# New Robrenz video -- great stuff!



## Bob Korves (Jan 7, 2018)

I am surprised I am first to post it.  Incredible stuff!


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## benmychree (Jan 7, 2018)

Sounds cruel to me!


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## EmilioG (Jan 7, 2018)

Will that US General tool chest hold all that weight for a long time?  That's quite a piece of granite!


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## Bob Korves (Jan 7, 2018)

EmilioG said:


> Will that US General tool chest hold all that weight for a long time?  That's quite a piece of granite!


I guess you did not watch the video, Emilio.  Robin is using 2 of the tool boxes and each one has more than double the capacity of the plate weight.  It also has the correct dimensions.  The two chests back to back exactly equal the width of the plate, and the plate overhangs the length by about one inch on each end, allowing clamping access.  If indeed you did not watch the whole video, Emilio, I recommend you do so,  Robin thinks way beyond what most of us do, even if he does have to add braces for the jacks at the end.


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## middle.road (Jan 7, 2018)

Wonderful mod, ingenious was to create extra storage, but with what I know about surface plates and half ton weights, I don't think I'd 
rely on a 18ga. sheet metal base. That's only ~.020". Not too sure about that. Gut feeling is that it's flimsy.

Tooling up an ordnance project back in the 80's I ordered (3) 4'x8' Starrett Pinks. They sat on massive bases, ever the 4'x4's ones did.
The large Pinks came in totally out of spec and had to be reworked. Took a couple of weeks, moving them into the Met Lab, letting them 
soak and than lapping and bringing them into spec. I was very surprised they came in that far off-spec.
If you have a temperature change of a couple of degrees, the steel changes and you're back to square one waiting on the steel to stabilize.
I need to watch his videos later on when he laps it. I want to see the method used to get 'lab' grade specs in a garage.


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## EmilioG (Jan 7, 2018)

I understand Bob, I did watch. I just don’t have faith in those tool boxes to hold all that weight. Just my feeling on this. I hope it works for him. Not something I would do myself.


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## Dabbler (Jan 8, 2018)

A large company was closing one of its 3 tool and die shops and I found two toolmakers carts that were surplus.  Paid $225 for both, and they are made of 10 gauge steel (!).  They wanted me to take a 18" X 24" Mitutoyo AA grade surface plate as well, for a price.  That granite plate now resides on one of the toolmaker carts. 

Normally a surface plate is stationary and levelled.  My shop is too small, so most of the gear has to be moveable.


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## Dabbler (Jan 8, 2018)

oh, and what a great idea from Robin as usual!!!  Although it looks a little dodgey, those casters look up to the challenge, and the centre support is made of two walls which adds considerably to the carrying capacity.  If I didn'n have a base already, I think I'd copy Robin's idea.

-- I can't wait for the resurfacing video(s)!!!


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## BRIAN (Jan 8, 2018)

And how about the weight of whatever he puts inside the stand. and will this change the shape of the stand when things are moved in the draws.
Just my 5c
Brian.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 8, 2018)

In Robin's shop there seems to be no such thing as a permanently completed project.  If it needs to be modified further or scrapped and started over from scratch, Robin will do it.  Just about everything in his shop is custom made, modified, and tweaked so he is as happy as possible with working with it full time doing challenging work.  I have no worries about Robin being stuck with a pig in a poke for longer than it takes him to do something about it.  I also like that he is not afraid to use lower tech and lower cost shop made and shop modified tooling as well as state of the art stuff to achieve amazing results.  Making high end parts and tools is not just Robin's profession, it is also his life's passion.

There is a phone interview on Instagram where Robin discusses his career and how he got to where he is now.  I cannot find it at the moment, but it is also amazing.  He lives what he does and has from childhood.


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## petertha (Jan 8, 2018)

I saw the latest installment. Glad to see Robin has found some time to make vids again. And some cool projects forthcoming. I'm thankful people like him take the time to produce YouTube content. It must be a lot of work but the knowledge benefit to me is so valuable. 

Is there any other way to get access to that interview? I'm kind of social media stunted - no Instagram, no FaceTwit... Can I pay you in Bit-Loonies? I'm sure that must be a thing.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 8, 2018)

petertha said:


> Is there any other way to get access to that interview? I'm kind of social media stunted - no Instagram, no FaceTwit... Can I pay you in Bit-Loonies? I'm sure that must be a thing.


I found the interview link:
https://thecogwheel.net/2017/09/02/...isode-10-practitioner-of-the-mechanical-arts/
See the black bar part way down the page.  Well worth a listen...


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## petertha (Jan 8, 2018)

Thank you Bob. Good score. Didn't even know that website existed.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 8, 2018)

petertha said:


> I'm kind of social media stunted - no Instagram, no FaceTwit...


I am not a social media type, either, except for H-M!  Still, you can go to Instagram and look around.  That is where Robin has been posting stuff, short articles he could work in between other work.  Good stuff.  Some of the best YouTube machinists also have strong presences on social media.  I go there very rarely, but most of the content is available to look at without a membership.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 8, 2018)

Stefan Gotteswinter also has a phone interview on that site.  Interesting, but not quite as good as Robin's interview, IMO.  More horsing around.
https://thecogwheel.net/


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## 4GSR (Jan 13, 2018)

A little F.Y.I.

I have one of the rollaways like the general in the video.  After about 8 years of the rollaway sitting static in one place, the rubber tires on the steel cast wheels are starting to split into, dropping the cabinet down about 3/8".  Of course, it don't help when you have over 600 lbs of tools and junk stored in and on the cabinet.  Those cabinets are built heavy and stout.  Much stouter than the old Craftsman and Kennedy cabinets are built.  And I have both in my shop, too.  Just wish they had a little more height in the drawers.


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## Firestopper (Jan 13, 2018)

I used four of those boxes back to back integrated into a large work bench. Sitting static with no casters on eight leveling feet.
Best bang for your buck. The only complaint I have is the top drawers don't pull out far enough, but then again the top has a 2" overhang.

It's my opinion that he should have framed in his boxes so that the entire weight/load is on a separate framework. Only because its a dynamic load when he moves it, and although those boxes are stout, they will flex in motion. Don't get me wrong, Robin does amazing work non the less. The pod casts are interesting listening and he's talented as they come.


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## Bill W. (Jan 13, 2018)

Just for clarification... the tool boxes in Paco's post are HF boxes NOT Snap-On...
He pointed that out in his build post.  He ordered the badges online and replaced the HF badges.
 Way to go Paco...
As always, excellent work!!!


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## frugalguido (Jan 13, 2018)

I like Robin's video's, but I really question the way he did the leveling feet, way under engineered for the weight ( I am sure he started to realize some of it when he had to add the braces). He goes through all the stuff for the kinetic details on the surface plate mounting , then uses a cheap ass hardware bolt for the leveling. Come on , get some real leveling feet like these. 
http://catalog.te-co.com/viewitems/leveling-toggle-pads-nbsp/leveling-pads?

I also would agree with the above poster, about not relying on the HF frame for total weight support .


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