Hell, I'd be thrilled to forget cuz it would mean I actually knew how - once upon a time. As it is, my welding is so bad I can't get two magnets to stick together.....
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Welcome to Westwood Metalworks, What is he building in there?
- Thread starter Dan Dubeau
- Start date
Hell, I'd be thrilled to forget cuz it would mean I actually knew how - once upon a time. As it is, my welding is so bad I can't get two magnets to stick together.....
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
I'm a little out of order here, but after discovering that mistake last night, it took some major wind out of my sails. I didn't feel like machining anything, or doing anything shop related today at all, but back to the post a few back about puttering.....I forced myself out to the shop after lunch, put a couple good live concerts from youtube on, and started puttering away for a few hours. I could no longer ignore all the clutter and mess I've been working around and stepping over for weeks/months so I started cleaning up the welding table in preparation for assembly day, then I moved on to my workbench as a staging area for all the parts back there.
Then I just moved around the shop cleaning and putting things back in their homes. If they didn't have a home, I made one. The drill presses got cleaned up, and I made a spot to hang the vises on the backboard. Little things like this go a long way to keeping things tidy and organized for me. I can work in clutter, but I'm much more productive when I'm organized.
Beside the drill presses is the CNC area that has been in disarray since I needed to shift stuff to get that hydraulic powerpack out from under the CNC enclosure to yank the motor for the grinder a while back. I just never bothered to move these boxes back where they belong, and it was blocking my access to my workbench/toolbox. One of those things I'll ignore/work around for so long until I just can't anymore.......
Back together as it should be.
I can walk through here again....
Next I moved onto cleaning up the manual mill and gave that area a good clean up and chip removal....It was bad....Once this grinder is done I need to make some way covers and table covers too. Then turn some attention to tooling storage along that back wall.....It's also bad.....
Along the way there were a few side quests.....Like fixing these stuck and sticky vise grips. The spring was streched and kept coming off, and they were also a bit tight. I cleaned them all out with brake cleaner, wire brush and penetrating oil, then heated them up a bit to melt wax into the moving parts and screw. This is the first time I've tried wax for this after reading about it a while back. Seems to work great, I'll see how good it still works in a few days, weeks, etc....Found a spring that fit great, and they're back together and working great again.
https://i.imgur.com/WDUOrOk.mp4
While cleaning up I found all these guys on the ground under my welding table covered in filth. I normally keep them stuck underneath my table, but they all fell down at some point, and as you can see, were quite a mess....I have a love hate relationship with these magnets.....They work great for some situations, but boy do they collect a mess....
A quick and vigorous brush with a wire brush over the garbage can knocked almost all the crap off them, and a quick blast with the air finished them off.
Now to store them in a place free from grit, they're not going back under the table again.....
Anyway, that was a bit of a productive afternoon of cleaning up, and a much needed one. I'm NOT a naturally neat and tidy person. But i've learned over the years, that while I CAN work in clutter and mess, I am a MUCH more productive person when I stay organised, tools go back where they belong, and everything has a home. Eventually things get to a point where I can't go on any farther until things are cleaned up. Today was that day....I actually find it pretty enjoyable to clean and sweep everything up.
It also lifted my spirits a bit puttering around and I found the motivation to make that spacer fix, and a few other things grinder related. Even if that meant getting the mill dirty again lol.
Then I just moved around the shop cleaning and putting things back in their homes. If they didn't have a home, I made one. The drill presses got cleaned up, and I made a spot to hang the vises on the backboard. Little things like this go a long way to keeping things tidy and organized for me. I can work in clutter, but I'm much more productive when I'm organized.
Beside the drill presses is the CNC area that has been in disarray since I needed to shift stuff to get that hydraulic powerpack out from under the CNC enclosure to yank the motor for the grinder a while back. I just never bothered to move these boxes back where they belong, and it was blocking my access to my workbench/toolbox. One of those things I'll ignore/work around for so long until I just can't anymore.......
Back together as it should be.
I can walk through here again....
Next I moved onto cleaning up the manual mill and gave that area a good clean up and chip removal....It was bad....Once this grinder is done I need to make some way covers and table covers too. Then turn some attention to tooling storage along that back wall.....It's also bad.....
Along the way there were a few side quests.....Like fixing these stuck and sticky vise grips. The spring was streched and kept coming off, and they were also a bit tight. I cleaned them all out with brake cleaner, wire brush and penetrating oil, then heated them up a bit to melt wax into the moving parts and screw. This is the first time I've tried wax for this after reading about it a while back. Seems to work great, I'll see how good it still works in a few days, weeks, etc....Found a spring that fit great, and they're back together and working great again.
https://i.imgur.com/WDUOrOk.mp4
While cleaning up I found all these guys on the ground under my welding table covered in filth. I normally keep them stuck underneath my table, but they all fell down at some point, and as you can see, were quite a mess....I have a love hate relationship with these magnets.....They work great for some situations, but boy do they collect a mess....
A quick and vigorous brush with a wire brush over the garbage can knocked almost all the crap off them, and a quick blast with the air finished them off.
Now to store them in a place free from grit, they're not going back under the table again.....
Anyway, that was a bit of a productive afternoon of cleaning up, and a much needed one. I'm NOT a naturally neat and tidy person. But i've learned over the years, that while I CAN work in clutter and mess, I am a MUCH more productive person when I stay organised, tools go back where they belong, and everything has a home. Eventually things get to a point where I can't go on any farther until things are cleaned up. Today was that day....I actually find it pretty enjoyable to clean and sweep everything up.
It also lifted my spirits a bit puttering around and I found the motivation to make that spacer fix, and a few other things grinder related. Even if that meant getting the mill dirty again lol.
Last edited:
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
I'll go long periods of time without Tig welding anything. Since adding the splitter box to my welding cart is a lot easier to choose tig now, so I'm going to force myself to use it more and get better with it. It's the one welding skill that really depreciates if I don't do it enough. And I never do it enough lol.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
This one is a Jet. I've seen the same model with different tags though. It's a decent mid size drill press. Wish it had a bit more power and variable speed though. I may try and fit a treadmill motor to it someday.Is your drill press a Kira? I sure regret selling mine...
I bought it because I needed something bigger and better than my 10" skil, and then a month later my Dad moved, and traded me his mastercraft for my little one. Don't need both in there, but the mastercraft start rusting in the barn so I brought it in before it got worse, and I don't have another spot for it yet, but that's going to change soon.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Had a proud Dad moment this morning while I was brushing my Daughters hair before school. She spotted this pack of origami paper on the coffee table and said "4 inches or 10cm.....Well which is it, because they are different....". So we grabbed the calipers to verify, and they are indeed a bit over 4", but certainly not 10cm.
Thought some here might find that amusing....I certainly did.
Thought some here might find that amusing....I certainly did.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
You know what's funny about when I make mistakes......I usually make another one on the same part. Adding features to features over here.....
For some reason that would have been VERY E A S Y to verify with any of the measuring devices on and around my bench, I thought that the hinge plate was 3" long. Take the 4" "feature plate", subtract 3", divide by two.....Half inch overlap....Easy math right....ya, I didn't make a math mistake, I got it's positioning bang on. Only problem is the hinge plate is 3.25".... lol. Didn't discover that, until I welded the sucker on completely....Oh well, it's not going to affect anything important, but just like one tile on the back wall of my shower that sticks out a little bit more than the rest, it'll drive me nuts everytime I see it........
Moving on.....I have almost all the welding done on the platen assembly. I didn't drill the axle holes when i made the arms because I wanted to do it after it was all welded up and skim the face and pitch them out. Probably overkill, but it's a pretty guaranteed way to ensure that they are in the same plane as each other, and take all welding warpage and movement out of the question. Letting it cool now, and will throw it in the mill, skim the faces and drill the holes later tonight. Then I can weld on the platen mount tabs, as they'd be in the way of clamping.
First TIG welds in a while....I've certainly done worse, but could be better.....
Next welds on the feature plate. Freehand, because I've never got along with props. Too much stick/slip, and I find my tempo is worse. I need to work on it though....just practice. Oh look at that prefect 1/2" spacing to the bottom.....Nailed it too lol.
Oh, wait, WTF happend here Dan.....(the tab is 1", and my setup block here). This is when I discovered my second mistake on this same part.
Here's how I aligned the wheel arms. Drilled 1/8" holes at specific locations and used some roll pins to fixture them in place.
Worked great, and as the next picture shows, the 1.5" radius on the end of the bottom arm, sits flat on the table at 45* verifying that centerline pivot I've been trying to maintain.
Only dipped 3 tungstens too. Still need lots more practice though. Pretty rough and inconsistent still. Always was to be honest about my ability. I'm way too shakey for instagram welding......
For some reason that would have been VERY E A S Y to verify with any of the measuring devices on and around my bench, I thought that the hinge plate was 3" long. Take the 4" "feature plate", subtract 3", divide by two.....Half inch overlap....Easy math right....ya, I didn't make a math mistake, I got it's positioning bang on. Only problem is the hinge plate is 3.25".... lol. Didn't discover that, until I welded the sucker on completely....Oh well, it's not going to affect anything important, but just like one tile on the back wall of my shower that sticks out a little bit more than the rest, it'll drive me nuts everytime I see it........
Moving on.....I have almost all the welding done on the platen assembly. I didn't drill the axle holes when i made the arms because I wanted to do it after it was all welded up and skim the face and pitch them out. Probably overkill, but it's a pretty guaranteed way to ensure that they are in the same plane as each other, and take all welding warpage and movement out of the question. Letting it cool now, and will throw it in the mill, skim the faces and drill the holes later tonight. Then I can weld on the platen mount tabs, as they'd be in the way of clamping.
First TIG welds in a while....I've certainly done worse, but could be better.....
Next welds on the feature plate. Freehand, because I've never got along with props. Too much stick/slip, and I find my tempo is worse. I need to work on it though....just practice. Oh look at that prefect 1/2" spacing to the bottom.....Nailed it too lol.
Oh, wait, WTF happend here Dan.....(the tab is 1", and my setup block here). This is when I discovered my second mistake on this same part.
Here's how I aligned the wheel arms. Drilled 1/8" holes at specific locations and used some roll pins to fixture them in place.
Worked great, and as the next picture shows, the 1.5" radius on the end of the bottom arm, sits flat on the table at 45* verifying that centerline pivot I've been trying to maintain.
Only dipped 3 tungstens too
. Still need lots more practice though. Pretty rough and inconsistent still. Always was to be honest about my ability. I'm way too shakey for instagram welding......Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Thanks David. The nice part about tig on steel, is that you can just wash over it again lol. There are a few of spots on here like that........
I need to order a super flex tig cable. It's been so long I forgot how stiff this one is, it's like trying to manhandle 1/2" stranded steel cable lol. I could not find a position where I felt comfortable with it, and it's got too much coil in it I was constantly fighting it. Plus it's like 40' long and between that and the ridiculously long and unchangeable post flow timer on my welder I might as well leave the argon tank on wide open when I'm done.
I need to order a super flex tig cable. It's been so long I forgot how stiff this one is, it's like trying to manhandle 1/2" stranded steel cable lol. I could not find a position where I felt comfortable with it, and it's got too much coil in it I was constantly fighting it. Plus it's like 40' long and between that and the ridiculously long and unchangeable post flow timer on my welder I might as well leave the argon tank on wide open when I'm done.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Drilled the axles holes, and spotfaced a Z reference, then welded the platen tabs on after dinner. The platen attachment is DONE.
With the tube held square in the vise, I ran an indicator across the hinge plate, it was basically zero in one direction (in/out), and had a 0.005" run in the vertical. You will have to take my word for that, as I must have fat fingered my phone and not got that video of the up down....The arms were as I expected, quite out, but most of that is probably warpage from milling. I really had no concern for that, as I was drilling the holes square to the frame anyway, and perpendicularity of my axles will come from that press fit. Am I taking this too far? Probably....
https://i.imgur.com/hAdifIH.mp4 Tough turning a handle while watching a screen apparently.....Doh
https://i.imgur.com/90q6Ts8.mp4
Getting my moneys worth....
Of course I couldn't wait to put it together and check the accuracy of the hinge.
Pretty happy with that. I had originally planned on having some adjustable stops for both positions, but changed my mind last minute before cutting the hinge plate and simply decided on using the locking screw and curved slot for the rotational stop. I can still add the stops later, but honestly don't really see a need for that much precision. It's a belt grinder....
Of course i just had to head down into the basement and find the mixed box of belts I bought back in.....blows dust off box and check shipping date.....03-05-2019.....Better late than never I guess....
Tomorrows task it to do some foam cutting and get my pattern done for the drive wheel casting. Planning for a weekend casting I need to get started now to dip and dry it in drywall compound slurry. Or course, this comes with a couple side quests attached.....
With the tube held square in the vise, I ran an indicator across the hinge plate, it was basically zero in one direction (in/out), and had a 0.005" run in the vertical. You will have to take my word for that, as I must have fat fingered my phone and not got that video of the up down....The arms were as I expected, quite out, but most of that is probably warpage from milling. I really had no concern for that, as I was drilling the holes square to the frame anyway, and perpendicularity of my axles will come from that press fit. Am I taking this too far? Probably....
https://i.imgur.com/hAdifIH.mp4 Tough turning a handle while watching a screen apparently.....Doh
https://i.imgur.com/90q6Ts8.mp4
Getting my moneys worth....
Of course I couldn't wait to put it together and check the accuracy of the hinge.
Pretty happy with that
. I had originally planned on having some adjustable stops for both positions, but changed my mind last minute before cutting the hinge plate and simply decided on using the locking screw and curved slot for the rotational stop. I can still add the stops later, but honestly don't really see a need for that much precision. It's a belt grinder....Of course i just had to head down into the basement and find the mixed box of belts I bought back in.....blows dust off box and check shipping date.....03-05-2019.....Better late than never I guess....
Tomorrows task it to do some foam cutting and get my pattern done for the drive wheel casting. Planning for a weekend casting I need to get started now to dip and dry it in drywall compound slurry. Or course, this comes with a couple side quests attached.....
Pretty happy with that
Really jealous of your welding. Mine would be bolted together.
That is the craziest level I've ever seen. Apparently you like it? A tool we should all wish we got sooner?
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Thanks Squatch. The level is a cheapy from amazon. This is actually the first time I've used it for an actual project.... Always forget I have it.....Tools in drawers.......
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
Lots of woodworkers use those for adjusting the blade angle more accurately than the gauge on the table saw.
Zero it on the table and then 90 or 45 or whatever on the blade.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Superflex cable ordered and some new cups as well. Tig torch and cup standards have got to be the dumbest and least intuitive set of standards I've ever come across.....
Enough interneting and stock market shopping for buying opportunities today....time go out and make stuff.
Enough interneting and stock market shopping for buying opportunities today....time go out and make stuff.
@Dan Dubeau, how’s about some pictures of your casting process for us “wish we coulds”. If you could/can.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Here's a previous thread that shows a bit of my little casting setup, and another one. The wheel will be my first try at lost foam, and it presents a problem....It's too big of a pour for my little electric foundry. I've struggled to come up with a path forward for this but think I have a plan now....I have a bit bigger graphite crucible I could use with the coal forge, but even it's too small to pour it all. I could use it, plus the electric and enlist the help of another person to pour both at the same time. There is enough volume there, just. It of course wont fit in my propane forge (too tall).
I also have an even bigger crucible I bought quite a few years ago, and some refractory and ceramic blanket too I bought to build a big propane foundry, but that's too much of a side quest for now. I think the path of least resistance here is to build a steel crucible of suitable shape and volume to fit inside my ribbon burner forge, and simply use it for now. I'm aware of the problems with steel crucibles, but for this one pour it'll be fine. Considering the wheel will be machined all over, I'm not too concerned about casting quality, as long as it's not completely full of holes. I'm more interested in trying lost foam out for the first time. Always wanted to, but just didn't have a project on the go that suited it until now. And now I've come up with a few more so I'm really hoping it works lol. If it does, my bigger foundry will move to the top of the project pile once I finish the grinder. Wife is grumbling about redoing the kitchen or something, but I'm not too convinced that's the best use of my time right now.....
Of course I could just go buy a chunk of Al and machine it from that. Or buy a wheel already done (~$100). But wheres the fun in that? I also thought of building one up as a weldment from steel too, but I think this is a great excuse to try lost foam, and expand my capabilities in the shop so I'm going that route.
Ok, NOW I gotta go out and build something. False start, needed lunch first.
I also have an even bigger crucible I bought quite a few years ago, and some refractory and ceramic blanket too I bought to build a big propane foundry, but that's too much of a side quest for now. I think the path of least resistance here is to build a steel crucible of suitable shape and volume to fit inside my ribbon burner forge, and simply use it for now. I'm aware of the problems with steel crucibles, but for this one pour it'll be fine. Considering the wheel will be machined all over, I'm not too concerned about casting quality, as long as it's not completely full of holes. I'm more interested in trying lost foam out for the first time. Always wanted to, but just didn't have a project on the go that suited it until now. And now I've come up with a few more so I'm really hoping it works lol. If it does, my bigger foundry will move to the top of the project pile once I finish the grinder. Wife is grumbling about redoing the kitchen or something, but I'm not too convinced that's the best use of my time right now.....
Of course I could just go buy a chunk of Al and machine it from that. Or buy a wheel already done (~$100). But wheres the fun in that? I also thought of building one up as a weldment from steel too, but I think this is a great excuse to try lost foam, and expand my capabilities in the shop so I'm going that route.
Ok, NOW I gotta go out and build something. False start, needed lunch first
.Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Not much shop time today, but got a bit of time to putter around a bit. Fixed a nagging issue with my little air compressor by making up a tee so I can have both the CNC, and a line at the Excello. Took all of 10 minutes, and has been bugging me for months.....The ball valve on the blue line is because of the autodrain on the CNC water separator. the little compressor doesn't have enough Umph to overcome it at startup so it'll just sit there pumping to atmosphere as long as you'd let it..... Shut the valve off, turn on compressor then wait till it builds a bit before opening it. I used to just unplug it, but that got annoying....
I bought this little metabo 2gal compressor last summer because I'm always scared my bigger one will trip the breaker when it comes on while I'm running the CNC. Aside from the bigger 240v circuits for the big tools and welder, I only have one 120v circuit for everything else out there. It's tripped a couple other times while running tools, and plus it's waaaaay too loud. This metabo one is very quiet and does the job running the pneumatic drawbar just fine. From a full tank I can get 3 tool changes before it cycles, and takes 45 seconds to fill back up again. It's a little light for blow off duty, but isn't too bad if you keep that in mind. Good for a quick blast to clear a vise out after brushing the majority away, but will draw down too quick if you're just blasting away at everything (like blowing yourself off before going inside to sit on the couch.....). A much bigger compressor has long been on the upgrade list, but I have nowhere to put it right now, and really don't use a lot of air tools that my current one won't run. I would like to be able to use my blast cabinet someday though....
Next task is something that's been bugging me for probably a decade, or since I've owned my lathe. The cross slide dial has always been fixed, i.e. non rotating. Ashamed to admit that it's bothered me for this long, but never enough to tear it apart and fix it until now.... Any tight important turning I use an indicator for, or just do the math/split line interpreting. Not sure what, or why it happened (if old machines could tell stories....), but the spring washer is long gone, and there was a burr on the shoulder that pretty much just wedged the dial in place. I filed the burr off, and gave it a light scotchbrite smoothing, then made a new spring washer (bent by hand) from some 0.01" shim I had. Works great.....Took me long enough.....
https://i.imgur.com/00R1khr.mp4
Did a bunch of other little odd jobs I've been puting off too, like labeling and filling the new goldenrod oilers I bought a while back with the various lubes my machines need, and giving all the machines a good lubing.
I enjoy days like this in the shop, because it's always nice to cross off a few of those boring little jobs that need doing, but can never seem to find the time for. Especially when there are bigger and more exciting jobs to work on.
As for the grinder project, I did a bit more welding, not much just some small brackets and such. Can't do much without the motor plate, or turned stuff because there is an assebly sequence I need to follow so I don't screw myself.....I did program the motor plate tonight though, and should be able to cut it tomorrow. As well as make all the axles and other round stuff while it's running. Have a few hours hunch over the lathe at least. Fun times....Hoping to get it all done by the end of the weekend as I'm back to work next week for a what sounds like a month and a half of 6 12's, so I doubt I'll have much time or motivation to do anything out there for the next while....
I bought this little metabo 2gal compressor last summer because I'm always scared my bigger one will trip the breaker when it comes on while I'm running the CNC. Aside from the bigger 240v circuits for the big tools and welder, I only have one 120v circuit for everything else out there. It's tripped a couple other times while running tools, and plus it's waaaaay too loud. This metabo one is very quiet and does the job running the pneumatic drawbar just fine. From a full tank I can get 3 tool changes before it cycles, and takes 45 seconds to fill back up again. It's a little light for blow off duty, but isn't too bad if you keep that in mind. Good for a quick blast to clear a vise out after brushing the majority away, but will draw down too quick if you're just blasting away at everything (like blowing yourself off before going inside to sit on the couch.....). A much bigger compressor has long been on the upgrade list, but I have nowhere to put it right now, and really don't use a lot of air tools that my current one won't run. I would like to be able to use my blast cabinet someday though....
Next task is something that's been bugging me for probably a decade, or since I've owned my lathe. The cross slide dial has always been fixed, i.e. non rotating. Ashamed to admit that it's bothered me for this long, but never enough to tear it apart and fix it until now.... Any tight important turning I use an indicator for, or just do the math/split line interpreting. Not sure what, or why it happened (if old machines could tell stories....), but the spring washer is long gone, and there was a burr on the shoulder that pretty much just wedged the dial in place. I filed the burr off, and gave it a light scotchbrite smoothing, then made a new spring washer (bent by hand) from some 0.01" shim I had. Works great.....Took me long enough.....
https://i.imgur.com/00R1khr.mp4
Did a bunch of other little odd jobs I've been puting off too, like labeling and filling the new goldenrod oilers I bought a while back with the various lubes my machines need, and giving all the machines a good lubing.
I enjoy days like this in the shop, because it's always nice to cross off a few of those boring little jobs that need doing, but can never seem to find the time for. Especially when there are bigger and more exciting jobs to work on.
As for the grinder project, I did a bit more welding, not much just some small brackets and such. Can't do much without the motor plate, or turned stuff because there is an assebly sequence I need to follow so I don't screw myself.....I did program the motor plate tonight though, and should be able to cut it tomorrow. As well as make all the axles and other round stuff while it's running. Have a few hours hunch over the lathe at least. Fun times....Hoping to get it all done by the end of the weekend as I'm back to work next week for a what sounds like a month and a half of 6 12's, so I doubt I'll have much time or motivation to do anything out there for the next while....
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
After dinner I went out and finished machining the tracking hinge assembly.
Old school style...
If you don't own some of these deburing blades, you should. They don't get used much, but they sure work great when nothing else will
Had to dust off my old daily driver......It's been a while....
And a quick fit test....This is straight off the mill, just deburring. Good enough for me....
https://i.imgur.com/YG4fCBB.mp4
It's actually a bit tighter than I'd like it, so I might file fit it a bit but I'll see what it's like when assembled. I kind of made a design error, and made this a weld on assembly, when I probably should have bolted it. I think the weld joint might pull it open a bit, but I can toss a clamp on it during fitup. One of those things that looks great in cad, but when you actually start making it.....Damn designers......
Old school style...
If you don't own some of these deburing blades, you should. They don't get used much, but they sure work great when nothing else will
Had to dust off my old daily driver......It's been a while....
And a quick fit test....This is straight off the mill, just deburring. Good enough for me....
https://i.imgur.com/YG4fCBB.mp4
It's actually a bit tighter than I'd like it, so I might file fit it a bit but I'll see what it's like when assembled. I kind of made a design error, and made this a weld on assembly, when I probably should have bolted it. I think the weld joint might pull it open a bit, but I can toss a clamp on it during fitup. One of those things that looks great in cad, but when you actually start making it.....Damn designers......