2017 - The Original "What Did You Buy Today?" Mega Thread

[mikey]

Mike,
The Wood River casters are indeed made in China. I don't know where the Carrymaster (Zambus) casters are made. From what I can tell the Carrymaster casters would be about $200/set with 1300 lb capacity. I found several places that sell Carrymaster, but didn't want to hassle with calling and ordering (couldn't find any online stores that carried them). I've seen the Foot Master casters, but the only ones I could find were either too small capacity (480 lbs with 4) or as expensive as the Carrymasters ($240/4 with 2400 lb rating).

The Wood River casters seem pretty high quality, and were the lowest priced caster of that type I could find. Of course 2 days after I placed the order from Woodcraft I see two other Amazon sites with the same caster set for $30 less.
Evan

Carrymaster and Foot Master casters are both made in Korea. Both are good but I prefer the Carrymaster brand. I had Footmasters under my mill and didn't like the screws for the levelers - seemed flimsy for the rating. I took them off and installed Carrymasters and they are stout for their rating. I can push an 800# machine around my shop with one finger and then ground and level it in a few minutes. The leveling feature is solid, unlike the Foot Masters, and it doesn't change over time so I'm going with Carrymaster from now on.

I actually switched the Foot Masters to go under my lathe but I just don't care for the feel or solidity of the leveling feet so they're being replaced with Carrymaster AC-600's. The AC-600's weigh about 3# apiece and they are massive. I chose them because I don't want flex or movement under a lathe and I know the AC-600's are stout; I have two of them now and am waiting for a better price on the other two (got my two from Amazon for $20.00 each, shipped!)

I saw the Wood River casters and suspect they will be fine provided the rating is at least double the weight of the machine. You sure cannot beat the cost. I didn't go for them because I didn't want to chance a mishap or breakage with a heavy machine sitting on them but I admit that I'm probably being overly cautious about that. The wood shop guys seemed to think well of them.

 

[mikey]

You are right, they are anything but cheap but it should last two lifetimes, mine and my son's who will inherit it. It is a brute of a tool. This new version allows for the knurls to be changed easier. Eagle Rock told me that they are likely dropping the earlier versions and moving to this one.

Boy, that @darkzero should get a commission on these knurlers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my shop-made knurler - produces crisp, clean knurls with no issues at all - but even I'm going to buy an Eagle Rock knurler so I can knurl stainless like a big boy.

All joking aside, rigidity is the single most important feature for a knurling tool, IMO. Hardened frame, carbide pins, good fits on the hinge with a hardened stud - all of it matters when you have to knurl something that allows only one pass and Eagle Rock knurlers have the right stuff. They are expensive for a tool that most of us will use only sporadically but from what I've seen and heard, it is the best of its kind.

 

[Silverbullet]

Cardinal green 3 B speed vise , don't see any digits or dings . It looks like brand new , not sure there value but I liked the condition . It just said make an offer so I did . That and some acorn dies and a holder #2 acorn die holder . I've been trying to stay away from the machinist tools , I own to many now.

 

[ACHiPo]

Carrymaster and Foot Master casters are both made in Korea. Both are good but I prefer the Carrymaster brand. I had Footmasters under my mill and didn't like the screws for the levelers - seemed flimsy for the rating. I took them off and installed Carrymasters and they are stout for their rating. I can push an 800# machine around my shop with one finger and then ground and level it in a few minutes. The leveling feature is solid, unlike the Foot Masters, and it doesn't change over time so I'm going with Carrymaster from now on.

I actually switched the Foot Masters to go under my lathe but I just don't care for the feel or solidity of the leveling feet so they're being replaced with Carrymaster AC-600's. The AC-600's weigh about 3# apiece and they are massive. I chose them because I don't want flex or movement under a lathe and I know the AC-600's are stout; I have two of them now and am waiting for a better price on the other two (got my two from Amazon for $20.00 each, shipped!)

I saw the Wood River casters and suspect they will be fine provided the rating is at least double the weight of the machine. You sure cannot beat the cost. I didn't go for them because I didn't want to chance a mishap or breakage with a heavy machine sitting on them but I admit that I'm probably being overly cautious about that. The wood shop guys seemed to think well of them.

The casters I got are rated for 1300lb and the lathe and bench weighs about 700lbs so hopefully I'll be ok.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[pstemari]

Now have an Eagle Rock knurling set-up.
View attachment 231621

Fair warning: the standard knurls on that are tpi knurls, not diameteral pitch knurls, and are a royal pita to change. Be sure to measure the pitch before knurling and work out the appropriate workpiece diameter.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Alan H.]

Fair warning: the standard knurls on that are tpi knurls, not diameteral pitch knurls, and are a royal pita to change. Be sure to measure the pitch before knurling and work out the appropriate workpiece diameter.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

I'll have to study that a bit. I was lazy and didn't cipher anything on this one other than putting it on the machine and giving it a light knurl. Guess I was lucky coming out of the box. (BTW, there was an interesting thread here on the board on this topic a couple of weeks ago.)

In terms of being hard to change, not sure what you mean. That was one of the primary reasons I bought the K1 model . The shafts are not pressed in but are held in place with set screws so changing the knurls is easy.

 

[Rustrp]

I absolutely hate thread wires; I always drop them in the chip pan or on the floor ... always!

So playdough was never high on your entertainment list. The wires do require a a third hand if you even want to come close to looking like you know what the word accuracy means.

 

[FOMOGO]

Looks great to me. Nice pattern. Mike

 

[darkzero]

The standard K1-201 have pressed in pins. The heavy duty K1-44 like the one Alan & I have the pins are held in with set screws.

Good lucky trying to press in carbide pins on the K1-201, I've seen it done but you have to have really good patience.

 

[darkzero]

Boy, that @darkzero should get a commission on these knurlers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my shop-made knurler - produces crisp, clean knurls with no issues at all - but even I'm going to buy an Eagle Rock knurler so I can knurl stainless like a big boy.

All joking aside, rigidity is the single most important feature for a knurling tool, IMO. Hardened frame, carbide pins, good fits on the hinge with a hardened stud - all of it matters when you have to knurl something that allows only one pass and Eagle Rock knurlers have the right stuff. They are expensive for a tool that most of us will use only sporadically but from what I've seen and heard, it is the best of its kind.

I know right!

Always happy to help people spend their money!

The Eaglecraft HD K1-44 is probably the best form scissor knurl on the market. Expensive but still worth it IMO as everything on it is beefed up. Scored mine practically new for only $80 years ago so I'm a very happy guy, I miss those days on ebay. If there's a better one out there I would like to know. Not to buy, just to know.