New shop update

[country gent]

Today I laid out the borders for the new stone. Started with a tight string marking the outer edge and laid in a line of stone along it to mark new borders. Boy is running an Irish back hoe ( shovel) tricky from a chair LOL. But I got it done so now brother and his grandson can come in with the tractor and loader and spread it. 3 ft border on 2 sides 4" fill between house and garage then a bigger approach into the front. I may even put up a basket ball hoop so I can teach the grandsons to dunk. Once plus to the power chair was I only had to fill and support the shovel the chair carried it to where I needed to go.

[Wayne Smith]

How is the new med helping your activity? Has it increased your ability to function at all?

[country gent]

Wayne I seem to be standing up alot better, better "control" of some functions, and a little feeling in feet this is the first tear cycle and only a few weeks into it so will be interesting to see. Next year I do the 2 cycles again and then done

[Wayne Smith]

Better feeling in your feet is a major advantage. Much less likely to hurt yourself when you can feel your feet.

[country gent]

Started spreading dura berm today. Got about half done when hydraulic seal blew. Brother has to fix that and said I may need to tap some holes out bigger as some threads are bad in the aluminum block. between house and garage may still need a few bucket fulls but its close and I can use the back door now. Looks good and appears to be running very close to what was figured so far

[country gent]

Today I fixed the hydraulic blocks threads. While not stripped were very loose and sloppy. Set them up and drilled to 7/16 20 then fitted a plug to them with a snug fit. Locttited in place and cleaned up flush with face. Aid out the holes and drilled and tapped 3 new 5/16 18. will replace bolts with studs machine washers and the o ring with a flat seal washer. Should make a long lasting repair. The thread plugs are bottomed out in the holes with ends fitted in to existing drill point bottoms. Maybe this weekend finish spreading and grading the dura berm

[country gent]

Today I started cleaning on the machines them selves. Pump up 1 gallon sprayer and paint brush. Mixed up a gallon of simple green extreme cleaner at 10 - 1 in the sprayer. Killed power to machines sparred down wet and let set for 5-10 mins sprayed down lightly and worked with a brush. Most pf the crud came of quickly. Some stubborn will need hit again. That stuff is really working good cleaning up the tooling and machines. Got the tail stock ends of both lathes and backs of chip guards done today. Last step was to wipe dry with a towel.

[country gent]

Was back up to being able to get in and out today. Buddy came over and we cleaned up the Nardini lathe. Started with a pump up sprayer and brushes was slow going with the cakes on crud. Mail delivered the siphon gun shortly after we started. Pumped up the air compressor and mixed up some more simple green with dawn. Set regulator to 100 psi, now that did the job and went much quicker. Started on a portable collet stand that will hold the 5C collets spindle mounts chucks and draw bars. Will be on casters so it can go to . Machine needed.

I will be using the collets on the lathes mills and grinder so being able to move it is a plus

[country gent]

Working on the tooling cart for the lathes . Have the frame about ready to sand and finish. This cart will be on 4 castors. Bottom shelf is for chucks and rests at the same height as the die cart lowered down. It is offset to one side this will make rolling chucks onto cart easier. Next shelf up is for the spindle noses collet stops and odds and ends a brace to add support then a "ferris" wheel with 4 shelves for collets. 26 holes per shelf for a total of 104. Had it assembled today and a couple shelves need a little fitting to get to free rotation. As the main wheel turns the shelves rotate to stay upright. Turning it, today the movement looked good and was interesting to watch. Got the bearing blocks made and fitted up.
Tomorrow will finish fitting things up. Still have the front wall and some plywood to go.

[country gent]

Today me and a friend went back to where I bought the machines tooling and stock, was invited to look over what was left and found in hiding. Brought home a short bed pick up full of things. Wasnt going piece meal the small stuff cabinets with mostly what I wanted got put on the list along with tool boxes and boxes. One big drawer cabinet with mostly assorted end mills from engraver points to 1" dia, 2 and 4 flutes mostly double ended. One cabinet had some slitting saws die sinker end mills in various tapers. and reamers. Another had reamers and lathe tools. A home made post grinder, pin gauges .060-1/2 minus. Mikes to 4" several dups, snap ring Groove mikes 0-2", many thread pitch radius angle gauges. 1 Kennedy roll around boc Again with contents a 2 drawer base and apprentice top. A tool sharpener for the surface grinder end mills drills counter bores. a spin dex indexer. A 18 x 18 cast iron surface plate in good shape. A drawer cabinet with assorted bolts nuts and washer. This also had some dowel pins in it. A bunch of indicators starret back dials, Last words federls a big dial .0001 finger indicator, a old Gladwin mechanical No dial. A couple 3" travel Starrets. Taps and dies. Also vee blocks and a magnetic block, and several 1" tool makers vice. Was a good day. We got it home and went thru it all and am happy. Most was Starret, Browne and Sharpe, Lufkin, mititoyo. THe bed on the truck was pretty much full. I did pass on the stock that was left as most was small pieces or to big to handle by hand. A couple pieces of 4140 pre hard 6" round 10" long and a couple 6" square 10" long. There was a 4" bar there 8' long also.

[Three44s]

Sounds like Christmas has come early to NW Ohio!

That stock you passed on makes me pucker up clear over here in Wa state! And I like big iron, but bursitis in my left shoulder (and I am left handed) has me in wus mode lately!

Best regards

Three44s

[country gent]

I also like "big Iron" but to give a fair price for those chunks to just have sitting here ( along with the pain of moving them when needed) wasnt worth it. The rest was really small chunks in the 2-3" length range so again limited use. Also I was mire interested in getting the needed tooling and things

[Wayne Smith]

You seem to have thought about everything else, I assume you have set up those rolling carts so you can tow/push them with you chair? I know casters can be problematic going in a straight line at times, especially if there is small junk on the floor.

[country gent]

I have a die cart that is a god send to me and helpers. Its table raises from 11" to 35" and rolls easily. It has a 1000 lb rating ( my son moved the new bench at 500 lbs by himself with it) makes moving chucks, vises, and heavy tooling a lot easier.

I have a bunch of Morse taper shank drills here now #1-#3. Working on a wall mounted drill index for them, very similar to the houts with the tipping trays. 3 trays 1 for each taper.

The lathe tooling cart I have to mount the casters under and finish the collet wheel .

ANd now I have all this new tooling to make boxes covers for and to clean up. LOL

[country gent]

Worked some on the Morse Taper wall mounted index its about ready to fit together,

In the recent tooling Going thru it today found a nearly finished 10" sine bar. A B&E sine plate 5". a bunch of the old starret last word indicators. Also a few plunger indicators. An almost complete set of Morse taper tap holders. a few tubing benders. Taps appear to be from 1/4"-7/8" but havent went thru those drawers completely yet. A set of mike standards from 3"-12". several thread pitch gauges radius gauge sets. A starret vernier protractor, divider inside outside and hermaphrodite calipers, angle gauges, a shaper planer gauge. JL Slocumb mikes 2"-4" several depth mikes a hole mike with handle and rods to 8". Mititoyo 6" and 8" digital calipers.