Recent content by Mark-One

On vista I usually forgo WMP entirely (latest version isn't *bad*, but I stopped liking media player after version 6), and use either the free version of Zoom Player, or VLC. They might not have the proper video codecs on their machine. There are many different installers for these floating...

Unless they need colour (I come from the standpoint that colour is a luxury, not a necessity), then a decent used laserjet is a great way to go. Cheap to operate for one thing. If you've a wireless network, then I assume you've got either an access point or router. Printer just plugs into a...

G'day Seis. One of the first things I made on my unimat were some ali pulleys, and it also lacks the compound slide. Not knowing any better I just used a sharply pointed HSS bit that came with the machine - probably somewhere around 30 degrees, and it works just fine. I cut a little bit, back...

Yup: credit where due Tony. :) I'm not on very good terms with steel, so I figured it best not to aggravate myself this early in the game. For the larger stuff I can get the tap going in the lathe, then take it out and do it by hand in the usual way. This works an absolute treat for set...

I'm a minimalist by comparison ;) Only intend to use it for #4 and #6 taps. The sleeve chucks into the drill press. More importantly it doesn't take up what little work space I have. ...It's an ugly derivative of one shown to me on another forum, actually. But it works well, so I don't give...

Much nicer looking than mine ;)

That was such a good idea that I had to go and make it. :) I did two steps, for the two sizes of pipe that I use. They are a snug fit, needing a bit of oil and a smack to get in, and doubtless a whack to remove. I'm turning it against a dead centre, for the sole reason that it's shorter than...

Like I said, I've settled on OpenSuSE. Not because it's the best, but because it seems to work (plus I like YAST), and I've come to see that all distro hopping teaches you is how to install Linux in a dozen different ways. As for printers, I've never had trouble *but* I am in a networked...

That's not something I had considered... Gives me something to think about :) Meanwhile I've been futzing with the tailstock some more. There was a burr on the ram that was causing it to catch slightly. A fine file took care of that. For the rest.. I found a brass washer worked better than my...

Smartarse ;) - Designated driver. Too many pisstanks in my family tree, so I've decided to be teetotal in order to break the pattern. But, yeah, I try to duck any social situation that I can. I have a knack for gravitating to such places ;D If you want to see a couple strange things, I've just...

Good luck with it. I gave up on the *buntus after too many systems killed or rendered terminally wanky by updates. I'm running a few OpenSuSE servers at work, strictly on my own initiative, and even those I'm pretty careful when it comes to what I'll patch. It's not perfect, but it's doing what...

Ah, I've never had my IQ tested. I'm afraid to find out that I'm not as clever as some people think I am (as in those without the specialist training I took to get my job). I tend to roll things around for a good long time before they're acceptable enough to even be called an idea. Takes...

Your ideas boggle the mind, Kludge ;) I do remember in my youth fooling with an old DC transformer from a model railroad or some such, and doing the same thing with a paperclip and bit of metal. Best I could ever do was "arc" weld the paperclip to the opposite alligator clip. Considering I...

Nice! I thought up a *very* simplified and crude form of that last night because I need to shorten some #4 set screws (for until I can order in the proper length ones). I was just going to drill and tap some steel rod, set them out the right amount and stick em against the grinder ;D Your jig...

A micro welder? That certainly sounds interesting :) I haven't arc welded since high school, but I've been kicking around the notion for some time about possibly getting a small unit (and realizing I have no place to set one up). I've got to use one of those hard drive magnets to test some of...