The Home Machinist!

I found out my little Kubota can put enough stretch in a 4" tow strap to make the end sail by my head when it comes loose. I think reducing the size of the objects I pull will add to my lifespan. Your little Kubota can put enough stretch in a 4" tow strap to make the end remove your head ...

Do the files for chainsaw sharping come in different diameters and if so how do you know which to buy? Yes the files do come in different diameters and the box the chain comes in should specify which file to use. As the chain is sharpened the tooth height is lessened and a size smaller file is reco...

This is similar to what can happen on a buffer, but this time it was a bench grinder. I was cleaning the chain from my chain saw and thought it would be a good idea to clean the chain on the wire wheel. Well it started to remove the grime and without warning, the wire wheel grabbed the chain and wh...

Time for my 2 cents worth (not worth much these days). The OP is new to lathes. This discussion has devolved to ideas that are more suited to experienced users and to being able to make use of the precision and speed of different lathes and work holding. Lets back this up a bit. Starting this user w...

Yes, with some caveats. There are quite a few programs to do this, some with more functionality than others and some which require a specific format of the file to convert. If the part is simple, something like this may suffice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCHRWY9Meo

From my perspective the 3 in one machines are about making everything fit into the least amount of space, not about the size of the work envelope. If the only thing you are using it for is small items you can make something like that work but you will be limited in size and constantly changing the s...

I'm properly impressed that the sharpener has a diamond wheel. Much better than I would have expected.

The sharpener probably has an aluminum oxide wheel on it. While it will (slowly) sharpen carbide tips you should consider using a diamond wheel for carbide. Be aware that the diamond wheel is not for use with steel, only carbide.

One picture is worth a thousand words and in this case it might be worth more than the thousand words. Open the top of the headstock and take a picture of the inner workings. That would instantly show what kind of lathe you have. Circuit breakers can come in fast break or slow break. The slow break ...

One trick that I have heard works sometimes is to put the hard drive into the freezer overnight, then reinstall it while still cold. Old wives' tale. Subjecting the disk to such a temperature extreme will almost certainly cause the magnetic coating on the platters to separate when the disk is spun ...

This is a warning to save all your computer data periodically on an external hard drive, CD or flash drive. I do all my train drawings using Autocad. I had a lot of drawings I made over the years stored on my XP computer. I didn't have it backed up and now my computer crashed. The computer service ...

If you plan to make several holes and the size isn't quite so large, this set of hole saws seems to work really well. https://www.banggood.com/12pcs-15mm-50mm-Hole-Saw-Cutters-Kit-Drill-Bit-Set-p-1038253.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=USA I've only done a test cut with my drill press but it cut...