The Home Machinist!

Most people seem to be wearing "surgical" masks [here anyway]. They don't seal on the face at all. .... I have wondered about the effectiveness of surgical masks but still I wear one whenever I am off my property. What I think might be helping their effectiveness is that they turn the vir...

Since I got my Shopmster TriPower it has leaked a red oil from the headstock area. Not something I could fix because it leaks by a seal that is in between two big sections (One of those parts that seem like they were proped up in place and then the rest of the machine was built around it.) Well not ...

When I got my 3-in1 (the 1300# type) they loaded it in the back of my pickuup (it was all boxed) and I drove it home. Backed into my garage and proceeded to unloading it with my collection of lifting things. I connected onto the headstock end with a chain hoist hooked to my homemade rafter joists. I...

I order from McMaster Carr very often, perhaps once every 2 weeks. I have noticed that whatever I order it always comes in a box that is much larger than what I would have expected. But I also notice that nothing I get from them is damaged in shipping. Many little things are taped in the center of a...

I got the page name and have ordered the Al. Thank you

Withing the past 3 or 4 months there was a post from someone who had bought a box of cut off AL pieces and felt he had a pretty good deal. I need some pieces now and cannot find the post. if anyone can remember it and give me a bit of a hint as to search term or reference to post I'd appreciate it. ...

I read all the replies and tried to open the references. Not much luck, for example the Applied Industries catalog shows lots of entries but give a picture some manufactures logo instead of a picture of the part. I will need 4 but two each in different sizes. At this point my plan is to make them. I...

I've finished restoring two of my machines and am now moving on to restoring my Shopmaster 3-in-1. This machine was actually apart when the flood hit. Mostly I had carefully laid aside all the parts but after the flood hit and before the machine could be rebuilt I moved from NY to VT. I tried to pic...

I've been through some of that surgical process. $ years ago I fell on ice several times. I live on a ski mountain and icy ground is normal but generally I don't have a problem with it. But that winter was a disaster. The next winter I started to have severe neck pain probably triggered by carrying ...

I drilled out my parts to the required Diameter, taped the holes with the STI bit I had bought at Fastenal and inserted the helicoil-like inserts. First one was listed as 1.5D long and it was too long. Took it out grabbing a end and pulling with needle nose pliers. Replaced it with a 1D long insert....

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the first Fastenal guy wasn't much help to you, either. If the insert is for a 3/8"-24 thread, the 3/8-24 tap isn't going to do you any good. That's the thread you'll end up with after the helicoil is inserted. The tap that the helicoil set comes with...

The helicoil has that tang to drive it in, as you noted. But after the helicoil is in place, you tap the tang with a short rod and it breaks off so you are left with just the threaded section. I don't recall now, did you buy a helicoil kit? Or just the individual pieces? I am guessing the kit, sinc...