Sculpture, Machines, Bicycles, IoT, Attention Deficit Disorder
Picked this cute little Vise with rotating base up at a local auction recently.
North Bros. Mfr. Phili. Pa USA
I know nothing about North Bros/Yankee Tools but did find this catalog image with the same vise on the cover circa 1930s. Looks like an additional jaw was available – one more thing to obsess about.
As I understand it Bicknell Manufacturing Company was incorporated as the Livingston Manufacturing Company. I only ever new them as Bicknell from my time in Rockland Maine.. More history here .. https://www. bicknellsupply. com
Used some 2pt steel Rule formed around some hardwood for cutting out hat pieces. 6 panel cycling cap, brim and brim insert dies working out pretty good so far.
Some recent goings on in the shop and in the craft room.
Couple of different collet Chucks, one speed chuck and the other lever action. Both used on my Sheldon 10″ EXL.
Ortlieb Lever Collet Closer
Jacobs Model 50
Thanks to the folks at Lost Creek Machine I was able to afford an Aloris CXA Toolpost with various holders. Also snagged Jacobs 16n drill chuck with MT3 shank!
T-Nut is a little oversized for my compound! This will allow me to make for a nice fit.
Closer to making chips. New belts and VFD have arrived too. Need to continue cleaning and change oil in headstock but won’t be long now.
In preparation of getting a new fangled VFD to power the Monarch I removed the no longer safe/necessary three phase circuit breaker and previously gutted mag switch. I will probably reuse the drum switch to control the VFD. More on VFD install soon.
Had to use the reamers the other day and just had to do something about the bullshit plastic “tool roll”. Yeah my sewing needs work but end result is better than the plastic nonsense.
Took a break from cleaning today and spent some time contemplating leveling feet. There are 8 Leveling feet and 8 “lagging” holes on the Monarch CK from what I can gather from the manuals and as witnessed on my machine. Basically 8 Holes are threaded for the leveling screws and the other 8 are unthreaded for lagging to the floor as suggested in the manual.
After closer inspection of my lathe two of the leveling holes have broken off bolts in them. Both of which have no good purchase – one not at all and the other just a useless fragment of remaining bolt.
I have done my fair share of removing rusty screws from engine blocks using various methods but have never removed anything this substantial and or anything this seemingly “STUCK” before. These bolts are easily 5/8″ and the fact that they sheared off tells me they are really really stuck.
Option 1: Go the nuclear route and weld a nut onto them and see if I cant get them out. Penetrating oil does seem to absorb into these so maybe that is a good sign they might come free. I would really like to use these original leveling holes if I can.
Option 2: Go less nuclear and drill/ez-out method with much heat. As mentioned the fact that they sheared off in the first place leads me to believe this wont end well.
Option 3: Forget about them and just use the other holes with adjustable leveling feet. I like this less as I feel they put the leveling feet in the original spots for a reason and that they are the best place for them (maybe overthinking this).
Update 1: went with Option 2 to start sans the heat (did not have time to remove skid cross member). Well well, started drilling the one that was flush and if the damn thing didn’t start moving! I will take that win. Second one, well not so much fun yet. Drilled out 3/8″ hole and used 1/2″ ez out with not a budge. Heat comes tomorrow.
One last soak in Penetrating Oil over night and again at lunch time – soak overnight did nothing, don’t expect latest soak to help much either. Torch time tonight.
Torch work did not cut it….could not get bolt hot enough. Went down the continue drilling route and re-tapped it. It worked better than expected and in short time have the hole finished an tapped.
