New shop update

[country gent]

Big Day Today !!!!!!!!! electrician finished the wiring. Now have outlets and machines to work with. Finally got to run all the machines in the shop and the new saw out in the garage portion. Now to the air manifold and lighting.

Marked out where the air couplers will be on one wall. one in back corner then 1 on each side of the outlet boxes. 9 on each 30' wall. 1 on back wall. This way Ill only need a few short air hoses. Ill also need 2 "whips about 3' long to tie air compressor in and to the feed system on the saw.

[Wayne Smith]

Having power inside is a big step. It does make everything else easier.

[Three44s]

CG,

It’s been a long time since the last update.

How goes the “battle”?

Three44s

[country gent]

Slowly, Have a small portion of walls to finish Pocket door to finish and front wall to insulate and sheet. Im close and been tinkering around in there. Mini split is in and running so now have heat and air. been sorting thru machine tooling ( found a box with a little over 50 1/2" square cemented carbide lathe bits ( form ground but 3/4 of the carbide still there so can be resharpened to what I need and many touch ups left). Got some drawer units for tool bits and odds and ends. Machines are all wired up. Moved most of the machine tooling into room to be cleaned and sorted. My new work bench is full top and bottom as I do this. I am finding things I didnt know I bought.... LOL Tooling wise several various size nu 3 mt drills 18" long. a full set of nu3 mt drills from 3/4"-2", aloris tool holders 12 so far, collets 5c and r8 5c are almost 2 sets in 64the round square and hex. R8s are 1/32 increments again 2 full sets and extras. Many grinding wheels for the grinder ( by many there are close to 25 wheels) but so far only 2 mounting arbors. Boring heads fly cutters insert mills and lathe tools ( will be a pain finding the right inserts for them). Still have to go thru all the stock yet. Ive got a lot to do yet but it is interesting. Spare belts for the mill spare parts for the lathes. chucks tool holders centers.

This spring heavy winds pulled up shingles on house roof so replaced it. it was 30 years old wasnt worth fixing it. only 1 layer so contractor laid new over it. A few other distractions. This past week ac went down in house. Techs found 3 leaks and resoldered them. Now 90*-100* heat so not expecting people to help in the heat either.

[Wayne Smith]

No, I don't expect others to help in the heat either. But you have your minisplit in and some temp control so you can fiddle to your heart's content!

[country gent]

Wayne, I may pick up a 20' piece of 1/8" cable a few screw eyes cable clamps and a 10 x 18 tarp hang it like a shower curtain inside the front wall to close it off. wouldn't be the best but would keep cool in better than the open studded wall frame.

[Three44s]

Well, there is still many things to do but it is good you can “putter” in some modicum of comfort!

Good time to get your stuff “found again” and organized so you can use them on a timely basis.

The wind here has been extraordinary as well.

A serious T Storm hit us in Central E. Washington about 6weeks ago but in Central E. Oregon it was catestrophic. There it destroyed Wheel line and Pivot Circles by the score that had water in them (they were irrigating). Half of a large valley in the area of Madras Ore. is said to be finished this year. They are picking up the scrap and planning for next year.

The winds were so bad that sprinkler lines were blowing wildly across State Hwy 97. Imagine that for a moment.

Here in Goldendale WA buildings, barns and hay sheds were destroyed. The PNW is not known for tornados but we are getting them to some degree.

Three44s

[Dragonheart]

I ditto using LED's. I prefer a color temperature of 5K t0 6K. The daylight white light is the way to go if you are working with machinery& tools.

[country gent]

This week I started cleaning (rough with just a brush no solvent yet. Got the most off what Ive went thru. So far Ive found 15 aloris tool blocks turning, facing,boring, threading, Some various insert holders, 5c collets ( almost 2 full sets of round, hex and square, several blanks ) cemented carbide bits close to 50 1/2"with 3/4 of the carbide left. Also some 3/4, 3/8, 1/4. very few 3/16 and 1/8. 3 live centers two are heavy royals with #3 Morse tapers. all could use the points cleaned up. A set of #3 MT drills from 3/4" - 2" all have a lot of life left in them. 4 #3 mt dead centers 2 are carbide tipped, but no sleeves for spindle use. 2 sets of R8 collets and 1 set of R 8 weldon holders, 2 boring heads 1 small set of everede boring bars. 4 slitting saw arbors with R8 shanks. 4 spare belts for the Bridgeport, 4 mill vises 1 8" kurt angle lock, one 6" bridgeport, and one parallel to table vise. Im about 1/3 of the way thru it all. Was and interesting day.

[Wayne Smith]

Wow! If it was me I'd have to be making lists or I'd put something somewhere and forget it! Of course you have been working with that stuff all your life and I don't know what half of it is.

[country gent]

Wayne I have 2 18 X 48 X 96 shelve units assembled in to half units giving me 3 shelves and floor at each machine. The machines tooling will be on the shelves at each machine. I need to make a grinding wheel rack to store the grinding wheels upright at the grinder. As far as cutting tools go Im not sure how Im going to store all of them I have some drawer units but with the numbers Im finding this isnt really practical. May have to go into labeled card board boxes. Next is storing stock I got around 2 tons of various stock lengths sizes alloys materials. some are cuts others 10 ft lengths. Going to take a good rack for all of it. This project is coming along but slowly.

[country gent]

The new shelves are the quick assemble type with key hole slots, This makes then hard to move when assembled. Im going to make a simple I brace from 2"X 4" that just fits on the bottom shelf then 4 dowels will slide in holes thru legs and 2 X 4 this should lock the bottom shelf in place allowing me to lift it with the fie cart easily. Would also work if rearranging cleaning only having to clear bottom shelf off.

What Im planning is to make the I frame to size set in shelf and clamp down lightly then spot the two key holes thru thru legs both sides. If 4" is tall enough I may stagger the holes on each leg for more bearing. Or use a 2 x 6 to do the 2 side beams. when not needed it can be stored on top of shop.

Today I cleaned tooling solvent cleaned tool holder, some collets and centers Also some mill tooling. let it drain and oiled it lightly. Still have some to go. Tomorrow the person is coming to check my figures to put dura berm between house and building a 20' wide approach in front and 3' borders around 2 sides. Save mowing between house and garage gine wont trak in building as easy, and will save having to mow as close to building. Looks like 60 tons. Of fine dura berm. So according to Tennesee Ernie Ford roughly 3 days work once delivered. You shovel 16 tons.

[Wayne Smith]

Sixteen tons and what a ya get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't ya call me now, I owe my soul to the company store!

Yeah, I can sing it, but just the chorus for those young folks who don't know the reference.

[country gent]

Need to be on tune next time Wayne

Today made the frames to move shelves with die cart. A simple little bar That set across shelve and 4 pins thru key holes on each leg to lock the shelves and support it. a drop down just under shelve to lift on. The new key hole shelve units are easy to assemble but almost impossible to move when assembled, these 2 x 4 frames should make it easy even loaded to move them with the die cart. Will clamp them down to shelf tomorrow and spot the 4 1/2" holes thru the legs. into the blocks. 4 dowels in each leg should give plenty of support. The pins holes will be staggered on each side of leg. They set in and twist up into legs snug on top of shelf locking in to leg with 4 pins. Gotthe stone ordered for between house and building the approach and borders today ended up needing 60 tons.

[country gent]

Made the 1/2" poms today and spotted the keyholes in the 2 x 4s 4 pins per corner 2 each side of angle legs. Looks good when they are installed and the actual lifting blocks are 1/2" below shelf bottom so no lift on the shelves.
Cleaned tooling looks good enough and will store it once walls are finished and can move shelves to the walls. May start on the air manifold tomorrow. I can do this on the floor and the helpers can assemble it above. This way I wont end up with air lines running in front of windows. Will be a lot of cutting and pope threading.
Then today my old lufkin tape measure died and quit retracting, would return past 80". Took 4' of the end and gave it a proper burial. Date cut in case read 1978 so it didnt owe me anything.

[country gent]

Today assembled all the manifold drops tee up to where the drop screws in. Didnt take them more than hand tight right now but did put the Teflon pipe dope in so they and me tightened up and assembled to mains as we go. Also assembled the main for out side the shop in the garage. dope in threads need to add one length yet. 5 couplings on this one but 2 are dedicated 1 - air compressor 2- saw feed on this one. condensate drain will run to Hvac pan and the water will drain out side. 2 runs 3/4" 30' long 1 1/2" 30' Long. the drops are straight up 3/4" 5" tall and 5" over then down to a 1/2" pipe down into the room. This manifold will add a little over 5 gallons capacity to the compressor. Am going to raise the end opposite the drain 3" over the 30' so there is fall to make condensate run to drain.

[Three44s]

Tennessee Ernie Ford .... what a voice!

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...tail&FORM=VIRE

There, Wayne can rest his vocal cords!

CG,

Great progress! Glad you are closing in on the Finnish line!

Three44s

[country gent]

Well today ordered some more needed materials to continue work. The air manifold is as far as I can go even has the 2 "whips" installed for air compressor and saws power feed. ordered some more needed pipe fittings and odds and ends there. Also ordered 500 pack of intex fiber paper rags the PRC material and 5 gallons of Simple green aviation precision metal concentrate. This is supposed to work well in tanks or ultra sonics with or with out heat. I need to clean the drops and tees since I seem to have lost my touch. Working with the pipe dope the other day every time I touched something I got pipe dope all over me and the parts. LOL.

[Mal Paso]

Working with the pipe dope the other day every time I touched something I got pipe dope all over me and the parts. LOL.

If it's the good stuff it won't wash out of your clothes either.

Nice to see someone making progress!

[country gent]

Mal Paso For a few years I hand scraped machine members re fitting them. That 107 ( or 109 ) scrapping blue was also some tenacious stuff to work with and it never dried so it would end up everywhere. Only things we had that would remove it was MEK and alcohol. This stuff would rub off with a clean rag, but it took some work.