What Did You Buy Today?

[Larry$]

I should have said, for what I do and with my Makita cordless tools.

Makita battery tools are excellent and as long as you are using them where you have a supply of charged batteries everything is good. Don't buy knock off batteries! Not all battery tools a re created =! In my business I would periodically try another brand. DeWalt and Ryobi simply did not hold up to production use. Brands have so many "models" available. They look similar but they have cut corners to cut the price. Makita does the same thing. If you are buying a tool you intend t use a lot, don't cheap out! Exception: big job sites where you can't keep all you tools within hands reach. Too much theft!

 

[Eyerelief]

Very nice! Assuming mine works properly I'll start the search for a micrometer carriage stop, steady and follow rests.

I do see steady and follow rest show up from time to time on ebay. I think I have only seen one micrometer carriage stop. My steady rest is not a Victor, I bought a mystery rest (5") off of ebay for $100 and built a base for it.

 

[ChazzC]

View attachment 495815

and a Mitutoyo inside mic bought for £50-odd. It's been dropped at some point (the knurled thumbscrew cap on the stop is bent but the screw still seems straight) and I'll need to disassemble to check if there are any further problems but other than the bent thumbscrew cap, it's relatively tidy and moves perfectly smoothly. Obviously I'll need to adjust the zero.

A bent thumbscrew on these inside micrometers is apparently a “feature:” the used Starrett 1” - 2” I brought 2 years ago had the same issue. Like yours, the screw was straight, so I removed it and some gentle tapping corrected the problem (I get a spare the next time I ordered parts from Starrett just in case). The micrometer itself was in perfect condition:


(Box is new; the mic came in the original box)

Of course, I then bought a 1.2” (-ish) Setting Ring Amazon) so I could calibrate it (the cycle never stops):

 

[SouthernChap]

A bent thumbscrew on these inside micrometers is apparently a “feature:” the used Starrett 1” - 2” I brought 2 years ago had the same issue. Like yours, the screw was straight, so I removed it and some gentle tapping corrected the problem (I get a spare the next time I ordered parts from Starrett just in case). The micrometer itself was in perfect condition:

View attachment 495889
(Box is new; the mic came in the original box)

Of course, I then bought a 1.2” (-ish) Setting Ring Amazon) so I could calibrate it (the cycle never stops):

View attachment 495890

That's a good point. I wouldn't use the used ring gauges I have coming for calibration.

I'd better get a pristine ring gauge for calibration. My mic is 5-30mm graduated to 0.01mm, what size gauge(s) do you think I should get?

 

[ChazzC]

That's a good point. I wouldn't use the used ring gauges I have coming for calibration.

I'd better get a pristine ring gauge for calibration. My mic is 5-30mm graduated to 0.01mm, what size gauge(s) do you think I should get?

Not an expert, but I would get something a little over the minimum (my SHARS 0.2” - 1.2” came with a 0.2”+ ring), but I also have a 49.446mm ring (picked up when I got my Starrett inspired de micrometer set) so I can check both ends of the range on each:


(No pitting inside the ring)

In theory, anything within the range will work since you only need to calibrate at one location - try to get something you can use for more than one application.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Very nice! Assuming mine works properly I'll start the search for a micrometer carriage stop, steady and follow rests.

I have a follow rest (somewhere!) that should fit. Was part of an auction lot from a place that had two Victor 1640 lathes. It’s still in the other moving container, but it should get unearthed soon

 

[hotrats]

got this fixture plate at a flea mkt yesterday. Govt surplus. $20.

 

[G-ManBart]

I have a follow rest (somewhere!) that should fit. Was part of an auction lot from a place that had two Victor 1640 lathes. It’s still in the other moving container, but it should get unearthed soon

Cool...thanks! I'm not sure that one will work, but I should know once I get my hands on the lathe. I've looked at countless pictures online and the manual and they seem to show the style follower that mounts to the top of the carriage rather than the side. This is from the manual:

 

[yota]

Makita battery tools are excellent and as long as you are using them where you have a supply of charged batteries everything is good. Don't buy knock off batteries! Not all battery tools a re created =! In my business I would periodically try another brand. DeWalt and Ryobi simply did not hold up to production use. Brands have so many "models" available. They look similar but they have cut corners to cut the price. Makita does the same thing. If you are buying a tool you intend t use a lot, don't cheap out! Exception: big job sites where you can't keep all you tools within hands reach. Too much theft!

most of the Makita I see are now made in china. very disappointing. I have had 5 of the 18V Makita batteries of various amp hours for at least 5 years. use them frequently and they have held up fantastic.

 

[Larry$]

most of the Makita I see are now made in china.

Yes, disappointing. The Chinese are capable of making good stuff, just that cheap stuff sells.