# Professional youtubers have lost touch with reality.



## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

I dont watch nearly as much youtube as I used to. When I do now it is only for instruction/inspiration and I always take things with a grain of salt. But still it burns me to hear the utter BS some really high profile tubers will spout when they get thousands of dollars with of free equipment and then tell everyone else how affordable it all is...

Most recently I just watched a gentleman say how great this Chinese import tapping arm is, with the only complaint being that it is not as smooth as some models.... and only cost a few hundred bucks. Reality check, it costs $1200 bucks without any tooling.

I can't decide who is worse, but leaning towards those 3d printing guys.


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## gerritv (Jan 15, 2022)

Which expert was that?
For 3D printing the crown goes to Design Prototype Test.
The list of worthwhile YT machinists is quite short. Too many are personalities, not experts or teachers.


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

gerritv said:


> Which expert was that?
> For 3D printing the crown goes to Design Prototype Test.
> The list of worthwhile YT machinists is quite short. Too many are personalities, not experts or teachers.


Actually it was not the youtuber (NYC CNC) themselves that made the statement but rather Mike Dubno, a very privileged person, made the statement during a shoptour video made by NYC CNC.  I mean who doesn't have a 10K desktop waterjet in their house, or a tormach cnc mill.

But this is just one incident out of hundreds or thousands spouted every day by content creators.


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## Tom Kitta (Jan 15, 2022)

It is difficult to become a famous youtuber but once you make it, you act like a celebrity. Very few are down to earth. Most... are not. Heck, certain Canadian I used to watch, Ave, if I remember, known for catchy phrases such as "skokum" got himself a Haas Mini CNC. Lets just say his level of knowing what to do is low as he did not know how to use ER collets and (!!!) machined the nut flat removing the spring mechanism (!!!).

So take anything off internet with a grain of salt. Heck, one video with millions of views had a two wires 1m apart that went into a loop that was 1 second C long, where C is speed of light. Question was, how long will it take for light bulb to shine. They claimed with professors present that it is whatever it takes light to travel 1m as electricity travels outside of wire and induces on the other wire. I correctly stated 1s C. On another video someone actually got a 1km of wire to prove these guys wrong. And sure enough, I was correct. Besides, if you want to remove inductance almost  completely, you can use shielded wire, such as TV cable. There was also a problem with micro capacitance of the wire as well as tendency of some electronic to "push" or have forward lean. But Einstein was correct in the end.


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## gerritv (Jan 15, 2022)

Not sure where you got the $1200 from, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002740534364.html for $150-300 depending on the vendor plus the air tool of course. If you want overpriced then look at FlexArm. But other than that his shop is no better than some hobby shops I have seen, except perhaps his waterjet (which I didn't see in the video?). Gear cutting is no big thing either even with a slitting saw. But he speaks well and thus impresses people.


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## Tom Kitta (Jan 15, 2022)

Don't forget shipping, 150 for collet set and 120 for the pneumatic tool. Of course you can get better ones as a package https://www.aliexpress.com/item/322...ommend-ump;is_freeshipping:null;trade_order:9

or even better ones - 








						693.36C$ 10% OFF|M3-m16 90/360 Degree Electric Tapping Machine 220v Touch Screen With English System (worktable Not Included) - Electric Drill - AliExpress
					

Smarter Shopping, Better Living!  Aliexpress.com




					www.aliexpress.com
				




So I am not sure which one is it - the last one, with a motorized chuck (not air) is around 1200. Cheapest set is around 500.

I wonder how well do the air based ones work.


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## whydontu (Jan 15, 2022)

the ones that frost me are the DIY videos that show someone using a grinder, tig welder, drill, etc, and two hours of work to make a wrench that they could buy for $1.50. And they always seem to be able to cross-drill a bolt by hand.


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

gerritv said:


> Not sure where you got the $1200 from, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002740534364.html for $150-300 depending on the vendor plus the air tool of course. If you want overpriced then look at FlexArm. But other than that his shop is no better than some hobby shops I have seen, except perhaps his waterjet (which I didn't see in the video?). Gear cutting is no big thing either even with a slitting saw. But he speaks well and thus impresses people.


I found this listing for the exact model the gentleman had in his shop and others like it at similar price points. 





						Pneumatic Tapping Machine, Universal Pneumatic Tapping Machine Tapper Tool Equipment, Pneumatic Drilling Machine Air Tapper Tool Direction Flexible Arm M3-M12, 0-400 PPM, Sheet Metal Screw Kits - Amazon Canada
					

Pneumatic Tapping Machine, Universal Pneumatic Tapping Machine Tapper Tool Equipment, Pneumatic Drilling Machine Air Tapper Tool Direction Flexible Arm M3-M12, 0-400 PPM in Sheet Metal Screw Kits.



					www.amazon.ca


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## Brent H (Jan 15, 2022)

Well......  I used to watch Norm Abram on PBS every Saturday morning as I was learning carpentry skills, building houses, kitchens etc etc and I would complain about all the tools he had and the workshop.  Now I have all that stuff.....sigh.  It has taken many years to collect it for sure, but I would be hard pressed not to get a youtube response of "sure you can do that- you have all the tools" if I was to post a cabinet making video.

For machining stuff, well...I am not there yet and probably never will be as I am out of space and reluctant to build another shop - although I can never say never.

For the most part I watch the Youtube for ideas or watching the application of a tool or set up of a system.  That is usually grounded with reading books and other experiences to determine if the project is feasible or even worthwhile  - as @whydontu stated it is painful to watch some of the folks working away for hours on trivial things that are easily purchased or_ in my opinion_ - pretty useless.  I am also not a big fan of making tooling so I can make tooling that will be used to make more tooling.  I can use the tools to make repairs to tools that I will then make something practical  with,  but I try to avoid making things that put me into the loop of doom.

With the commercialization of youtube, copy write blocking crap  and to some extent Youtubers getting paid it has become less and less interesting.  Many of the videos I am watching the poster just put their project out there and that was it.  Cool! The desperate desire to keep the videos going and make the big bucks usually kills a once good poster.  I think that all happens - like a sitcom on TV runs its course and then another show starts up about the same stuff but with a new cast.


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

Brent H said:


> Well......  I used to watch Norm Abram on PBS every Saturday morning as I was learning carpentry skills, building houses, kitchens etc etc and I would complain about all the tools he had and the workshop.  Now I have all that stuff.....sigh.  It has taken many years to collect it for sure, but I would be hard pressed not to get a youtube response of "sure you can do that- you have all the tools" if I was to post a cabinet making video.
> 
> For machining stuff, well...I am not there yet and probably never will be as I am out of space and reluctant to build another shop - although I can never say never.
> 
> ...



It is a different story when you're a professional like New Yankee Workshop... BUT I'd also point out that Norm's production team scripted, storyboarded, directed and edited content for brevity and quality.. unlike most tubers. Norm would also never lie about the cost of equipment.


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## Dabbler (Jan 15, 2022)

I'm sure it works both ways.  Remember "Pierre's Garage" or "Make Something Cool"?  they have both stopped making content.  It is a very tough ecosystem out there, and things are getting rougher every week.

Many channels have moved to *Entertain* first, followed by *Content* and lastly *Integrity*.

AVE has discovered that *Entertainment* pays the bills, - he used to be far more 'hard core' machining, and now he just pisses around.

Of all the 3DP channels I follow, many of them have gone down the same path.  Sorry @gerritv "Design Prototype Test" has an axe to grind on too many videos - for technical stuff CNC Kitchen and Thomas Salanderer fit better for me.  All of the Canadian 3DP guys are really into being technical:  MirageC, NeeditMakeit, Nero 3DP, Vez3D for instance.

[late addenda]  Once you depend ore money from YouTube, then you get into the 'publish or perish' grind.  It can rob your soul!


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## gerritv (Jan 15, 2022)

And perhaps Dubno didn't lie about the tapper: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002111362238.html Seriously why do ppl think Amazon is the place to go for low cost items?

Cleaarly he was comparing a sub $1000 to the obscene pricing from FlexArm.


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## gerritv (Jan 15, 2022)

I meant to indicate the Design Prototype Test is one of the clowns of 3D printing, and just a paranoid delusional spouter of nonsense.


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

gerritv said:


> And perhaps Dubno didn't lie about the tapper: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002111362238.html Seriously why do ppl think Amazon is the place to go for low cost items?
> 
> Cleaarly he was comparing a sub $1000 to the obscene pricing from FlexArm.


That's not "just a couple hundred bucks"


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> I'm sure it works both ways.  Remember "Pierre's Garage" or "Make Something Cool"?  they have both stopped making content.  It is a very tough ecosystem out there, and things are getting rougher every week.
> 
> Many channels have moved to *Entertain* first, followed by *Content* and lastly *Integrity*.
> 
> ...


Both CNC Kitchen and Thomas Salanderer offer good content. Bonus points my wife likes Stefan's accent, so I can cast his videos onto the large screen TV instead of watching on my laptop


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## Dabbler (Jan 15, 2022)

gerritv said:


> Design Prototype Test is one of the clowns of 3D printing


I misread your post. I thought the 'crown' was a good thing.  I misread the context.  sorry.  I agree competely he is a clown, and not a great engineer, either.  For enginneering, you just cannot beat Mark Rober.  He seems to have found the balance between entertaining and content that teaches.


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## Everett (Jan 15, 2022)

I didn't get my channel started to be famous, nor am I a gifted maker, nor did I have any spectacular equipment, for sure.  I appreciate to have a few things in my shop that others might not have access to, and also realize that many others have better gear, skills, equipment, and camera personality.  In fact, I have learned much from the comments that people leave, both the positive and negative, and it has helped me improve.

I got into it because I was already making parts and pieces for myself and my buddies, and after seeing John Mills (doubleboost), a self professed "mechanic who pisses about," I decided to give it a shot.  It has never been a goal to "get rich on YouTube."  I was just hoping to be able to join in and share ideas with others who know more about these things than I do.  Just like on this forum.  It has been interesting to see how a number of people have been interested in some of my projects, and not in others.  And that is totally fine by me, I'm not chasing the money.  And yes, I sometimes get into making a tool to make a tool to make a thing, but it's partly the challenge so I can learn more, and sometimes due to cost/local availability for some things.  

Getting to the point of the thread though, I have to say that I do agree with it in some cases.  Some of the "big names" now have sponsorships, accounts with Patreon, and try to sell piles of merch to make money off it.  And so, they churn out stuff in a "video factory" mentality.  As an "unemployed bum wiper" (stay at home Dad with two small kids) would it be handy to make a few bucks off it?  Sure!  Let's all be honest, none of us would turn down a few extra dollars.  I've even turned away a pile of people soliciting for "paid reviews," product promotions, and so-called "partner" deals.  Not my cup of tea.  I'm just screwing around in my shop and decided to put a camera over my shoulder.

In full disclosure, yes I do make a few dollars from the ads now on my channel but the ads are turned down as low as I could get them.  And yes, it definitely only a few dollars.  YouTube will now put ads on anything, including non-partner program channels, so this way at least I could minimize them and choose which types of ads can appear.  That being said the couple small cheques a year I get from them just goes into small bits for the shop, it's certainly not even "side hustle" level.  Interestingly, I get more views and viewer interaction from the car repair videos I've done for family and friends than I do from my machining projects.

Sorry if this seems to be a bit of a loose bit of prose but all I wanted to say is that although there are a number of "big names" who are making their YouTube maker/machinist/fabricator/etc. channels part of their staple income, most of us are just regular people who are tinkering and doing a grown up version of show and tell like we did in kindergarten.  We all come from different backgrounds and have different things to share, and not all of us are experts (we are all still learning), but we can all still learn from each other even as amateurs.  

Exactly why we all congregate on this site.  Just different. 

P.S. - And yes I do have channel stickers. And they are totally free to whoever wants one. Not for sale.


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## Darren (Jan 15, 2022)

Everret, Ive been watching your channel for a few years. I enjoy your content. I'd rather watch what you're doing than some money driven shill promoting products that they didn't pay for. For example, I used to really like Abom. Ever since he got the Flexarm and bullshitted us about buying it, I don't want to watch his channel. It feels like an ad. I dunno, maybe i'm being petty, but I feel like he changed. I've been noticing the same thing with a few other channels. I just don't like paid shill's i guess.


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## neer724 (Jan 15, 2022)

Speaking of YT machinist - I started watching this Australian guy - CUTTING EDGE ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.

I really like this guy - no nonsense\BS...amazing how much material he can machine with this big lathes and mills....


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## Darren (Jan 15, 2022)

neer724 said:


> Speaking of YT machinist - I started watching this Australian guy - CUTTING EDGE ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.
> 
> I really like this guy - no nonsense\BS...amazing how much material he can machine with this big lathes and mills....




I like his stuff too. He does a lot of cool repairs. 

IC Weld is awesome too


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## Dabbler (Jan 15, 2022)

Cutting edge is a great channel.

 ABOM was really great in the first year or 2, then he 'got into a groove' and his celebrity got ahead of him.  Since he's gone out on his own, he has slowly improved his explanations again.  That being said, I'm not a fan.  

Everett's channel is one of the very best.  He really just shares his machining progress and challenges.  It is the most honest machining channel out there.

yeah ICWeld.  good stuff - and Pacific Arc Tig Welding, but he shills a little nowadays.


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## trlvn (Jan 15, 2022)

@Everett  We know you're secretly a multi-billionaire and your 'average guy in the garage' persona is all just an act!    Seriously, I really enjoyed your machining videos and learned a lot surfing over your shoulder.  When and if you can get some more, I'll be there.

Regarding the other channels, I personally think the thing to do is 'vote with your feet'!  If you don't like what a Youtuber is doing, unsubscribe and find other content.  Or get off Youtube altogether!  

I've tried to watch some of the 'big name' channels (like Jimmy Diresta) and couldn't be bothered to finish the first video.  If others like it, that's fine.  It is not like there is a shortage of content.

Craig


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## deleted_user (Jan 15, 2022)

Everett said:


> I didn't get my channel started to be famous, nor am I a gifted maker, nor did I have any spectacular equipment, for sure.  I appreciate to have a few things in my shop that others might not have access to, and also realize that many others have better gear, skills, equipment, and camera personality.  In fact, I have learned much from the comments that people leave, both the positive and negative, and it has helped me improve.
> 
> I got into it because I was already making parts and pieces for myself and my buddies, and after seeing John Mills (doubleboost), a self professed "mechanic who pisses about," I decided to give it a shot.  It has never been a goal to "get rich on YouTube."  I was just hoping to be able to join in and share ideas with others who know more about these things than I do.  Just like on this forum.  It has been interesting to see how a number of people have been interested in some of my projects, and not in others.  And that is totally fine by me, I'm not chasing the money.  And yes, I sometimes get into making a tool to make a tool to make a thing, but it's partly the challenge so I can learn more, and sometimes due to cost/local availability for some things.
> 
> ...


dude I'll subscribe to your channel, because you didn't even use your post to promote it... what is the link


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## Dabbler (Jan 15, 2022)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOPminKhv7QRRnNzDu1DCw/videos


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## Crankit (Jan 15, 2022)

Most of the ones I keep an eye out for is Everett, Dudley Toolwright, Oxtools. Woods Creek and AlwaysSunnyintheshop did great videos but they're not posting many videos anymore. mrpete gets a watch frequently as he's consistently pushing out his videos even if they're not all that interesting anymore. I agree Abom was pretty thick on the promotional videos for quite a while and I stopped watching most of his videos.


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## Darren (Jan 15, 2022)

Be sure to watch Mr Petes other 1786 videos on the particular subject 

LOL i actually really like his vids. He's a smart guy.


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## Everett (Jan 15, 2022)

Lol, thanks @Dabbler, you beat me to it. Hopefully I can get a build update up in the next week or so, the conduit and wiring is finally going in.








I'm attaching these from.my phone, please forgive me if it causes formatting/stupid size issues.


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## Degen (Jan 16, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> I dont watch nearly as much youtube as I used to. When I do now it is only for instruction/inspiration and I always take things with a grain of salt. But still it burns me to hear the utter BS some really high profile tubers will spout when they get thousands of dollars with of free equipment and then tell everyone else how affordable it all is...
> 
> Most recently I just watched a gentleman say how great this Chinese import tapping arm is, with the only complaint being that it is not as smooth as some models.... and only cost a few hundred bucks. Reality check, it costs $1200 bucks without any tooling.
> 
> I can't decide who is worse, but leaning towards those 3d printing guys.


Tapping arm why, tapped well over 1,000 8-32 last year, using a Dewalt cordless drill (get a high end model as it has electronic torque sensing).


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## Dabbler (Jan 16, 2022)

Degen said:


> Tapping arm why



Some machinists use a tapping arm because it is 'cool'.  If you are tapping less than 500 holes per year (or maybe 1000), a mill, mill drill or drill press is sufficient - and a $200-$400 tapping head makes it nearly effortless.


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## Degen (Jan 16, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> Some machinists use a tapping arm because it is 'cool'.  If you are tapping less than 500 holes per year (or maybe 1000), a mill, mill drill or drill press is sufficient - and a $200-$400 tapping head makes it nearly effortless.


I have a tapping head and it slower than than the cordless drill.  BTW I have seen tapping guns (modified specialized cordless drills) on the market last couple of years. Do not use impact drivers they snap taps, and avoid blind holes as they do as well with this method.


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## deleted_user (Jan 16, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOPminKhv7QRRnNzDu1DCw/videos


Thank you sir


Degen said:


> Tapping arm why, tapped well over 1,000 8-32 last year, using a Dewalt cordless drill (get a high end model as it has electronic torque sensing).





Dabbler said:


> Some machinists use a tapping arm because it is 'cool'.  If you are tapping less than 500 holes per year (or maybe 1000), a mill, mill drill or drill press is sufficient - and a $200-$400 tapping head makes it nearly effortless.



Forgive me for this, BUT this is where I have to call out ableism.

Not everyone is physically equal and able to perform that same tasks. I have a autoimmune disorder that attacks my connective tissues and muscles. I need to avoid repetitive stresses more than others or I risk a "flare-up" that triggers a more wide spread inflammatory response that attacks my internal organs requiring medical intervention. Aside from that, It is difficult for me to position and hold a heavy drill steady to tap well by hand on a large number of holes. I can do it, but I later suffer elevated joint pain and muscle fatigue.

A tapping arm can be adjusted to balance the weight of the tooling providing far more stable and "weightless" tool positioning. They also absorb all the torque of deburring, chamfering, drilling, reaming and tapping.  Their reach means you can't clamp a large piece and process multiple points without needing to reposition work. 

I don't care about cool, I do projects that are heavily reliant on numerous tapped holes in 3/8 steel plates. They don't fit well on my drill press, or I'd consider a tapping head for it. I don't want to have to reposition and clamp heavy steel plates if I don't have to. Sometimes it's a case of work smarter not harder.


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## Dabbler (Jan 16, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> Not everyone is physically equal and able to perform that same tasks.


We weren't in any way impugning you.  The discussion centred around several youtubers (ABOM from my perspective).  Frankly ABOM uses tapping arm his as his newest expensive toy.  It is not because he needs it, it is because he HAS it.  

I am really sorry about the limitations that your disorder puts on you.  I can more than empathize.  My shoulders are bad enough tha I am going to have to automate my surface grinder very.soon.now.  They cannot take the continuous repetative motion, so I grind very, very slowly, in short sessions.



Degen said:


> I have a tapping head and it slower than than the cordless drill.


I have the size that ends at 1/2 " and I find it is helping me to avoid breaking small taps (I'm a terror on 1/4" NC taps)  One day I'l vet some spiral flute taps and give a hand drill a go!


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## deleted_user (Jan 16, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> We weren't in any way impugning you.  The discussion centred around several youtubers (ABOM from my perspective).  Frankly ABOM uses tapping arm his as his newest expensive toy.  It is not because he needs it, it is because he HAS it.
> 
> I am really sorry about the limitations that your disorder puts on you.  I can more than empathize.  My shoulders are bad enough tha I am going to have to automate my surface grinder very.soon.now.  They cannot take the continuous repetative motion, so I grind very, very slowly, in short sessions.
> 
> ...


I hear you, my shoulders, hips and knees are also bad. But it is my left arm that has become a real issue over the past two years of limit medical treatment. Some days I can barely lift it. 

It was not you I was reminding of ableism by the way, but it is something that we all need to be mindful of prior to questioning why someone chooses to do things a certain way. I may be overly sensitive too because I get tired of being questioned by people saying "you look healthy as hell, why the cane, or why the temporary handicap parking permit"


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## deleted_user (Jan 16, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> We weren't in any way impugning you.  The discussion centred around several youtubers (ABOM from my perspective).  Frankly ABOM uses tapping arm his as his newest expensive toy.  It is not because he needs it, it is because he HAS it.
> 
> I am really sorry about the limitations that your disorder puts on you.  I can more than empathize.  My shoulders are bad enough tha I am going to have to automate my surface grinder very.soon.now.  They cannot take the continuous repetative motion, so I grind very, very slowly, in short sessions.
> 
> ...



Oh I forgot to add, is it a fully manual surface grinder? How would you automate it? And I assume we will get a nice thread on the process, please and thank you. That sounds fun. 

I keep after my brother to add power feeds to our little mill for similar reasons.


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## Dabbler (Jan 16, 2022)

I was think of repurposing a 40$ 3DPrinter board and a few steppers to simply automate the back-and-forth on the SG.  The Z feed (across) and the Y feed (down) can easily be managed with bad joints.


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## chip4charlie (Jan 16, 2022)

At the other end of the "shill" spectrum is Marc L'Ecuyer from Quebec, die and toolmaker, worked for Canada's National Research Council, then taught machining for 25+ years at a Quebec college. As a beginner, I have found his videos on thatlazymachinist.com (and on YouTube) to be well laid out, informative, and funny. He doesn't monetize his YouTube videos, and all his drawings, etc. are free. Thank you, Marc!


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## Dabbler (Jan 16, 2022)

Marc is the best!  He's been ill over the last year, but is planning to make more videos in 2022...


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## Degen (Jan 16, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> Thank you sir
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I might suggest you next build using a cordless drill is a simplified tapping arm......New drill, couple of bolts, pc's of steel or aluminium, extended tapping holder and some blood sweat and choice words $500.00 and  lifes good.


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## deleted_user (Jan 16, 2022)

Degen said:


> I might suggest you next build using a cordless drill is a simplified tapping arm......New drill, couple of bolts, pc's of steel or aluminium, extended tapping holder and some blood sweat and choice words $500.00 and  lifes good.


I already have an idea to use an articulated arm that raises and lowers on a post aided by a reel type balance. I think we scrap materials I can make this for $250


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## Degen (Jan 16, 2022)

TorontoBuilder said:


> I already have an idea to use an articulated arm that raises and lowers on a post aided by a reel type balance. I think we scrap materials I can make this for $250


I counted in about 300-350 for the drill.


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## Degen (Jan 16, 2022)

Back to YouTubers I still enjoy and give good tips is Joe Pieczynski.  I use his trick to set my lathe cutters and to find center of round is seconds (won't tell you either as not to spoil to enjoyment of seeing it).


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## deleted_user (Jan 16, 2022)

Degen said:


> Back to YouTubers I still enjoy and give good tips is Joe Pieczynski.  I use his trick to set my lathe cutters and to find center of round is seconds (won't tell you either as not to spoil to enjoyment of seeing it).


I have seen all of Joe's videos.

I use his math and method to set taper angles. He is the best.


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## Dan Dubeau (Jan 16, 2022)

I can't fault any of them for chasing the ad and sponsor dollars.  They don't owe me anything.  I learned how to be a machinist in college (mech eng tech).  I learned how to be a BETTER one from you tube (and forums like PM, HSM, and others like here).  In fact I've learned far more from youtube than any journeyman I ever worked with.  You tube really is the best apprenticeship ever.  If someone wants to get free stuff from companies for making videos where I learn stuff for free then I'm not one to complain.  Good for them.  If I'm not interested in watching a 15 minute product placement "video" I just click away.  No dollars were pulled from my wallet, and I'm free to move on.  

I learned a lot of woodworking tips and techniques from Norm Abram too when I was growing up, and even though every episode really was an ad placement from Portercable or Delta it never cost me a dime and I learned a lot.  Well, not true, Years later when I bought all my woodworking tools they were mostly Delta, so I guess they got me...lol

I remember when Abom started out as a long running thread on PM, then he started recording his endevours on you tube.  It was entertaining back then as I didn't have any experience working with big stuff like that.  I found it fascinating as it was so out of my wheelhouse.  I remember being one of his first subscribers, maybe under 1000?  no idea, but it was early on.  Anyway, as his channel grew he started veering away from the course of why I was interested, and I stopped paying attention.  At no point in that entire journey did one of my dollars ever leave my wallet.  

Over the past 10 years I've invested a lot of dollars into my home shop that most other people would roll their eyes at and call me crazy.  Most of my friends think I'm nuts to be honest, and don't "get" it at all (but they all like their stuff fixed...).  But I started from nothing and now have a pretty capable shop crammed into a single car garage, that has more capability than a few commercial shops I've worked in.  No youtube dollars were spent in the building of my shop.  I look at it as an investment, and am not accountable to anybody else.  Well, except for the wife, but she's very understanding.  In the grand scheme of things it's not all that much money.  A nice used sports car maybe?  

I don't have a tapping arm though...  Never used one.  I get by with cordless drills or power tapping in the mills. Or if I have to a tap wrench.....Maybe I should start a you tube channel and try and get a free one   Maybe my first video could be building a tapping arm lol.


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## Janger (Jan 18, 2022)

Degen said:


> I counted in about 300-350 for the drill.



Hmm which drill exactly? Link to one suitable for this tap arm project.?


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## Degen (Jan 18, 2022)

I use one of the newer hammer drills (I'll post the model number later), advantage besides electronic motor control and less broken taps, is that it has a prefect mount point (where the Aux handle goes) to mount in the arm.

Side note, just did 800 #8 tapped holes with this drill today, same tap for all the holes.


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## Degen (Jan 19, 2022)

Degen said:


> I use one of the newer hammer drills (I'll post the model number later), advantage besides electronic motor control and less broken taps, is that it has a prefect mount point (where the Aux handle goes) to mount in the arm.
> 
> Side note, just did 800 #8 tapped holes with this drill today, same tap for all the holes.


Dewalt DCD996 is the model I use currently,  all holes on one charge.

Tap is lubricated about every 3-5 hole with Tap Magic Aluminum, 2-3 drops to flush scarf and wet.


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## deleted_user (Jan 19, 2022)

Degen said:


> Dewalt DCD996 is the model I use currently,  all holes on one charge.
> 
> Tap is lubricated about every 3-5 hole with Tap Magic Aluminum, 2-3 drops to flush scarf and wet.


Product listed as discontinued.

Aside from that, there is no way to actuate the tool in an ergonomic manner when it is held vertical, unless the operator is tall and the worksurface low. 

I'm looking for a solution that keeps my elbows at 90 degrees and has paddle actuator. I think I have found affordable one and I will make my own articulating arm for it.


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## SomeGuy (Jan 23, 2022)

Just to keep me grounded, if I ever get off track on this youtube journey I've started, please yell at me profusely!


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