The Home Machinist!

A few years ago I made the search for corrugated sheet metal in 1/8th scale; I found nothing! From a steel supply catalog, I knew I wanted a scale 2-1/2" corrugation which is 5/16" in our scale. Because I found nothing, I cast my own corrugated sheet metal out of aluminum. On a maple board...

After using my Dingo for over a year, I do not think the use of any kind of seat would be a good idea. I found the best and safest way is just to walk behind it. When you are standing behind it you can quickly get out of the way, if for any reason it starts to tip. I did buy and install a Toro Platf...

Here is another attachment for my Toro Dingo that I just completed fabricating in December. I rented the the large Auger Attachment that is made by Toro from my local rental place in October. It was way too large for the holes I needed, but it was all they had. Toro attachments are not cheap they ru...

Here is a recent comment from an AFS Vice President. It's something to contemplate as we go into 2011. What will 2111 look like???

In the "LIVE STEAM" section in a recent post about a large threading machine, the question came up: How big a wrench can one handle? Below is a photo of some Armstong Mfg. Co. Engineer's Wrenches that I acquired some years ago. They were very rusty, and date from the twenties or teens. It ...

I met Norm Sandley, shortly before he died. I was taking one of Tom Stockton's "Study of Steam Power" classes at the Riverside & Great Northern in the Dells. Sandley came in and talked about his life's work, and gave us a tour of the facilities including his other shop at the other end...

Here is the way we do it: 1. We put down forms that are 3-1/2" high, and spaced 36" apart (for single track). 2. We put #9 Road Gravel in the form, level it, and pound it down. 3. We put down the track sections which have full depth treated 2x4s as ties. 4. We add #9 to about 1/2 the depth...

Today, on eBay, a Brown & Sharpe #2 Universal Milling Machine was posted. This machine is circa 1952, and though the seller say's it's a rare find, I and several other members of the Yahoo B&S Group have this style of #2. It's a great mill for a hobbyist. The machine includes the #0 Vertical...

Todd, you do not say what the match plate base is made of? Most match plate bases that I have are made of aluminum, but if yours is not metal, then it should be made of plywood, and I would use not less than 3/4" plywood.

I have four horizontal mills in my basement shop. Three Universal Brown & Sharpe, and a Van Norman #1 Hand Miller. The first one I acquired, a B&S #1-1/2, is now 102 years old. http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=79002 The next is a 1925 B&S #1, and finally a 195...

Yes, I have been buying from Microfastners for around 20 years, and I agree the Morris prices appear high. But, I don't think Microfastners has 000-120 Screws. I have also bought bulk from: http://www.infinityfasteners.com/services/quotes.htm I bought 20,000 #2 Drive Screws for my TT project, and mo...

I was just reading the Sept/Oct issue of Micro Manufacturing Magazine, and on page 39 was an article "Turn of The Microscrew." They listed four manufacturers/importers of small screws. Three were not relevant to our hobby because they were metric, had too large a minimum order, or did not ...