Recent content by Paula

Hi Mel, I'm not sure about the power feed unit that Little Machine Shop sells -- yes, it does look exactly the same. The one I purchased from Grizzly definitely doesn't have a "neutral" position, as such. The reduction gears between the DC motor and X feed screw are engaged as long as the unit...

Hi Norman, Sorry for the late reply... I've been going in other directions lately, and don't check in here as frequently as I'd like to. Anyway, thanks for the nice comments! I'm glad the power feed clutch and spindle lock worked out for you. I really enjoy them too. For anyone else who might...

Those of you who have installed and used the optional power feed unit for your Sieg X3 or SX3 (Grizzly G0619) bench mill, have probably been disappointed to find that it imparts a most aggravating drag on the x-axis feed screw. This is due to the fact that, unlike the power feed units generally...

Thanks for the reply, Jeff. It's a shame... most of the items they offer can be obtained from other sources, but a few cannot. Paula

Did you ever receive your order, Jeff? I sent MjN an order back on Jan 10th and have not heard a thing so far. Just wondering if you fared any better. Paula

Good idea! To get your location to appear beneath your avatar, just re-enter it in the "Personal Text" field in your profile, like so: Paula

Hi Rich, I wouldn't think that lacquer would tolerate that kind of heat. Someone mentioned nickel plating -- I wonder how that would work with the heat? I used to have a Jensen steam engine/boiler set, and the brass boiler was plated with nickel(?) and/or chrome(?) Whatever it was, it held up...

Not necessarily, Kevin. Many commercial laps are made of softer metals, but it's not a requirement for successful lapping. If the lap is not soft enough for the grit to become embedded, then there is simply no embedding. For example, I often use a steel lap on a cast iron cylinder with excellent...

The abbreviated version... Exactly what parts did you "bare"?? (Sorry, I couldn't resist! ;D) Paula

You are right about that, Mainer. I'm right now in the process of making one of the T-slotted cross slides for my 9A (worked on it tonight, in fact): Another good thing about this cross slide is that it provides a place to put a rear-mounted toolpost, like a cut-off tool. Often, you can just...

Hi Bernd, It's a minor point, but it might help in your search for your gears... You need 20 diametral pitch (DP) gears. 1.1" would be the pitch diameter of the 22 tooth gear. Inch-based gears are classified by DP, which is defined as the number of teeth per inch of pitch diameter...

I'm not sure how wide the base is, but even if it's not wide enough to span the ways of your lathe bed, you could always make a sub-base to fit the ways, then attach the steady rest casting to the sub-base. Over on the Practical Machinist Forum, Jim Benjamin posted a summary of his experience...

You are right, Kevin... alignment is the problem here, coupled with the difficulty of delivering a precise, consistent impact to the head of the stamp each time. The alignment issue is further complicated, I have found, by the fact that the stamp's engraved characters are not always aligned with...

Hi Kevin, I made one of the boring/facing heads, too. It is a very fine tool, but as you say, a bit on the heavy side. The facing feature is great -- especially useful for spotfacing a hole you just bored out. Here's a picture of the one I made: Here's a picture of the MLA milling attachment...

Great job on the collet chuck, Kevin! Your workmanship is first class, to say nothing of your design skills. :bow: You used no castings, right? Thanks for posting the pictures! Paula