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I'm in the process of aligning the headstock on my 7x16 lathe with the bed and am having a bit of a problem. Using cut up feeler gauges, the smallest increment i'm able to shim is 0.0005 in. Using the feeler gages cut up, I got the misalignment of my headstock to under a thou over 3", but I'd...

Does anyone here who might own the 7x1x mini lathe or mini mill have some pictures of the oil fittings which come on the lathe / mill? I know some brands (real bull and a few others) of these machines come from the factory with oil fittings in various locations. My lathe and mill (Micro-Mark)...

I want to fit a pair of these 'spring type' leadscrew covers to my mini lathe, but I can't figure out how they're made, or where I could purchase them. Or alternatively, the ideal solution seems if I could find something similar to dryer venting hose, which was a small diameter ~1"OD, I'd use...

I am having issues with my mini lathe tooling wanting to 'lift' when I try to take cuts that are the least bit aggressive. Here's my current setup: I've put tapered gibs on the carriage and the cross and compound gibs are tight. I've got the compound set at 0 degrees (parallel to the ways)...

I had an accident a few months ago which reminded me to always use the master cutoff switch when adjusting your machine or workpiece. I was using a large 15" lathe which has (as large lathes do) the handle on the apron which you move up or down to go forward or reverse. I had the lathe...

Hi all, I just got my mini mill set up, got it stiffened, gas spring modded, and trammed in X and Y directions. I get beautiful finish cuts (0.002-0.005 DOC) when end milling that rival that of much stiffer knee mill. However, whenever I try to mill using the side of the mill, I get terrible...

Hi all, this is my take on adding a column brace and X/Y tram adjustment into the mini mill, as well as converting it to gas springs for head support. Here you can see the back of the mill with the standard recipe column brace and Y tram, except I used oval point set screws for the adjusters...

I wanted to share my technique for turning precise diameters. It may be something everyone knows about, but maybe not. When I'm turning or boring precise diameters on the lathe, I always feed using the carriage feed (don't feed the compound.) Now, I set the compound rest at an angle of 15...

I'd like to ask for some recommendations on what kind of protective lacquer to apply over some steel parts? The parts are 12L14 which I plan on bluing and coating with lacquer to avoid any rust issues. These parts will not be subject to any wear (they aren't reciprocating or sliding). Any help...

I am thinking of machining up some wooden bases to hold some coins, etc. I was going to do it on a standard mill (BP Series 2), with HSS cutters. Is there anything wrong with machining wood in this way, or should I try a different method?

I was looking at various things on Wikipedia and stumbled across the following picture, and wondered what it is. Obviously I know it is a US Navy seaman working on a lathe, but I don't know what the thing is he has mounted on his compound rest. I found a wooden box in the corner of our shop this...

I recently built Elmer's Fancy engine and while it performed well, I was unhappy with the piston. I am having trouble turning the connecting rod for this piston (it is a 0.25 inch OD rod, with a section turned down to 0.125 inch diameter, 1.25 inches long). My lathe is large Romi 13-10. I keep...

I just finished my fourth engine, Elmer's fancy. Without a lot of talk, I departed from his design in several ways. I made the column of the engine wider and 'beefier', and added a pressed-in bearing for the pivot shaft up top. My piston is made of drill rod (2 pieces pressed together) instead...

I wondered if anyone had any tips on polishing milled parts (brass and aluminum)? I can get mirror finishes easily on turned parts using my buffing wheel, but milled parts are a different story. I normally start with about 240 grit to remove tool marks, and then wet sand my way up to 800 grit...

I have a question about putting small parts in the 3-jaw chuck. For instance, I am trying to make a flywheel which is 1.25" diameter, 0.44" thick. (For now it is just a disc of metal, the rest of the work will be done on the mill.) I do fine turning the OD and facing off one side, then part off...

Hi, As I am building Elmer's Fancy engine (and really making it fancy by the way), I'd like to get opinions on using Titanium for shafts and pistons? I'd like to give machining it a try, and I have access to a good deal of it in the shop in various sizes. What do you think?

Hi, I am having problems with my reamed holes, I thought maybe advice would help? I am attempting to ream out a hole in a bronze bushing for a 3/16in shaft to run free inside it. (shaft is 0.1875in, hole is being reamed 0.1885). I have used these clearances successfully in the past on several...

Hi all, I am building a modified version Elmer's Fancy engine, and am currently drilling my valve holes. This requires me to drill a 1/16 (0.063in) hole about 0.75 deep. This is not exactly DEEP drilling, but still fairly deep for anything I've done yet. I keep breaking bits off, and after I...

I am wondering if anyone might have a clue about machinability of rebar (it's something used in the USA to hold together reinforced concrete pieces)? I found a large chunk of it about 6 inches long, 1 inch in diameter in my yard this morning, apparently it fell off a truck passing by my house...

Hi, I am wondering how one goes about turning the complex curves and whatnot that are specified on the columns for Elmer's Fancy and Tiny engines? I'd like to make one of these simple engines but I don't understand how to turn such shapes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, John