2016 POTD Thread Archive

[intjonmiller]

way smaller than my big pro video heads..take up about 10 seats..lol

That's awesome. When I start hauling in gear for a photo shoot, after about my 3rd trip someone always asks, "How much do you have?" I usually respond, "I drive a Suburban for a reason."

I have always wanted a geared head (like a Manfrotto 405 or similar) for architectural and product work (I mostly do automotive these days, but used to do real estate and hotels), but they're so expensive for such specific use that I've never justified them and just use a ball head for almost everything. Since getting interested in machining I've wondered if I could figure out how to make one, but that is a LONG way down the road, limited by both my minimal equipment and skills.

 

[TOOLMASTER]

lots of used deals on ebay

 

[TommyD]

Been busy with lathe chucks, cheap chinese chucks that came on the cheap Jet lathes at the skool. 3 out of 4 of the chucks had a .015 TIR. my boss told me that at least one had been taken apart by machinists and reassembled and STILL ran out. They are cam locks so I first made sure that the witness line on the cam locks were between the 'v''s on the collars...check. As an apprentice in a shop that did heavy lathe work I had taken apart more than my share of chucks. My next step was to remove the hard jaws and the hard jaws that rode in the scroll. They were mated together properly by mated numbers stamped on both jaws so I knew they were started in the wrong positions since there was no stamp on the chuck body to match the jaws to. After fiddling around changing the order I got the first one to run .0015 TIR so I stamped 1, 2 and 3 on their respective slots. I'm still working on one, I have the scroll ring jaws running about .0025 TIR but when I put yhe hard jaws back on the TIR is .009. Friggin' cheap chucks. Never had so much problems with the old Bucks or Cushmans. To be continued....

 

[Dan_S]

I didn't get any time in the shop today, I'm editing my next video, and prepping the hard case for my new camera gear that I purchased for the wedding/honeymoon.

 

[great white]

All buttoned back up:



Couple small things left to do then its cleaning, blasting, painting, polishing and back into the frame.

 

[markknx]

Mark, I think your statement goes to the old argument that mig like tig beads aren't strong, they are pretty but weak, BS, lol, IF done correctly they are just as strong or stronger than "proper" mig beads, just ask any desert off road frame builder, mainly a man who goes by ZTFab, over on weldingweb, he is one of the best mig like tig welders in the world, and his welds are subjected to extreme abuse of desert race trucks, and they don't fail. A well trained eye can spot a cold weld, that is why it is so important to know how to set the machine for the technique, so you are burning a hot enough arc to get proper penetraition, which plays into wire speed, which will ALWAYS slower than what the panel says for a given thickness, the novice need not make those welds and expect to put them into service where there could be danger, you must be able to read the puddle, you have to know what is going on, listen to the arc, the weld is literally speaking to you, as well as giving you instructions on what to do, the key is knowing how to read the cards

And just to throw it out there, Jody is a good welder, but he can't mig like tig, or mig the stack of dimes like a super pro, he self admits that in his videos

I believe you are reading more into what I am saying than needs to be. I know people that can mig like tig and get great welds. the point I was making is you don't start there, and it is not proof that it is a good weld. The Guys that I know that can mig like tig are seasoned welders. I have no doubts that this ZTFab can make these welds. My whole point is it is not realistic for a hobby guy to master this without first learning to tell a good weld from a bad. I only mig when it is all that is available or on thinner stuff if tig is not available. This is do to Mig's limitation mainly.
I have always found a good 70xx or 60xx weld better looking than a Mig or Tig weld, but not everything can handle that kind of heat, and some times the Tig is just a better choice. That said for most of my home welding jobs not requiring more than 1/4, and that do not need to smile pretty my go to is Fluxcore. It is always ready at the flick of a switch, fast, quality welds come out, and I don't have to sweat a breeze, or fill a bottle.
Yes I agree the weld will talk to you, also important to keep a close eye on the puddle.
Yes I know jody can not mig like tig. I don't think Jody likes to Mig weld much he seems to like tig as his go to. However the reason for suggesting Jody is as stated he has some great arc shots. These are very helpful to a new or hobby welder. I do not believe I have checked out welding web so I do not know what they have there. (I will be checking them out as I love studying more and more on this type of stuuf. It also gives go places to send those trying to learn that one can not sit down with to teach.)
Please understand I was not attacking MIG like TIG, or you I was just saying I would learn to weld good and put some time under the hood before I attempted the advance stuff.

Mark

 

[Round in circles]

I got this boring bar holder with my quick change tool post set and have never used it because it only fits 3/4" diameter boring bars and I have none that size. I have a cheap set of boring bars that fit my boring head that has 1/2" holes. I made an adapter sleeve to fit the QCTP holder and hold 1/2" boring bars. I used a chunk of the original Y axis lead screw from my Ferro mill. It is 35mm diameter and large enough to produce the needed 1"OD and 1/2" ID needed.



You can see how worn the old lead screw is in the center.



My goal was .998" OD to match the original sleeve and I hit that dead on.
















I used extra long drill bits to make the ID bore .500"



Then I used a slitting saw to make a .040" slit length wise end to end.













A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Johnny ,
If you rotate the sleeve as shown in the bottom picture so the slot is between 09:45 hrs and 09:50 hrs the slot will be easier to close up giving you a much greater grip as well as keeping excessive strain off the clamping screws

I had similar problems to you and made a sleeve up too but found the tool rotated a bit whilst I was boring a 2 " hole .
Once I realised why it had turned and I'd reset the clamping slot it tightened up very easily and very effectively .

 

[Round in circles]

I didn't get any time in the shop today, I'm editing my next video, and prepping the hard case for my new camera gear that I purchased for the wedding/honeymoon.

View attachment 121219

Dan ,
Do you damp the foam ,put it in the freezer then use a dremel to take out the bits you don't want or do you do it soft and free hand with a knife ?
I'm asking because I'm thinking of getting a quality hard 4 inch or so case like yours , with full insets and sculpting them to take the 25 or so items my gal uses for her bonsai hobby .. if it works well maybe in a year or so when the foam is getting well worn get to making up some light birch ply inserts , grinding the profiles out then varnishing it all and putting in retaining straps such as Velcro strips

Can you also tell me where you purchased the case or better still give me a link to it please
Dave

 

[TOOLMASTER]

looks like pluck and pull foam..it is what pelican cases come with...i miss regular foam...electric steak knives cut foam nice...or a hot wire cutter.....the first case i ever did i heated up a bean can and used it to cut the holes for lenses

good prices on ebay for pelican cases

 

[chevydyl]

Well said mark, I agree with pretty much all you say, but I think you should all Google ztfab, it's pure weldporn, the guy is like a friggin robot when it comes to controlling any type of welding torch