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  1. Shopgeezer

    Struggle with 1/8” dies

    I used 1/8” drill rod for my first steam engine conrod but am having a struggle to find a die to thread it. The tables show a #5 die as “closest fractional” for 1/8” but that doesn’t seem to exist. All the sets go from 4-40 to 6-32. Mc Master Carr shows 5-40 and 5-44 dies online but none of my...
  2. Shopgeezer

    Cheap storage

    So I have seen the Amazon ads for high capacity thumb drives but was amazed at this one. It claims 2TB for the price of $14.99 Cdn. The reviews on it are mixed. Some people claim it is garbage. I couldn’t resist and ordered one. As it came it wouldn’t display on my Mac, but did show in files on...
  3. Shopgeezer

    Solidworks home version

    I am casting about for a replacement for my trusty Sketchup program. I have used it for years but want a more fully featured CAD for engine projects. I tried the home version of Fusion 360 last winter and spent hours running tutorial videos. I found the logic and flow of that program...
  4. Shopgeezer

    Newbie actually makes something

    A friend who learned that I had a metal lathe leaned on me to make a bunch of aluminum clamps for a wood assembly system he is building. Since this was just simple turning I thought it would be a good way to get some practice on the lathe. After a lot of calliper measurements we decided on a...
  5. Shopgeezer

    Measuring length on a lathe

    A friend has asked me to make him up some aluminum bench clamps for a project he is doing in his wood shop. These are simple cylinders of 0.785 barrel diameter with a 0.886 bevelled rim at the top. They have an M8 thread in the bottom. Simple turning task and ideal for us newbie lathe owners. He...
  6. Shopgeezer

    Downsizing to a smaller lathe

    We will be moving to a retirement property soon and I am considering a miniature machine shop in a corner of the residence. No room for my present metal shop machines. In the eternal quest for a smaller lathe I came across this one from Little Machine Shop HiTorque 8.5x20 Bench Lathe, Deluxe...
  7. Shopgeezer

    Mystery tool

    A friend bought this at an auction thinking it was a clamp but it doesn’t clamp. The arrow shaped head is free to rotate. The T handle turns the shaft and the travel nut with the wings screws up and down the shaft. The wings are beveled on the inside surfaces. It seems like the head goes through...
  8. Shopgeezer

    Centre drilling jig

    I bought one of these jigs some time ago and dug it out recently to centre drill some steel rod. It is quite slick in terms of quickly centring the drill to the work but I find it impossible to hold the work. The tall sides of the jig make it hard to use a clamp. Hand holding is not an option on...
  9. Shopgeezer

    Whaaaat? Could it be?

    I spent large coin buying a three phase motor and VFD motor controller to convert my 10X22 lathe into something that will change speed without the half hour of frustration unbolting idlers and swapping belts ( King Lathe, really a terrible belt setup). All the information I can find, and all...
  10. Shopgeezer

    Mill Engine Question

    The Ag museum in Austin MB has this amazing mill engine that they run during their annual Thresherman’s Reunion. Didn’t happen this year due to Covid so we went and camped there on our own. I got to spend a few days in their huge collections without the usual crowds. This mill engine was taken...
  11. Shopgeezer

    How does this one work?

    In surveying all kinds of steam engines on the net for my own information I came across this one. It has me flumoxed. Looks like a normal slide valve engine but the exhaust seems to come directly out of the cylinder, not the steam chest. Can't figure out how this one works. Anybody know this...
  12. Shopgeezer

    What are the material sizes to use with small dies?

    So If I want to make a 1/4-24 thread on a part in the lathe I know that I turn it down to 1/4" and stick the 1/4-24 die in the tailstock holder. But what size do I turn for a 2-56, 4-40 or 10-32 thread? I have all the tap drill sizes for taps on my handy wall chart and the densely packed info...
  13. Shopgeezer

    A 220v question

    I want to use 3D photogrammetry to model engine parts, print them on my 3D printer and try lost PLA casting. I built a light box and gave it a try. Works great. I copied and printed several various objects around the shop. The process involves taking lots of overlapping pictures of the object...
  14. Shopgeezer

    Annealing Copper

    I have read all the threads I can find on annealing the copper end plates of small boilers before hammering them over a form. You Tube videos show the fellow heating the endplate up to cherry red and dropping it into water. The main thread I could find on this forum had an entry saying you can...
  15. Shopgeezer

    3D printed steam engine

    I picked up a copy of "Making Simple Model Steam Engines" by Stan Bray and had a look at the various models he offers in the book. Each model has a complete plan and description of the build. Since I am catching the steam engine bug I am determined to learn more about these little engines. As a...
  16. Shopgeezer

    Anybody got plans.......

    So has anybody ever seen plans for a mechanical Orrery? This is a model of the solar system that shows the relationship of the planets as they circle the sun. The photo shows a small one of just the earth and moon as well. These are kits costing $1400. I would love to see a set of plans. Just...
  17. Shopgeezer

    Resin burn out temperature

    Resin printers are getting reasonably affordable. Much better quality than PLA. I want to do metal casting for engine parts with lost PLA but resin would make better models. Does anyone have any idea what the burn out temperature would be for resin models?
  18. Shopgeezer

    Attempt at a coolant mister

    I wanted to try a coolant mister so I bought one from Ebay for $19.95 (free shipping, how does China do that?). I ordered some misting coolant from KBC. It said “safe for people, machines and the environment” on the label. However there was also a big sticker on the back that said “irritates...
  19. Shopgeezer

    Variable speed control for a small lathe

    So my King 10X22 lathe is a traditional belt drive 110v single phase machine. Prying the belts off to change speeds gets old real fast. I know, they won WWII with belt drive lathes. I should just respect the heritage. But Ebay has all these cheap speed controllers........ The motor shops all...
  20. Shopgeezer

    Camping steam engine

    There was a thread awhile back that mentioned a WW ll miniature portable steam engine that was used to charge rafio batteries in remote locations. The engine fit into the boiler and packed into the backpack of a paratroooper. It was a great idea since a steam engine only needs water and...
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