The Home Machinist!

Would brake clean be suitable? I don't recall what I used when I cleaned my new machines, but I have used it since to clean tapping fluid from finished parts after threading.

SteveM wrote:Brought it in today and he couldn't believe his eyes.

I've gotten a lot of that over the years when I've fixed stuff for people.

Have any of you tried Metal Supermarkets? http://metalsupermarkets.com/store-finder/

I've never ordered from them, just walk ins. They had a location in Whitby when I lived in Oshawa & used their Toronto & Mississauga locations when I was up there.

You forgot brokerage fees if the item comes across the border via UPS or FedEx. Shipped by the USPS & Canada Post & there is no brokerage fee charged. Canada Post does charge a modest brokerage fee. About $7 or $8 IIRC. But only on parcels with a declared value of more than $20. UPS often c...

Just be glad you are not in Canada. I generally find the cost of shipping in the US is 1/2 to 1/4 the cost of shipping in Canada. Sometimes it's even cheaper to have a product from Canada shipped to a US address than it is to ship it within Canada. You forgot brokerage fees if the item comes across...

British prints I've seen state "Sharp edges to be Burred .xxx to .xxx" while some US prints state "Break all sharp edges .xxx to .xxx" Chamfer, Bevel, Burr, Break... Just different terminology :) That's what we were taught up here in the Great White North during high school back...

I ahve seen the same trick performed @ work to deal w/ a broken fastener in steel. I'm pretty sure that the welder didn't use a specific rod to do this.

I can't help you on the wiring but want bring up a point about the MIG welder? What are you planning on welding w/ it? I've been around both "small" MIG welders, both 110V & 220V. The 110V was useless IMO, maybe OK for sheet metal... Definitely unsatisfactory for welding anything thick...

I think die grinders have become a disposable item. I don't ever recall anyone @ work having anything more than whatever the company supplied. I had the same grinder for years (I don't recall the brand). Unfortunately I dropped it & broke the shaft by the wrench flats. Looking in the various too...

I grew up & lived in Oshawa (about 30 miles east of T.O.) until 2011. It's brutal listening to the residents whine about the cold. It has gotten really bad the last few years (redneckalbertan will probably agree). A lot of them wish we had Vancouver's weather :roll: To hear them, they have the c...

Have seen squished nuts,(ouch), center punched threads, bolts smacked on the end to upset, and dog knots put on the end of a bolt to stop the nut coming loose. How many old timers put on "dog knots?" Actually prevailing torque nuts are quite common in the automotive industry: prevailing t...

Glyptal was a common coating for the inside of industrial gearboxes and heavy truck differentials and transmissions. Might still be. I wonder if a side benefit was demobilizing any cuttings or grinding residue and sand that was stuck to the castings . Greg It may have been Greg. I seem to recall th...