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Are you a tool nerd?


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  • 2 weeks later...

I've mentioned before one Adam Booth, an American Southern gentleman whose nom d'internet is Abom97, and who makes videos about his machine shop business.     He has some truely enormous lathes and other kit, but recently bought what I had not heard of before, a "shaper".     This does what a lathe does, but in a straight line, and is just a brutal machine.     Imagine something as big as a small cannon, moving to and fro, taking off curls 375 thou thick and an inch high from steel plate!    Awesome is the only word!   The shaper starts work about 13 minutes in: 

 

Y'take care now, y'all!

JOhn

Edited by JohnD
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Joy to watch.  There was a shaping machine in the school workshop and I used it on several occasions though I don't remember making anything very useful.  It looks quite benign.... but the forces are huge and it needs great respect!  Let's just say that you work piece needs to be firmly clamped in.....

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Before studies commenced I had an internship in a workshop that repaired and built machines for mining, especially shafts for stone breakers.

That was heavy stuff. I remember shafts with diameters around 70 cm an length of 3 / 4 meters. Imagine the keyways in sich a "spindle".

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Like this, Martin?

Part 1 of three videos on this project, if you have time to watch.

Adam, being American, works in inches and fractions, but has an amazing facility with thousanths.   A craftsman, whose work is a tutorial in precision and the use of a dial indicator!

John

Edited by JohnD
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  • 4 weeks later...

Useful tool or cheap toy?

These laser rust removers cost tens of thousands three years ago.   This one is 'only' 100W, not 1000W and is offered at less than $200!

https://funclubhouse.com/products/101w?fbclid=IwAR3vv0d8Rt5Mol9LqjNKfaBgEc_d2JWHlLhbzgLc_1ZwZFjUC2-zjoFrcv8

Rubbish, or the advance of technology and production?

And, the pictures and video used in the ad are lifted from online demos of the earlier kit,  One is even labelled "1000W".   Scam, even?

John

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello All

                 Here I go again buying new machines?

A new Lathe and Drilling machine!

Then I thought I might as well have the planner 

And before I knew it I had bought the engine and gearbox!

Now how to get it all in Spitty?

Roger

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  • 1 month later...

As I've mentioned on this thread before, until I got the TR tools didn't hold much interest for me, but now I'm an avid collector. One that I've been considering for a while is a Induction Heat tool. I've had a couple of instances recently where I thought it would be particularly useful for removing seized bolts. I used a propane torch and it did the job, but I never feel happy using one. These Induction Heat tools look safer and more effective, but they are expensive in my opinion. Has anyone here got one or used one?  If so, are they as good as they look? 

Darren  

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Hello darren,

 

induction heaters are usually workshop tools and access would be the biggest problem if you have a seized fastener somewhere on a car.

One tool I consider most versatile and useful in my work shop is my oxy accetylene kit, (brilliant for that job as the flame is so concentrated), body work, joining dissimilar metals e.g. stainless to copper, heating heavy section steel for bending, cutting thick steel etc. To put this into perspective I have a Bridgeport miller, Student lathe,  AC/DC tig set and a plasma cutter.

 

Alec

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Thanks Alec. I have thought about an oxy accetylene kit, but space is an issue here and I'm not so sure that I'd feel comfortable with it in a domestic setting. Are there insurance considerations? 

The induction heater coil tools I've seen look reasonably easy to get into tight areas, but without using it I cannot know. I'll have to do some pondering!   

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16 hours ago, TR5tar said:

These Induction Heat tools look safer and more effective, but they are expensive in my opinion. Has anyone here got one or used one?  If so, are they as good as they look? 

Darren  

I know 2 triumph owners who happen to run garages. Both love their induction heater, and their employees, although sceptical vat first, now pick it up before  attacking anything that looks vaguely iffy. But I think both are expensive bits of professional kit.

They never mentioned access being an issue. However, an oxy torch has inherent issues that means most people should not be allowed to play with them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello All

                   We went to the little local show again this year that I bought the 16" Micrometer at!

But this year I was more restrained?

I only bought this! the 3" rod is missing but it was only £3!

Roger

ps I like mechanical measuring instruments(no batteries involved!) 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Great little tool, Roger!

BUT! It's chromium plated, plating that is badly worn and would wear off in use - and have to say the scale doesn't lok much used!

Losing the plating could make it 3-4 thou out!

Is it good to use?  Can you see the 'reading' easily?   Is there a market for one in stainless steel?

JOhn

Edited by JohnD
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