Search results

  1. M

    "NVD" (New Vise Day)...couple of questions

    I'm really not a "vise collector"; I already have more than I need. But when a 1996 USA Wilton 1750 appears for $60, who can say "no", right? "Filthy" doesn't come close to describing what I bought...I got it from a auto mechanic's shop who's retiring & closing down. Cleaning his tools wasn't...
  2. M

    Is there a good, all-inclusive source for replacement vise jaws?

    I have a small Dunlap (Sears, right?) 5244 that's on my welding table, and it fits its purpose just fine. That said, the jaws are pretty worn and I'd sure like to find another set. I've looked high & low and can't find anything anywhere that will fit. Is this size unavailable, or am I just...
  3. M

    TIG welding regulator question

    Here's a photo of the typical single-feed CGA-580 regulator that I (and I suppose a lot of you, too) own. What I'd like to know is what this plugged port on the back is. Is it an alternate high-pressure port, or low pressure port? Yes, I could stick a gauge in it and know for sure, but it's...
  4. M

    NEC-2020

    This may be a longshot, but for any of you guys who live in a state that has adopted the '23 NEC, does anyone by chance have a 2020 book that they'd be willing to part with? New Jersey is still on 2020, and I left my book on a jobsite. Drove back when I realized it....gone. All the local...
  5. M

    Twist drill bits recommendations

    I'm growing weary of my drill bits. I have several sets / assortments of bits. 1.) TiN 135 degree to 1/2" by 32nds, 2.) M2 118 degree to 1/2" by 64ths, 3.) a set of 118 degree TiN numbers, and 4.) a 115-piece (fractions, letters & numbers) TiN 118 degree. Other than set #2, all the rest...
  6. M

    Despard switches - drill press restoration

    I'm restoring an old ('70s) Taiwanese drill press...ground > up. Everything's coming along nicely...almost ready to re-wire it, which should be an easy task. Posting this here, though, because this is a purely electrical question. The switch plate is all cleaned up, straightened out a few...
  7. M

    Do modern, auto-darkening welding helmets "go bad"?

    I've already e-mailed Lincoln, and I await their reply, but I'll ask here anyway: Do modern, auto-darkening welding helmets suddenly "go bad"? My first helmet was a "Lincoln" (I suspect "in name only") that I bought at Home Depot. No batteries needed, kinda small window, cheap headgear...
  8. M

    Drill press chuck & taper removal

    In a separate thread I said that I was given a Rockwood 120-IND drill press. The runout on the taper shaft is *zero*...perfect! The chuck, however, has seen better days and could stand to be replaced. Direct replacements are available, so this should be a no-brainer. Should be. This drill...
  9. M

    Stupid question du jour: How high should a drill press be?

    Howdy to all! Happy Monday! This weekend I was given an old(er) drill press. Nothing special, really (It's an old Rockwood 120-IND), but it's solid & runs true. And it was 100% free (including delivery to my shop!), which is pretty cool! Here's my dumb question: How high should a drill...
  10. M

    Fixing a vintage tool

    So here's the deal: This very-cool set of thin wrenches was my dad's, and quite likely his dad's before him. From what I can find on line, these were made in the early 20th century: Made in Germany, certainly pre-WWII... At the tender young age of about 11 or 12, I used these to open...
  11. M

    TIG Cooling: What is this hose? Where can I buy some?

    I suppose this isn't really "Fabrication & Techniques", but I don't know where else to post this on this (or any other!) forum. Here we go: Subject: TIG hoses...specifically coolant hoses. This pic shows the torch's DINSE connector on my WP20 torch. The screwdriver is resting on the short...
  12. M

    DIY TIG Armrest - All Done! Super-simple, made from scrap, and it works great!

    So I've wanted an armrest for my welding table for a while now. I've looked at some commercial offerings, but always circled back on the thought that a.) there's really not that much to them, and b.) if I want to be a metal fabricator / welder, why wouldn't I just fabricate my own? I started...
  13. M

    So completely obvious, why didn't I think of this until now?

    Feelin' kinda dumb...I've got all sorts of V blocks for my drill press, but never considered such for my bandsaw until now. Two pieces of small angle iron welded together to make a "W"... And now round stock doesn't budge. Why did it take me so long to have this "Eureka moment"? Too...
  14. M

    DIY TIG Turntable / Rotary Positioner

    To be clear, I'm not a pro welder. But my TIG work is getting better & better and I'm enjoying the practicing and the occasional hired project work. Lately I've wondered if it would be nice to have a turntable for doing "round" work. I don't like the cheap ones I see, because they all seem to...
  15. M

    A random thought just jumped into my head re: sockets. Pure curiosity...

    I have lots of sockets...both imperial & metric. And they're all either 1/4" or 3/8" or 1/2" drive. It dawned on me that, no matter imperial or metric, the drive sizes are imperial (fraction). So this random thought just hit me: Do sockets that are sold / marketed in metric-system-based...
  16. M

    Vintage Machinist's Stool - Needs Help

    My daughter's store is remodeling, so lots of stuff is dumpster bound. She called to ask if I wanted an old stool for the shop, and I said "sure...why not?" This is an older screw-jack model with a lot of paint and a really bad wobble. I suspect there's some missing pieces: The screw is...
  17. M

    Cheap tool >> Quality Tool Conversion

    A lot of what gets discussed around here seems to be "metal oriented" (machining, automotive, welding, etc.), but I know there's some woodworkers here, so I thought maybe this might be of interest. I found this video to be both enlightening & fun: turning a junk hand plane into a decent(~ish)...
  18. M

    Huot toolbox on CL

    Any opinions on this? https://cnj.craigslist.org/tls/d/keyport-huot-tool-chest/7476452591.html This may be perfect for my workshop in Maine: mice won't get past that front panel, and it's just worn enough that I won't care about it being in a tool shed in the woods. Hundred...
  19. M

    Setting up a simple shop - thoughts on tools & LiIon drills

    Here's the deal: My wife and her 2 sisters have received ownership of the family summer cottage in Maine; it's been owned by her parents since the '60s. Adjacent to the cabin is a "Workshop" (at least that's what it's referred to as). It's a small (10' x 8') structure, but it's sealed up...
  20. M

    Question for the good welders

    Need some advice...and your thoughts on 6013: I'm a good (not great) garage welder (stick & TIG). Youtube has been my main teacher, along with a couple of the fabricators I work with. I've struggled with re-starts on 7018, so the advice my coworkers gave me was to stick with 6013. Lately...
Top Bottom