont have one....
> 
> I came home one day and my neighbor was out plowing snow with his plow
> truck. He had the hood open and was doing something. i ask if he needed
> ...


----------



## SonofHarold - Metal Carver (Jul 25, 2018)

MrFixIt said:


>


Thinks like this = a little chlorine for the gene pool. no?


----------



## MrWhoopee (Aug 7, 2018)

While working for Fred, he bought a large horizontal/vertical mill. The mill (weighing 13k lbs) arrived on a flatbed semi trailer. The only forklift he could borrow was 10k capacity. As usual, I was the designated lift operator. With the addition of 3 or 4 human counterweights on the back and full back tilt, I was able to get the mill about 3 inches above the trailer and the truck driver pulled forward. I began to gently lower the mill to the ground. Mind you, the mast was tilted all the way back, so as I was lowering, the load was also moving forward. Fred then told one of the counterweights to jump off and get some timbers to put under the mill. Instantly the lift began to tip forward. I hit full down as fast as I could, to no avail. The mill slid off the forks, hitting the concrete with a thunderous crash. When the forklift rebounded, the forks flipped back over top, ending up vibrating on either side of me. No one was injured, but my knees would not support me for over half an hour.

Physics, it's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!


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## hman (Aug 7, 2018)

Durn!  You were very lucky that day.


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## JimDawson (Sep 3, 2018)

So today I scrapped a crankshaft for a little punch press I'm building for a customer 

The crank started out life as a chunk of 3 inch (another screw up, I intended to order 2 inch) 4340 pre-hard round bar (machines about like a grade 8 bolt)  A lot of chips before I got it turned down to size.  Quite a nice job also, the bearing journals finished to +/- 0.00005 (at least at the temperature in the shop  )

Only one small problem...... The throw on the crank is supposed to be 0.375, so offset in the 4 jaw 1/2 the throw or 0.1875 right? .....*WRONG*.    I don't know what I was thinking.    But the throw did come out at exactly 0.1875.

So about 6 hours and $75 in material into the scrap pile.  I have the new crank just about built, this time I'll make sure *the offset is 0.375*.  I have to get it right this time, it's the last of the material. 

Here is a rather expensive piece of scrap.  Ignore the numbers on the notepad, nothing to do with the crank.



Here's the press frame.  I'll post a build thread on this later.


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## Downunder Bob (Sep 3, 2018)

Nice looking project, reminds me of my toolmaking days, in the far distant past. I guess we all make mistakes like that from time to time, That part will find a use somewhere, you just have to remember where you put it when you want it.


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## Janderso (Sep 3, 2018)

Never stuff match heads into an empty CO2 cartridge.
I tried it 49 years ago.
Lost some fingers and The use of my sewn on pinky.
I still do love fireworks


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## savarin (Sep 3, 2018)

12 years old I built a man trap in the back yard.
A trip wire that sent a concrete block onto your head.
I walked through it to see if it would work.
It did.


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## RJSakowski (Sep 3, 2018)

savarin said:


> 12 years old I built a man trap in the back yard.
> A trip wire that sent a concrete block onto your head.
> I walked through it to see if it would work.
> It did.


Fortunately,you survived the experience.  I think most of us could admit to similar goofs when we were that age..  Myself, I've got the scars to prove it.


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## MikeWi (Sep 3, 2018)

Ok, I've got one about as bad as Savarin (don't think I told this yet, but I'm old).  I was in elementary school, I think about 6th grade, so what, about 11 years old? A friend of mine had an older brother that reloaded cartridges, and he knew where there was a coffee can full of "gunpowder".

Now, I have no idea what it was of course, it may have been nothing, smokeless powder, or black powder. The thing is that he snuck it out of the house, and four of us took it out into a big farm field and _stood around it trying to light it with matches_.

Read that again for effect. It was a windy day, and we eventually gave up. Granted it wasn't exactly a bomb in that form, but we still could have been seriously hurt. I cringe when ever I think about it.


----------



## savarin (Sep 3, 2018)

good parenting in those days, dad just said "That was bloody stupid wasnt it, bet you wont do that again"


----------



## Downunder Bob (Sep 4, 2018)

I could list at least a dozen poorly conceived ideas that us lads thought were ok at the time. For some inexplicable reason we all still have all our fingers and toes and no one lost their sight or any other serious injury.

One good idea at about age 12 or so was to get a supply of penny bangers or bungers (fire crackers ) The plan was to stand with a bucket of water at our feet and holding said penny bunger in outstretched naked hand light the fuse and hold it long enough, so that when dropped it would fall into water and explode showering us with water. The trick was to hold it long enough so that when dropped the burning fuse was far enough inside the banger that it was not extinguished by the water before it exploded, but not too long so that it exploded in your hand, we got pretty good at it without serious injury.


----------



## uncle harry (Sep 4, 2018)

savarin said:


> good parenting in those days, dad just said "That was bloody stupid wasnt it, bet you wont do that again"




That reminds me of my Dad's commentary when I made an oxyacetylene bomb (inadvertently).  he said "I'd rather tackle a wildcat then mess with that stuff!" I was age 12 and burning steel wool in oxygen repeating an experiment by Mr Wizard as seen on live TV.  Of course I wondered what adding a pinch of acetylene would look like.


----------



## macardoso (Sep 4, 2018)

Pressed an AC bearing into a bore deep down in a part, realized I was premature in pressing it in (still have to sand and paint), tried to tap it out from the back and separated the races (balls went flying everywhere). Now I have and AC bearing race stuck in my bore


----------



## Nogoingback (Sep 4, 2018)

MikeWi said:


> Ok, I've got one about as bad as Savarin (don't think I told this yet, but I'm old).  I was in elementary school, I think about 6th grade, so what, about 11 years old? A friend of mine had an older brother that reloaded cartridges, and he knew where there was a coffee can full of "gunpowder".
> 
> Now, I have no idea what it was of course, it may have been nothing, smokeless powder, or black powder. The thing is that he snuck it out of the house, and four of us took it out into a big farm field and _stood around it trying to light it with matches_.
> 
> Read that again for effect. It was a windy day, and we eventually gave up. Granted it wasn't exactly a bomb in that form, but we still could have been seriously hurt. I cringe when ever I think about it.




When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to "liberate" smokeless powder from his Dad's supplies and make bombs by making 
paper mache casings  and fuse material.  They worked great!  I wonder what the art teacher would have thought if she knew 
what use we had for the paper mache making skills she taught us.  

At least we had the sense to use long fuses.


----------



## mcostello (Sep 4, 2018)

Filled a baggie with gasoline and gave it an underhand toss into a lit coal furnace. Did not have to trim My eyebrows for a while, while parents wondered what filled the basement with smoke. Another friend took a pot shot at a plane with a hand gun and got found out and permantly lost His hunting license. He also tossed an unknown amount of smokeless gun powder into the house furnace and blew the door off. The stories could go on...........


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## savarin (Sep 5, 2018)

collected 500 penny bangers one guy faulkes night to liberate for the powder.
It was used in cannons and sort of guns.
My one was 6ft steel conduit, flattened at one end with a small hole to take the banger fuse, clamped to a large piece of wood and wrapped with as much duckt tape as we could.
Loaded with a large amount of powder, a box of cat slugs, about a dozen chunks of lead from piano keys and wadding.
I held it against my side aimed at some ducks out on the pit (lake) whilst my mate lit the fuse.
as I picked myself up of the ground from the recoil I just saw the water all around the ducks erupt into a huge mass of foam. No sign of the ducks afterwards.
Never had to guts to try another shot.


----------



## Vandal Machining (Sep 5, 2018)

Don't believe the wiring diagram on Chinese equipment outright.  Thought the motor was dead on my RF-30, turns out the diagram showed wiring as it should be if a temperature breaker was installed (the temperature breaker was not shown in the diagram).  Reviewed about 4 different RF based wiring diagrams and to find the problem.


----------



## kdupuis (Nov 14, 2018)

8 years old and my dad was working on an 8 foot ladder. I commenced to walk under said ladder to go outside. Just when I thought I was clear a 4 pound sledge hammer hit the top of my head. I remember waking in the hospital with a headache, 13 stitches and a bald spot on top of my head. Looked pretty bad at school two days later.


----------



## benmychree (Nov 14, 2018)

kdupuis said:


> 8 years old and my dad was working on an 8 foot ladder. I commenced to walk under said ladder to go outside. Just when I thought I was clear a 4 pound sledge hammer hit the top of my head. I remember waking in the hospital with a headache, 13 stitches and a bald spot on top of my head. Looked pretty bad at school two days later.


Always heard it was unlucky to do that, you proved it!  I heard it was good luck to toss a horseshoe over your shoulder, tried same, bad toss, came down on the top of my head; stiches, bald spot ----


----------



## MrWhoopee (Nov 14, 2018)

kdupuis said:


> 8 years old and my dad was working on an 8 foot ladder. I commenced to walk under said ladder to go outside. Just when I thought I was clear a 4 pound sledge hammer hit the top of my head. I remember waking in the hospital with a headache, 13 stitches and a bald spot on top of my head. Looked pretty bad at school two days later.



And we all thought that was just a superstition.


----------



## amsoilman (Nov 14, 2018)

Put a spool on my recurve bow to try shooting carp in the creek. First shot the arrow went out about 15’, line hung up and the arrow came back just as fast. Luckily it missed me.   My DW saw that and said I was an idiot.


----------



## eugene13 (Nov 14, 2018)

brino said:


> Yesterday I was wondering what was wrong with my drill operation, it just wasn't working right.......and then realized the bit was spinning backward!
> Some years ago I had installed a reverse switch on my drill press.....don't exactly remember why I needed it.
> Apparently I had managed to toggle the rocker switch when I moved the drill press around the shop last week.
> 
> -brino


I had a similar problem, with a left hand drill bit.


----------



## hman (Nov 14, 2018)

brino said:


> Yesterday I was wondering what was wrong with my drill operation, it just wasn't working right.......and then realized the bit was spinning backward!
> Some years ago I had installed a reverse switch on my drill press.....don't exactly remember why I needed it.
> Apparently I had managed to toggle the rocker switch when I moved the drill press around the shop last week.
> 
> -brino


I've installed reverse switches on both my mills, for use during threading.  But just to prevent embarrassment, I've added safety covers (ex Radio Shack.)  Here's the one on my mini-mill:


----------



## Dabbler (Nov 17, 2018)

It all started when I was 15.  I did stage magic, both for big events and for birthday parties (to pay for my hobby)  Now for years I had dabbled in chemistry, and I had quite the lab.  

(cue the ominous music)  I decided to make some very special flash powder.  I wanted it to make a noise as well as a bright light, but without containment,  After a few trials I *almost * had it perfect:  It ignited so swiftly that it made a 'whoosh' rather than the moderate burn that even uncontained pistol powder makes.

My huge error was trying to make it *bright. *Now I knew a lot about chemistry but not enough.  so I mixed some red phosphorus into the mix to give it better light output - well that part was right - and began mixing a 30 gram batch (about 2 ounces dry measure).  Little known fact:  when you dry out red phosphorus after it self hydrates (it takes moisture from the air to do that) it can, and usually does, self-ignite.

The result was a flame that reached the ceiling of our basement past my hand and face. It was, essentially a strong propellant.  The heat was so intense it cracked the pyrex mortar that it was contained in.  I got 3rd degree burns on my hand, first degree burns and unburnt phosphorus in one eye and the rest of my face, leaving me without eyebrows and temporarily blind.  I needed burn care for more than a week in hospital.

I gave up chemistry after that...


----------



## Aukai (Nov 17, 2018)

Holy S*!t Glad you recovered....


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Nov 17, 2018)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> I am game, made a few errors over the years.
> Do not leave the drawbar wrench on the drawbar and then turn the spindle on with a Bridgeport type mill. This I have done  in the past, I am short in stature however and no harm was done.
> 
> Turning the spindle on when it is holding an indicator is not recommended.
> The last few years I have been programming CNC lathes, rapid moves go from the current position to the start position in a hurry, I have managed to break 2 parting tools so far, I have no problem with parting operations I do seem to bugger the rapid moves however.


Wrench on the drawbar thing.........did that a few times. I am lucky so far the spanner always flew in another direction than my head and I am tall,my head is at the same hight as the spanner.


----------



## Nogoingback (Nov 17, 2018)

Dabbler said:


> It all started when I was 15.  I did stage magic, both for big events and for birthday parties (to pay for my hobby)  Now for years I had dabbled in chemistry, and I had quite the lab.
> 
> (cue the ominous music)  I decided to make some very special flash powder.  I wanted it to make a noise as well as a bright light, but without containment,  After a few trials I *almost * had it perfect:  It ignited so swiftly that it made a 'whoosh' rather than the moderate burn that even uncontained pistol powder makes.
> 
> ...




Kind of reminds me of the kid that brought a small vial of nitroglycerin to chemistry class one day.  His dad owned a demolition company
that used explosives to bring down buildings.  No harm done on that particular occasion, and best of all, the teacher never caught on.
He was a very smart guy, in a 15 year old sort of way, so I figured it was 50/50 on whether he would survive to adulthood.


----------



## mmcmdl (Apr 25, 2019)

A New York co-worker lost 2 fingers in a BP this past week . Wearing gloves , he was loading a part onto a rotary table with the spindle running which caught hold of the glove . He has been a master machinist for 28 years I was told . Corporate safety was here reviewing the accident with all mechanics and machinists this morning . Pics were provided too . 

Be careful out there .


----------



## astjp2 (Apr 25, 2019)

mmcmdl said:


> A New York co-worker lost 2 fingers in a BP this past week . Wearing gloves , he was loading a part onto a rotary table with the spindle running which caught hold of the glove . He has been a master machinist for 28 years I was told . Corporate safety was here reviewing the accident with all mechanics and machinists this morning . Pics were provided too .
> 
> Be careful out there .


The pics must not have been pleasant.  I had to watch videos of arc flash injuries, not a pleasant thing to see.  Arc Flash is a horrible way to die.  The fat from your body will burn like oil on fire...


----------



## benmychree (Apr 25, 2019)

The only machine that I can think of where one SHOULD wear gloves is a welding machine!  All others, at your peril.  Also loading a part with the spindle running?  Another NO, NO!


----------



## astjp2 (Apr 25, 2019)

My last job had you wear cut proof gloves when loading aluminum block, that **** is razor sharp and we had pallets and tombstones to load so no moving parts to get hung up on.


----------



## HarryJM (Apr 25, 2019)

While working as a mechanic at Hawkeye Honda in Davenport Iowa (sometime around 1977) one of the other motorcycle mechanics was grinding some metal off his magnesium chain sprocket cover and left a little pile of ground up magnesium behind at the grinder. So at little while letter another mechanic starts to grind a piece of steel and created a little explosion. Lucky no one was hurt.


----------



## Firstram (Apr 25, 2019)

mmcmdl said:


> A New York co-worker lost 2 fingers in a BP this past week . Wearing gloves , he was loading a part onto a rotary table with the spindle running which caught hold of the glove . He has been a master machinist for 28 years I was told . Corporate safety was here reviewing the accident with all mechanics and machinists this morning . Pics were provided too .
> 
> Be careful out there .




I have a co-worker that tried to brush the swarf off an annular cutter while it was running, he was wearing leather gloves. It ripped the 2 smallest fingers off his right hand along with the tendons that were attached to them. I've worked with him for over 30 years, unfortunately he's the kind of guy who won't listen us younger kids.


----------



## macardoso (Apr 26, 2019)

astjp2 said:


> The pics must not have been pleasant. I had to watch videos of arc flash injuries, not a pleasant thing to see. Arc Flash is a horrible way to die. The fat from your body will burn like oil on fire...



100% agree. That's some scary stuff. I hate wearing FR stuff in a hot building but it beats getting your face melted off.


----------



## bfd (Jul 10, 2019)

glovrs are not to be worn around rotating equipment bill


----------



## jbltwin1 (Aug 7, 2019)

Neither are ties!


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Aug 7, 2019)

jbltwin1 said:


> Neither are ties!


Sorry but who in his right mind would wear a tie near a lathe?


----------



## jbltwin1 (Aug 7, 2019)

I was just funning with you!   I actually remember looking at the one of the old  "how to run a lathe"  type documents from the 30's or so and the guy WAS wearing a tie while running a lathe.  Different world back then!  Mike.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Aug 7, 2019)

Veeeeeeery different. But I am sure there was common sense back then...............or maybe not. I am sure I am going to get some flack from that generation in a about a minute.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Aug 7, 2019)

What am I saying,guess most of them are not with us anymore


----------



## NortonDommi (Aug 8, 2019)

jbltwin1 said:


> I was just funning with you!   I actually remember looking at the one of the old  "how to run a lathe"  type documents from the 30's or so and the guy WAS wearing a tie while running a lathe.  Different world back then!  Mike.


  I think that is why tie-clips were invented.


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## jbltwin1 (Aug 8, 2019)

They showed one guy with his tie tucked into his button up shirt between the buttons!


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## Flyinfool (Aug 8, 2019)

The place I work at now, when I started it was required that the engineers wear a tie. It only took me a couple of days to figure out that the engineers were also required to go out on the shop floor to assist and/or answer questions as well as work on prototype machine builds and testing. Of course I immediately lost the tie, when called out on it, I explained the perils of a tie in a shop as well as the history of a tie. Now there is no one in the company that wears a tie.
What is really scary is that the engineering manager then mentioned that he once got his tie caught by the lead screw on a lathe, lucky for him he was a very big strong guy and the machine was running at a slow enough speed for him to react, he was able to plant both hands on the machine and was strong enough to hold back till the tie broke and did not have his face pulled into the machine.


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## ErichKeane (Aug 8, 2019)

I had three blunders last night... 

First, I went try to fix up a lathe backing plate (the threads on the L1 chuck weren't cut deep enough I think), got everything lined up and did a few cuts.  I must have cut too deep on one of my runs, because the cast iron of the backing plate just started flaking off.  Part ruined.

Second, I started trying to test out my ability to cut threads.  I thought the above happened because my gearbox was wrong or something, so I configured my lathe to cut what I thought was 8 TPI this time (instead of 6).  I cut about a half dozen test cuts, all ended up being about 6 TPI!  I pulled a bunch of covers off of gearboxes, and couldn't figure out what the heck had happened!  Only then did I look to the RIGHT of the '8' on the chart, and saw a '6 1/2'.  Turns out my lathe has TWO '6' TPI locations (see 'C' with end lever 2, left position, B with end lever 2, right position) and the one on 'C' looks a heck of a lot like an 8 

THEN, when testing out 12 TPI (minor screw up, I put the lever in 'A' instead of 'C', so was shocked to see 12 TPI result in 3 TPI), I forgot to take my chuck key out.  I was in back gears so it happened slowly, but the key hit the carriage apron and sheared the 9/16" key right across.  It was the least violent way I've seen something like this happen, but the 15HP lathe in backgears didn't even make a noise when tearing that key in half.  If it wasn't for the end of the key falling out of the chuck and hitting the chip pan, it likely wouldn't have made a noise.

I then opted to just call it a night


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## RJSakowski (Aug 8, 2019)

Sounds like a plan!


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## hman (Aug 8, 2019)

Flyinfool said:


> What is really scary is that the engineering manager then mentioned that he once got his tie caught by the lead screw on a lathe, lucky for him he was a very big strong guy and the machine was running at a slow enough speed for him to react, he was able to plant both hands on the machine and was strong enough to hold back till the tie broke and did not have his face pulled into the machine.


Scary indeed that he didn't learn anything from the experience!


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## savarin (Aug 8, 2019)

I like those old photos in popular mechanics where they are wearing long sleeved white coats, shirts and ties and smoking a pipe whilst doing something.


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## Nogoingback (Aug 8, 2019)

Well, today I did something for the first time. I started the lathe with a key in the Jacobs spindle chuck.  Naturally, I was in hurry and therefore Not Thinking.  I lucked out: my VFD ramps up speed slowly, so the key just fell out into the chip pan
as it rotated around.  No harm, no foul.


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## Downunder Bob (Aug 9, 2019)

Way back when I was an apprentice, most of the older tradesmen wore a tie, some wore a waistcoat and even a jacket in colder weather. For the first two years we had to wear navy blue boiler maker overalls. 

When we started 3rd year we were allowed to wear grey dust coats. same as some of the tradesman wore. Like a white lab coat but grey. They came in short sleeve for summer and long sleeve for winter but the sleeves had a button closure so they could be done up tight around the wrist for safety. These were normally worn over street clothes.


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## uncle harry (Aug 9, 2019)

savarin said:


> I like those old photos in popular mechanics where they are wearing long sleeved white coats, shirts and ties and smoking a pipe whilst doing something.



My Harrison M300 lathe operation manual has a picture of a machinist with a full length coat & a tie.  My 300 is early green so I assume that it's a late '70 model Brit made.


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## savarin (Sep 24, 2019)

Went to part of some stainless today.
WOW! the noise and screeching chatter, what the hell???
Checked the QCTP, no, thats all tight, all the gibbs are tight, saddle locked etc etc.
OK, just a quick look at the tool height but that should fine, I mean, I havnt changed the blade or anything.
WRONG, I replaced the plinth with the top slide to cut some tapers and the blade is now sitting 4mm lower.
Re set the height and it was back to nice long ribbons peeling off.
Phew! Glad I got that sorted.


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## westerner (Sep 24, 2019)

I love it when the basic, fundamental premises are revealed as "crucial".
It helps me to remember that just because I have been doing "fill in the blank" all my life, I still may not have covered ALL the basics THIS time.
Good stuff, and thanks! Kids, take note.....


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## grotto (Sep 25, 2019)

I was changing the bit in my mill and got called away. Came back and started the mill. Heard a clunk then a loud clicking. Realised I'd left the wrench on the draw bar after tightening it. 
Luckily I switched from using a ring spanned to tighten the drawbar awhile ago, and have been using a ratchet & socket. The force swung the ratchet until it hit the motor, but then just “ratcheted”. I'm not sure what would have happened if it had been a spanned, but reckon it wouldn't have been good.


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## markba633csi (Sep 25, 2019)

I did that once on a Bridgeport, and only once.  The wrench was REALLY hard to undo, and it leaves a mark on the motor.  Boss never saw it.


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## Silverbullet (Sep 28, 2019)

I watch a ton of YouTube videos, some of these so called machinist scare the crap out of me. Ragged long sleeves shirts , gloves work type not the rippable latex , beards and chinny braided up in rubber bands. Rings watches . Things my old shop teacher in vokie would have drug us around the shop by to prove how dangerous it is. I've tried politely to ask them to be more SAFTEY conscious. Then I see ones where a shirt got caught and ripped a guy up , another who died . Really  If your showing how to do something for others to do , it's your responsibility to be safe and tell them how powerfully machines are made.  Just a peeve of mine ,, please be safe it sucks to be hurt .


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## RJSakowski (Sep 28, 2019)

I don't believe that choosing to ignore safety precautions makes you a bad machinist.


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## Bob Korves (Sep 28, 2019)

RJSakowski said:


> I don't believe that choosing to ignore safety precautions makes you a bad machinist.


Elaborate, please, RJ...


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## RJSakowski (Sep 28, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> Elaborate, please, RJ...


Case in point, Keith Fenner has (had) a "chinny braided up in rubber bands" but clearly is an experienced and qualified machinist.  Tom Lipton has a beard and I regard him as an experienced machinist. 
If a machinist chooses to ignore recognized safety practices, that is their prerogative.   It may make them irresponsible but I wouldn't go so far as to call them "so called machinists".


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## Dabbler (Sep 28, 2019)

Risk management is something that is ill understood in both industrial and academic settings.  Formal risk management is not what most think it is.  (yes I am trained in Risk Management and have been paid to conduct many assessments in my career).

Of the very best machinists I've known, some wore rings and some didn't.  Some wore short sleeves like Pieczynski does, Some  wear long sleeves, like Lipton.  Fact is, some of the old school taboos just aren't relevant.  I truly believe that I will never attain the level of skill of a Pieczynski or a Lipton.  What I do or wear in my shop is MY business, as is yours.  Learn their techniques, but* learn to operate your machines safely*, according to your *own *lights.


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## Bob Korves (Sep 28, 2019)

RJSakowski said:


> Case in point, Keith Fenner has (had) a "chinny braided up in rubber bands" but clearly is an experienced and qualified machinist.  Tom Lipton has a beard and I regard him as an experienced machinist.
> If a machinist chooses to ignore recognized safety practices, that is their prerogative.   It may make them irresponsible but I wouldn't go so far as to call them "so called machinists".


Thanks for making it clear, RJ.  I agree with that outlook.  I also do understand employers demanding certain behaviors in the cause of liability as well as for caring enough for their employees to not want them to get hurt.


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## RJSakowski (Sep 28, 2019)

Bob Korves said:


> Thanks for making it clear, RJ.  I agree with that outlook.  I also do understand employers demanding certain behaviors in the cause of liability as well as for caring enough for their employees to not want them to get hurt.


Bob, I agree with that.  I totally understand employers required to provide safe work practices.  The last company that I worked for had required training in both shop and office environments.  As a manager, I had to have additional training
Edit:  this was posted before completed.  Here is the completed post.
As a manager, I had to have additional training in manufacturing, laboratory, and shop safety, including the responsibility for all my reports.


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## mmcmdl (Sep 28, 2019)

I have a nice 2" burn on my wrist from last night from not buttoning up my sleeve on my shirt . I was wearing hot gloves and flame resistant shirt as always but laid my arm over on a band heater . Of course , right where my skin was showing . You're talking about a wake up call at 2 in the morning !


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## Dabbler (Sep 28, 2019)

Keith Fenner update: He has a short beard  now...  No elastics!


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## westerner (Sep 29, 2019)

I have two "trainee/apprentice" types in my shop right now. The level of involvement it takes from
the "journeymen" is monumental. Keeping them safe is tough enough. Now try to TEACH them something!


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## Dabbler (Sep 30, 2019)

are you saying that having a journeyman or apprentice is a goof or a blunder?  I'm not sure....


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## Silverbullet (Sep 30, 2019)

Guess I stepped on some toes . Sorry if it bothers you , but I've been thru hell and if I see someone that may hurt  themselves or others it's my right to say please be careful in what your doing. My conscious is mine , it's others rights to ignore , but if and when they get hurt ill at least know I did my part to try n stop it. That's the reason so many companies are put out of business by lawyers . You know the old saying .


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## stioc (Sep 30, 2019)

I was 8 yrs old...people were lighting fireworks. I didn't have any so I found a dud on the street with no fuse. I lit a match and put it inside the tube within a nano second my ears were ringing, everyone's voices were in a distance and my face felt like it got sand blasted. I thought I'd lost my hearing and eyebrows for sure, I was lucky...especially because the gun powder could've easily damaged my eyes. 15 mins later I was back watching the fireworks. Never did tell the parents (fearing I'd get yelled at for being so stupid).


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## westerner (Sep 30, 2019)

Dabbler said:


> are you saying that having a journeyman or apprentice is a goof or a blunder? I'm not sure....


Yes, I may have gotten a bit off topic. That said, if an organization decides it wants to "grow their own", and enters into an apprenticeship program with little knowledge of the procedure, it may very well be a "goof" or a "blunder". It sure seems so from the "veterans" point of view.


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## Firstgear (Nov 3, 2019)

In my career I was responsible for engineering and manufacturing, this was a $250M division as part of a $2B company.  It was and still is extremely difficult to find qualified machinists.  Sure you can find people to load and unload, push a button, but finding people that can do the setup and understand machining constraints is extremely difficult.  Those people just don't exist.  So while there may be issues with their program, I get why they are doing it...,you have to grow your own.


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## mmcmdl (Nov 3, 2019)

Firstgear said:


> Sure you can find people to load and unload, push a button, but finding people that can do the setup and understand machining constraints is extremely difficult. Those people just don't exist.



They don't exist because the position doesn't pay squat . These young , just outta college mechanical/manufacturing engineers command 100K + just walking in the door . They couldn't tell you a lathe from a radial drill press . This started back in the mid-nineties and has gotten worse every year . Even if machinist or tool and die apprenticeships were around these days , who in the world would go thru the 4 or 5 years of crappy pay to get into the trade . I just hit 60 and have 2 years to go . The youngest journeyman I know is 56 and he hasn't touched a machine in 25 years . He's actually the plant manager at one of our plants . The next 6 years should be interesting for sure in the manufacturing sector , and like I've said in the past , the hobby machinist's of today most likely will be the future of machining .

Oooops , forgot one thing . These new people coming in can make some very perty charts . If we could sell THEM , we would be in a healthy business environment .

And if I could buy one of these persons for *WHAT* they're worth , and sell them for *WHAT THEY THINK THEY'RE WORTH* , I could retire today . 

End of rant .  ( I'm bored and I'm stuck here for 13 1/2 hours tonight )


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## Downunder Bob (Nov 3, 2019)

Tradesmen and the training of them is an old story. I commenced my apprenticeship in 1961. 5 1/2 years later I was qualified fitter & turner/toolmaker.

I enjoyed the work,It was very satisfying and apparently I was good at it. The pay was the problem The lowest payed of all trades in spite of being the most precise and demanding of all trades. They got away with low wages precisely because men enjoyed the work. It is interesting how people will put up with low pay in a job they enjoy, whereas boring jobs often pay better.

The end result was in  a few years I went to sea and began training as  a marine engineer, A career that I also enjoyed, and it payed much better, so win, win.


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## Superburban (Nov 3, 2019)

Who is anyone to tell another (yes, even ones making a video), what is safe? I could show you a hundred, maybe even a thousand videos of people doing all kinds of stunts with skateboards, bicycles, motorcycles, wheelchairs, cars, excavating equipment, and so on, that we could easily call reckless, but they have mastered their sport, or what ever you want to call it, and do not get hurt. Yes, pointing out safety issues is a good thing, but we are all humans, and are responsible for our selves. I never went to a joey chitwood stunt show, expecting to learn how to drive a car on two wheels, nor would I watch a machinist video, and think its ok to wear long sleeves, because the guy on the video did. I dare anyone here, to go to Pakistan, and tell them the right way of doing anything. Watch any of their youtube videos, and you will see they have mastered doing things completely wrong, and staying alive.


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## Superburban (Nov 3, 2019)

Downunder Bob said:


> I enjoyed the work,It was very satisfying and apparently I was good at it. The pay was the problem The lowest payed of all trades in spite of being the most precise and demanding of all trades. They got away with low wages precisely because men enjoyed the work. It is interesting how people will put up with low pay in a job they enjoy, whereas boring jobs often pay better.
> 
> The end result was in  a few years I went to sea and began training as  a marine engineer, A career that I also enjoyed, and it payed much better, so win, win.


Many years ago, I had a friend that said you can classify all jobs into 4 categories.

* A job you love, and pays well.
* A job you love, and does not pay good.
*A job you hate, and pays good.
*A job you hate, and does not pay well.

The goal is the top one, but either of the middle two, are generally accepted, The last one is where you need to seriously look at moving on.


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## hman (Nov 4, 2019)

I guess I was (very fortunately) in category 1 back when I worked for Hewlett-Packard as a manufacturing engineer.  Great working conditions, great people, almost never did the same thing two days in a row, got to play with a bunch of really neat toys ... and the fools actually paid me to show up!


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## WarrenP (Nov 5, 2019)

Superburban said:


> Who is anyone to tell another (yes, even ones making a video), what is safe? I could show you a hundred, maybe even a thousand videos of people doing all kinds of stunts with skateboards, bicycles, motorcycles, wheelchairs, cars, excavating equipment, and so on, that we could easily call reckless, but they have mastered their sport, or what ever you want to call it, and do not get hurt. Yes, pointing out safety issues is a good thing, but we are all humans, and are responsible for our selves. I never went to a joey chitwood stunt show, expecting to learn how to drive a car on two wheels, nor would I watch a machinist video, and think its ok to wear long sleeves, because the guy on the video did. I dare anyone here, to go to Pakistan, and tell them the right way of doing anything. Watch any of their youtube videos, and you will see they have mastered doing things completely wrong, and staying alive.



Hate to tell you this but, those people "mastering" those stunts have gotton hurt and still do from time to time. Also,if people anywhere are doing things"completely wrong" I can gaurantee there has been alot of them that did get hurt in the process and if someone is still alive they are pretty much lucky. Just because they didnt find an actual safe way doesnt make them right. Lots of people use gloves on a lathe too and havent gotton hurt but that doesnt mean its good or smart to do it. There will more than likely will be a time when they will have problem. If you see someone doing something unsafe they should be warned, if they dont want to to listen, its on them then if something happens.


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## RJSakowski (Nov 5, 2019)

hman said:


> I guess I was (very fortunately) in category 1 back when I worked for Hewlett-Packard as a manufacturing engineer.  Great working conditions, great people, almost never did the same thing two days in a row, got to play with a bunch of really neat toys ... and the fools actually paid me to show up!


My last position before retiring was as an engineering manager working for Agilent (formerly HP).  Ditto on the working conditions plus I was essentially working unsupervised and great pay/benefit package.

There are two ways to know you have a great job.   You look forward to going to work each day and someone has to remind you that its well past lunch time or that its time to go home.


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## pontiac428 (Apr 29, 2020)

I need to add my piece to this thread for today.  So, I was using my Bosch cordless drill to cut through a 2x6 framing member at eye level using a 1-1/2" Lenox hole saw, like I have done many times before.  I knew I had lit a bit of nail, so I checked the hole and decided to keep drilling.  The saw had no problem with the nail as expected, but it heated up the match head sized nail piece quite a bit, which jumped right under my glasses and into the corner of my eye.  The worst part was listening to it sizzle the whole time I was grounding tools, shaking off gloves, and preparing to stick a finger in my eye to get that burning thing out!  It's been a couple hours, and I think I am going to be fine, er, lucky.  So have a careful day, everybody!


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## epanzella (Apr 29, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> I need to add my piece to this thread for today.  So, I was using my Bosch cordless drill to cut through a 2x6 framing member at eye level using a 1-1/2" Lenox hole saw, like I have done many times before.  I knew I had lit a bit of nail, so I checked the hole and decided to keep drilling.  The saw had no problem with the nail as expected, but it heated up the match head sized nail piece quite a bit, which jumped right under my glasses and into the corner of my eye.  The worst part was listening to it sizzle the whole time I was grounding tools, shaking off gloves, and preparing to stick a finger in my eye to get that burning thing out!  It's been a couple hours, and I think I am going to be fine, er, lucky.  So have a careful day, everybody!


Like a slug of molten steel in your boot, a few seconds can be an eternity!


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## Janderso (Apr 29, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> I need to add my piece to this thread for today.  So, I was using my Bosch cordless drill to cut through a 2x6 framing member at eye level using a 1-1/2" Lenox hole saw, like I have done many times before.  I knew I had lit a bit of nail, so I checked the hole and decided to keep drilling.  The saw had no problem with the nail as expected, but it heated up the match head sized nail piece quite a bit, which jumped right under my glasses and into the corner of my eye.  The worst part was listening to it sizzle the whole time I was grounding tools, shaking off gloves, and preparing to stick a finger in my eye to get that burning thing out!  It's been a couple hours, and I think I am going to be fine, er, lucky.  So have a careful day, everybody!


OUCH!
That could have been much worse.


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## Aukai (Apr 29, 2020)

Flat on my back welding under the car, big ol red cherry rolled down my welding jacket. It found the gap at the bottom of the jacket, and burned a track down to my belt. In significant discomfort, I lifted my belt not thinking of the consequences, there were significant consequences as it continued to roll down hill....


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## RJSakowski (Apr 29, 2020)

Aukai said:


> Flat on my back welding under the car, big ol red cherry rolled down my welding jacket. It found the gap at the bottom of the jacket, and burned a track down to my belt. In significant discomfort, I lifted my belt not thinking of the consequences, there were significant consequences as it continued to roll down hill....


Double ouch!  I thought it was bad when one of those dropped into my boot.  I still have the scar on the top of my foot.  That was the last day that I ever tucked my jeans into my boots.


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## westerner (Apr 29, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> I was using my Bosch cordless drill to cut through a 2x6 framing member at eye level using a 1-1/2" Lenox hole saw


Hand held hole saws have put many of us out for a day or two. 

That said, we all have a job to do, and as stated above, we have all got it done unscathed many times before. 
Speaking strictly for myself, I have definitely seen how I cannot hold onto things like I used to. 

My approach to MANY jobs have changed in the last 3 or 4 years........


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## Silverbullet (May 2, 2020)

Scars or trophy marks most anyone who welds. Stick welds use to just jump out and burn thru the boot top above the steel toes of course. And i have numb spots which ive really cooked on hot metal. Lift arm yupp stuck n smoking skin n meat. Even with protective gear i still get it.


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## Bi11Hudson (May 2, 2020)

Having worked a large portion of my adult life around molten steel and ductile iron, I am only mildly sympathetic to welding burns. There is(was) a steel toed work shoe(boot) that has elastic(?) instead of laces called a "foundry shoe". So it can be kicked off easily if "buckshot iron" gets into it. 

I have been fortunate in that the worst I got burned was when a ladle blew up from a "Green" stir beam. They are called "green" because the moisture hasn't been cooked out of the refractory. I got buckshot between my electricians belt and my trousers. It didn't get into my skin until I bent over to grab my boss laying on the ground. When I straightened up, the iron had settled down and burned through my trousers. We all got a good laugh because I was more worried about my mustache than the burns on my side.

The parts man was working as a millwright along the hot metal runway when a ladle was dropped and fell over. He was still running out in the compound on his leg bones when someone managed to stop him for medical. His feet were gone, literally. When he came out of the hospital with new feet, prosthetics, he was allowed to return to work in a less stressful position, managing the parts room. Fortunately, I was never burned that bad. The iron used in a pipe shop is "around" 2900*F.

*NEVER* tuck anything in that isn't covered. Welder's "gauntlet" gloves are as bad as trousers tucked into boots. Or worse~~~ A welder's jacket that isn't easy to get out of is worse than no shirt. These days, I weld barehanded most times. The burns are nothing compared to when the iron pellets get inside a glove. Admitedly, if I had to weld a bead longer than a couple of inches, I would wear gloves and a jacket.  But maintenance welding is "fix it now" or the mill goes down. Tacking up a box is about the limit.

Sorry, I got wound up telling sea stories and forgot it was a message board. The foundry was closed shortly after OSHA and the EPA came along. It was cheaper than bringing it up to minimum specs. Just my memories left, and those are dimming.

.


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## Braeden P (Sep 3, 2020)

samthedog said:


> When you adjust the tool post angle, ensure the post is tightened enough to avoid it turning on you while you machine. I have ruined a few parts having the post turn on me
> Don't machine with long sleeves, even in cold weather. It's better to wear a vest than to get your arm ripped off
> Place a piece of wood or a nylon cutting board on the drill press table then your job on top. When you see different colored swarf it's time to stop. I have seen some unsightly holes drilled into the table that could have been avoided
> Never forgo safety for convenience. I caught some fiberglass in the eye from an angle grinder disk that nearly drove me crazy before it could be surgically removed
> ...


I have a ton of capacitors and camera caps are the worst discharged and my ears were ringing for a few minutes.


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## Braeden P (Sep 3, 2020)

Reeltor said:


> I once knew a guy who thought it was great fun to toss a fully charged capacitor to "the new guy" to catch.
> I never saw the retribution but I always assumed that at least one person had a meeting with this yahoo after work and off company property.
> 
> Looking back as some of the practical jokes that we played; none seem funny.


I do that to kids my age who are being entitled brats when I tell them something and they don't listen charge it up that it hurts but can’t harm I also put the thing in long lighters that spark in a pen give you a good scare


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## Braeden P (Sep 3, 2020)

jmhoying said:


> Another tablesaw story. Back in 1987, I was ripping a 20" long board on the tablesaw and the board started to pinch the blade and was hopping a bit.  I reached past the blade to hold the end down that had already been cut.  At that moment, the wood caught the blade and shot out backwards, and pulled my hand with it.  Completely split my thumb long ways and mangled my index finger.  They ended up saving my thumb, but there isn't a joint in it, and I lost half of my index finder.  It's been 29 years and I can still hear the sound of that board catching on the blade.  I'm a cabinetmaker and still work with a tablesaw every day.  I had respect for it before my accident, but I have a lot more now.
> Jack
> Fort Loramie, Ohio


Me and my brothers and friends where using my friends dads 1960s table saw ripping 9’ lumber 16” wide 1” thick one person pushing on the back two on the sides pushing at the fence two on the other end pulling it and no riving knife all 10 to 14 was pretty scary bu know one got hurt.


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## PHPaul (Sep 21, 2020)

Today's Startling Discovery of the Obvious:  A 2x72 belt grinder with poly rollers will develop a LOT of static electricity when you're "free grinding" a piece on the slack portion of the belt.


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## pontiac428 (Sep 21, 2020)

Ooh, you made yourself one of those Van de Graaf belt sanders.  Careful, you can pop a cow like a piece of popcorn with that.


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## brino (Sep 21, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> Careful, you can pop a cow like a piece of popcorn with that.



mmmmmmmmm.....popped cow........


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## Aukai (Sep 21, 2020)

That's why I only have a 48"


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## NC Rick (Sep 21, 2020)

Storing the qctp holder  on the top of the gear box and changing tools with the spindle running works OK with the 5c collets but I found I wasn't as adept as I thought when turning a large diameter part in the 3 jaw.  The stick out of the jaws caught the tool holder as I carried it across to the tool post grasping it by the threaded adjuster.  Some thread marks in blood in my fingers and a small chunk out of my side where the tool holder sped by.  It only grazed me (as the cowboy show stars say)...


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## silence dogood (Sep 21, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> Ooh, you made yourself one of those Van de Graaf belt sanders.  Careful, you can pop a cow like a piece of popcorn with that.


When I was 13years old, I made a Tesla coil.


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## Braeden P (Sep 24, 2020)

silence dogood said:


> When I was 13years old, I made a Tesla coil.


I made one when I was 11 I poped all of the transistors the whole house stunk for weeks haven’t been allowed to do any of my projects inside every since.


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## ErichKeane (Sep 24, 2020)

Braeden P said:


> I made one when I was 11 I pooped all of the transistors the whole house stunk for weeks haven’t been allowed to do any of my projects inside every since.


You pooped them?!  Of course it was stinky!  Next time flush


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## Braeden P (Sep 24, 2020)

Dumb auto correct.


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## Peyton Price 17 (Oct 30, 2020)

i was at my friends house making my bike tires tubeless. My older brother was messing with his drill. Then he put a a 3/16 inch and 6 inch long allen key or hex wrench in it. he turned it on and rammed it into my tee shirt. It wound up and felt like being shot by a red Ryder for 6 inches along my arm. i have a giant scar. i was also using a wood lathe. he stomped on a broom thinking it would be funny. luckily i was a beginner and i had the tool post far away. it hit me in the head and i could feel my shirt drag on the wood and my fingers got stuck in between the wood and tool post. i shut it of and yelled at him. My dad came out and yelled at him. i started turning again and he did the same thing. Lesson learned, i will run out of the garage when he comes out.


----------



## Nogoingback (Oct 30, 2020)

When my older brother got after me like that, I ALWAYS payed him back later when he least expected it, and I always did more damage.


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Nov 6, 2020)

Nogoingback said:


> When my older brother got after me like that, I ALWAYS payed him back later when he least expected it, and I always did more damage.


i had him scraping a piece of aluminium and said it looked so much better than the cast iron i was doing. i turned it over and he put a gouge along the entire thing. he the farted so we hit hammers on metal and he ran and did not come back out.


----------



## savarin (Nov 29, 2020)

I was given 4 ALUMINIUM wheels to use for casting but they still had the tyres on them.
I didnt want to pay the tyre shop to remove them so I thought as I have to cut the rims then using the angle grinder to cut the beading would be the way to go.
It worked very well BUT I learnt very quickly to only make short periods and allow the smoke to dissipate before continuing.
One long period obviously built up the rubber smoke inside the tyre then when I hit the steel bead the sparks ignighted the resulting flammable mixture and BOOM.
Luckily no pain but I did jump a tad.


----------



## benmychree (Nov 29, 2020)

My spell check rejects TYRE as well ----- Blame Noah Webster!


----------



## savarin (Nov 30, 2020)

If I wanted to be scrupulously honest I would say Webster had the right idea.
But I wont.


----------



## benmychree (Nov 30, 2020)

savarin said:


> If I wanted to be scrupulously honest I would say Webster had the right idea.
> But I wont.


If I was on the other side of the pond or in Canada, I'd probably feel the same way!


----------



## Braeden P (Dec 4, 2020)

olcopper said:


> Don't ever p*** on an electric fence, no matter how many beers you've had and who dares you.
> Never ever leave the chuck wrench in the chuck before turning it on
> kill all the power to a machine before replacing collets. A Mr. Sajo taught me that one!
> Insure you tighten the clamp bolts on a round column mill-drill--took me two 1/2" carbide end mills back to back to learn that one
> ...


my cousin p***** on the electric fence he was yelling it was so funny will never try that one.


----------



## pontiac428 (Dec 4, 2020)

In high school, my friend's dad was shingling the roof on his barn when nature called.  He walked to the edge and laid a yellow rope over the eve.  Next he knew, he was in a state of confusion, laying on the ground looking at the sky with his bird in his hand.  That was good for some laughs.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Dec 5, 2020)

I don't think that I've ever had the urge to pee on an electric fence, but some years ago I had just acquired a Honda XLS 250 trail bike. I were new to motorcycle riding and not very good at it.
I took it down to my brothers farm and started riding around the paddocks for experience. After a while I was feeling fairly confident. So I thought I'd ride around the perimeter and see how far it was. 

About half way around my front wheel hit a stump hidden in the long grass.This threw the bike sideways and i ended up side on into the fence, an electric fence. I think it zapped me 3 times before I managed to get myself off the fence. I imagine it's a bit like being tasered. after that I kept my distance from all electric fences.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Dec 5, 2020)

As long as you don't blame the bike....


----------



## savarin (Dec 5, 2020)

In primary school our favourite trick was placing pennies on the railway lines to see how flat they would get.
One morning we were all called into assembly for a telling off.
One of the kids (I didnt know him) had peed on the live rail of train line and it killed him.
We were all severely told off and warned against playing on the railway tracks.


----------



## epanzella (Dec 5, 2020)

Where I grew up in the Bronx one of our favorite pastimes was putting various things on the tracks to see what a train would do to them. Passing thru our neighborhood was four sets of tracks. Every once in a while one of our neigborhood kids would get killed by a train and I always wondered how anyone could let such a noisy thing like a train sneak up on them. Then one day a few of us were on the tracks watching a train go by and I happened to look behind me and there was ANOTHER train going the the other way, it's sound completely masked by the first train. Mystery solved and lesson learned.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Dec 5, 2020)

Yes putting things on rail tracks. When I was a young kid in primary school and later into high school. We didn't have a train line near us but we did have a tram line. flattening pennies, and other objects was the fun thing to do on the way home from school. On one particular day we were joined by a kid from another school that was known to be quite rough.

This rough kid really showed us up by putting a .22 bullet on the track which went of with a nice bang. satisfied with the result he then produced what I think was a 303 bullet, and put on the line for the next tram, they were about ten minutes apart. This went off with a very loud bank and the driver bought the tram to a screeching stop He and the conductor got out and chased us off, yelling at us all.

The next day there was an item in the daily news paper which mum and dad discussed at the dinner table, lecturing me and my younger brothers that we stay well clear of these ruffians., Little did they know I wa sthere, but I was too scared to admit it.


----------



## savarin (Dec 5, 2020)

We used to get 22 shells from the fair ground.
Buy a double set and shoot fast with a double eject for your mate to catch.
Usually got away with it.


----------



## Downunder Bob (Dec 7, 2020)

WE didn't have to resort to that, back then just about every household in Australia had at least one gun, usually a 22 and quite often a 303, and various others. You could buy guns anywhere. I remember as a young lad at that time my local barber shop sold guns and ammo. Even petrol stations sold ammo.


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## sycle1 (Dec 7, 2020)

Ahh Bob those were the days. 
I spent part of my youth in Darwin and it was pretty much the wild west back then.


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## srfallsallot (Dec 10, 2020)

Just put a hole in my perfect mill vise. Bone head move.


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## mmcmdl (Dec 10, 2020)

srfallsallot said:


> Just put a hole in my perfect mill vise. Bone head move.



Consider it a witness mark or a lightening hole .  It gives the vise character .


----------



## Braeden P (Dec 10, 2020)

srfallsallot said:


> Just put a hole in my perfect mill vise. Bone head move.


Blame it on the saber tooth dust rabbits


----------



## pontiac428 (Dec 10, 2020)

Use your stamp set to put "710" next to the hole.  No one will judge you if they think it's an oil point.


----------



## brino (Dec 10, 2020)

Speed holes!











-brino


----------



## Arielht500 (Dec 11, 2020)

Always park a fork truck with forks flat on the floor. They certainly hurt if you walk into them


----------



## RJSakowski (Dec 11, 2020)

Arielht500 said:


> Always park a fork truck with forks flat on the floor. They certainly hurt if you walk into them


Not as much as running to the point of an anvil though.


----------



## sycle1 (Dec 14, 2020)

Was working on an earth moving scraper and had to hoist the part into the air to get to where I needed it to weld it.
Had no shafting long enough, so used a crow bar as the bar for connecting it to the gantry crane chains.
Went out side into the sunlight to get a sheet of plate from the steel rack and when I walked back in I was blind from the sun, I walked right into the pointy end of the bar at head height, imbeded the point of that crow bar right into my forehead.
I learnt a lesson that day.


----------



## Manual Mac (Dec 14, 2020)

Finally finished my PM#3 engine, figured i’d run it in a little bit with my cordless drill to break it in.
Holding on to the base, my thumb was right under the crank throw.....
You guessed it. Got my attention immediately.


----------



## RJSakowski (Dec 14, 2020)

There's nothing quite as disturbing as hearing the crunch of steel hitting your own skull.


----------



## sycle1 (Dec 15, 2020)

Or the pain when the doc sticks the needle into your skull to dull the pain and you feel every stitch and every tug on the thread.


----------



## pontiac428 (Dec 15, 2020)

Wait, you mean they can numb you for stitches?  D'oh!


----------



## RJSakowski (Dec 15, 2020)

Some years ago, I was installing a stainless steel liner in my 100 y.o. chimney.  The house is basically a square with a truncated pyramid for a roof and a hatch to access the roof.  A friend had some fairly heavy stainless steel sheet that had been rolled into 4 ft. cylinders.  I rolled up the sheet to make 8" by 4 ft fully welded sections and flared one end so I could stack them.  

The plan was to assemble the stack from the roof top bye stacking the sections, welding the joint and lowering the assembly down the chimney, one section at a time.  To accomplish this, I hauled my MIG welder up to the roof and made a rig with two cables with clips running down the outside of the assembly with a boat winch for lowering.  All was going well as I welded and lowered eight sections.  

The last bit though got hung up, the chimney not being perfectly straight,  In an effort to jar it loose, I released the tension on the cables so the column could drop the last few inches a pounded on column ,  Drop it did, trapping my thumb  between  the column and the winch in the process.  From the intense pain I was expecting that my thumb was history.  However I was duly trapped.  A friend was down two floors in my living room watching a Saturday football game but despite yelling at the top of my lungs down the stainless shaft, I couldn't get his attention.

I stared down at my thumb, fully expecting it to be damaged beyond repair and onot wanting to end up a skeleton on a rooftop, decided to pull it free.  I could just reach a pair of vise grips which I used to pry the two pieces of metal apart and I gritted my teeth and pulled my thumb to freedom.  

Climbing down to ground level, I took a close look and discovered to my relief that the damage wasn't nearly as bad as I first thought.  I had a cut on the pad of my thumb and lost some skin but no broken bone.  A quick bandage and back to work.  After all, Ihad a welder on the roof that had to come down.


----------



## hman (Dec 15, 2020)

Durn!!! Mighty glad to hear it was no worse.  But take care of yourself!!!  I've tried to always have my (charged) cell phone with me when in an odd or remote location.


----------



## Jim F (Dec 19, 2020)

When you are moving a 30"x30" by 60" refrigerator, and going through a 30.5" opening, don't have a wet floor, else you have a fridge on top of your laid flat body............
BTW, it was 1/2 full of Vet, as in animal doctor, meds......


----------



## Jubil (Dec 19, 2020)

Jim F said:


> When you are moving a 30"x30" by 60" refrigerator, and going through a 30.5" opening, don't have a wet floor, else you have a fridge on top of your laid flat body............



You come out ok?
Chuck


----------



## Jim F (Dec 19, 2020)

Jubil said:


> You come out ok?
> Chuck


yea, gonna be sore tomorrow......


----------



## Jubil (Dec 19, 2020)

Jim F said:


> yea, gonna be sore tomorrow......



Glad to hear that. 
Chuck


----------



## rwm (Jan 9, 2021)

A good rule of thumb is never make the ID greater than the OD...



Duh.
Robert


----------



## Braeden P (Jan 9, 2021)

rwm said:


> A good rule of thumb is never make the ID greater than the OD...
> 
> View attachment 350449
> 
> ...


That must hurt


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Jan 9, 2021)

It happens easier than you think.


----------



## Firstgear (Jan 9, 2021)

Good one!  I am sure everything looked good on paper!  I recall an incident where one of the engineers wouldn’t hear that his design was bad and the machine shop supervisor was tired arguing with him, so he made it just like the print...and as you experience, he took 2 pieces to the engineer!


----------



## Bi11Hudson (Jan 9, 2021)

rwm said:


> A good rule of thumb is never make the ID greater than the OD...


Oops
.


----------



## MrWhoopee (Jan 9, 2021)

rwm said:


> A good rule of thumb is never make the ID greater than the OD...



Handy if the saw isn't working or you don't want to re-chuck to part it off.

I recall reading somewhere (possibly about the TARDIS), that there is no physical law requiring that the inside be smaller than the outside.


----------



## rwm (Jan 9, 2021)

Notice how it's gripped. When it parted off it banged around inside the jaws to make sure it was really beat up....
Robert


----------



## hman (Jan 9, 2021)

Firstgear said:


> Good one!  I am sure everything looked good on paper!  I recall an incident where one of the engineers wouldn’t hear that his design was bad and the machine shop supervisor was tired arguing with him, so he made it just like the print...and as you experience, he took 2 pieces to the engineer!


Federal Standard MTPLTDD41  (Make The Part Like The Durn Drawing, For Once) rides again!


----------



## kb58 (Jan 13, 2021)

How many have added a power knee drive to their mill and forgotten to remove the handle when engaging it and knocking yourself good in the nuts? Nope, me neither...


----------



## Braeden P (Jan 14, 2021)

kb58 said:


> How many have added a power knee drive to their mill and forgotten to remove the handle when engaging it and knocking yourself good in the nuts? Nope, me neither...


some mistakes are only made once


----------



## Braeden P (Jan 14, 2021)




----------



## Suzuki4evr (Jan 14, 2021)

Braeden P said:


> some mistakes are only made once


I won't bet on that assumption though.


----------



## mcostello (Jan 14, 2021)

He said in His now high pitched, squeeky voice.


----------



## hman (Jan 14, 2021)

I recall an old Bill Cosby routine about teeter-totters ... said that a whole lot of little guys lost their chance for a deep voice  because of that evil device


----------



## kb58 (Jan 15, 2021)

MrWhoopee said:


> While working for Fred, he bought a large horizontal/vertical mill. The mill (weighing 13k lbs) arrived on a flatbed semi trailer. The only forklift he could borrow was 10k capacity. As usual, I was the designated lift operator. With the addition of 3 or 4 human counterweights on the back and full back tilt, I was able to get the mill about 3 inches above the trailer and the truck driver pulled forward. I began to gently lower the mill to the ground. Mind you, the mast was tilted all the way back, so as I was lowering, the load was also moving forward. Fred then told one of the counterweights to jump off and get some timbers to put under the mill. Instantly the lift began to tip forward. I hit full down as fast as I could, to no avail. The mill slid off the forks, hitting the concrete with a thunderous crash. When the forklift rebounded, the forks flipped back over top, ending up vibrating on either side of me. No one was injured, but my knees would not support me for over half an hour.
> 
> Physics, it's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!


There is a very similar YouTube video that I will not link to, which will become clear in a moment. (I had been watching humorous forklift incidents where they level an entire warehouse shelving system by barely bumping one corner, but anyway...)

A forklift was carrying probably a 4x8 foot sheet of steel of unknown thickness, but thick. It was being moved across the work area when the forklift slowed slightly, causing the sheet to swing forward, and started to tip the forklift forward. Unbeknownst to the forklift driver, an employee walking by behind him and saw what was happening and ran to help, coming up from behind holding on to the rising rear end. The sheet was still too heavy though and it and the forklift continued to tip forward. As it did, the employee at the back was lifted just off the ground and he started to swing forward, hanging now from the forklift. Right then, the load slid off the forks. The employee dropped off at the same time, still swinging forward, and went entirely under the forklift just as it came down, and completely vanished. I don't think the operator had any idea what had happened since his attention was focused forwards.

Just about made me sick to see it because there was no warning of what was going to happen. So, no, you can find that one yourself. It's all fun and games until it isn't.


----------



## kb58 (Jan 15, 2021)

amsoilman said:


> Put a spool on my recurve bow to try shooting carp in the creek. First shot the arrow went out about 15’, line hung up and the arrow came back just as fast. Luckily it missed me.   My DW saw that and said I was an idiot.


I shot an arrow straight up just to see what would happen, and lost sight of it. I figured it might be smart to get under some protection, and dang if that arrow didn't land exactly center of where I'd been standing... I think about that sometimes.


----------



## kb58 (Jan 15, 2021)

Flyinfool said:


> The place I work at now, when I started it was required that the engineers wear a tie. It only took me a couple of days to figure out that the engineers were also required to go out on the shop floor to assist and/or answer questions as well as work on prototype machine builds and testing. Of course I immediately lost the tie, when called out on it, I explained the perils of a tie in a shop as well as the history of a tie. Now there is no one in the company that wears a tie.
> What is really scary is that the engineering manager then mentioned that he once got his tie caught by the lead screw on a lathe, lucky for him he was a very big strong guy and the machine was running at a slow enough speed for him to react, he was able to plant both hands on the machine and was strong enough to hold back till the tie broke and did not have his face pulled into the machine.


Yeah there was a time (don't know about now) where guys in the machine shop tended to go for the bad-ass look, meaning tattoos and a lot of facial hair, including long ZZ-Top style beards. Always wondered how that worked out for them around lathes and mills.


----------



## kb58 (Jan 15, 2021)

In high school we made a rocket, a 4-ft steel tube and nozzle, completely full of propellant. At some point, someone had to get down under there and connect the ignition wires. I connected one, then brought the second one right up to the connection, and, unusual for a immortal teenager, decided to check whether it was live by briefly touching the other ignition wire. The spark was a big surprise, due to an odd failure 1000' away at the launch board, and I think about how different my life would have been had I just gone ahead and connected it.

BTW, when it launched, it burned all its fuel within 30 feet, and coasted 10,000 feet straight up. That was pretty effing cool...


----------



## MrWhoopee (Jan 15, 2021)

kb58 said:


> In high school we made a rocket, a 4-ft steel tube and nozzle, completely full of propellant. At some point, someone had to get down under there and connect the ignition wires. I connected one, then brought the second one right up to the connection, and, unusual for a immortal teenager, decided to check whether it was live by briefly touching the other ignition wire. The spark was a big surprise, due to an odd failure 1000' away at the launch board, and I think about how different my life would have been had I just gone ahead and connected it.
> 
> BTW, when it launched, it burned all its fuel within 30 feet, and coasted 10,000 feet straight up. That was pretty effing cool...



My wasted youth was largely occupied with similar endeavors and close calls. I won't describe them here. Suffice it to say that I'm thankful to be alive. I'm also thankful for the statute of limitations.


----------



## Buffalo21 (Jan 15, 2021)

kb58 said:


> How many have added a power knee drive to their mill and forgotten to remove the handle when engaging it and knocking yourself good in the nuts? Nope, me neither...



that might be a problem, if after the 4 divorces, there were any left...........


----------



## Jim F (Jan 19, 2021)

Do not tell FB group members WD-40 is NOT a penetrating oil and that engine oil is not good for lathe oil.


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Jan 21, 2021)

When tightening a Chuck on a lathe don’t use the key to move the Chuck to the next scroll. I pinched my finger on the saddle and key. It was a 8 inch Chuck. Hurts more when it is covered in chips.


----------



## macardoso (Jan 24, 2021)

I did a dumb one yesterday. I keep all my cutting fluids in these sweet dispensing bottles from McMaster Carr. They have a nice needle tip to dispense a precision amount of fluid where you need it. https://www.mcmaster.com/1902T127/




Anyways I'm working on the mill and have one with WD-40 to lubricate the cutter, I keep the bottle on the table. I'm swapping parts out in the vise and swung a dead blow to knock the part down onto the parallels. I hit the part but at the same time swung my hand down onto the bottle with the uncapped needle pointing up and drove the needle full depth into my finger . That's a big honking needle!

Got lucky and it missed going through my knuckle by about a quarter inch, but I felt it bounce off the bone! Honestly didn't hurt bad but ugh it gives me the heebie jeebies thinking about. Cleaned it the best I could and praying to not get an infection. Lesson learned and the cutting fluid is staying on the cart next to me with the cap on.


----------



## macardoso (Jan 24, 2021)

Jim F said:


> WD-40 is NOT a penetrating oil


Now I'm cracking myself up. After yesterday, in my house WD-40 *IS* a penetrating oil.

Edit, see above post.


----------



## Riverlandrobo (Jan 28, 2021)

David S said:


> Forget my previous smart ass thread and lets see if we can contribute to the OP's original intent.
> 
> I do a lot of machining with small drill bits, cutters etc on my drill / mill.
> 
> ...


I think we have all done that at one time or another....you learn to check after your boo boo


----------



## hman (Jan 29, 2021)

I still have trouble with keyless chucks - with drill bits of all sizes.  And it's especially hard because I can't see the chuck jaws while standing next to the drill press or mill.


----------



## mmcmdl (Jan 29, 2021)

LOL , I'll admit , they look like a fly cutter once in a while when started .


----------



## Braeden P (Jan 29, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> LOL , I'll admit , they look like a fly cutter once in a while when started .


sure do!


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Feb 5, 2021)

when removing the quill form a drill press dont bang out the handle. there is a spring under a cap. spring hit me then my friend. i said a peice of sheet metal fell on me.


----------



## erikmannie (Feb 5, 2021)

I was cleaning chips out of my lathe bed yesterday with bare hands. I cut my finger almost badly enough to require stitches.


----------



## Braeden P (Feb 11, 2021)

When drilling on the lathe do not hold the drill chuck, it will spin and hurt your hand I tried it because I’ve seen people do it in videos without saying it could be dangerous so I thought it was safe if I had not rolled up my sleeves I would have broken some bones=not good don’t try it.


----------



## savarin (Feb 11, 2021)

glad your safe.


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Feb 25, 2021)

don´t pinch you hand in a break barrel. only happens once.


----------



## Janderso (Feb 25, 2021)

Braeden P said:


> When drilling on the lathe do not hold the drill chuck


One of the Youtubers I watch has a habit of running his hand on a lathe chuck that is still spinning.
It drives me nuts. You may know who I am referring to.


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Feb 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> One of the Youtubers I watch has a habit of running his hand on a lathe chuck that is still spinning.
> It drives me nuts. You may know who I am referring to.


glad i never saw that.


----------



## epanzella (Feb 25, 2021)

On a day with some light drizzle I was setting the valves on my 427 Nova. While tightening the valve cover bolts (engine running) with a 3/8 drive ratchet I noticed one of the ignition wires was laying right on the headers. As I lifted the wire up my finger went into a hole burned in the underside by the hot pipes.  As 50,000 volts of CDI spark juice went thru my (bent over the engine) body, I turned into an instant surf board with my head smashing into the underside of the hood and the ratchet swinging around hitting me in the eye. When my friend got out of the car I was flat on my back in the road making invisible snow angels.


----------



## rwm (Feb 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> One of the Youtubers I watch has a habit of running his hand on a lathe chuck that is still spinning.
> It drives me nuts. You may know who I am referring to.


I only do that with the bandsaw. Just a few stiches.
Robert


----------



## RJSakowski (Feb 25, 2021)

Not a machining blunder but here goes.  

TV fishing host Bill Dance had a practice of "lipping" largemouth  bass, that is capturing the lower lip of the fish by inserting his thumb into the mouth of the mouth of the fish  and trapping the lower jaw between the thumb and forefinger.  A friend from down South came up to do some walleye fishing and  decided to lip a walleye.  Wrong move.  Unlike a bass, walleyes have short needle-like teeth on their lower jaw and clamping onto the jaw of a struggling walleye will put you in a world of hurt. 

PSA; northern pike and musky are worse yet.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Feb 27, 2021)

epanzella said:


> On a day with some light drizzle I was setting the valves on my 427 Nova. While tightening the valve cover bolts (engine running) with a 3/8 drive ratchet I noticed one of the ignition wires was laying right on the headers. As I lifted the wire up my finger went into a hole burned in the underside by the hot pipes.  As 50,000 volts of CDI spark juice went thru my (bent over the engine) body, I turned into an instant surf board with my head smashing into the underside of the hood and the ratchet swinging around hitting me in the eye. When my friend got out of the car I was flat on my back in the road making invisible snow angels.


I am sorry but this picture in my head looks horrible and funny at the same time. I hope you are ok. Must have been a shocking experience. Forgive me,I really hope you are ok.


----------



## epanzella (Feb 27, 2021)

Suzuki4evr said:


> I am sorry but this picture in my head looks horrible and funny at the same time. I hope you are ok. Must have been a shocking experience. Forgive me,I really hope you are ok.


Now, 50 years later I'm still best friends with the guy that was with me and we still laugh about it.  The ratchet that hit me in the eye could have been a life changer at 18yoa but it just gave  me a shiner.


----------



## brino (Feb 27, 2021)

epanzella said:


> The ratchet that hit me in the eye could have been a life changer at 18yoa but it just gave me a shiner.


.....and a good story!

I am sure glad it turned out as something you (and the rest of us) can laugh about!
-brino


----------



## epanzella (Feb 27, 2021)

brino said:


> .....and a good story!
> 
> I am sure glad it turned out as something you (and the rest of us) can laugh about!
> -brino


I have lots of stories like this. I always dove right in because my lack of knowledge was exceeded only by my lack of caution. Now that I'm old my lack of caution is smothered by my lack of ambition!


----------



## JohnJ50 (Mar 4, 2021)

A really smart toolmaker that I respected a lot, and had learned a ton of things from, gave me just one piece of bad advice. I was complaining about my safety glasses one day, and he echoed  my issues. Then he said that most of the time he doesn't wear them. For instance when form dressing a grinding wheel, he said he "just squints". So I guess the moral of the story is don't  blindly follow anyone's advice, think for yourself. Don't be lazy when it comes to safety. Also, don't wear long sleeves when working with long stringy chips, lathe or mill. One more, if you think it might still be hot, it is.


----------



## brino (Mar 4, 2021)

JohnJ50 said:


> I was complaining about my safety glasses one day, and he echoed my issues. Then he said that most of the time he doesn't wear them. For instance when form dressing a grinding wheel, he said he "just squints". So I guess the moral of the story is don't blindly follow anyone's advice, think for yourself.



....and if you did follow his advice it might really be "blindly following".
-brino


----------



## Braeden P (Mar 4, 2021)

Carving knives are sharp

I set up my iPad and used my nose to take the picture


----------



## Aukai (Mar 5, 2021)

Bozo, but clever Braeden...I've been jolted by many a spark plug wire, tain't funny Magee


----------



## Aukai (Mar 24, 2021)

SOOOOOO, dumbness 101 to calculate center height, you divide diameter by 2, then ADD the difference to determine exact center. What a dummy, but I'm getting muscle memory on the controls for my new lathe. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.


----------



## macardoso (Mar 24, 2021)

Aukai said:


> SOOOOOO, dumbness 101 to calculate center height, you divide diameter by 2, then ADD the difference to determine exact center. What a dummy, but I'm getting muscle memory on the controls for my new lathe. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.


I'm not following lol


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Mar 24, 2021)

RJSakowski said:


> Not a machining blunder but here goes.
> 
> TV fishing host Bill Dance had a practice of "lipping" largemouth  bass, that is capturing the lower lip of the fish by inserting his thumb into the mouth of the mouth of the fish  and trapping the lower jaw between the thumb and forefinger.  A friend from down South came up to do some walleye fishing and  decided to lip a walleye.  Wrong move.  Unlike a bass, walleyes have short needle-like teeth on their lower jaw and clamping onto the jaw of a struggling walleye will put you in a world of hurt.
> 
> PSA; northern pike and musky are worse yet.


an 8-pound bass can bite pretty hard though, but only a scrape


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Mar 24, 2021)

macardoso said:


> I'm not following lol


You are not alone. Can we get a bit more clarity Aukai?? Like what "difference" did you add and what are we looking at on the picture?


----------



## brino (Mar 24, 2021)

macardoso said:


> I'm not following lol





Suzuki4evr said:


> You are not alone.




Hi Guys,

My take is that @Aukai made a new centre height gauge tool for his new lathe.
The kind that you sit on top the top slide and it should line up with the cutting edge of the tool.
It lets you feel if there's any step between the tool and the gauge.

However, due to some math issues he ended up with one that was too short.

I think he just needs to drill and tap then use a bolt and jam nut and say it was meant to be an adjustable gauge!

-brino


----------



## Aukai (Mar 24, 2021)

Bingo brino, sorry for the confusion, I figured that the machinists would get it.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Mar 24, 2021)

Aukai said:


> I figured that the machinists would get it.


That stings a bit.


----------



## Aukai (Mar 24, 2021)

Just pulling your leg, it was ambiguous


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Mar 24, 2021)

Aukai said:


> Just pulling your leg, it was ambiguous


No worries. I know you did not mean anything by it.


----------



## macardoso (Mar 24, 2021)

Aukai said:


> Bingo brino, sorry for the confusion, I figured that the machinists would get it.


I guess I'm a Goof and Blunder


----------



## Aukai (Mar 24, 2021)

Don't try to steal my thunder....


----------



## pdentrem (Mar 24, 2021)

Don’t be part an ERP implementation!
Pierre


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Apr 27, 2021)

not me but my neighbor saw someone stick out too much stock from a lathe. back bent and the bar bent and broke the guy's arm! it was 1/2 inch alum.


----------



## Dabbler (Apr 27, 2021)

Peyton, your neighbour is  lucky.  Far worse is normal for whipping material out of the headstock.


----------



## macardoso (Apr 27, 2021)

Pucker Factor is high with this one. Nobody hurt.


----------



## kb58 (Apr 27, 2021)

Man oh man, I'm not doing that again, typing "lathe accident" into YouTube. You've been warned.


----------



## Peyton Price 17 (Apr 27, 2021)

kb58 said:


> Man oh man, I'm not doing that again, typing "lathe accident" into YouTube. You've been warned.


they took down the video of the guy getting sucked into the lathe. but it is on Instagram with music and laughing emoijs! what is wrong with people.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Apr 28, 2021)

Peyton Price 17 said:


> they took down the video of the guy getting sucked into the lathe. but it is on Instagram with music and laughing emoijs! what is wrong with people.


WHAT!!!! Sorry but that is "F"d up. Sometimes people disgust and disappointed me. What could possibly be so funny.


----------



## rwm (Jul 9, 2021)

My friend asked me to weld a handle on a hex driver for an emergency tool. No bid deal right?!




The damn socket turned out to be Zamac plated with chrome and it melted! I know it was from a cheap import set but Zamac? Seriously? After this happened I checked it and it is non-magnetic.

Robert


----------



## benmychree (Jul 9, 2021)

Probably made of that high tech alloy known as Chinesium.


----------



## Packard V8 (Jul 9, 2021)

At any age, but especially for we gomers, write the dimension(s) on a 3x5 card and have it at hand while measuring.  

If converting inches to metric or fractions to decimals, use a calculator, do the math twice and write it down.

Unless you're the only one using metrology instruments, verify the accuracy with a standard.  Verify the level is still indicating correctly.

Have torque wrenches calibrated annually.  As much as I hate to admit it, the digital torque adapter from Harbor Freight is dead accurate and can replace torque wrenches or at the least make home shop calibration possible.

Bright, well-placed shop lighting is the least expensive safety feature one can have.  What you can't see can hurt you and sometimes kill you.

If any machine part is moving, keep hands well away from it; slow can still eat fingers.

Belt/blade guards/interlocks/safety glasses are the seat belts of the machine shop.  They're there because no one can concentrate and be focused 100% of a lifetime of shop work.

jack vines


----------



## lesrhorer (Jul 18, 2021)

astjp2 said:


> Yeah, I can tell that you have not spent much time at -40 from your comment, batteries don't work to well for your keypad unless its heated, hell doors don't even close properly, windows don't roll down, and at -40, locking your keys in is a life threating event...


I'm not going to worry too much about it.  Around here, 72F qualifies as a record low temperature!


----------



## lesrhorer (Jul 18, 2021)

Packard V8 said:


> Bright, well-placed shop lighting is the least expensive safety feature one can have.  What you can't see can hurt you and sometimes kill you.


Amen.  When I bought my house, my shop (formerly the garage) had two lights in it.  Now it has ten.


----------



## lesrhorer (Jul 22, 2021)

macardoso said:


> Pucker Factor is high with this one. Nobody hurt.


No, but some fairly serious damage to that tool chest and whatever was in it.  Long material needs to be supported on EITHER side of the lathe.  This guy wasn't paying attention, though.  He wasn't even looking at the lathe or the work piece.  He was gazing off into space somewhere.  The number 1 safety rule, people:  *PAY ATTENTION!* Had he been watching the lathe and the material, he would have had plenty of time to stop the lathe before anything was damaged.


----------



## mmcmdl (Jan 7, 2022)

My newest blunder .   I purchased my new set of glasses back in late August of last year . Bifocals for far and near sightedness . I tried them on at the store and they were great . Last evening I found them in my work bag . All this time off now has me cleaning everything up you know . Anyways , put the glasses on and can't read a darn thing ! The bifocals were missing .  Just called the shop I bought them from and they said to drop them off , it was a mistake on their part . We had a great big laugh as to why I never opened them up after 6 months , but they had no problem with getting the correct lenses put in . So , all is good in the end .


----------



## mmcmdl (Jan 7, 2022)

Just dropped them off , said I was in no big hurry . Once again , a big laugh at the shop .


----------



## MrFixIt (Jan 21, 2022)




----------



## benmychree (Jan 21, 2022)

MrFixIt said:


> View attachment 393222


Modern art?


----------



## Nogoingback (Jan 21, 2022)

Rorschach test.


----------



## Dabbler (Jan 21, 2022)

Nogoingback said:


> Rorschach test.


-- blood test?   I'll let myself out.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (Jan 22, 2022)

MrFixIt said:


> View attachment 393222


He never even opened it.


----------



## woodchucker (Jan 26, 2022)

OHHHH FFFFFF...

Had the cross slide feed knob engaged, thought I had the carriage, engaged the clutch..

Can you hear me screaming from there?


----------



## rwm (Jan 26, 2022)

That book cover reminds me of a shirt I have:



R

Edit: I am glad y'all like it. I wear it a lot for kayaking. Perfect shop shirt though!


----------



## rwm (Jan 28, 2022)

I got a new Haimer edge finder. Over traveled and snapped the tip off on day 1.


----------



## Cheeseking (Feb 3, 2022)

X2. Went 6 years with my Haimer only one tip busted when I pressed tool release pedal before having a hand on it. Pile drived right into the vise.


----------



## rwm (Feb 3, 2022)

I'm on my 3rd tip for the Haimer. Sad...


----------



## Braeden P (Apr 30, 2022)

If super gluing on felt wipers just know
Too much super glue + felt = seeps through and gets stuck to your finger
Too much super glue + felt after 15 seconds = fire

Not very fun


----------



## woodchucker (Apr 30, 2022)

Braeden P said:


> If super gluing on felt wipers just know
> Too much super glue + felt = seeps through and gets stuck to your finger
> Too much super glue + felt after 15 seconds = fire
> 
> Not very fun


you DON'T superglue felt wipers... You are defeating the purpose of using them.


----------



## Braeden P (Apr 30, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> you DON'T superglue felt wipers... You are defeating the purpose of using them.


I was super gluing the very top to hold it in place so I can make a template for the plate to hold them properly


----------



## woodchucker (Apr 30, 2022)

Braeden P said:


> I was super gluing the very top to hold it in place so I can make a template for the plate to hold them properly


once you glue the felt, it is not able to hold oil. And you would be surprised how quickly and thoroughly the glue wicks thru.
Go ahead and F up your felt.


----------



## Aukai (Apr 30, 2022)

The end intention was to properly secure the felt, sg was a means to do that, not a permanent application. It may result in a wasted felt as a result, this is my thinking of what he was doing.


----------



## Suzuki4evr (May 2, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> Go ahead and F up your felt.


I don't want to start anything with you and maybe you meant it jokingly or some other way and I am in no way shape or form attacking you,but don't you think these words are a bit harsh?


----------



## brino (May 2, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> Go ahead and F up your felt.





Suzuki4evr said:


> I don't want to start anything with you and maybe you meant it jokingly or some other way and I am in no way shape or form attacking you,but don't you think these words are a bit harsh?


Absolutely Agreed!

Hey Jeff,
@Braeden P is one of our youngest members.
He is still learning and thirsty for knowledge and should be encouraged.
How about some kind words of wisdom to help guide him?

Perhaps just suggest that the one piece of felt he used to help design the capture plate is now compromised and should be replaced.

This is meant to be the friendly machinists forum.

Brian


----------



## pontiac428 (May 2, 2022)

I buzzed into my knuckle with an angle grinder again.  I got lucky, this time it didn't get into my joint, just deep into the skin, right over the top of a scar from doing the same 15 years ago.  Usually happens after several hours of work.  I was so miffed about this repeat goof that I went through my work gloves and found several with the right index finger knuckle incision.  The black Mechanic's were from Saturday's scare, the green ones from that fateful day all those years ago, the blue ones from a near miss with a cutoff wheel, and the other black ones from another near miss with a flap disc.  I should probably find all the guards for my grinders, this looks like pattern behavior.


----------



## woodchucker (May 2, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> I buzzed into my knuckle with an angle grinder again.  I got lucky, this time it didn't get into my joint, just deep into the skin, right over the top of a scar from doing the same 15 years ago.  Usually happens after several hours of work.  I was so miffed about this repeat goof that I went through my work gloves and found several with the right index finger knuckle incision.  The black Mechanic's were from Saturday's scare, the green ones from that fateful day all those years ago, the blue ones from a near miss with a cutoff wheel, and the other black ones from another near miss with a flap disc.  I should probably find all the guards for my grinders, this looks like pattern behavior.
> 
> View attachment 405738
> 
> View attachment 405739


I did this while working tile with a diamond blade. I hit the nerve, it still hurts almost year later... a burn , that won't go away.glad your's was not deep.. I had to go for xrays, as it was deep.. real deep.


----------



## RJSakowski (May 2, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> I buzzed into my knuckle with an angle grinder again.  I got lucky, this time it didn't get into my joint, just deep into the skin, right over the top of a scar from doing the same 15 years ago.  Usually happens after several hours of work.  I was so miffed about this repeat goof that I went through my work gloves and found several with the right index finger knuckle incision.  The black Mechanic's were from Saturday's scare, the green ones from that fateful day all those years ago, the blue ones from a near miss with a cutoff wheel, and the other black ones from another near miss with a flap disc.  I should probably find all the guards for my grinders, this looks like pattern behavior.
> 
> View attachment 405738
> 
> View attachment 405739


I had the auxiullary handle  come off my 4-1/2" angle grinder causing it to fall and put a two inch gash in my leg just above the knee.  I corrected the problem by drilling and tapping the housing for threaded brass bushing.  I installed the bushing with epoxy.  Much more secure than the OEM knurled insert bushing.

In another instance, I cutting off a piece of 2" x 3" bar stock.  Afterwards, I found that the shower of sparks had melted the polyester fabric on the backs of three of the fingers on my gloves.  Another pair of gloves had modifications like yours.


----------



## pontiac428 (May 2, 2022)

I think I'm going to put a wrap of grip tape on the lower end of each grinder's body, and introduce a new rule that the right hand must always hold over grip tape.  Either that, or come up with armored knuckles.  I use the whole disc when I work, especially the face, which is obstructed by the guards.  Hmm, maybe I need a plate mail gauntlet!


----------



## Aukai (May 2, 2022)

I got one too doing a mini tub, and roll cage work. I think we need better supervision


----------



## savarin (May 2, 2022)

Many years ago I had an amazing escape from a large heavy 9" angle grinder. I was using it to remove old welds from a truck body.
These truck owners wanted these side and end extensions to the body to carry more gravel. They knew they wouldnt last long but to them it was worth it for the extra money they charged per load.
Anyway this was in the middle of winter so I was dressed in T shirt, flannel shirt, sweat shirt, very thick woolly jumper, overalls, jeans, thick quilted leather bikie jacket and leather apron.
The boss was too mean to replace the guards on the grinder so it was always used without one.
This particular day I'm grinding out the aluminium weld to re-weld it when it grabbed and kicked back.
It felt like a horse had kicked me and I stood there in a total funk waiting for the blood.
The disk had cut through all the clothing down to the flesh leaving just a thin red line diagonally down my chest and stomach, It hadnt even broken the skin.
Guess who's never used an angle grinder without a guard since?


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## silence dogood (May 2, 2022)

savarin said:


> Many years ago I had an amazing escape from a large heavy 9" angle grinder. I was using it to remove old welds from a truck body.
> These truck owners wanted these side and end extensions to the body to carry more gravel. They knew they wouldnt last long but to them it was worth it for the extra money they charged per load.
> Anyway this was in the middle of winter so I was dressed in T shirt, flannel shirt, sweat shirt, very thick woolly jumper, overalls, jeans, thick quilted leather bikie jacket and leather apron.
> The boss was too mean to replace the guards on the grinder so it was always used without one.
> ...


If it was not for all those garments that you wore, we would never had known about your great sense of humor. That was just too close, mate.


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## savarin (May 2, 2022)

Yer not wrong, just after that I decided maybe welding as a trade wasnt for me so I went back to the kitchens where it was safer.
just some burns, scalds, cuts, stabs, sprayed in hot fat, etc etc


----------



## rwm (May 4, 2022)




----------



## Downunder Bob (May 11, 2022)

savarin said:


> Yer not wrong, just after that I decided maybe welding as a trade wasnt for me so I went back to the kitchens where it was safer.
> just some burns, scalds, cuts, stabs, sprayed in hot fat, etc etc


Is that why they say "If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen."?


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## jcp (May 11, 2022)

This one was too close.....4 1/2" grinder......


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## rwm (May 11, 2022)

Who the hell is suturing that without gloves???


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## aliva (May 11, 2022)

You  don't use gloves when you put on a band aid, so don't panic.


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## woodchucker (May 11, 2022)

A bandaid is topical, suturing is not as.
I agree unless it's a relation. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## Braeden P (May 15, 2022)

Parted off a 1” by 2” piece of 12L14 with a 1/2” bore, hit the compound, bounced into to jaws and flew into the wall and put a dent in it.


----------



## mmcmdl (May 23, 2022)

This one's for fin . The 1811 starter solenoid arrived from Amazon while I was busy with the Deere part out today . I had the tins and the covers off of the Mag 18 from a week ago . Parted the Deere and decided to move to the Cubbie . Wired everything up and cranked it over , started right up . Had it idleing and smelled a not so good smell . WTH ?  I had taken all the tin bolts and nuts and put them in a nice little plastic container and put them under the hood of the tractor . Of course they were on the exhaust muffler .  It flashed and had to be put out with my daughters flower garden waterer that was within a few yards ,

I make it a very strict rule that I do NOT work on anything gas related in the garage , or the basement , This could have ended up being not so good . After I scraped all the plastic off the muffler , all was fine . Just a reminder to all , I'm careful as to what I do , but doing 8 things at once makes us forget . BE CAREFUL .


----------



## tq60 (May 23, 2022)

We did similar...the scissor lift would not start.

Gas powered 3 cylinder import underwrites.

Electronic ignition with pickup on back side of engine. 

Used Streamlight Vulcan flashlight sitting on muffler to almost see what we could almost touch.

After repairs being up to shoulders in the machine and slightly dirty we testedit and it fired right up.

Drove it across the street to do the original task and the smoke and smell blew out.

Still on and working but melted where charger goes.

Email to manufacturer explaining what happened and asked for price for replacement housing.

They asked for serial number to insure correct part.

Wait for it...

They stated it is eligible for a factory free upgrade and gave me the RMA and shipping address.

Took about 2 weeks round trip.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk


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## sdavilla (May 24, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> A bandaid is topical, suturing is not as.
> I agree unless it's a relation.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk



Yes, the amount of blood flow determines the choice of bandaid or sutures  In a pinch, it's CA time. lol.


----------



## pontiac428 (May 24, 2022)

CA glue has saved me thousands in stitches.


----------



## Larry42 (May 24, 2022)

Charles Spencer said:


> Don't put your retirement money into any fund that charges 2% or more per year.


A long time ago, my first encounter with a stock broker, he recommended a mutual fund & set up an account for me. Several months later he sold most of the fund. He told me he was protecting my investment. Several months later he bought the same fund. Being the suspicious type I finally did a little research. Each time he bought, 5.75% of the purchase was taken of the top of the money being invested. On top of that the mutual fund too a % every year. Last time I used a broker!


----------



## JimDawson (Jun 15, 2022)

Here is what happens when you get an error message on the screen and just press OK without checking for a real problem.

We run thousands of these parts on the CNC lathe, this one didn't go well.    

In my son's defence we occasionally get a tool change error due to a time out.  When a tool change is requested, it must occur in 1.5 seconds else it throws an error.  It also throws an error if the turret doesn't seat properly, it sees an encoder error on the tool changer, or a couple of other things.  Most of the time there is no problem and it just took longer than 1.5 seconds to change the tool, like 1.6 seconds.  In this case, it was using tool 5, the parting tool, and requested a change to tool 8, a straight 55 deg diamond for the next operation.  Well for some reason it did not change the tool at all and left tool 5 in the working position.  A quick look at the screen would have shown tool 8 was requested, but obviously it was not in position.  I have no idea how it failed to change the tool, never seen that happen before.

Nothing like rapiding into the work with a spindly parting tool.  It really did an amazing job of cutting before it failed.  



 $166.00 later we're back in business. ISCAR SGTFR 2020-3


----------



## vtcnc (Jun 15, 2022)

JimDawson said:


> Nothing like rapiding into the work with a spindly parting tool.  It really did an amazing job of cutting before it failed.
> View attachment 410114
> 
> 
> $166.00 later we're back in business. ISCAR SGTFR 2020-3


Jim, I'm trying to understand the orientation and configuration on that turret. If you think of it can you take a pic of a wider view? The scale is throwing me off.


----------



## Janderso (Jun 15, 2022)

Larry42 said:


> A long time ago, my first encounter with a stock broker, he recommended a mutual fund & set up an account for me. Several months later he sold most of the fund. He told me he was protecting my investment. Several months later he bought the same fund. Being the suspicious type I finally did a little research. Each time he bought, 5.75% of the purchase was taken of the top of the money being invested. On top of that the mutual fund too a % every year. Last time I used a broker!


I left our stock broker, a friend of my wife’s, husband. His investment philosophy was to watch for a ten percent gain, sell and buy another stock.
He got paid every transaction.
I fired him and moved over to Edward Jones.
I looked this morning, we are down 20%. Oh well, what goes up, must come down.


----------



## pdentrem (Jun 15, 2022)

Churning the account is embezzlement in my opinion. My advisor has a client who’s former broker churned 10s of 1000s in a couple years. These pest wonder why Questtrade and other platforms are so popular!
Pierre


----------



## ErichKeane (Jun 15, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I left our stock broker, *a friend of my wife’s husband. *His investment philosophy was to watch for a ten percent gain, sell and buy another stock.
> He got paid every transaction.
> I fired him and moved over to Edward Jones.
> I looked this morning, we are down 20%. Oh well, what goes up, must come down.


Your what now?


----------



## woodchucker (Jun 15, 2022)

My mom had a broker that ripped her off real good. She kept moving stocks to get the commission and fees, she went through most of the money before my mom realized what went on.  scum of the earth.


----------



## JimDawson (Jun 15, 2022)

vtcnc said:


> Jim, I'm trying to understand the orientation and configuration on that turret. If you think of it can you take a pic of a wider view? The scale is throwing me off.



It can get a bit confusing if you are not used to being around large slant bed lathes.  Relative to a manual lathe, the tool is ''upside down'' and approaches the work from the ''back side''.  Spindle rotation is normal, counterclockwise when viewing from the tailstock end.

This part is about 3.5'' x 1.5'' diameter



This is a pretty clear video of the machine making a 2'' long x 0.875 diameter part.


----------



## woodchucker (Jun 15, 2022)

JimDawson said:


> It can get a bit confusing if you are not used to being around large slant bed lathes.  Relative to a manual lathe, the tool is ''upside down'' and approaches the work from the ''back side''.  Spindle rotation is normal, counterclockwise when viewing from the tailstock end.
> 
> This part is about 3.5'' x 1.5'' diameter
> View attachment 410150
> ...


yep, you murdered that part... just a little bent.. a tiny bend.. no one will notice.


----------



## RJSakowski (Jun 15, 2022)

I was machining printed circuit boards on my Tormach CNC and would copy an operation to break it into two parts so I could pause and move the step clamps for machining the second half.  I discovered that if the same tool was used for consecutive operations, the CNC controller would skip the tool change even though the G code called for a tool change.  Step clamps vs. carbide end mill, step clamps win (although with some scars).


----------



## JimDawson (Jun 15, 2022)

RJSakowski said:


> I was machining printed circuit boards on my Tormach CNC and would copy an operation to break it into two parts so I could pause and move the step clamps for machining the second half.  I discovered that if the same tool was used for consecutive operations, the CNC controller would skip the tool change even though the G code called for a tool change.  Step clamps vs. carbide end mill, step clamps win (although with some scars).



M1 or a G4 P0 is your friend in those situations   I'm going to be doing something similar in the next few days, and will be using a G4 P0 to stop the machine between operations so I can move the clamp.  This will be air cut first, just to make sure it all works as planned


----------



## davidcarmichael (Jun 15, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I left our stock broker, a friend of my wife’s husband. His investment philosophy was to watch for a ten percent gain, sell and buy another stock.
> He got paid every transaction.
> I fired him and moved over to Edward Jones.
> I looked this morning, we are down 20%. Oh well, what goes up, must come down.


Smart to get rid of leeching stock brokers. The only way to go is index funds or ETF's with very low expense ratios. I am down a bit now but don't give a damn.


----------



## Janderso (Jun 16, 2022)

davidcarmichael said:


> Smart to get rid of leeching stock brokers. The only way to go is index funds or ETF's with very low expense ratios. I am down a bit now but don't give a damn.


I agree about the index funds.
With 7% + inflation, all we can do is minimize losses with solid investments.
Those of us who remember the late 70’s have seen some pretty crazy inflation.


----------



## Aukai (Jun 16, 2022)

YTD I'm down 21% I have less money in my account now than when I retired in 2019. Just gotta hang on till the cavalry gets here


----------



## ddickey (Jun 16, 2022)

Mike, is that loss include inflation or?
I moved my entire 401k into a moneymarket fund over a year ago. Just waiting for the good deals to get back in. I also have my limit buys in for a bunch of cryptos.


----------



## Aukai (Jun 16, 2022)

That is dollar amount.


----------



## pdentrem (Jun 17, 2022)

As the treasuries rates go up the stocks drop. I am ready to convert some accumulated dividends to stocks that pay dividends. Just about did yesterday. Will see what happens today or Monday. Most quality stocks are on sale and could get better.
Pierre


----------



## Aukai (Jun 17, 2022)

I see that my managed fund has a bit of cash on hand also....


----------



## Just for fun (Jun 17, 2022)

I was given a piece of aluminum stock a while back, I think it had been used to pull cylinders into a Cummins Diesel.  I put it in my band saw and cut off a junk of it a couple days ago.  I just barely got into one of the preexisting holes and guess what, it had Anti-Seize in it.   I took a couple hours to get my saw cleaned up from that mess.   Damn It, Jim!


----------



## Larry42 (Jun 27, 2022)

Janderso said:


> I fired him and moved over to Edward Jones.


Red flag! It was an EJ broker that got to me by churning. Never again! I do my own buying selling using a Schwab account where I pay no fees to buy or sell. ETFs follow the markets up & down with very low fees. I have some but still buy individual stocks that seem like market leaders. Gambling but the house doesn't have all the odds in their favor. If a stock has consistently increased their dividend and has been paying 3% or so over the long run they will likely do better than the overall market. Especially if they have a leading product. If a company is paying a high dividend, that is an indication of higher risk! 
There is no way I'll pay a stock broker's fees. Their recommendations are often linked to kick backs!


----------



## savarin (Aug 12, 2022)

As we all know drilling a deep hole in metal the drill bit will wander so why didnt I take steps to minimise this.
This came home to bite me in the last special rod joiner nut and bolt I'm making.




The first 5 went well with no problems except a couple werent drilled quite deep enough but that was soon rectified with no problems.
I used a 16mm bar of stainless and machined them one after another just setting the bar through a bit at a time depending upon the step to do.
1, turn 16mm down to 10mm 25mm long
2, centre drill then drill 55mm deep
3, turn the taper till it meets the edge of the hole
4, use the parting tool and make the run out groove
5, cut the M10x1 thread
6, loosen the collet and extend the bar
7, cut the knurl
8, part off
9, extend the bar, rinse and repeat.
The one that went wrong was one that had a 7mm deep hole left in the end of the bar so I just drilled it deeper.
As I got to the end the drill was flexing quite a bit where the hole had drifted off centre by at least 0.5mm.
I continued and finished the bolt but the 6mm rod it had to slide on wouldnt slide through due to the bend in the hole.
All the others were first faced the centre drilled.
Oh well, still enough 16mm bar left to make another


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## mmcmdl (Aug 12, 2022)

An offset set screw will fix it right up sav !


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## darkzero (Aug 12, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> An offset set screw will fix it right up sav !


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## mmcmdl (Aug 12, 2022)

LOL , that's why we all missed you over these past months Will !  Oh yeah , what's the going rate for a bucket of barn dust these days ?


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## darkzero (Aug 13, 2022)

mmcmdl said:


> LOL , that's why we all missed you over these past months Will !  Oh yeah , what's the going rate for a bucket of barn dust these days ?


Haha, thanks Dave! Hmm, the good ol barn dust. Not sure these days, with inflation I'm sure it jas gone up too. I think they're adding a bit of water to it now to increase volume & weight per bucket.


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## K30 (Aug 16, 2022)

When it's 100 degrees out, near noon, and you have to run into town for a part... don't leave the wrench you're using sitting on a concave reflective surface in full sun. Or this will happen when you get back with that part.


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## pontiac428 (Aug 16, 2022)

Yeah, summer in Iraq taught me to keep my tools in the shade!


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## pontiac428 (Nov 28, 2022)

Biggest mistake I've made so far was trying to move my lathe yesterday afternoon.  It was going really well, but one of my machine skates squirted out from under while I was turning it.  Now I'm stuck.  Maybe I can get it with some floor jacks and cinder blocks, I don't know.  I'm still shaking from adrenaline.  And in case I need to come out and say it, this really sucks.  Not fun at all, I really forked myself with this one.  Any ideas?


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## macardoso (Nov 28, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> Biggest mistake I've made so far was trying to move my lathe yesterday afternoon.  It was going really well, but one of my machine skates squirted out from under while I was turning it.  Now I'm stuck.  Maybe I can get it with some floor jacks and cinder blocks, I don't know.  I'm still shaking from adrenaline.  And in case I need to come out and say it, this really sucks.  Not fun at all, I really forked myself with this one.  Any ideas?
> 
> View attachment 428052
> View attachment 428053


Bummer man. That really sucks. All I can say


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## markba633csi (Nov 28, 2022)

Of the two ways it could go over, that's the better one- falling on it's face you would have much more damage
And with the motor in the base like that it's relatively low to the ground and protected
Your floor is probably a little worse for wear
-Mark


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## ErichKeane (Nov 28, 2022)

Ouch!  I mean, at least it fell BACKWARDS so there are less fragile things back there to be damaged, but that still sucks.  It fell flat on the casting, so at least there's a chance it'll be OK?

Do you have an engine hoist?  I might consider trying to use that right under the chuck to lift it a bit, and see if you can rotate it there.  If you have a threaded hole in the headstock for lifting, that might be useful as well.


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## epanzella (Nov 28, 2022)

John,
What's the ceiling like over the lathe? Attach a 2 x 10 or a piece of steel across multiple joists and use a chain fall or come-a-long to get the lathe back on it's feet. If you have open joists (best) attach pieces of plywood vertically and attach to that. If you have wood I beam joists don't just attach to the bottom 2 x 3 as it may separate from the rest of the joist. A good lathe attachment point is a chain or tow strap right thru the bed to a cross piece of steel underneath. Hopefully there's no damage to the machine. Good luck.
Ed P


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## Aukai (Nov 28, 2022)

Engine hoist, or wood gantry, I just moved my 3600lb lathe with skates. I used 4 x 6 boards wider than the base inboard enough to get a floor jack under each end, you look space constrained for anything too wide though. This happening to you was my nightmare, and I'm very sorry to see it.


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## Jimsehr (Nov 28, 2022)

That happened to one of my Logan's but it fell on the dials and broke handles and cracked part of the carriage and I lost ability to thread on that machine. It was cheaper for me to buy another lathe than the parts needed to fix it . I still  use it as a turret lathe and hand feed for turning.


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## brino (Nov 28, 2022)

Ouch! I am glad it's just your lathe (and pride) that's hurting!

Brian


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 28, 2022)

I gasped for air when I saw that picture. We all feel your pain.

Isn't that a CRX behind the screen?


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## pontiac428 (Nov 28, 2022)

macardoso said:


> Bummer man. That really sucks. All I can say


Yes sir, it does.  I'm rallying my help this morning to get back on my feet.




markba633csi said:


> Of the two ways it could go over, that's the better one- falling on it's face you would have much more damage





Jimsehr said:


> That happened to one of my Logan's but it fell on the dials and broke handles and cracked part of the carriage and I lost ability to thread on that machine.





ErichKeane said:


> Ouch!  I mean, at least it fell BACKWARDS so there are less fragile things back there to be damaged, but that still sucks.  It fell flat on the casting, so at least there's a chance it'll be OK?


Thanks, men.  It did land butter-side-up, that much matters!  Appears to be no mechanical damage, just (thick) sheet metal and pride.




epanzella said:


> What's the ceiling like over the lathe? Attach a 2 x 10 or a piece of steel across multiple joists and use a chain fall or come-a-long to get the lathe back on it's feet.


I have a second level, so there are joists every 12".  I thought about it at first and dismissed it, but now that you bring it up, I could haul a piece of heavy pipe upstairs and a hole saw to cut a 4" hole in the floor.  I could lay the pipe across the joists and probably lift a lot with a chainfall or even two. This is worth re-visiting, thanks!




Aukai said:


> Engine hoist, or wood gantry, I just moved my 3600lb lathe with skates. I used 4 x 6 boards wider than the base inboard enough to get a floor jack under each end, you look space constrained for anything too wide though. This happening to you was my nightmare, and I'm very sorry to see it.


The lathe is a 17x60, it's ten feet long and weighs approaching three tons.  Engine hoist makes me nervous after my last disaster (reminder to self to post photo), and a gantry hoist  would have to be at least 12' wide to reach the wreck.  I think using the ceiling may be my best bet for stability.  I think I can get it back on its feet with floor jacks and my 5' hi-lift.  Center of mass is the top of the bed, which makes this tougher.  I just hope I can stand it up without flopping or sliding and laying it down on it's face.  At that point, it may as well take me with it, because I can only take so much heartbreak.

This happened while assisting movement with my mill.  The trailer flipped tongue-upwards and I shat my drawers.  I better not pursue a career as a rigger, because I really suck at using what I have to deal with problems that I shouldn't try dealing with in the first place.  I wish for a forklift...


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## pontiac428 (Nov 28, 2022)

MrWhoopee said:


> I gasped for air when I saw that picture. We all feel your pain.
> 
> Isn't that a CRX behind the screen?
> 
> View attachment 428080



Not just any CRX, that's a factory Vtec EE8 (1 of 300 made) that I bought and built in Germany, and imported it here under EPA exemption status when it was 25 years old.  It's a blue ribbon car, except for the engine fire and the bumper that I just smashed with my lathe.


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## ErichKeane (Nov 28, 2022)

Ah! Didn't realize it was that big of a lathe! Chain hoist off the rafters seems like the best bet. I did something similar to move a few things from my 2nd floor as well.


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## CJ5Dave (Nov 28, 2022)

Could you back a tow truck n there? Have to be a big one I guess.


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## Dabbler (Nov 28, 2022)

It is hard (and a bit presumptuous) to be a 'back seat driver'...  Here goes:  rent an 11' wide 2 ton aluminum gantry crane.  these cranes can be assembled in confined areas, and are very safe in lifting, as long as you don't exceed their weight limitations.  Usually their beam can attach at various locations, allowing you to use it in a narrower configuration as needed.

- I used my home-built gantry crane in my friend's basement to dismantle his 3800 lb LeBlond lathe, and lower all the pieces onto moving dollies....

safety first!


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## Arielht500 (Nov 28, 2022)

You have my sympathy, had the same thing happen to me when getting the new to me Colchester into the shop. Took me almost 4 hours to get it upright with jacking and blocking.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 28, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> Not just any CRX, that's a factory Vtec EE8 (1 of 300 made) that I bought and built in Germany, and imported it here under EPA exemption status when it was 25 years old.  It's a blue ribbon car, except for the engine fire and the bumper that I just smashed with my lathe.



Dayum, that's a rocket disguised as a CRX! The simple upgrade from a D15 to SOHC ZC scared me the first time I put my foot in it. I can't imagine driving that thing.


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## Cadillac (Nov 28, 2022)

That’s a really nice crx I had one back in my high school years. Loved the car great gas mileage back when gas was 99c a gallon. Twelve bucks to fill her up 40mpg
 As for the lathe might be best to rent yourself a forklift or handler. As you know she’s top heavy and the base should be twice that size. I wouldn’t want anymore mishaps and safely get her sitting upright and in it’s finally spot. Only way I see that happening safely is some sort of heavier machine that can lift the lathe.
 Yeah you can use a gantry but what happens when the weight shifts getting it upright. Can a gantry take a 3k weight shift swinging. Idk and wouldn’t want to see if it can. Or end up pulling your roof down because you tried using joist.
  Believe me I did the same things moving my equipment. Every time was gut wrenching, anxiety through the roof till the machine was on the floor in position. 
 Good luck either way and hopefully just some scratched paint and sheet metal.


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## mmcmdl (Nov 28, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> Biggest mistake I've made so far was trying to move my lathe yesterday afternoon. It was going really well, but one of my machine skates squirted out from under while I was turning it. Now I'm stuck. Maybe I can get it with some floor jacks and cinder blocks, I don't know. I'm still shaking from adrenaline. And in case I need to come out and say it, this really sucks. Not fun at all, I really forked myself with this one. Any ideas?


Been there and done that @pontiac428 . Yes , the only thing worse would have been a face plant . My first lathe ( 17" x 60" Voest ) took a face plant which broke every handle on the lathe , almost killed my cat and my wife . Mine fell off one of the dollies while moving it . My first reaction was to try to save the lathe , which did not work . I now use a set of chain rollers with no issues .

I had a party with plenty of friends and adult beverages . We got it back up and the lathe was used for years thereafter with no issues . Hang in there .


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## pontiac428 (Nov 28, 2022)

I've talked to my friend (because that's how many I have...) and he's ready to help.  He's also seriously underestimating the weight of this thing... In case you missed it, it says "1760" on the emblem, so it weighs as much as 2.5 Hondas.  That means engine hoists and pry bars are a no-go. 

I've got my game plan together.  I'm off early to stop at Harbor Freight for a 5-ton chainfall.  I'm going to pack three 12' sticks of 1.5" gas pipe upstairs and lay them in a 3-pipe stack perpendicular to my joists.  Then I'll cut a small hole with a hole saw so it is easy to plug later, and chain the hoist to the pipe.  Then, use the floor jacks on cinder blocks from below while stabilizing from above...

I'll check back in 24 hours with how it went.


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## Aukai (Nov 28, 2022)

Prayers are with you


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## silence dogood (Nov 28, 2022)

There are not very many things that can make a grown man cry, but this is one of them. However, I'm so glad that your foot or some other body part did not get between the lathe and the floor. It looks like that you got a good plan. My suggestions are clear as much space around the lathe as possible and take your time. Good luck my friend, I'm going to be holding my breath on this one.


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## great white (Nov 28, 2022)

I learned long ago when big, heavy things start moving in a direction you don't want them to, you (and anyone in the area) just get the heck out of the way and let it happen. Human bodies are great at making soft squishy landing spots for big heavy metal things, but first time is usually the last time....


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## vtcnc (Nov 28, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> I've talked to my friend (because that's how many I have...) and he's ready to help.  He's also seriously underestimating the weight of this thing... In case you missed it, it says "1760" on the emblem, so it weighs as much as 2.5 Hondas.  That means engine hoists and pry bars are a no-go.
> 
> I've got my game plan together.  I'm off early to stop at Harbor Freight for a 5-ton chainfall.  I'm going to pack three 12' sticks of 1.5" gas pipe upstairs and lay them in a 3-pipe stack perpendicular to my joists.  Then I'll cut a small hole with a hole saw so it is easy to plug later, and chain the hoist to the pipe.  Then, use the floor jacks on cinder blocks from below while stabilizing from above...
> 
> I'll check back in 24 hours with how it went.


Was going to ask if you had floor joists accessible above. This is your best plan. If that lathe is actually 3 tons, then you may consider some lolly columns for joist support underneath. Your ceiling is a lot taller than mine though, so maybe I'm being overly risk adverse.


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## epanzella (Nov 28, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> I've talked to my friend (because that's how many I have...) and he's ready to help.  He's also seriously underestimating the weight of this thing... In case you missed it, it says "1760" on the emblem, so it weighs as much as 2.5 Hondas.  That means engine hoists and pry bars are a no-go.
> 
> I've got my game plan together.  I'm off early to stop at Harbor Freight for a 5-ton chainfall.  I'm going to pack three 12' sticks of 1.5" gas pipe upstairs and lay them in a 3-pipe stack perpendicular to my joists.  Then I'll cut a small hole with a hole saw so it is easy to plug later, and chain the hoist to the pipe.  Then, use the floor jacks on cinder blocks from below while stabilizing from above...
> 
> I'll check back in 24 hours with how it went.


If it's a plywood floor you're better off with a square hole. When you're ready to close it up take two strips of wood longer than the hole and half as wide. Put a sheet rock screw in the center of each and then work them into the hole so that each piece extends under the floor on three sides.  Hold the sheetrock screw with a claw hammer and screw the boards in right thru the plywood floor. Now you have a ledge around the hole so you can  just drop the original piece into the hole and screw thru it into the new ledge. This is a lot easier to do than to explain. (retired building contractor)


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## pontiac428 (Nov 28, 2022)

vtcnc said:


> Was going to ask if you had floor joists accessible above. This is your best plan. If that lathe is actually 3 tons, then you may consider some lolly columns for joist support underneath. Your ceiling is a lot taller than mine though, so maybe I'm being overly risk adverse.


Luckily, the lathe is laying in the "hallway" of my shop, which is the strongest part of the building as far as the upstairs floor goes.  The joists are laminated I-beam type, on 12" centers, at the maximum allowable span length of 24'.  The sunshine here is the silly partition I included in the design to create a machine shop for chipmaking tools separate from the dirty work in the main bay.  The lathe is right at the partition wall, which puts two extra 8" square timber posts right in the middle of the span that I'll be loading with the chainfall.  I feel like an idiot over the lathe tipping, but I feel pretty good about cutting a hole in my upstairs floor and attacking it from this angle.  We're probably going to do it tomorrow after work.  Get it on its feet at least, and I'll worry about moving it the rest of the way later.  I'm going to remove the pivot bolts on my machine skates and use that hole to hold a longer bolt to use as a locating pin though four of the leveling bolt holes on the base plinths.  That will keep this little incident from happening twice.  Err, keep that from happening three times, I forgot my 4500 lb mill dipped a toe after a skate ran away on my not very flat concrete.  I almost didn't recover from that, it was scarier than dumping the lathe.  My jacks just couldn't do the lifting (like all the king's horses and all the king's men), but I did manage to get its corner off the floor and back on skates without losing it.  So both of these capital class machines have given me a real rough go to get in their final places.  Anything else I get is going to have to be friendly to a pallet jack, because this Stonehenge engineering is kicking my butt.


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## Just for fun (Nov 28, 2022)

Good luck man, keeping my fingers crossed for a successful righting of your lathe.


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## Gnpenning (Nov 29, 2022)

Hoping for a positive outcome for you. 

Please don't use cinder blocks or a handyman jack.  I have a friend in a wheelchair from cinder blocks under a truck. 

Luckily you have support under the floor. If you can swing it try 2 chain falls. 

Looking forward to hearing how you make it work.


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## wayback machine (Nov 29, 2022)

I know hindsight is a *****, but no one has mentioned this - In your first photo I see only those 2 skates.
With the design of the base of that lathe, I wouldn't be comfortable with less than 4 - One in each corner.
It may have been the lathe teeter-tottering on the 2 skates that caused the initial problem.
Once you get it upright, you might reconsider how to move it sideways, before you try again.
Just sayin'


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## pontiac428 (Nov 29, 2022)

I was able to pick up a 5 ton chainfall last night.  Thank you Harbor Freight for finally opening a store on the peninsula so I no longer have to drive an hour to Tacoma (with a $6 bridge toll), and they had one in stock to boot!  There's a snowstorm coming in, so I might not have the help I need come evening.  It's not going anywhere in the mean time...

@wayback machine- no sir, I was not trying to move it on two skates.  I may have laid my biggest purchase in years on it's back in the middle of my shop, but I don't ride the short bus to school. <shrug.>


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## ErichKeane (Nov 29, 2022)

FYI: I discovered while moving MY lathe: 4 skates is ALSO a bad idea.  You want 2 small ones, plus 1 big one, else 1 will always be trying to escape!  When we moved my lathe, it took 3 of us, and 1 person's job was basically to make sure that the 4th skate didn't run away just in time for the lathe to n eed to be held up by that corner.


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## epanzella (Nov 29, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> I was able to pick up a 5 ton chainfall last night.  Thank you Harbor Freight for finally opening a store on the peninsula so I no longer have to drive an hour to Tacoma (with a $6 bridge toll), and they had one in stock to boot!  There's a snowstorm coming in, so I might not have the help I need come evening.  It's not going anywhere in the mean time...
> 
> @wayback machine- no sir, I was not trying to move it on two skates.  I may have laid my biggest purchase in years on it's back in the middle of my shop, but I don't ride the short bus to school. <shrug.>


I don't know how far you have to move this thing but you might consider bolting 2x10s to the base to increase the footprint size. It will offset how top heavy the machine is. You put some sheet rock screws into the bottom of the 2x10s so that the skates are trapped and can't squirt out. Thats what I did with my lathe but I had to move mine 200 feet up a winding driveway. Once you do that one guy can push it around like a shopping cart.


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## pontiac428 (Nov 29, 2022)

My concrete was poured by legally blind chimpanzees that used an overcooked pasta noodle as a screed.  The fourth skate was what caused me to partially tip my mill a couple years ago; four points defines two planes, and those planes are not parallel.  Three points is what I was using to move the lathe, one on the tailstock, two on the head.


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## epanzella (Nov 29, 2022)

I a four pointer guy. A nice wide 4 point. A trike tips over a lot easier than a quad. Even if it rocks a bit with a wide footprint you'll be good to go as long as your wheel are trapped where they belong.


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## wayback machine (Nov 29, 2022)

pontiac428 said:


> @wayback machine- no sir, I was not trying to move it on two skates. I may have laid my biggest purchase in years on it's back in the middle of my shop, but I don't ride the short bus to school. <shrug.>


Please don't take offense - I just saw the 2 skates, and that's the first thing I thought of.
Long distance, there's no way to tell what actually happened (other than a visual of the lathe), and the sequence of events leading up to it.
I've moved a lot of heavy stuff, and it usually takes me forever, due to over-cautiousness........... Can you tell?


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## pdentrem (Nov 29, 2022)

When I moved my lathe, much lighter unit at only 1100 #, I used car/truck dollies. I have some 5000# rated ones. Still sketchy as all the weight is high. The last time, I used gf Kubota tractor with frt end loader. Much better but not for tight spaces!
Pierre


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## pontiac428 (Nov 29, 2022)

I feel like I need to describe my concrete quantitatively.  The rear third of my shop is two sections of a single slam-and-jam pump job that measure 12x12 feet square and are depressed in the middle like shower pans.  there is a 3" high ridge between the low points of the two pans.  The subcontractor that poured this mess deserves to have their wrists zip-tied to my rear axle for my next trip over the pass.  I should have rejected the work, but at 18 months into a construction contract, I was happy to not have gravel underfoot.  Anyway, the floor is wavy and doesn't make keeping four skates under the corners easy.  I get it about trikes being tippy, that's why my office chair has five legs as required by GSA.  I'm also quite sure that, because of the way the skate popped out, that a second skate up front wouldn't have made a difference unless I had the forethought to make dunnage and outriggers from timber (not lumber, boards and planks would likely provide little resistance to gravity).  I think I will have the wandering skate issue solved with dowel pins in the tops of the skates to fit the jack bolt holes on the plinths.  I'm still considering outriggers.

I'm still trying to cope with the fact that the first thing to do once the lathe is in place is to start straightening the sheet metal with a stout singlejack.  That's going to feel weird after all the careful cleaning that led to this point.  I take it now my lathe has "personality" that it somehow lacked before.


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## great white (Nov 29, 2022)

Have you ever considered having the slab “skinned” with self leveling cement?

Just pour and it finds its own level based on gravity. Doesn’t take much, just enough to cover the high spots and you’re good.

Anyways, just a thought for consideration if the uneven slab is a problem.


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## pontiac428 (Nov 29, 2022)

great white said:


> Have you ever considered having the slab “skinned” with self leveling cement?
> 
> Just pour and it finds its own level based on gravity. Doesn’t take much, just enough to cover the high spots and you’re good.
> 
> Anyways, just a thought for consideration if the uneven slab is a problem.


I am aware of leveling compound for tile overlay, it's the first thought I came up with when my floor was still green, but I didn't think it would hold up to shop floor duty as a thin skin.  I could scarify it first, I suppose.  I could also jack out and re-pour what I don't like.  Otherwise, it only bothers me when I am placing things and need to level them, or when moving something like the lathe and mill.  Okay, it bothers me when I think about what I paid for the damn pour in the first place, but that's water under the fridge as they say, right?


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## RJSakowski (Nov 29, 2022)

The floor leveling compound used under tile is a gypsum product and not suitable as a wear surface.  There is a portland cement product that can be used.  There is an episode of This Old House where they use it to level a basement floor.


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## Dabbler (Nov 29, 2022)

I've leveled 2 floors in a residential setting.  I always make the promise that if the person ever has trouble with my work it is free to fix.  The commercial leveling compound sold for 'heavy use'  only barely stands up to residential use.  I wouldn't use it for a shop, however....

One repair I was involved in (not my job, but I was called in to help) was an uneven, partially broken 100+ year old garage slab.  We reground it, and used a pin needling tool to expose the aggregate, and poured a 3" high tensile concrete slab with fiber reinforcement on top.  That was around 12 or 13 years ago, and one tiny crack has appeared since.

With the cost of materials nowadays, it is not a job for the faint of heart.

On the safety issue - no matter how you move a lathe its top heavy nature makes it risky.  I'm not in any way critical of  @pontiac428 and his moving.  Even with the best of precautions, bad things can happen.


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## Cadillac (Nov 30, 2022)

Ardex is a commercial grade self leveling Crete. I rented part of a warehouse that the business was a flooring company. They used ardex and added a pigment to it then skim coated warehouse floors. The finish was silky smooth, colored to your liking and held up very well. I’ve used the ardex on side jobs for leveling transitions, doorways and skimming floors for tile     
It is very durable!


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## wayback machine (Nov 30, 2022)

I'm thinking, that the way this thread has evolved, Pontiac428 needs to re-mortgage the house and pony up for a new floor, before that lathe moves another inch ;~)


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## rwdenney (Nov 30, 2022)

@pontiac428 My goodness, man, I feel your pain. This was me, last Thursday (already documented in the SB subforum):







My lathe is smaller than yours, and I had more space. I was able to right it with an engine hoist, though I ran that hoist right to its limits and sweated bullets the whole time. I had to jack it up just to get clearance under it for the hoist leg.






(The front loader on my tractor can lift a 500-pound safe, but nowhere near sufficient capacity for the lathe. Also, the leveling feet on the head end look bent, but they are not. The feet are 3/8" steel plate on a swivel machined into the end of the 1/2" threaded rod. The feet are rated at 5000 pounds each. I rested them on 1/2" steel plates 3" in diameter (same as the feet), with building paper between the interfaces, as South Bend recommended if anchor bolts were not going to be used. The threaded rod sits on the leveling nut with the load distributed using a 3" x 3/8" high-strength fender washer that had a close-fitting 1/2" hole.)

I attached a strap to the bed crossbar nearest the spindle, after removing the tailstock and the remains of the taper attachment, and then cranked the saddle out to the tail (which itself had to wait until I'd lifted it slightly). As I picked it up, the tail swung around (slowly, a bit at a time). During part of the lift, one caster on the hoist was lifting slightly as the legs deflected. Shorts were soiled. It ended up upright oriented north-south, when it had started east-west.






I carefully lifted it back onto the pieces of my skid and put the skid back together. With that, we repositioned it at the desired spot. (More about the skates in a moment.)






Then, I lifted the head with a wide motorcycle jack (2-ton rated)—with cribbing—enough to remove the 2x12 cross part of the skid. Then, I expanded the 4x4's enough to provide lowering room. I then set the head end down on cribbing.

I used the hoist to lift the tail end, removed the skid altogether, installed the leveling feet, and then set the tail down.

Finally, with the hoist as a "safety", and with cribbing in place (I'm good at learning lessons too late), I picked up the head end just enough to slip in the leveling feet and lower it down.






And here it is sitting on its feet.






Back to the skates. You can see one on the floor in the last photo. The skates I used are very low profile, made from 4" junior channel turned flat. The axles are half-inch bolts, with a pair of bearings on the outboard ends to act as wheels (8 per skate). Most importantly, they have a hole in the top with a half-inch nut welded on the underside to allow a bolt to drop down from the top. The bolt doesn't need to be tight, just screwed in, so that if the skate is unweighted, it stays in place. But I spent a lot of time with these turning those skates using a pry bar.

The skid and the skates were what I did right, and therefore unsuitable for this thread. Lifting the head end from below using a narrow toe jack, with the carriage and tailstock pushed up close to the head (which reduced the weight on the tail legs to help them provide stability), without a hoist as a safety--those are the mistakes that are appropriate for this thread.

Without the hoist, a chainfall from an 8-foot piece of the LVL used as the joist beams for the roof trusses in that barn (read: 2-1/2 x 14" laminated beam) draped across at least four of those truss bottom chords (which are 2x12's that support an attic floor rated at 40 psf) would have been the next (and probably better) choice. I have a chainfall, but it's rated at one ton and I don't trust it even there. But now that I think about it, doing that with the engine hoist working together might have saved my shorts from soilage.

Rick "tears were not shed but only because ladies were present" Denney


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## GeneT45 (Nov 30, 2022)

Nice recovery and good fortune that the machine fell on its back.  She'll live to make another chip!

GsT


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## K30 (Dec 1, 2022)

Too much gravity is occurring around here...


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## Just for fun (Dec 4, 2022)

@pontiac428 Did you ever get your machine upright?


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## pontiac428 (Dec 4, 2022)

Yesterday, I found some help and attacked the Lathe of Damocles.  

I went upstairs, measured twice, and cut once:





Looks right.  This pic is fun to zoom in on:





I ran 3 sticks of 1-1/2 gas pipe as a chock, and a 12k sling through:




Rigged up a 5t chainfall, which worked perfectly.  I used floor jacks and cinder blocks supported by the hoist until I hit the pivot point, and eased it down.








Back on its feet!





I installed locating pins made from overpriced metric shoulder bolts in the skates to keep them from coming out again.  Made the rest of the job easy.  In place:





Celebration!




Well, that's something I never want to repeat...


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## pdentrem (Dec 4, 2022)

What a relief!


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## Firstram (Dec 4, 2022)

Good deal, any damage?


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## brino (Dec 4, 2022)

Victory!


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## silence dogood (Dec 4, 2022)

From  to.


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## Weldingrod1 (Dec 4, 2022)

Ahhhhh... happy machinery 

Sent from my SM-G715A using Tapatalk


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## Dabbler (Dec 4, 2022)

Nicely done - your building was your gantry crane - I love it!!


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## Just for fun (Dec 4, 2022)

Very Nice Congratulations!


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## rwm (Dec 4, 2022)

Excellent work! Are you gonna leave that hole in the floor for next time?


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## RJSakowski (Dec 4, 2022)

The agony of defeat, the thrill of victory!  Well done!


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## rwm (Dec 5, 2022)

Did the building make some scary creaking during the lift?


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## Aukai (Dec 5, 2022)

Outstanding, well done. Congratulations.....


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## brino (Dec 5, 2022)

rwm said:


> Excellent work! Are you gonna leave that hole in the floor for next time?



I know if it was me and I did NOT patch the hole, then my next post to this thread would be for losing a leg through it when innocently walking through the upstairs storage area looking for something.......
Brian


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## pontiac428 (Dec 5, 2022)

Firstram said:


> Good deal, any damage?


Only sheet metal.  The electrical enclosure is a bit smooshed, and some of the sheet metal "cabinetry" around the head is out of whack.  All of the sensitive stuff is safe!



rwm said:


> Did the building make some scary creaking during the lift?


Funny, I was expecting to hear noise the whole time.  It was dead silent, not one little squeak was heard as I supported the entire lathe 1/4" off the ground during the midpoint of the move.  That chainfall was worth every penny, it really made things easier and had all sorts of mechanical advantage.  About ten feet on the fall chain was worth one link on the hoist.  Lots of control!  I think I will set up a jib crane with a smaller chainfall for lifting chucks and things.  Big chucks get heavy...


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## great white (Dec 5, 2022)

brino said:


> I know if it was me and I did NOT patch the hole, then my next post to this thread would be for losing a leg through it when innocently walking through the upstairs storage area looking for something.......
> Brian


Do a hatch that can be fastened closed. 

That's if you think you'll ever need to lift something in that exact spot again that is......


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## Harry Knutz (Dec 5, 2022)

Good Job! I was worried you were going to pull the house over on it's side too!!


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## rwdenney (Dec 5, 2022)

I thought about the load on those joists. Joists are designed in residential use to conform to a requirement for 40 pounds/square foot. If the room above is basically empty with no heavy floor finishes, that arrangement was spreading the load across maybe four joists, and those joists would be carrying 25 or 30 kips of live and dead load in residential use. Code loading for a single 2x12 is something like 180 pounds per foot up to 12 feet, and that's for permanent loads. More is allowed for short term loads (short-term being defined as, say, snow). The key is to spread the load. And looking at deflection, a single 10-foot 2x12 reaches design sag at 7000 pounds of loading, according to one analysis I saw. Wood is pretty strong if we can provide enough depth of section.

I want to install a chain hoist, or even a beam for a trolley hoist. Even throwing a chain over a single 2x12 bottom chord of one of my roof trusses would likely have raise my South Bend, had I been willing to trust a one-ton hoist. But hanging a beam from, say, six trusses would easily support a 2-ton hoist kept in maybe the center two thirds.

Rick "wood is strong but it creeps under high loads over time" Denney


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## pontiac428 (Dec 5, 2022)

Rick, I was able to span 8 joists with the pipe chock !

Harbor Freight sells Draw-Tite branded chainfall hoists.  Keep in mind how HF rates tools, if it is a 1-ton unit, it will break at 2000 lbs of load.  So try for a 2-3 ton unit, and it should handle your SB easily.  Most chainfalls easily exceed the weight limits of trolleys, they will be your limiting factor.


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## Dabbler (Dec 5, 2022)

@ponitac428  When I was moving a 3800 lathe out of a basement there was a point where I needed to lift the 1000 lb lathe bed 5 1/2 feet off the floor to swing it out of a window (!).  I fastened a pair 2" x 1" X 5' hot rolled steel in the center (vertically) of the floor joists, and made a trolley that would allow most of the bed to roll out the window.  

It went very smoothly on 2X10" floor joists.  Because I'm a chicken-face, I used some 2X4 pillars to shore up the floor joists.  Cheap insurance.


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