Lutetium-
Hack Chat Transcript, Part 2
03/20/2019 at 20:03 • 0 comments![]()
It's good stuff. If something is gonna be in storage for a while, just smear some oil or grease on it too. Oil and grease of any kind will always work![]()
I have long absences from the shop So they do not get oiled from use as often![]()
Am I missing any questions? Please ask again if I skipped you. My laptop window only shows like two replies at a time. 😁![]()
I only use wd40 as solvent, not that great as preservative![]()
Fluid Film is good too. Basically liquid lanolin. It soaks into pores and forms a tough film.![]()
WD40 is a great solvent/cleaner. I use it for that, mainly![]()
Has anyone used WD40 industrial cleaner. It's suppose to have a rust inhibitor![]()
Removing stickers, degreasing, cleaning mystery crud off things, etc. Then clean the WD40 off with Simple Green if needed.![]()
Hey @Quinn Dunki , you mentioned Veronica before. You said she's coming back soon?![]()
I dont use simple green the sodium hydroxide can attach aluminum, I most fool with Aircraft so thats a no go for me.![]()
What is your best new tool in the shop lately. Or just favorite. Can be file or something heavy...![]()
Veronica is indeed coming back! I have a series of new blog posts planned for her. I'm finding video to be a much better format for the machining, but electronics work much better in the blog.![]()
@SN:101124102 didn't know about lye in SG, good tip, thanks![]()
http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?page_id=1761
Blondihacks
For the first time ever, our girl didn't show up for work. Veronica has been making the rounds of makerspaces, conferences, etc lately. She has been through more airports [more]
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Joshua, probably the big milling cutter I got recently. It's a 2" Cobalt HSS shell mill from MSC, and good lord it's amazing.![]()
WD40 industrial cleaner ... pretty reasonable![]()
It was not cheap, but you really really get what you pay for in tooling. Especially cutters, where quality of the steel and the grind matter tremendously.![]()
Wow!![]()
WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser, 1 Gallon
WD-40 Specialist Industrial-Strength Cleaner & Degreaser is a water-based, non-aerosol formula with a unique bio-solvent engineered and proven to be more powerful, safer, and easier to use than other degreasers on the market. It quickly breaks through tough grease and grime and is excellent for c...
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Funny about that shell mill, going back to what someone asked about cost of tooling.. the shell mill was $100 or so, but you also have to buy an arbor to mount it on (or make one). Stuff like that surprises you, and is why the costs keep mounting.![]()
I think that's the one thing holding me back from jumping into machining - not like you can just swing by Home Depot and pick up an arbor on a Saturday afternoon to finish a project![]()
@Quinn Dunki all this talk about spending money......of course we all want to know how to *make* money with our machines......how do you do with yours, and any advice suggestions etc?![]()
Dan- one thing about machining though is you can almost always MAKE the tools. Like, when I needed a spring-loaded punch follower, and a tailstock die holder, and machinist jacks... I made them all as afternoon projects.![]()
Yeah, and that's what then makes me want to jump in with both feet!![]()
The point of having a machine shop is to make enough tools in that hope that one day you can finish a project![]()
Darryl, well, I wouldn't say the machines pay for themselves as of yet. I make a very modest income from my Patreon supporters that keeps me in steel and brass stock. That's about it. I hope to grow my YouTube channel into something self-sufficient, but that's not easy.![]()
This Old Tony approves of this remark...![]()
Also thanks to all my Patreon supporters, some of whom may be in here. You folks are the finest of humans.![]()
YouTube is definitely working against you these days, sad to say.![]()
And Dan, you might be surprised what you can buy locally. For example, I have a metal supplier, scrap dealer, welding supplier, and machine tool supplier locally who are all open Saturdays. I didn't know they were there until I looked!![]()
Dan- can you elaborate on that? YouTube working against me?![]()
YouTube doesn't seem to be very friendly to the small content creators these days, in terms of advertising and such.![]()
At least that's the complaint I've heard from a lot of creators I subscribe to![]()
Oh for sure- they've made it tougher.![]()
I guess Dan is asking, are you on youtube to make a profit?![]()
Because if you aren't, then the "tougher" parts impact less.![]()
Organics and discovery are nothing like they used to be, and AdSense is not a realistic income stream anymore. You need other means like Patreon![]()
I want my YouTube to grow into something profitable eventually so I can quit my day job, yes. But that's like a 10 year plan. :) Also, please subscribe. 😉![]()
Honestly if my blog and YouTube broke even, I'd be ecstatic. I put ~60hrs a week into both on top of my day job.![]()
Well, you make really watchable videos, so you've got that going for you.![]()
Aww, thanks! Make good content and people will come.. that's the hope.![]()
Good audio and video quality are key for the viewer. At least this viewer![]()
One of the reasons I started the channel was because there isn't enough concise machining content with decent audio quality out there. So many dudes yelling at the camera from the back of a warehouse for 45 mins. 🙃![]()
And, you know, AvE...![]()
Do you have large scale machining project in mind or are you still in the just learning/exploration phase.![]()
I think I'll always be in the learning/exploration phase, because there's SO much to learn (which is also why I love it). I'll be making more and bigger steam engines because I LOOOOVE them. I also hope to have a bigger shop with bigger machines someday. I want to restore a big old American Lathe.![]()
The machines that people like Adam Booth and Keith Rucker have are so beautiful and do such good work.![]()
I aspire to have half the machining talent that Adam Booth has in his left pinkie![]()
That Monarch lathe, right? And the shaper - such power!![]()
That's a lifetime of chipmaking, plus some inherited talent, I think![]()
Thanks @Quinn Dunki. Really good content and explanations. I'd go out. Regards to everybody.![]()
we have an old Monarch at work, hoping to get trained on it very soon![]()
Oh god yes, Shapers are machining porn, which is why they are having a moment on YouTube right now. All the cool kids have 'em. And a Monarch 10EE is my dream lathe (along with everyone, I guess)![]()
Okay sorry gang, I have a hard stop at 1pm, so I need to wrap it up![]()
Wish I could go all afternoon!![]()
Beat me to it! I was just about to call time![]()
Thanks for coming Quinn!![]()
I have a hard time getting into steam engines. There great projects but they do not get my attention. I want to try building a dynamic crankshaft balancer attachment for the Bridge port.![]()
Thanks Quinn, this was great!And don't forget next week's Hack Chat host is bitluni, who'll be talking about fun video tricks for the ESP32: https://hackaday.io/event/164061-bitlunis-esp32-video-tricks-hack-chat
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I'm lucky that I've no where to put a lathe, else I may be tempted after today's Hack Chat![]()
Okay, bye everyone! Thanks for coming out!![]()
I've got a big, empty garage, and I'm about to punch a $3k hole in my wallet... -
Hack Chat Transcript, Part 1
03/20/2019 at 20:02 • 0 commentsHellllooo!
![]()
Very excited to be here and talk to everyone![]()
I'm excited too, not least for the bunch of money I'm likely to want to spend getting my machine shop up and running after this.![]()
It's an expensive hobby, that's for sure. Cheaper than racing though, so there's that. 😏![]()
or aviation![]()
At least machine tools don't $2000 in tires and brakes every three weeks![]()
Once you've invested in the tools, is there much ongoing cost other than materials?![]()
Looks like we can get started. Welcome to the Hack Chat, everyone. Today we welcome Quinn Dunki to talk about the home machine shop, plus anything else she feels like telling us about. Thanks for joining us today, Quinn.![]()
My pleasure! Hello internet!![]()
Hi Quinn![]()
Thanks, a lathe page fan.![]()
Aloha![]()
There are so many of you here!![]()
So Dan, what's the format here- can people just starting asking away?![]()
:-) Hi everybody![]()
Yep, free form questions. And it can get a little asynchronous, so people might ask questions and then ask them again.![]()
Where do you like to get your stock for projects lately?![]()
Okay, let me start with Josh, who asked "Once you've invested in the tools, is there much ongoing cost other than materials?"![]()
Pretty informal. Maybe you can start with a little about your background?![]()
also, don't worry about answering all questions, there are more of us than you and there is a limit of how fast a human can type![]()
I need to see your keyboard![]()
They say you should expect to spend as much on your first machine tool as you do for tooling, and I think that's accurate. The machine tools themselves are honestly a surprisingly small part of a machine shop. You also need bandsaws, grinders, drill presses, etc, and the tooling never seems to end. All the jigs, vices, blocks, parallels, etc that you need. HOWEVER- those costs are all very gradual over time. You can start with a lathe a few basic tooling items![]()
Thanks Quinn!![]()
As for stock, I have a local steel yard that I like a lot, and also I'm using eBay heavily these days. Flat rate USPS shipping is amazing. I had a 20lb steel bar delivered for free in an envelope. Apologies to everyone else's mail that day- it got obliterated for sure.![]()
The envelope was six Tyvek molecules when it got to me, but the steel bar was fine because it's a freaking steel bar.![]()
Dont forget trying to get drops. (left overs in the steel yard to small to sale)![]()
What made you switch from mostly electronics projects to mostly machining projects?![]()
It's funny what will mail. I got a complete exhaust system mailed to me once. Just put a priority mail sticker on it and it showed up like that.![]()
Yah, metal suppliers will have off-cuts, and the same for local machine shops. They throw away more stock than I use![]()
My son-in-law works at a steel supplier. I'm a happy lad.![]()
Denver area: ALRECO in Henderson![]()
Dillon, I still a lot of both, but machining has captured my attention lately because it's extremely technical and everything you make is so darn pretty when you're done.![]()
I need to buy tooling for my lathe In my grandfathers shop, he always used high speed steel and custom ground what he needed. Can you recommend a set of insert style tools?![]()
I heard a bank was once built by mailing individual bricks. The stamps were just on the brick itself. Because that was cheaper than shipping all the bricks by freight.![]()
Insert tooling is tough- it's a huge subject- kind of a specialty all it's own, and carbide has a learning curve very different from HSS tooling. It depends a lot how big the lathe is![]()
bricks are OT, ruins the cutters![]()
@Quinn Dunk![]()
I think This Old Tony did a couple of videos on the pros and cons of carbide and HSS![]()
Oops. @Quinn Dunki Do you prefer to do everything by hand? Do you have any CAM hardware?![]()
Mine is an old 14 1/2" South Bend ,,, and by the way I need parts for it if I can ask that here.![]()
I didn't think of This Old Tony thanks!![]()
He did- I think it was a great summary. He lands about where I do on it- carbide is not as good for beginners. Expensive and harder to learn, and odds are your hobbyist machine isn't a good fit for it. Carbide is engineered for production- big machines that need to take 1/4" passes on big machines to make money.![]()
Cutter geometry is related to HP of the machine and material. SB 14.5 is an odd ball size that might be difficut to find. Stick with HSS on that machine![]()
Josh, yes, all manual machining here. I may experiment with CNC at some point, but it turns the hobby into a software problem, which is not what I like about it. I want to make things with my hands, not my keyboard.![]()
Perhaps a CNC and some really large wheels to turn? :D![]()
I always break my carbide cut off tools on my little 9x14 lathe. Any tips?![]()
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsFFWYo8ugw
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@Quinn Dunki what special practices do you use to hold e.g. <= 1 mil tolerances on mini-mill/lathe?![]()
I always recommend beginners start with the pre-ground HSS tool bit sets from Grizzly or LittleMachineShop. Lets you skip the learning curve of grinding HSS, and focus on learning feeds/speeds, etc. Learning grinding later when you need it.![]()
re grinding cutters: Frank Hoose http://mini-lathe.com![]()
Darryl, mainly don't ask for more than the machine can give. Last night I was turning tool steel, and I did 20 thou passes with a sharp nose tool. Adam Booth would die of boredom doing that, but my machine is small and so are it's bearings. Anything more is gonna chatter.![]()
Learn the rigidity limits of the machine, and work within them![]()
My videos on Tail Support and Chatter cover the topic of getting the most out of a small/cheap machine, I think![]()
grinding cutters: http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Tool_grinding/tool_grinding.htm![]()
I wrote a blog post on grinding tool bits also- honestly I think most videos way overcomplicate it. There are a couple of tricks that take out all the hard parts.![]()
Apologies if I'm missing anyone's questions- feel free to ask again. Things scroll off quickly hear.![]()
link your blog, by all means!![]()
Machine Tech Vlog also did a great series on grinding HSS, when you decide to jump in: ![]()
http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?p=3147
Blondihacks
An easy method to get started. High Speed Steel is wonderful stuff. With all the talk these days about carbide insert tooling, and online sellers practically giving away brazed carbide tools, it's easy to forget why High Speed Steel has been the staple of machining for 107 years.
![]()
My Lathe Skills series covers rigidity on small machines (the aforementioned Chatter and Tail Support videos in particular)https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY67-4BrEae9Ad91LPRIhcLJM9fO-HJyN
![]()
Great blog![]()
Thank you! ☺️![]()
@Quinn Dunki - any regrets about buying the Precision Matthews lathe now that you have some time on the machine?![]()
For the Veronica fans out there- she's coming back REAL SOON![]()
I learned machining after I'd started mentoring a high-school robotics team. I taught them programming and electronics, they taught me machining. And now I have reasonable access to a shop and tools. Win-win!![]()
Dan- not all. The Precision Matthews lathe and mill have both been great. The only thing I don't care for is the power feed on the mill. It's sorta poop. Better than turning the cranks like a chump, but not great.![]()
What's your day job (if you care to say) and what keeps you motivated to work on all of these side projects?![]()
You REALLY get what you pay for with these import machine tools. China builds them to whatever spec the Americans ask for, so that Precision Matthews machine really is $500 than the Grizzly one, even though they look the same except for color.![]()
I'm sorta torn between PM and Grizzly. I've always been a Grizzly guy for woodshop tools, and I'm close enough to Bellingham that I can pick up tools and avoid the shipping charge.![]()
I'm currently Technical Director at Scopely, and I've been a software engineer in gaming my whole career. The side projects balance that out. Getting in the shop and working with my hands is my therapy!![]()
Grizzly makes some great stuff, don't get me wrong. I have their mid-range drill press, and it's a beast!![]()
It's always worth looking at used American Iron, too. They often need some work, but if you have the space and the means to move them, they are astonishingly well made, for the most part.![]()
@Quinn Dunki could you define and expand on "need some work" as used above![]()
Some of the import stuff is definitely good value for money, but I always keep my eye open for industrial tooling. I have South Bend 13 and Bridgeport. I had to do some work on for sure![]()
Speaking of power feeds. I bought one of the, I think Shars, models for my Bridgeport ... a few 100 dollars. Was thinking of CNC so I looked to see If anyone had done a teardown of one of these units in an attempt to use it as a CNC drive. Do you know if anyone has tried that?![]()
Wow, looking at them side by side they're practically the same. The PM comes with a quick-change post, though, so I think it gets the nod there.![]()
Well, there may be bed wear that you need to learn to compensate for. Bearings may need replacing, gibs may need replacing, that sort of thing. The challenge is that restoring old machine tools requires... machine tools. I wouldn't buy an old classic for your first one unless you know it's ready to run, and not a barn project.![]()
Dan, in small machines, look for power-cross feed also. VERY few have it, and that's what pushed me to PM. They were the only one in the 10x22 size range that had it, and I love it.![]()
Here is a 3 part series on "work"![]()
![]()
Also, some the Grizzlies don't have locks on all three slides, which is weird. You can add them though- just drill and tap a cap screw![]()
Yep, PM it is. Sorry, Grizzly![]()
For Precision Matthews, email Matt in sales and tell him I sent you. He's great. Was very helpful when I was setting mine up![]()
There's one Grizzly mill that I almost went for, because it has the column hand wheel in the base at the front, like a knee mill would. That's genius because you don't have to reach up and over to crank the head up and down all the time. I wish more bench top mills had that![]()
Said we could ask again![]()
Speaking of power feeds. I bought one of the, I think Shars, models for my Bridgeport ... a few 100 dollars. Was thinking of CNC so I looked to see If anyone had done a teardown of one of these units in an attempt to use it as a CNC drive. Do you know if anyone has tried that?![]()
You can generally boot strap old iron back into good shape. I did that with both my lathe and mill. A mill I would say is less problematic than a lathe. If a lathe bed is really worn its super hard for beginner to sort that out. A mill generally only needs new bearings in the quill plus some cleanup.![]()
Good question! I don't know. I suspect those drives wouldn't be a good choice for CNC though, because they're built smoothness in one direction rather than precision. They have flywheels and dog clutches in them, that sort of thing. I think you're better off with big steppers right on the leadscrews![]()
or servos![]()
What’s your favorite source for metrology stuff, anything from squares and scribes to gage blocks, etc![]()
I know mine is ebay and craigslist![]()
Well they're cheep and already hooked up ... was going to interface my DRO with it somehow.![]()
If it's something I know I'm going to use a lot and want top quality, I buy Mitutoyo new, or Starrett on eBay. For stuff I'm less sure I need, or may not use a lot, I buy knock-off stuff from LittleMachineShop. For cutters, I go for mid-range stuff from MSCDirect, mostly![]()
Buy once, cry once![]()
Starrett is sorta the SnapOn of machine shop tools. Crazy expensive, crazy good, and the eBay secondary market is thriving. Good deals can be had if you're willing to sit on your watchlists for a while.![]()
My "regular" tools are all Snap-On, and I've never paid more that 35% of retail for basically new ones. Some have some random long-dead mechanic's name engraved on them.![]()
Meanwhile, every hand tool I've ever bought from Home Depot is now broken.![]()
Matches my experiences, save for hitting up garage sales in Athol, Mass. :)![]()
Quality tools are basically timeless. Auctions, garage sales, etc. They practically give away high end tools in big boxes. You have to know what you're looking at, and be willing to clean 'em up a bit, is all. Some apprentice marks are also likely.![]()
What do you use a protective lubricant film (stop rust) on you tooling. I have been using boeshield with good results.![]()
@SN:101124102 WD40 is cheap and ubiquitous and comes in many forms![]()
Yah, I like Boeshield as well. Hooooly cow is it expensive, but luckily you don't need much. The tools I use a lot stay oily from normal use, but I use Boeshield on, for example, the drill press column.![]()
I've had boeshield on my SB lathe (that I stripped) for almost 5 years. No rust yet![]()
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