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I'm not an expert on X3 sized mills, but I'm guessing that it's not sturdy enough. My experience with cutting cast iron is that you need to cut it dry, and the slowest possible rpms. I don't cut enough steel to give any hints. Tom

In the end, I bought a NMTB 30 holder with a #1 Morse taper. My mill has the optional Erickson Quick Change tool holder. A standard NMTB 30 tool holder won't quite fit into the Erickson QC. Actually, some will, some won't. The only difference is that the outside diameter of the flange on the...

Has anyone anywhere ever built the # 12 engine? Thanks Tom

Looked in Wal~Mart recently and they had three different aquarium pumps. The most expensive was only perhaps $20 or so. Tom

Thanks for the info. I spent several hours searching the net today and found this tool holder http://www.tools-n-gizmos.com/store/agora.cgi?user2=yes&cart_id=1271235.32324*EQ8FC7&p_id=27333&xm=on&ppinc=1a which appears that it will do the job. Spent a lot of time going through his site, and...

Forgot to attach the picture of the tool holders last time. The Bridgeport manual say it is a #30 taper. The picture show the collet chucks which came with it. Eventually I'll buy a full set of DA180 collets, but they still seem to leave a lot of sizes not covered. Any idea where I could find a...

Bought a used Bridgeport recently, and am getting close to getting it ready to run. Current project is building a heat sink to mount the stepper drivers to. Needs about 24 holes drilled with a #36 bit at reasonably precise locations, then tapped for #6 screws. Unfortunately, the piece of stock...

Not much has happened lately, other projects keep getting in the way. Finally got the power cabinet finished, mounted, and wired to the panel. Had a couple of wires reversed, so got to take it apart a couple of time. But now, it's up and running, and needs some sort of a label. The outlet on...

Well, as they say, hind sight is 20/20. Made the original decision to buy based on only having to find a way to supply 3 phase power to the spindle motor. The machine was running when I looked at it in the shop. Providing 3 phase to the machine can be done easily for less than $300. What I...

Well, when you've got a 3000 lb tool blocking access to the garage and motorcycle, it makes an incentive to get it done. Tom

Well, I actually got power to the contactor box, and put power to the VFD and turned the spindle for the first time today. Actually, being a first time project, it was kind of daunting at first. However, I'm finding that the more original stuff I remove from the big boxes, the easier it is to...

Sorry, Chuck. I guess it was in an old issue of Machinist. I ordered some back issues to get Roland's articles on rebuilding the Bridgeport. And I don't have all the issues containing the article. Tom

The latest "Digital Machinist" magazine has an article on building a "three cylinder" solenoid engine. It is self starting. Tom

Aquarium pumps are about $10 and will run for years. All you need in addition is a pressure regulator and a gauge. Tom

Since the mid '80s, nearly all automotive ignition systems use a Hall effect sensor to detect the crankshaft position. Seem to work well, and never need to be adjusted. Most failures (that I'm familiar with) seem to be an overheating problem melting the insulation on the wiring between the...

I've been working on a complete list of Elmer's engines, including pictures. List isn't complete, as there are lots of his engines for which pictures seem to be elusive. And I have Dirk's permission to do this. http://tomwade.me/tw/machinist/elmer/ If you find pictures of any engines I'm...

I didn't go inside, but we have a railroad club in Johnson County Park, in Indiana. Our track is right next door to Hoosier Horse Park. This weekend they had some sort of event for miniature horses. Saw several beautiful horses walking around, not much bigger than a large dog. Tom

My FlipCam doesn't focus close enough, so bought a set of closeup lenses. The FlipCam doesn't have a mount for additional lenses, so use a bit of duct tape to hold a close up lens in place.

The current edition of "Digital Machinist" magazine features the Reprap machine on its cover. This particular machine was built by a high school student (who hangs out at MIT on Saturdays) from a kit. Kit cost was roughly $1000, his build time was about a year. Machine uses a spool of plastic...

That engine reminds me of my first real motorcycle, a Puch, built in Austria. It had two pistons, in parallel cylinders, but only one combustion chamber and spark plug. The rear piston ran off the rod journal, the front piston on a shorter piston rod, which was connected to the back piston rod...