Quick Update

I still haven't finished the Tumico Terrors.  I found the metric ER16 collets needed to be torqued a bit too much to grip, so I found some el cheapo ER16 Imperial sized collets for not much coin.  Ordered and finally arrived.  How do you store them?  I mean, they aren't very big atoll.  I dug a bit on Thingiverse.com, and found a neat little box.  A bit of additive machining... (3D printer), and it squirted out this.

quite literally squirted out

A bit plain jane, but, hey.... I remember a bit of Confusion 360.... so  whip up a round tuit, and stick it on the lid.  Yeah, like that!

Had a quick trip to the third coast, and couldn't resist my pawn shop rounds there.  Each of these were about $5 or $6....  Less than 25 bucks invested.  Neat!

Some treasure in there as well!!  Who makes CDC brand drills?  The two largest  rows in the index are CDC brand, HS, USA.  Ex-Navy????

Also a bit of misc stuffus....

USN issue.  Wonder what was in it originally?

And some cheapo tools in the metal box....  What could I put in there instead??

Sine Table - open

Sine Table - closed

Lots of fun stuff.  But I gotta get back to the Tumicos.  Almost done with them....

Don't lose focus!!!!!

Interesting People

I went to town today to get a new SIDA badge...  At the local Intergalactic Airport.  For those blessed individuals who don't know, it is a badge that allows access to certain "off limits" areas of the airport air operations area.   My current job requires me to be there on occasion.  I have to submit to a yearly process of money and time, that gives me just less than 365 days of access.....

Today, was a long wait.  New software, dontcha know.  Nice older gentleman standing there in the sun waiting like I was, to be called for the process.....  We started a conversation, and he mentioned, casually, that he was an astronaut.  Wait, an ASTRONAUT?!?!?!  Those guys are my rock stars!  But I didn't recall his name.  Or his face.  Why doesn't he look familiar??

We had an hour plus discussion on current events, Starcity, MIR, and a whole host of goodness.  I really wanted to quiz him on some details, but mom and dad pounded southern gentleman manners into me, and I listened more than I talked.  He was, after all, a member of the brotherhood of men I respect by default.

Fascinating man.  Treated me like an equal, and listened to my opinions.  I learned a few things today, and really enjoyed the time with him.  I was sad when it ended....  AN ASTRONAUT!!!!!!

Col. Blaha, I'd like to buy you lunch sometime......

Oh, and I found out later, 361 combat missions in Viet Nam. 
And a Test Pilot!!

Definitely not a shoe clerk.

Hebrews 13:2

I'll need that eventually...

I was fooling around on craigslist a couple years ago.  Looking for a 3 phase motor to replace one that had been rewound to 460/480 only.  (If you need it, let me know!!  We can work out a deal.)  I found this listing for a weird buffer / grinder.  I'd never seen one like it before.  Of course I bought it!  I might need that someday....

Nice!

Red Wing??  What / who is that??  Well ask a dental lab, and they'll know right away.  It is limited to tools about 2 inches in diameter due to the 1/4 hp motor, and single phase.   It works a treat with small tools.

It's as quiet as a whisper in church

 I was getting ready to start reassembly of these glue clamps, when I remembered it out there, all alone in the shop.  I stopped by my local mom and pop hardware store and started looking....  And found these really fine stainless wire wheels.  I bought 2, then lost them in the jungle in the front yard.  Went back, bought 2 more, and found the others walking back into the house......  Really?  I mean, R E A L L Y??????

4  of them, and the little plastic bushing is PERFECT

Okay, I have a lifetime supply now.  No problemo. They even fit on the buffer side of the motor!!  Sweet!  I didn't have to make an arbor for the 3/32" collet on the other side.

Prettied up the spindles.....  Now on to the thimbles....  Hmmmmm..... someone was trying to get these apart, and used a grinder to bark up the ends....  No wonder I had such trouble getting them apart..... 

Thanks Bubba

So much so that I marked up the tightest one.  Well, tough.  I'll have to live with it.  Run the tap through the threads to make sure they are clean and formed right.

The pliers ate right through that sweatshirt I had wrapped around it.  Doh!

 And.....  One spindle won't thread in.  I need to Higbee this thing.

Are those square thread?  Rolled?

And I'll use a needle file in the lathe to do that.  They haven't made my Tormach yet. Because I haven't ordered it!!  Man is this fun or what?!?!?!?  Yeah, it's "or what" all right!!!