Tool Gloats! What did you buy? We wanna see it!

[atwatterkent]

Until I found this one I had planned on converting an old Craftsman jig saw into a filer which I have seen done. At the NAMES show last weekend there was a company selling castings and plans for one.
They take a file with a 1/4" round shank rather than the tapered shank on most files but a die grinder in a lathe and ferule can take care of that very easily.

 

[Nelson]

I'm not sure if this was a gloat or not.

As a newbie, I had no parallels. I have been looking on Ebay. They go pretty steep, especially for USA made ones.

I saw these and gave a shot- they are made in Japan.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT


Did I do ok?
I assume Japanese made is better than China.

Thanks,

Nelson

 

[Nelson]

I think you did great Nelson! If you find you don't need two sets of the 1/8" parallels, let me know. I'd buy the extras from you.

Best,

Ken

BTW, I will always believe buying Japanese to support a free economy to be better than China.

Thanks Ken!

I put bids on them a few hours before they ended because I had to get to church. It's kinda rude to be putting bids on items on Ebay with my blackberry during the priest's sermon...LOL...

Under $30 each seemed a good price because Enco has a chinese set for about $60 I was about to get.
I figured that Japan has a better rep than China- similar to US, maybe not as good, but ok for a rank newbie like me.

The seller buried the fact that they are made in Japan in the description, and I bet a lot of people didn't read it.

Ebay can be decent or awful on tools - you have to be lucky.

Best,

Nelson

 

[Tony Wells]

I wish I could find a die filer around here.....I'm not sure too many locals know what one is! I may just build one from scratch.

Tony, have you seen the kit from castings? I think it's about $100 to $150 depending how much of it you buy. They are in State College PA and that's part of their name or url or something. If you need a link and can't find it, I have it bookmarked somewhere, on some computer.

That may be a good approach, instead of all machined/fabricated. That's my usual approach though. All flat, welded and machined.

If you happen upon the link, I'd like to look at it.

 

[pdentrem]

$25 bucks for the lot? WOW

I LOVE Greenleaf hole cutters! So much easier than drilling and filing.

 

[Tony Wells]

That AL block seems to be configured to fit on a lathe bed. Perhaps to hold an indicator or some stop rods.

Looks like you did ok, for $25.

 

[pdentrem]

The Greenleaf set is worth 5 times the 25 if not more.

Fly cutters are painful to use on my Atlas 10". The lathe is just too light and if I am using the BP, I am using a multi insert surfacer anyways. It is quick and quieter.

 

[Nelson]

$25, from the local Craigslist. For my money I got the box, in fair condition, and it's contents. The Greenleaf chassis punch set alone was worth it. I also got a Starrett wiggler, a bunch of HSS and brazed carbide bits, and lots of homemade parallel clamps, vee blocks with clamps, a fly cutter, parallels, and other junk.
Free, a gift from a friend who makes and markets these T-slot cleaning tool/brush things. Pretty cool.

$25 is a steal. Box alone is worth $100. I just bought a Starrett Wiggler set on Ebay for $40. Ya done real good.

Best,

Nelson

 

[AllenHendey]

This came out of an outbuilding that was been taken down. The box was soaked and moldy. In the box is a Starrett 696 Crankshaft Distortion Dial/Strain Gage! I found a new box to put it in after cleaning up the rods of rust and lubing the indicator. Now I need a very large steam engine to use it on.

I also received in the mail from Hemingway Kits the Retracting Toolholder for Screwcutting. I now have to make it up! Should be a good build.

Funny that you mention steam engines as I happen to help maintain a few! I have a Starrett 696 that came to me from a ship mechanic and I can't see how it's meant to work. I suspect the plunger is fully retracted and seized, as the needle doesn't move and the gauge seems to have no movable part. All the rods are there and nothing else seems neglected/abused, so maybe it can work again? I'm curious if you could tell me how it's supposed to work, or if you've got an exploded diagram that'd help me see what's up with mine.

 

[CJ5Dave]

Not really a tool, but maybe with this I can read the stamps on the thread dies again. Marketplace find.