rattle_snake's random shop projects v0.1
- Thread starter rattle_snake
- Start date
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Great job on the true-up of the saw Justin. Mine was a Taiwanese Jet saw, but still had a few inherent design challenges that needed a little TLC to make better. The saw cut great when done, it seemed like each of the few tweaks made incremental improvements. It was a pleasant surprise when I purchased my new mitering head saw how good it cut right out of the crate with no work required. I wasn't used to that. 
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Sounds good Marc. I think it needs more power...I've got the same saw Justin...I'll just bring mine down when you're done and swap you out
I do need one of those as well. I do shove material through it upright, but with essentially no table it's a finger hazard.
Mine cut very well right out of the box. Once it didn't, I tried to 'adjust' and overlooked the actual cause of the unrelated problems. So back to basics.Great job on the true-up of the saw Justin. Mine was a Taiwanese Jet saw, but still had a few inherent design challenges that needed a little TLC to make better. The saw cut great when done, it seemed like each of the few tweaks made incremental improvements. It was a pleasant surprise when I purchased my new mitering head saw how good it cut right out of the crate with no work required. I wasn't used to that.
So you are doing your milling on a horizontal machine?
If so I’m even more impressed
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
No I read that wrong as vertical bandsaw....
Tell them that's nothing. I made a HUGE mistake watching this video right before getting caught up on the last two weeks of your escapades Justin:
Just watch the first 3 minutes and you can punch me later.
Point is.....I read each one of your updates the exact same way that dude talked - it couldn't be helped I swear.....oh gezzis where you annoying
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
lol, what makes it funny is we’ve talked and I know you don’t talk like that. The irony is his method of delivery flowed perfectly with your short summaries. Bud I couldn’t shake itWell, uh thanks Cam. I think.
I did put a disclaimer in post #1!
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Yes, machine gun style.
I worked with a guy that conducted interviews that way. Rapid fire questions he knew the candidate couldn't answer.
I worked with a guy that conducted interviews that way. Rapid fire questions he knew the candidate couldn't answer.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Working on the bandsaw pivot while waiting on parts. I started smoothing the arm casting where it contacts the base and realized that the upright stop screw was gone. It should limit travel and prevent the castings pushing the arm over. The pivot shaft is secured with a set screw on one end only, and was loose. Snugged up there was still a fair amount of play axially so I marked the bracket position on the arm and removed for machining. Flattened the contact surface.
The base ears should be flat, the bracket side was close and the other not at all. I added a shim to take up the slack and make up for machining loss.
Replaced the hex set screw with a bolt so I can over torque. Tested the pivot arc and it's right on. Upper arm no longer hits the base up by the switch. Adjusted the down position stop screw and the switch lever. Slowing fixing the result of extended neglect...
The base ears should be flat, the bracket side was close and the other not at all. I added a shim to take up the slack and make up for machining loss.
Replaced the hex set screw with a bolt so I can over torque. Tested the pivot arc and it's right on. Upper arm no longer hits the base up by the switch. Adjusted the down position stop screw and the switch lever. Slowing fixing the result of extended neglect...
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Got my 4x6 machine back together and working properly. While still waiting on parts, I figured I would give the poor neglected machine some extra love. I changed the gearbox oil with some 80/90. Perhaps they put used motor oil in at the factory. It was nasty, I mopped all the **** out. I tilted the machine over to fill it up enough to have oil on the spur gear when operating vertical.
Machined the mating surfaces flat on the guides. They are crude. The intent is more contact area with consistent pressure to make adjustments to one of the three degrees of movement at a time (height, side-to-side position, angle).
Six new 6000ZZ bearings.
Drilled and tapped for an adjustment set screw to hold the lower groove position, which is main blade twist/side-to-side position.
So much easier to adjust with the modifications. The guide bolt can be slightly loosened and fine adjustments made to one thing at a time. The set screw holds the twist pressure to allow adjustment of the height or blade angle using upper groove, mostly independently. Magic. With pivot fixed the guide's don't need to force the blade down to cut below deck. I set upper neutral and the lower to contact when loaded by material to be cut.
I had set up the saw to cut (crooked) as fast as possible. Reminds me of some Lamb of God lyrics describing the company I worked for at the time (Westinghouse Nuclear). "Pedal to the metal asleep at the wheel". So to undo this I slowed the speed down to match the blade and material I cut.
And reduced the downfeed pressure considerably. This is balance point of the spring/arm system now.
I eyeballed the guide adjustments, checked with square as best I could and got perfect cut 1st try. I also used reduced downfeed to 'break-in' the new blade. The blade tips are going to break off, how far is dependent on pressure of first cut.
Made an improved 30* wedge to share across chop and band saws. Cut out shapes on plasma, bent in brake and resulted in pretty accurate piece.
Bolts to the fixed fence. 30* is about the limit to cut anything of size. A 45* puts the workpiece too far back on the deck. Moving the fixed fence resolves this.
So all that to bring it back to how it cut new. Could have just tightened the pivot screw, installed the arm stop and installed new bearings, but I got slightly carried away and had some fun doing it.
Machined the mating surfaces flat on the guides. They are crude. The intent is more contact area with consistent pressure to make adjustments to one of the three degrees of movement at a time (height, side-to-side position, angle).
Six new 6000ZZ bearings.
Drilled and tapped for an adjustment set screw to hold the lower groove position, which is main blade twist/side-to-side position.
So much easier to adjust with the modifications. The guide bolt can be slightly loosened and fine adjustments made to one thing at a time. The set screw holds the twist pressure to allow adjustment of the height or blade angle using upper groove, mostly independently. Magic. With pivot fixed the guide's don't need to force the blade down to cut below deck. I set upper neutral and the lower to contact when loaded by material to be cut.
I had set up the saw to cut (crooked) as fast as possible. Reminds me of some Lamb of God lyrics describing the company I worked for at the time (Westinghouse Nuclear). "Pedal to the metal asleep at the wheel". So to undo this I slowed the speed down to match the blade and material I cut.
And reduced the downfeed pressure considerably. This is balance point of the spring/arm system now.
I eyeballed the guide adjustments, checked with square as best I could and got perfect cut 1st try. I also used reduced downfeed to 'break-in' the new blade. The blade tips are going to break off, how far is dependent on pressure of first cut.
Made an improved 30* wedge to share across chop and band saws. Cut out shapes on plasma, bent in brake and resulted in pretty accurate piece.
Bolts to the fixed fence. 30* is about the limit to cut anything of size. A 45* puts the workpiece too far back on the deck. Moving the fixed fence resolves this.
So all that to bring it back to how it cut new. Could have just tightened the pivot screw, installed the arm stop and installed new bearings, but I got slightly carried away and had some fun doing it.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Made a modification to my charcoal mixture ignition enhancement device, some expanded steel to hold the newspaper ball in place as it burns. Works good and can usually get briquettes going with just one attempt now.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
While procrastinating on other repairs that are needed, I wasted some time hanging up a dart board in the shop.
Since it is mounted on a door, I added a lower bracket to hold it in place when slammed by wind or me.
And a door latch to keep the doors shut and darts in place.
Since it is mounted on a door, I added a lower bracket to hold it in place when slammed by wind or me.
And a door latch to keep the doors shut and darts in place.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
On Sunday I finally started to tackle the A/C leak on my cobra. It's been a problem for about 8 month now, haven't been driving the car much since weather has warmed up. I was able to prove the evaporator was a problem as oil would come out of the condensate drain. Never found any oil residue on the car itself, as the condensate drips on the hot exhaust and disappears. But will leave a puddle with residue that can be seen with UV die. Worst case problem. Just have to pull the dash and whatnot.
To make things worse, every aftermarket accessory had to be cut out including the dealer installed alarm. I had snaked the wiring for each thing independently through the car into the dash. This opens a big can of worms on how to put it back together. I cut wires or wire bundles in the places needed to remove them from the dash assembly and labeled with a unique number to deal with later. I have progressed my methods and materials over the last decade since I did the modifications.
Disconnect the coolant and refer lines to pull the HVAC box out for butchery. Very tight area under the hood. Had to remove the ghetto nitrous purge plumbing, dryer and other **** to access the quick connects. I finished breaking to plastic cowl.
The A/C evaporator is not intended to be served or replaced, only the entire HVAC box, which is no longer available. So the only way to replace the evap is to cut the box apart and patch it back together. To do that you need to remove, disassemble and chop it up.
The culprit extracted from the belly of the beast. I found oil residue on the evap, but the case was flushed clean from condensate. So proof it was leaking and replacement should fix the problem.
To make things worse, every aftermarket accessory had to be cut out including the dealer installed alarm. I had snaked the wiring for each thing independently through the car into the dash. This opens a big can of worms on how to put it back together. I cut wires or wire bundles in the places needed to remove them from the dash assembly and labeled with a unique number to deal with later. I have progressed my methods and materials over the last decade since I did the modifications.
Disconnect the coolant and refer lines to pull the HVAC box out for butchery. Very tight area under the hood. Had to remove the ghetto nitrous purge plumbing, dryer and other **** to access the quick connects. I finished breaking to plastic cowl.
The A/C evaporator is not intended to be served or replaced, only the entire HVAC box, which is no longer available. So the only way to replace the evap is to cut the box apart and patch it back together. To do that you need to remove, disassemble and chop it up.
The culprit extracted from the belly of the beast. I found oil residue on the evap, but the case was flushed clean from condensate. So proof it was leaking and replacement should fix the problem.
OutlawDrifter
Well-known member
Good lord, and I thought the R&R on the heater core in my Z28 was bad! Come to the dark side Justin, its faster over here
plain2car
Well-known member
Agree with Marc..... HOLY COW!! I reread the post again cuz I thought I misread that it had to do with AC... I thought the wiring on my LS swap was complicated!
I thought the wiring on my LS swap was complicated!
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
If it was the heater I would just bypass, who needs that? A/C is a must have.
This is 2000's technology, I assume pulling a dash on a new vehicle is even more wires & modules.
This is 2000's technology, I assume pulling a dash on a new vehicle is even more wires & modules.
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
Old customer replacing a heater core under warranty in a new (at the time) Jeep Compass. Step #1: Remove driver door….
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Another small project I did whilst procrastinating on the A/C job. Drill press accessory rack. I had made a oil bottle holder some time ago and it's material is too thin and flimsy. So I made a rake looking thing with 3 prongs that goes behind the bottle deal.
I also moved the chuck key over to the correct side of the machine. No idea why it was on the wrong side. I'd do the same for the press handles but the casting is not symmetrical.
Next is some type of simple but interesting small towel rack on the belt lid.
I also moved the chuck key over to the correct side of the machine. No idea why it was on the wrong side. I'd do the same for the press handles but the casting is not symmetrical.
Next is some type of simple but interesting small towel rack on the belt lid.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
More procrastinating projects. Re-arranged some stuff on the wall above welding table. Made a rack out of a hunk of rough cut pine that I can put screws in wherever to hang whatever. Put some random exhaust parts on it.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Drill press mods look great Justin. I love small details and touches such as there to personalize them to the user.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Thanks Mike. I've been clamping things to the deck instead of using free floating vice to drill things more and more. If not secured well, a twist drill makes a triangle-ish hole. For some things I don't care, others I do. I commonly drill 1/8 to 1/4 thick items so any piece of similar thickness works to balance the clamp stud, no tools needed. Then I realized how you are supposed to use the stepped wedges and whatnot, so need more pegs.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
To be honest Justin, I personally found if it was too cumbersome or time consuming to clamp using the milling machine type of clamping system, so therefore I unfortunately found myself not clamping my work at all while at the drill press.
I ended up modifying two Vise Grip style of C-clamps specifically for use at the drill press. This way a quick vise grip style of clamping is provides me with the speed that ensures I will actually use it and not just have it nearby. I also machined a small stop that merely slides into the T-slots that works great to wedge the drill press vise up against to ensure it doesn't spin on me if/when it catches. Two quick and simple machining/fabrication projects that ensure I work more safely at the drill press yet are so much faster to put into place than the steps, clamps, T-nuts and bolts.
ntsqd
Well-known member
Former employer had one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Tools-PTTD634-Drill-Handle/dp/B00JXFKVXY?tag=atomicindus08-20 or something like it at the drill press. Wasn't a t-slot table, so just that knob on the underside.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
I'll have to look into those, thanks for the idea.
I use the stud in the t slot often just to prevent spinning as well. Sometimes with wood underneath or even to stop the vice from spinning.
I use the stud in the t slot often just to prevent spinning as well. Sometimes with wood underneath or even to stop the vice from spinning.
ntsqd
Well-known member
There are likely better quality versions out there, that was just the first one that I found. If not, Mike's approach works for me!
Stud in a t-nut for anti-spin is my go-to as well. Unibits for the circular win in thin stuff.
Stud in a t-nut for anti-spin is my go-to as well. Unibits for the circular win in thin stuff.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I found a couple of pictures from a few years ago Justin in case you're interested. These sure make clamping quick and easy compared to the tapered blocks and clamps. Hope these are helpful.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Starting to construct a climate controlled horse stall for one of our horses that can't sweat properly. If not managed all day every day, will die. Last year the horse spent the summer in a cooler climate and was starved almost all the way to death. Some years no problem at all.
This year a more focused effort on a solution at home. In the past have used misters and fans. Fans burn out, misters clog. Going to try a evap cooler, select walls to block sun and some insulation on the roof.
To support the evap cooler, added a receptacle in the area instead of running a cord around the building. Whatever is plugged in, gets left unplugged by vet, ferrier or magic.
Next step was to put in a hose bib in the area. Running hose around the building in the sun results in hot water going into the cooler, which doesn't help things. Only had to go 12 feet but the soil is highly hoof compacted and hard as cement. Shovel is a joke have to used pick the whole way. No fun, but it's done.
With those done have to take a step backwards and repair the gate post of the stall. Rusted/broke off at the ground/cement line. One of four unfortunately. Should have been larger more robust 'corner' posts, but no. The horses lean with all their weight on the end posts, well because. My HF SDS hammer drill isn't very effective at concrete demo, but got a few inches down to some steel to weld to. I cut the post off about a foot up and made a patch with a sleeve to go into the ground. Welded 'r-up and poured back up with cement. Then on to making a structure to attached some OSB to, on east side to block the sun.
This year a more focused effort on a solution at home. In the past have used misters and fans. Fans burn out, misters clog. Going to try a evap cooler, select walls to block sun and some insulation on the roof.
To support the evap cooler, added a receptacle in the area instead of running a cord around the building. Whatever is plugged in, gets left unplugged by vet, ferrier or magic.
Next step was to put in a hose bib in the area. Running hose around the building in the sun results in hot water going into the cooler, which doesn't help things. Only had to go 12 feet but the soil is highly hoof compacted and hard as cement. Shovel is a joke have to used pick the whole way. No fun, but it's done.
With those done have to take a step backwards and repair the gate post of the stall. Rusted/broke off at the ground/cement line. One of four unfortunately. Should have been larger more robust 'corner' posts, but no. The horses lean with all their weight on the end posts, well because. My HF SDS hammer drill isn't very effective at concrete demo, but got a few inches down to some steel to weld to. I cut the post off about a foot up and made a patch with a sleeve to go into the ground. Welded 'r-up and poured back up with cement. Then on to making a structure to attached some OSB to, on east side to block the sun.
ntsqd
Well-known member
Misters plug due to calcium build-up?
Any value in insulating the exposed plumbing under the hose bib? Maybe insulation sheathed with a piece of muffler-moly or other larger tube or pipe to better protect it?
Any value in insulating the exposed plumbing under the hose bib? Maybe insulation sheathed with a piece of muffler-moly or other larger tube or pipe to better protect it?
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
shopping fixture tooling you guys are a bad influence!
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Yes, well water and build up quickly. A decent mist system has a real filter, a pump to operate at higher pressure and metal jets. Cost more than a evap cooler, so we got a large, used cooler for $200, 5300 CFM.
Yes I had considered that and have some insulation someplace. Step one is to block off the east so no sun can shine on the cooler or plumbing.
In case you need help spending money:
These aren’t as elegant as Mike’s clamping method but I use these on my drill press metal, t-slot table as well as on an add on table that I use for wood working.
I wish I could find more and different sizes of the gold colored rocker clamp. Most I’ve seen of that style aren’t as rigid.
I made the two wooden rocker clamps and they work quite well.
My go to on the metal drill press table are the two orange Jorgensen clamps.
One is shown with a longer bolt to be used through a dog hole at my woodworking bench.
These aren’t as elegant as Mike’s clamping method but I use these on my drill press metal, t-slot table as well as on an add on table that I use for wood working.
I wish I could find more and different sizes of the gold colored rocker clamp. Most I’ve seen of that style aren’t as rigid.
I made the two wooden rocker clamps and they work quite well.
My go to on the metal drill press table are the two orange Jorgensen clamps.
One is shown with a longer bolt to be used through a dog hole at my woodworking bench.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
Bought a pair of clamps and made slot puck. @zmotorsports and @ntsqd are to blame for this.
Alternatively a few washer works but not as cool.
This particular tool has 8x1.25 thread, so I just went with it. The puck has to be short to allow the clamp to lock on thin material. Doesn't work the other end up. I didn't measure anything just went for it. 1" steel stock.
Alternatively a few washer works but not as cool.
This particular tool has 8x1.25 thread, so I just went with it. The puck has to be short to allow the clamp to lock on thin material. Doesn't work the other end up. I didn't measure anything just went for it. 1" steel stock.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
30* wedge to cut round tube fish mouth
No cleanup just weld.
No cleanup just weld.
Did you buy the clamps at Jeff’s Jungle Site?Bought a pair of clamps and made slot puck. @zmotorsports and @ntsqd are to blame for this.
Alternatively a few washer works but not as cool.
This particular tool has 8x1.25 thread, so I just went with it. The puck has to be short to allow the clamp to lock on thin material. Doesn't work the other end up. I didn't measure anything just went for it. 1" steel stock.
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rattle_snake
Well-known member
No, those clamps are from Amazon.
ntsqd
Well-known member
I sense an evil plot to make me step-up, too.Bought a pair of clamps and made slot puck. @zmotorsports and @ntsqd are to blame for this.
Alternatively a few washer works but not as cool.
This particular tool has 8x1.25 thread, so I just went with it. The puck has to be short to allow the clamp to lock on thin material. Doesn't work the other end up. I didn't measure anything just went for it. 1" steel stock.
Amazon, hum...... goes looking.......
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
Could you post the link? Some of us are challenged!
ntsqd
Well-known member
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
^^^^^^^^^
Thanks, added a two pack to my cart!
Thanks, added a two pack to my cart!