I was out in Phil’s Temple of Tools all day trying to get a little project done that turned into a nightmare.
As usual.
I finally had to abandon the material I was trying to use for it.
I found a piece of Mystery Metal that was in a bucket of crap I scavenged from Old Chuck after he passed away.
It was the closest to the specifications needed that I could find right away.
Turns out it is harder than the hubs of hell.
After struggling with this stuff for days, I was talking to my Friend Irish and he asked me if the stuff was magnetic.
After I discovered it wasn’t, I abandoned the stuff.
Chinesium Mini Lathes No Likey Stainless Steel, period.
No wonder I was having so much trouble.
So I found a hunk of 1 1/2 Aluminium round stock my brain kept telling me I had and spent the whole day redoing what I had already done.
I’m almost done except I had to hit up Amazon for some Needle Dick Bug Fucker Tiny Assed 4 X 40 set screws.
I have the drill bits and the tiny taps thanks to a very generous reader a few years back who sent me several sets of tiny taps and dies I had been looking for.
They go all the way down to 2 X 56.
I have seen Upholstery Needles bigger than that.
I had some tiny set screws also but no 1/8 X 40 tap that was required..
The 4 X 40 tap was pretty close but I stripped the inside of the set screw trying to get it to fit in a test piece, so no dice.
I’m damn glad I decided to test it on some scrap first!
So anyways, The end is in sight.
I’m just waiting for Amazon to show up.
I still have a bunch of work to do on the Big Red Dodge,
The plastic bushings for the wiper transmission arms let go in the dark and pouring rain on the way to work Thursday.
The rest of the plastic bushings showed up early this morning.
That is a Must Do this weekend.
6061 aluminum is nice to machine, 7075 is nicer. Grade 5 steel bolt material is reasonable. But don’t do grade 8 steel bolts, or stainless.
7075 is the best machining, but it is not weldable whereas 6061 welds well.
I couldn’t believe that video. That’s some really hard metal to make the cutter glow like that.
Yes, and I have to ask: where’s the cooling? Drool some oil on that, and you could have cut it just fine.
Partner in Crime had a guy show up to install an under-cabinet water filter and a spigot in the back flange on the new kitchen sink (large, one-bowl drop-in sink, 36X24x10), which happens to be made from 3 mm thick 304. Wound up having to showing him what carbide spade bits are for.
2 tips.
Machining stainless steel; slow feed is the first thing, sharp, REAL sharp cutter is second, plenty of good cutting oil (original Tap Magic works good).
Wiper arm bushing. I was able to cobble a piece of nylon tubing in an emergency years ago. I forget what size ID it was, but I split it and was able to get it in place and some epoxy to hold it. Little sloppy but got me thru until I could get the right parts.
I’m going to make a point of showing this to the Moose when he gets up this morning, I’m sure he’ll find it very interesting.
If you’d given that Dodge a super-duper detailing and unloaded it on Hemmings for 150% of its value you would be a happier man today.
Temple Of Tools? I will suggest it’s more like managing the miscellaneous.
chuckling
That’s a lot of time and energy to make miniature drawer pulls, Phil. Just sayin’
Drills & taps, try Drillco in Louisiana. They’ve been around a while, got bought by Walter Co. I think. But have the goods all the way down to 0-80.