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Re: Laser cut machinists' chest
Tamra, if you worry about the hand saws, get a butcher's glove. They're fine chain mail and will stop a cutting edge. If you work slowly and carefully, you won't need one, most likely. Power saws, best I can say is be VERY careful. I have a notch in the end of the middle finger of my left hand that is very nearly invisible now, but once upon a time it was 1/8" deep into the end of finger. Table saw incident. And even a very small table saw can do what my Skil saw did to me in a moment of inattention a couple decades ago. Could have been worse, though. Was told in my woodshop class, sophomore year of high school that an Expert demonstrated table saw safety for the previous year's class things of you shouldn't do. One of which was "Never do this!" as he amputated his thumb. He was guiding the wood through the saw without a push stick. I've not used the Skil saw in a couple of decades. Dumped it, and got a Delta Contractor saw, which also doesn't see much use. Like for the past 15 years minimum. ;) Just as large a blade, just as fast, though it has a slightly better guard.? I think I recognize the thing about lathe people. ;) Here lathely, I've been more a dreamer than otherwise, but also a collector. I currently have 5 lathes. Only one of which is usable as is, right now. Both Unimats need a bit of TLC. One only needs to be reassembled with the new bearings and belts, but I lost part of my workshop when my youngest child moved back in, and I'm having to move stuff out of the rest of the workshop to set up the machines again. Once again, I can walk in there, *(CAREFULLY)* and lay hands on them, but the table saw and one of the drill presses are moldering outside while I try to get things arranged so they're usable/fixable again! Also had an auto accident in late November, and have been struggling with transportation. The little car I bought for my wife was totaled, and I had to buy something new (to me, this time) instead of new, and get it working well for her. The Accent was a little less comfortable for her than I'd hoped, so getting to replace it wasn't really a bad thing, but I lost a chunk of money on it. The new-to-me mini-van now has her wheelchair lift in it, and I've also got both chair and lift working again. She hasn't needed them for quite a few years, but she's back needing some help getting around. The 2008 Chevy Uplander is also more comfortable for her, though she didn't think she'd like it. And I own it outright, so no car payments anymore. It does still need some work, but anything I can't do myself I'm more likely to be able to have done now. Only minor injuries in the accident, but her knees are among the injured areas, and they are very weak now.? Bill in OKC William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.) Aphorisms to live by: Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.? SEMPER GUMBY! Physics doesn't care about your schedule. The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better
On Friday, January 20, 2023 at 09:31:15 PM CST, Tamra B <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:
The Gentlemen in my unimat group are some of the best guys on the planet :-).? Tamra has an uncanny ability to over complicate everything in her scale modeling world.? I remember a very talented observation somewhere in one of my groups, that we are in categories of makers, doers and dreamers of doing and making..., perhaps specifically in metal working, we make things with the lathe, make things for the lathe, or collect lathes... I'm definitely in category 1 & 3... haven't made my own accessories for the lathe, but a replacement reproduction tool box for the unimat can easily be done with finger joints, but it will not be an OEM box for the collectors.? I spoke to my favorite instructor today, and he told me to make things to please myself and the legacy that it leaves is the legacy that is left, so my workbench will be too short for 90% of the population, but if I make it normal height I will have to build the floor up.? Crazy to think of using hand plane on? that bench woodtop, but that is exactly what I want to do.? (I saved a maple tree trunk from my own yard from this old house, I just need one of the saw mizer folks to stop by the house and make it the correct thickness.) I am very fond of my fingers and DH's table saw, the blade is too far back for me to feel like I am in control of the wood, so I'm toying with hand cut joints. (Remember I'm not 5'0 !)? At least one hand will be holding the saw, so I can't cut one of my hands...hahah.? ? Subsequently the note that I can make any simple project overly complex, because I have to learn to make it!? ? I asked, tonite, where my oak was in the stash, and he doesn't know, but I do have his blessing to make the entire chest of oak.? I waiver between oak and cherry.? I think that I will end up with three in reality... An Oak one for mill / lathe accessories, a Cherry one for fine measuring and drafting tools and mini tools and I already have my Casket to embroider.? Many years ago, my husband gifted me with that English Embroidery casket to apply embroidery panels to.? ?I drew up the plans and he had it cut and assembled in 2 weekends... It was a very loving gift, and we muddled through the dome casket top with me doing trial and error for angles.... of course I later found the math to support that project in a fine woodworking magazine.? I'm much better at the wood working then designing embroidery panels.? The English Embroidered casket is probably better known subject in the UK, but all the historical needle workers are familiar with the design and then all the rest of the embroidery stuff will be in this beautiful box.? Of all the natural, plentiful woods, I love cherry, and had a major moment --> oh my gosh, I love this wood moment .... earlier last year when I turned some burled walnut.... I worked on turning my stumpwork tools from Cherry and Burled walnut last year.? Last year I turned lace bobbins free hand....I don't want them to be identical.? I want the next person who is responsible for dusting them to know they were not duplicated. If I am healthy, I will continue to work full time while we can save money, working really messes up the modeling fun time.? But, I enjoy my work life most days, so the delay of implementing the dream continues.... and the dreams pile up in my brain, and I'm blessed with the present work life. Although I love my needlework, the lathe beckons me and my happiest days begin standing before a lathe. I hope everyone takes some time to machine something soon on that lathe. Tamra |
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Re: Another power supply question
If you have a multimeter, DVM, digital or Analog voltmeter, whatever, use the black lead on the negative terminal, and the red lead on the positive terminal and check to see that you have 24vdc available. If you don't have such a meter, go to Harbor Freight and buy the basic DVM they sell for $6.99, and use it. Convention is that red is the HOT or + lead, black is GROUND or - lead. By checking at each point, you should be able to follow the voltage you're looking for through the circuitry. Also, bear in mind that the 3rd lead on the motor connector may or may not be connected to anything. If you're not in the US, you can get a basic multimeter, or a digital voltmeter from just about any hardware store, eBay, Amazon, etc. Might not be only $7 or you currency's equivalent, but they're available from all the China suppliers...?? ? Amazon has several in the $10-12 range, and you can spend upwards of several thousand dollars for a very capable meter, but the $7 meter from HF is a lot more disposable if you mess up and burn it out. ;) There are probably more than 10,000 YouTube videos on using a basic MM/DVM. I've been doing this long enough that somewhere in this mess, I'm pretty sure I still have a Vacuum Tube Volt Meter, or VTVM. They all work just about the same!? Draw out the schematic for what you want to build, and figure out how much power each element of it is going to draw, and make sure your power demand doesn't exceed your power supply's capability. You may have to guess, but with the ammeter in the DVM I linked, you can test the current draw of each part individually, or in aggregate, by putting your meter in the circuit at the appropriate places.? ? Decent descriptions, and includes a safety section that I'd recommend you read first unless you're already moderately knowledgeable.? ? glosses over a few minor details, but not bad. ? VERY detailed introduction to electronics.? Schematics are pictures of what a circuit looks like with symbols instead of actual components.?? A simple schematic for what we're doing is a box labeled PS, with a line going from it to the motor, and another line going back to the box. One line labeled +, one _, break one or both lines to insert a switch, et cetera! I've drawn a few possible schematics. They say little about how the wires are connected. You can, if there is voltage available at the motor for that third wire, connect as you like. It's possible it's even a tach output, so I'd want to check and see what you're getting out of it. IIRC, the motors I bought only have red and black wires, with spade terminals, and the connector is optional. It's supplied but not attached to the wires yet. Photos or drawings help, sometimes. My PS, the Meanwell LRS-150-24, has six screw terminals. Line, Neutral, Ground, -V, +V, with the last two each getting two terminals. I have a small 40mm fan I plan on putting in the boxes, the PS, and the PWM speed control. That speed control will get one of the terminals, the fan the other, and I'm planning on putting a reversing switch in there, so the motor can run both directions. It will be between the PWM module and the motor, there will also be on/off switches for the line power, and 24vdc to the PWM module, but not for the fan. I'll be using DPST switches for the power to the PWM module and the Line voltage, breaking both lines, and a DPDT switch for the reversing switch.? A SPST switch is what I drew in the diagrams attached. And the reversing switch is wired like this:? Might be useful to you if you like the idea of being able to reverse the motor. I've found that handy on drill presses, for example. Should work on these tiny Unimats, about as well.? HTH! Bill in OKC William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.) Aphorisms to live by: Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.? SEMPER GUMBY! Physics doesn't care about your schedule. The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better
On Friday, January 20, 2023 at 09:14:09 PM CST, William Macy via groups.io <wkmacy@...> wrote:
Not being an electronics guy I¡¯m asking the group ?for its input on what is probably a very simple problem. I¡¯m using the same basic Amazon 24v power supply connected to a basic ?Amazon variable speed motor controller. I have 120v power into the 24v power supply, using an inline off-on SPST in the hot lead back to the controller. The two positive and negative wires from the 24v converter feed the variable power supply and thence via a 3 pin plug and socket to the 150w scooter motor. No problems thus far. After assembling the components in a home-made box I then decided a Hall effect tachometer would be useful since with the scooter motor the Unimat supplied speed/pulley chart will no longer apply.? Thanks in advance Bill |
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Re: Lapping a Unimat 3-jaw chuck
#unimat3
Your chuck isn't necessarily worn. I've had dozens of Unimats (both 3's and SL's) and it's very common to see jaws like that. Some are worse than others but to be honest you are lucky if you get one that meets up and clamps parallel.
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Re: Laser cut machinists' chest
I own a beautiful green felt lined oak Gerstner tool chest that I purchased new in 1968. That makes it 55 years old and it wears a very fine patina. My cost new at the time was $50.00. I have taken very good care of it and it has taken good care of my precision hand tools all these years.? Dick |
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Re: Laser cut machinists' chest
Tamra, that box available from HF is NOT a Gerstner. Not nearly as well made, but not nearly as expensive, either. I've got a couple of metal machinist's chests, one a Craftsman, with the top middle drawer sized for the small print Machinist's Handbook. It's not a Gerstner, either, but it's something like 80 years old, and almost too heavy for me to lift when it's not fully loaded... It's possible you could turn the HF wooden toolbox into something approaching a Gerstner with your talents, though. :) Bill in OKC William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.) Aphorisms to live by: Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.? SEMPER GUMBY! Physics doesn't care about your schedule. The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better
On Friday, January 20, 2023 at 07:23:12 AM CST, Tamra B <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:
My thoughts.... metal working tools are kinda heavy, even at the size of a unimat lathe. The unimat original OEM box is plywood, and my box bottom is not intact anymore.?? So, I would recommend using hardwoods and a table saw to make this box.? There is nothing as beautiful as a well made tool box for a gentleman's lathe! There are a lot of woodworking articles on the subject;? The most popular machinists chest in the USA of all time that is wood is likely the Gerstner tool box, but the historical reproductions?are the ones that I would like to make in 1/12th and life size scale. The Gerstner is available at Harbor Freight, but my preference would be an antique one. I do own a Harbor Freight cart for one of my other lathes, and like the cart with 2 drawers. ?HF also has the third hand available at much better price then my miniature supplier.? (Sorry to go off subject here at the end...) Tamra |
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Re: Laser cut machinists' chest
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýHello Tamra: I too need to build some replacement drawers for a Gerstner Chest I found next to a dumpster. I checked Gerstner's price for replacement drawers: $200 each! Here is
a photo, lower left, of my knock-off Gerstner tool box from
China and the base roll-a-round cabinet I built. Roll-a-round
is a bit of a misnomer since it hasn't moved since 1993. The
"cross" on the side is the drawer lock. The China box is OK, but the drawers are much looser that the real Gerstner. Similar to the quality of the HF box. HF at $100 is a real bargain compared to? Gerstner at $1800. I do pick up Kennedy or Craftsman boxes when the price is right, $50 or less. I even found one made of aluminum, light weight, but the drawers don't slide as well. I think the aluminum is prone to galling. Carl. On 1/20/2023 8:28 AM, Tamra B wrote:
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Railroads
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýHello Dick: Yes, I am a model railroader. The main reason I bought my Smithy Lathe/Mill was to build parts for my slow motion turnout motors. Here is a nice video of my layout:
I also kit bash locomotives, a 44 tonner from a pair of MP15 ?and a Flexible Farrie from two Portors. I'm into operations so Kadee couplers and DCC controls really help. Carl. On 1/19/2023 8:25 PM, OldToolmaker via
groups.io wrote:
Hello Carl, |
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Re: Lapping a Unimat 3-jaw chuck
#unimat3
Hello Carl,
Thanks for your response regarding ER collets on the Unimat. I was looking at the picture you have posted on this group. It appears you may be involved with model railroading. Do you build layouts or perhaps build model locomotives? Just curious. I am always interested in what others do as part a hobby. Dick |
Bill in OKC too
Unimat Matt
Carl
OldToolmaker