Recent content by mattmcginn

For die grinders, my favorites are Dotco, Cleco and Aro. Dotco is the name everyone knows, so deals are not always forthcoming. Sometimes you can score ARO units at pawn shops, flea markets, swap meets for a song. Advantages if you use them a lot versus cheap die grinders are less runout in...

Here's mine. Bought this one a few years back. Anvil by SportsCar Restoration Matt McGinn, on Flickr Don't know much about it. No markings on it other than this: Anvil Close by SportsCar Restoration Matt McGinn, on Flickr Its a bit beat up, but has a great ring when hit. The rebound...

I have the same unit, from circa 1988 or so. I love it. Absolutely love it. I can most directly compare with a Millermatic 185, which I both used at one shop for five years or so, then bought new in 1999 when I started my own shop. I had my own Miller for almost twelve years-sold it to my...

Very excellent score. Nice restoration as well. It is a great feeling to take something that is well built but weathered, maybe not worn, and return it to service. The good thing is that the service it will see during your ownership will be overseen by the person who restored it, so it will be...

Excellent score on the Chas Parker vise. I've got three Athol/Starrett's, two Prentiss bulldogs, a Wilton, a little Lakeside, an Erie and a Little Giant, but no Parkers! Funny thing as the Chas Parker's were made about twenty minutes from my shop, in Meriden, CT. You'd think the area would be...

Starrett 925 Just picked up this Starret 925 this morning. Saw it on CL last night, with no real reference to size. Its a monster. And, its in excellent condition, the knurling on the jaws If I recall I now have about 7 good sized vises...can never have enough, for $75 I could not leave...

I have the same one I believe its a "Sprayit" brand-but the same unit in every respect. I does have very cool styling and that is why I love it. It does not put out much air-but I do have two Kellogg 331's, a bigass Dayton and the daily 10hp I also have a dinky little Craftsman unit-no tank...

Welcome to Plainville, its great here in central Connecticut, lots of great old machine shops and tag sales with great Garage Journal type stuff. The town is flat, as the name would suggest. In Southington there is F&F Concrete, they've got plenty of trucks canvassing the region with loads of...

****, just scored another Kellogg 331 I wasn't looking but it was for a fair price against a customer's bill. Not that I needed it, I already have a 331 undergoing top end overhaul. I am a case-study in how tool and machinery collection can become an addiction...Athol this, Champion that...

Holy cow, great deal on a truly monster vise. As a New Englander, I love the Athols, my recent acquisition, an Athol-Starrett 923 1/2 and my 624N are great tools. $35 and $20 respectively.

I have a red Lakeside as well, 3.5". Got it long enough ago (and it was old then) where I am fairly certain it was US made. Its a good light duty vise, prolly worth 24.99 or whatever you can bargain it down to. Matt

Agreed. I am not one to either praise or bash snap-on in a doctrinaire manner, but I agree, their customer service by phone is great. I got new slides for an older roll around that was given to me-no hassle at all from the phone rep. She just asked what kind, I told her, and voila, one week...

Where my restoration shop is in central Connecticut we've had a rep who for a variety of reasons has been spotty with service for the last few years. Last week a snap on rep stopped in to let us know that they are working on a new franchisee for our area and gave us a paper with numbers to...

The best thing to use, at least on steel is a cutoff wheel, as was stated above. Use an 1/8" cutoff wheel. Details below. I will add the following: When used cutoff wheels get too small for effective cutting, they make good grinding wheels when stacked together, but, for grinding within...

I know you're looking for a spare head, and I don't have one, sorry. I do have a 331 pump I have apart at the moment. I just took it apart on Tuesday night. It was my old shop compressor before I upgraded to a Champion a few years back. It had gotten a bit weak, but functional, and at that...