The Home Machinist!

Doug_Edwards wrote: If the foundry does not balance the free graphite properly, you get white iron that is too hard to machine, or kish that is too soft to have any strength.

Precisely!

The percentage of free iron is dictated by silicon content.

Harold

Beautiful job!

I've bent enough tubing to know it's not always an easy chore----especially cosmetically.

What diameter is the tubing?

Harold

The average hobbyist who runs occasionally, or whos equipment doesn't see semi-commercial use hauling of the public on a track of aluminum will see their wheels wear less using ductile iron over gray iron. LL Ll, I'm curious why you figure that ductile iron will wear less than gray iron? The basic ...

am I crazy? ~GearGeek Chuckle! Could be you are------but that has nothing to do with the lathe! :D I think passing on a machine with a missing tailstock is a good idea. The only exception might be if you can order one from a dealer and be assured it will be the right height. I can't think of much t...

If your trying to align what I think you are .....the other posts with a scope and or a laser sound great . I think if you have a long arm with an indicator attachment and a good indicator that you could also sweep the work table top in a circle around the spindle . ??? If I'm all wet and misunders...

Gulp!


Hadn't looked at it that way! Better most of them work than none of them!

Harold

Larry's comments about the eccentricity of the head of screws applies to SHCS's as well. The head isn't necessarily concentric with the pitch diameter of the thread, the controlling feature that dictates how a screw will install (not the major diameter, as some, erroneously, assume). As a result, co...

Harold: Traditonal gray iron wheels used on aluminum rail didn't didn't present much of a wheel wear issue. Extended use of gray iron wheels on steel rail is another matter. EDITED LL Actually, it does. <snip> I don't like iron drivers because iron is so slippery. It's great bearing material and ac...

H: you used clock oil and it got sticky...? Shrug. Yep! You have to understand, I am not using my tools. They've been idle for so many years that it's criminal. On rare occasion, I'll pick up one of them for some reason and put it to use briefly, but they, otherwise, see no action. The appearance i...

From your description, my hunch is C1045 (medium carbon steel) polished shafting . As GeerGeek mentioned, there are no standards on color coding, so unless you have knowledge of the source, and information on their marking system, the painted ends don't help. You got a good deal, regardless of the a...

Thanks, Bill. You confirmed the only doubts I had.

Harold

There are a lot of chemicals in ATF, only a small portion of which are actually lubricants...things like anti oxidants, anti foamants, etc:. If I remember correctly, only about 5% of the ATF 'mix' is actually oil... Actually, that's the reason it was recommended. Considering the minimal movement at...