Bought three 6" C clamps for $5 at an estate sale. There were all missing the swivel jaw. Why? I didn't ask. They looked decent quality, just missing jaws. A good excuse to spend some time in the shop to practice my radius turning, work holding skills and crimping. Fun fix and now have 3 extra C clamps in the shop.
Fixerup patch up
- Thread starter fixerup
- Start date
The vintage tool group I am part of gets tool donated to them and sometimes they are not working or very damaged and need to be repaired. This week I got a federal dial indicator which you could barely see through the lense and the extended stem protector was crushed really badly. Vise grip I think.
Took out the three screws holding the ring and removed the lense. First clean off all the dirt with water and soap, then polished it with the Dremel tool felt pad and some plastic lense cleaner. It came out much better.
The stem protector was made of a 3/8" dia brass tube with a 5/16"-40 thread. Found a perfect 3/8" brass tube in my scrap bin. I had to grind a tool bit small enough to thread inside that tube. Did a few passes until the dial indicator threaded on just snug but not loose. Then made a cap and pressed fitted it to close off the end of the tube. Left the brass in it's somewhat natural patina which kind of matches the rest. I like these simple patch ups and now I have a very small threading bar in my tool box.
Took out the three screws holding the ring and removed the lense. First clean off all the dirt with water and soap, then polished it with the Dremel tool felt pad and some plastic lense cleaner. It came out much better.
The stem protector was made of a 3/8" dia brass tube with a 5/16"-40 thread. Found a perfect 3/8" brass tube in my scrap bin. I had to grind a tool bit small enough to thread inside that tube. Did a few passes until the dial indicator threaded on just snug but not loose. Then made a cap and pressed fitted it to close off the end of the tube. Left the brass in it's somewhat natural patina which kind of matches the rest. I like these simple patch ups and now I have a very small threading bar in my tool box.
Attachments
Spruced up the milling machine.
-Replaced the stiff rubber threadmill runner that I used has way cover on my Tom Senior milling machine. Has suggested, I bought drawer liner rubber from Princess A. The material is EDPM rubber, flexible, 1/16" thickness. I can produce a good crease using my 3-1 metal brake ( about the only task it can do well ) .
Its compatible with lots of harsh chemicals but not so well with lubricant and oil. Will see how it does, but no worries its was easy to cut and make one.
- made new dust cap out of a HDPE plastic, to protect the horizontal mill MNTB30 spindle.
-cut a pieces of green house, vinyl plastic sheet to cover the DRO screen
-glued some hard-drive magnet with some hot melt glue. To hold some of the common tools.
- replaced the drive belt in the vertical head. I was given a 3/8" V link belt, I was worried it was going to be short a few links. So before cutting the old one I measure it. 20 1/2" long, It was perfect, I even a couple of extra link. The best part, I didn't have to remove the motor, the mounting plate and the cover to replace it. There was enough to get my finger in there to close the last link. The timing getting this link belt was good, you can see the old one in the picture, not much life left and it was starting to be noisy.
-Replaced the stiff rubber threadmill runner that I used has way cover on my Tom Senior milling machine. Has suggested, I bought drawer liner rubber from Princess A. The material is EDPM rubber, flexible, 1/16" thickness. I can produce a good crease using my 3-1 metal brake ( about the only task it can do well ) .
Its compatible with lots of harsh chemicals but not so well with lubricant and oil. Will see how it does, but no worries its was easy to cut and make one.
- made new dust cap out of a HDPE plastic, to protect the horizontal mill MNTB30 spindle.
-cut a pieces of green house, vinyl plastic sheet to cover the DRO screen
-glued some hard-drive magnet with some hot melt glue. To hold some of the common tools.
- replaced the drive belt in the vertical head. I was given a 3/8" V link belt, I was worried it was going to be short a few links. So before cutting the old one I measure it. 20 1/2" long, It was perfect, I even a couple of extra link. The best part, I didn't have to remove the motor, the mounting plate and the cover to replace it. There was enough to get my finger in there to close the last link. The timing getting this link belt was good, you can see the old one in the picture, not much life left and it was starting to be noisy.
Attachments
Just took a picture. Sorry it's no longer new, I have already put it to work.
I copied the original way cover but made it 1" wider. The hardest part was making the aluminum brackets on the ends. Most of my scraptaluminum, would crack when fully crimped except for a electronics chassis box which was annealed and very malleable.
I copied the original way cover but made it 1" wider. The hardest part was making the aluminum brackets on the ends. Most of my scraptaluminum, would crack when fully crimped except for a electronics chassis box which was annealed and very malleable.
Attachments
Frankly, I think it's beautiful. Doesn't trap chips and does the design goal job.
Can I trouble you to take a photo of the saddle all the way in to see how well it folds, and also post a link to the product?
The roll is 18" X 80",so lots of material to play around with.
I also did a metal chip deflector to go over one of my DRO glass scale. That is were I bent the rubber at a right angle on my metal brake. I just use double side tape to hold it there.
Here is the link.
I also did a metal chip deflector to go over one of my DRO glass scale. That is were I bent the rubber at a right angle on my metal brake. I just use double side tape to hold it there.
Here is the link.
Attachments
Last edited:
Cleaning up in the garden before the winter. Needed to hang stuff off the rafters. Made some hooks out of 5 gallon pail handles. A quick straightening of the rod, bend in half to double the strength and give some welding substance, bend on the universal with a 3" round and tack a large wood screw on the end.
Yup, I try to not waste anything metal. I got an impressive pile of scraptanium which I try to transform into something useful.
Yup, I try to not waste anything metal. I got an impressive pile of scraptanium which I try to transform into something useful.
