The Home Machinist!

Originally I started plating my own parts since I could not find anyone who plated low volume, small unique parts at a reasonable price. It turns out other people were having the same problem and when they saw my work (and prices), I started doing work for other telephone collectors and restorers. I...

Harold I felt cyanide based solutions were too dangerous for hobby plating so I found formulas that did not require cyanide. I also do not plate with chromium. I can plate nickel over copper and get a finish that is very difficult to distinguish from chrome. I use three plating solutions - acid copp...

I did some research about a die head and how it works. I can definitely see your point especially on speed. I was having trouble envisioning how it would open so it can be retracted but I think I understand that better now. While struggling with the die head concept, it dawned on me that I never sho...

Thank you for the explanation. I actually do not understand it but appreciate you taking the time to explain. I am definitely out of my league when it comes to this.

Dennis Hallworth

This site looks current and shows the price at $10.40.

http://www.victornet.com/subdepartments ... /1350.html

The other option is I could send you the die I have been using.

Dennis Hallworth

No I am not sure about the angle and certainly would want to have the dimensions verified. The way I have been making the reproductions is I start with a 1 1/4" wood screw and cut off the threads. I then screw it into the thread die until it hits the head. When that is done I unscrew the die th...

An update to the post. I do not have an optical comparator so I have been using a feeler gauge to measure the width of the slot. Since the screws I am measuring are over 100 years old and have been removed at least once, the slot has probably been made wider. I did a search on slotting cutters and i...

I restore antique Western Electric transmitters used on telephones prior to 1913. Each transmitter uses 6 odd size brass flat head machine screws and sometimes the head will break when taking the old screws out. Up to now I have been making replacements in limited quantity from wood screws using fil...