Author Archives: dave49

RPN Calculator

Posted on August 12, 2012 by dave49

I believe that I have owned a total of 4 HP calculators, but the one that I like the best is the HP15C. Earlier calculators had LED displays which used a lot of energy, requiring a large rechargeable battery pack. … Continue reading →

Posted in Tools | 3 Comments

How to (Not) Extract a Broken Tap

Posted on August 3, 2012 by dave49

When tapping, whether on the lathe or on the mill, I always use a guide pin in the hole on the back of the tap handle. This does two things. First, it ensures that the tap is started straight. Second, … Continue reading →

Posted in Repair | Leave a comment

Power Fibers Article on Anodizing

Posted on July 30, 2012 by dave49

The July 2012 issue of Power Fibers contains an article that I wrote on anodizing. For the next 3 months, you can download the issue and read the article here. Much of the material is a re-hash of posts on … Continue reading →

Posted in Anodizing/Plating, Articles | Leave a comment

Front End Ring

Posted on July 12, 2012 by dave49

Since my new reel design has a fixed spindle, it requires a front end ring instead of a full front end plate. Here is the sequence of steps to produce a thin end ring for a raised pillar reel. Starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Milling, Ring, Turning, Work Holding | Leave a comment

Tooling for New Reel

Posted on July 10, 2012 by dave49

My next reel design requires a number of new spacers, sleeves, and bushings to help hold parts on the lathe or on the mill’s rotary table. I think that these are all that I will need, but I won’t know … Continue reading →

Posted in Work Holding | Leave a comment

ER16 Collet Set

Posted on July 6, 2012 by dave49

You can center round stock in a 4 jaw chuck, but it takes some time to get the jaws adjusted to center. This is the attraction of collets; if you have the right size collet, the work is centered with … Continue reading →

Posted in Turning, Work Holding | Leave a comment

Stad Compass

Posted on July 2, 2012 by dave49

I am making a new reel design and have to produce some drawings to work from. I am not a meticulous draftsman; my drawing board is an 8.5 x 11 piece of cardboard and I draw on paper that has … Continue reading →

Posted in Drawing | 1 Comment

Hex Spinner

Posted on June 23, 2012 by dave49

At the moment, fishing is taking precedence over making reels. Actually, I am creating the next design, but this involves short intervals of drawing and long intervals of thinking about what I have drawn. Some of this thinking can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Bugs | 2 Comments

Simple Pot Chuck

Posted on May 30, 2012 by dave49

After making a tool the hard way, one has extra appreciation when finding a simple way. My last post to this blog was about a pot chuck for my Sherline lathe that used the Morse taper of the lathe headstock … Continue reading →

Posted in Fixtures, Turning, Work Holding | 2 Comments

Pot Chuck

Posted on May 28, 2012 by dave49

For a new reel design, I want a bronze washer of about 3/4 inch OD, ID to pass a #10 screw, and 0.031 thickness. It is part of a thrust bearing; how can I get a close thickness tolerance and … Continue reading →

Posted in Fixtures, Turning | Leave a comment