Hi AP,
I found this thread in a roundabout way, and am a new member to this forum because of it. Great job, and excellent work documenting your refurbish. I really don't want to sound nitpicky, but with all humility and due respect:
I do have a couple comments. Personally, I think the old way of using solid THHN formed is overly labor intensive. Panduit looks better and for a given # of wires will end up neater, in my opinion. If it gets messy/overly full, that just means whoever laid out the plate, did not spec the right size wireway (panduit). When making mods/changes, I feel wireways/panduit end up neater as well (generally). That said, your wiring is about as neat and clean as I've seen.
On this note, I think that generally your distribution terminal block should have fuses downstream sized for each smaller wire that leaves it, I would not rely on the main fuses to keep the magic smoke inside of smaller distribution wires.
When filing in a lathe, I was taught to run the lathe in reverse, and hold the file backwards/upside down. That way when the file catches the part (and it will, sooner or later) your likelihood of having children will not change, if you catch my meaning. (we all know that a file cuts in only one direction right? and that we should never, ever use a file without a handle, the sharp tang will stab you, and make you bleed like hell all over your tools).
And finally, even though I really liked your clamping method for holding your air pressure regulator nut, I think I would have gotten fired if I tried that in the machine shop I used to work in. Not for endangering man or machine, but for wasting time, as time is $$....I think it would be considerably faster to complete all machining operations 'on the bar' so to speak, then part it off, and finally finish the parted face by clamping in 3 jaw, very lightly (aligning with an indicator, of course). Although with a good parting tool, the finish of the parted face would be fairly reasonable as is.
Lastly, I realize that this machine had a few layers of paint, so a refinish was appropriate, but sometimes, I think that preserving an original finish, complete with battle scars is way better than the best refinishing job. (I am floored by the quality of your refinish, don't get me wrong) My first lathe, a southbend 9" from the mid 40's was just such a piece. Original, beautiful, scarred and marred paint, on an otherwise flawless machine. Definition of the word patina. My mentor, who I cannot praise enough, a machinist, tool and die maker, and engineer (later in life), and who is literally probably more intelligent and more clever than any other 10 people I know, thought the old dull gray paint looked tired, and completely disassembled, cleaned, adjusted and painted the machine. The overhaul made this extremely well preserved low hour machine even better, but it lost something with the new paint. I was too young at the time to care (not yet a teenager), but in a very small way I do regret it today. The machine is still a gem though, so I guess I can't complain.
Like I said, great job, I just wanted to share my .02$ worth of experience/opinion for the education of others. Thank you again for sharing.
