Welcome to Westwood Metalworks, What is he building in there?

[JustaDB]

Machine tool tetris...

LOL! Somebody outta make a video game.

 

[Susquatch]

Machine tool tetris

One of my boys was helping pack the car for a camping trip. He was dragging stuff out and piling it around the car. I gave him shit for not putting it into the trunk.

He looked at me all calm and sly and said: "Tetris is not a two person game Dad.".

Smart kid. He was totally right.

 

[JustaDB]

One of my boys was helping pack the car for a camping trip.

Headed stateside for Sturgis, SD in '90. Hit a wedding just outside of Speedy Creek en route, then crossed at Oungre, SK. Customs pulled us in to secondary & proceeded to go through the bikes. I had an old Iron Sportster with, literally, a set of small leather horse saddlebags for carriage, along w/ a few bungie cords to hold my sleeping bag & tent on the P-pad. Not a lot of room. It took me some time to pack them at home & even longer at Customs. I'm sure they were LTAO watching me repack.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Been couch surfing all morning again, but did manage to figure out my leveling feet after waking up with the idea at 4am.



Fun one to figure out, but this should work great. I'll explain/show it working once it's built. Due to the severe unevenness of the floor I needed something with at least 2" of travel so I can level it wherever, and wanted it to be as tucked in tight as possible, yet still wide enough to be stable. Also needed to retract fully to allow full rotation of the casters. Oh, and be easy to build with a minimum # of special machined pieces, but still enough to make it interesting and fun to build.....I think that was it. 😀

Now if I could just get off this couch....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Machine tool tetris is a favorite pastime for many of us I think...... I hate when you get to the last piece and it doesn't fit and you get to start all over again. 😕
No wonder your back is sore, mine is getting that way just thinking about it. 😛

Every machine in this shop has been in every spot possible over the years. So many iterations. I'd settle on a layout I liked, then buy another machine and have to redo it all. It's sometimes fun, but I think I'm over it now.... At least the lathe is staying put this time, it's the worst to move, and the last item on the list that needs a new cabinet with wheels once I finish the welding table. This time, just the mill and surface grinder are switching spots. Moving the mill out in the open. I "think" there's going to be enough room to work and walk around it, but it's one of those things I won't know until it's out there. Really hoping I don't have to move it back.

I also need to chop 4" off of the Tormach enclosure to shorten it up. No biggie 😀.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Its all there cept for a couple odds and ends. Some cleanup and assembly required. Maybe tomorrow.....maybe

 

[Chicken lights]

Kind of a blind eBay auction- is morse decent quality? Is morse worth anything? There's other stuff in the pile but I hate bidding based on a guess at value

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Those are old. Morse made good quality tools (still do), and I've never seen an endmill with a best before date on it, so if they're still sharp they have value. If they're all dull and or chipped I would pass. It's simply not worth the cost to sharpen HSS endmills unless you have a T&C and have spare time. Worth and value are subjective. I personally wouldn't part with more than $10-$15 for them, and would only buy them if I was in a tool buying drought and a $20 bill was burning a hole in my pocket. But I have a toolbox full of similar cutters already, and really don't need anymore.

The 1" is somewhat of a false value, as yeah, its big and expensive to buy, but won't fit in most milling machines (with an r8 spindle) without an EM holder, or unless it has a reduced shank which it isn't.

Without knowing the condition of them it's really hard to say. You're always safe with bidding at scrap value, and if they're good it's a bonus. I'm a cheap, cynical tool buyer though, so take my advice for what you paid for it.....

 

[Chicken lights]

Thanks for that. Sounds like they could be a bonus or scrap

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Used cutting tools sight unseen is always a 50/50. The only thing that skews the deal in your favour is how cheap you can get them for 😀

 

[Susquatch]

Thanks for that. Sounds like they could be a bonus or scrap

Sorry, I saw your note and thought you bought them already. Didn't realize you wanted advice before buying.

I don't generally buy stuff like that unless I know I have a need for a given item or I get them free with something else I feel is worth the price.

Also, for me as a hobbiest, small tooling I'll actually use is worth more than big tooling that originally cost 10x more.

 

[Chicken lights]

Sorry, I saw your note and thought you bought them already. Didn't realize you wanted advice before buying.

I don't generally buy stuff like that unless I know I have a need for a given item or I get them free with something else I feel is worth the price.

Also, for me as a hobbiest, small tooling I'll actually use is worth more than big tooling that originally cost 10x more.

Like I said, there's other stuff in the pile, it's currently at $40, I didn't know if the morse added value or was just along for the ride

If that makes sense

 

[StevSmar]

Machine tool tetris

I find nothing dampens my enthusiasm for being in the workshop more than knowing I need to play another losing game.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Used cutting tools sight unseen is always a 50/50. The only thing that skews the deal in your favour is how cheap you can get them for 😀

I’ve often seen Kennedy boxes listed for sale, half full of used end mills. I don’t consider them, when deciding what I’d pay. I’d give a slight edge to ones that are all in individual tubes, it suggests the user cared about their condition, and likely was more, rather than less, careful with their tools generally.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

That's how I acquired most of mine. a few toolbox deals over the years where one or two items in the box covered the nut, the rest became free. Tough to do now, as everybody thinks they're worth so much more, but there are still deals to be found if one is ready for a roadtrip at a moments notice.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Wife mentioned the coffee maker not brewing as fast lately, so I ran a pot of vinegar through it this morning. About 10 minutes later I hear this noise....I said " that sounds like a water line just blew itself off". Yup. Coffee maker spilled it's guts all over the counter. Pulled it apart and the heating element is completely scaled up solid for about 2" on the inlet side (the hose that blew itself off). I've been chipping away in between vinegar soaks for the past couple hours and have finally got it unplugged and passing fluid, but will keep goin until I can pass a brush through it.


Its just a cheapo b&d drip machine. And ive now got more time into it than it's worth, but that's not the point.....

 

[JustaDB]

but that's not the point.....

Now it's a mission!

 

[Doggggboy]

I've been chipping away in between vinegar soaks for the past couple hours and have finally got it unplugged and passing fluid, but will keep goin until I can pass a brush through it.

I'm gonna cross you off my list of people to call about my kidney stones.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Mig wire works great as a poker to snake around the bends. Just sayin....

 

[Susquatch]

I'm gonna cross you off my list of people to call about my kidney stones.

Another thing we have in common. I'm not gunna call him either. The cameras and other gear they pulled in and out of there are nothing less than nightmare fodder.

My main nemesis was a staghorn stone. You?