The Home Machinist!

One of the ways I work a part on 5 sides using a vise is to start by cutting a .060" 60 degree dovetail down the sides of the stock. I then use aluminum soft jaws in the vise that have a matching dove tail to hold the part. I use a stock size that will allow me to flip the part and face off the...

That was also my first lathe. I bought it with a broken spindle and no motor. I made a spindle for it on a friends lathe and built a motor mount and drive system by copying the one in Dave Gingery's book on how to build a lathe. Harold described the problems with the lathe well but at the time it wa...

I agree with everything toastydeath said and would like to add two things. The reason carbide end mills and BP's don't get along well together is the direction of cut used. Most of the time a conventional cut is used on a BP mill. Carbide end mills wont last cutting in the conventional cut direction...

Jose, Home shop anodizing is very simple for small lots. I started out years ago anodizing parts in a Tupperware container and using a 12 volt car battery for a power supply. There is a site that explains the process very well. The site owner also sells a book and the hard to get in small quantity c...

I recently joined the group and wanted to introduce myself. Some of you may know me from the HSM, CNC zone and PM sites. My name is Mark Hockett and I own a small machine shop in Clinton WA on Whidbey Island, http://www.islandtechent.com/. My hobbies include machine work, foundry, plating and anodiz...