Luckily I only lost power for 1 day following the storm. So I had a lot of time to play around with my newly constructed 3D printer. One of the first parts I made was a Quick Change Tool Post (QCTP) Tool Holder that would attach to the back of my Grizzly G0602 lathe’s backsplash. Here you can see 5 tool holder storage brackets clipped in place, with my trusty Diamond Tool Holder hanging on the first bracket.

I have an AXA (#100) piston-style QCTP and I needed a good way to store my tool holders. My tool holders were too tall to fit into all but the biggest drawer on my Kennedy tool chest, and I had other stuff occupying that space. So my tool holders always seemed to sit on the benchtop or on a clean part of my chip tray near my tailstock. Not ideal. I’ve knocked them off more than once – and they ALWAYS land cutting-edge down.

Then Norman sent me some cast aluminum tool holders that were an excellent yet simple solution to the problem. But they needed to be mounted to the wall to be used effectively. I didn’t have a wall nearby to bolt them to (I have metal shelving along every square foot of my shop walls) so I bolted them to a piece of 2×4 and clamped that near my lathe. That worked, but it wasn’t an ideal solution either.

So instead I took cues from Normans design and created an ABS plastic version that would clip to my G0602 backsplash. I’m very pleased with the results! Here’s a closeup:

The parts aren’t perfectly smooth like what you’d expect from an injection molded part. But then again, they don’t need to be smooth to perform their function. My 3D printer lays down layers of plastic in very thin (.010 or less) layers with an accuracy/resolution of .003 to .005 – just fine for a part like this. Each part takes a little over an hour to print, so they aren’t as quick to manufacture as an injection molded part either. But the setup cost for an injection mold for a part like this would be in the thousands just to have the mold made. I think that’s probably the reason nobody has bothered to manufacture a part like this before – they’d have a hard time making their money back on the initial mold investment if they sold the parts for $10 a piece. But having the ability to print a part like this eliminates the financial barriers associated with bringing it to market.

I’m going to list a few of these on eBay at $8 each. If ProjectsInMetal members/visitors would like to buy some I’ll sell them for $7 and cut eBay and their fees out of the equation. They are very light and thus inexpensive to ship. About $4 for the set of 5 that I sent to Norman (from Seattle to Texas via First Class Mail). Shipping outside the USA will be a bit more, but I won’t overcharge.

If the parts prove popular and a lot of people buy them I may look a little harder into an injection mold. But for now I’m extremely happy with the printed version. They are very strong (you’d have to try hard to break them) and fit my tool holders very well. As for the backsplash, the G0602 has a lip that is folded forward .06, and down .05. If you have a different backsplash with similar dimensions the brackets would probably fit with little to no modification. But if necessary they could be easily filed to fit a slightly larger backsplash lip. They won’t, however, fit a backsplash folded the opposite direction. But I could easily re-design the clip if you’ve got a lathe with different dimensions. Just let me know.

If you’d like to purchase, please use the PayPal button below. If you have trouble using the PayPal button, please send me a private message via the forum. Right now the only color I have is Black, and I have 10 in stock (but I can make more). Thanks!

G0602 QCTP Tool Holder Storage Bracket: $7 USD 

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The idea is simple, a stripped screw tends to lead to problems with the screwdriver “camming out”. To prevent this, pinch the screw and the screwdriver (or in this case, the screwdriver bit or “blade”) between the jaws of a vise. Keep the jaws just tight enough to prevent the screwdriver from camming out as it turns. As the screw starts to rotate, loosen the jaws slightly to allow for it to extract.

Here’s a quick video of the process in action.

In situations where it’s hard to grip the handle of the screwdriver (because it’s in a vise) I recommend using a screwdriver with a square or hex shank so you can get a wrench on it for leverage, or use a bit or blade like I show in the picture and video. Don’t try vise grips on a round shank screwdriver, you’ll just muck it up. Some screwdrivers have a round shank with hex portion (called a “hex bolster”) where the shank meets the handle. This little hex bolster is ideal for getting a little extra leverage when needed.

Screwdrivers with a hex bolster come in handy more often than you might think … if you remember to use it! I’ve started replacing all my cheap, damaged, or worn out screwdrivers with better ones that have a hex bolster near the handle. Here’s a nice set on Amazon by Klein (click image).

There are obviously other methods of removing a stripped screw. Two of which have already been mentioned in responses to this video on YouTube. For instance, one viewer suggested cutting a slit in the head of the stripped screw to use a flat blade screwdriver, while another viewer suggested using an impact wrench (or the impact setting on a cordless drill)  which I have used with great success also.

Lets see how many other ways we can think of to remove a stripped screw. If you have a method, please leave it via a comment on the forum (see link below).

And Happy New Year!

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What was the final deciding factor to switch to LED? I needed a good bulb for the task light on my mill and grinder. I’d been using 75W unfrosted (clear) incandescent bulbs because they gave off ample light. But after a few minutes they got too hot to work around, and I was afraid that splashing coolant on a hot bulb would lead to problems. I tried switching to CFL bulbs and found that a 20w CFL put out plenty of light … once it got warmed up. Unfortunately I didn’t like waiting 5 minutes for the bulb to get to proper operating temperature. And in the winter when shop temperatures were cooler (40-50 degrees F) I had trouble with extended warm-up times and even the occasional bulb flicker when using CFLs.

So I switched to a 13.5 watt LED flood bulb. According to the packaging, the bulb was equivalent to a 75W incandescent bulb. But I found the LED to be both brighter and whiter than my 75W incandescent or my 20W CFL. And the light was instantly bright (no need to wait for the bulb to warm up) and stayed cool to the touch.

After being pleased with my initial 13.5W purchase I have since purchased a 9.5W LED, as well as a 2.5W LED bulb to see how they compair to their incandescent counterparts. Since I now have several bulbs to compaire between I thought it might be nice to write a quick review of my findings.

Now, it should be said that I don’t have a light meter or any professional light-measuring equipment to properly measure lumens or color temperature. But after taking some side-by-side photos I didn’t feel like it was necessary. It was clear that CFL and incandescent bulbs put out a dim yellow light when compared to a comparable LED.

Here are some images – you all can decide for yourself.

The Contenders: 150W Incandescent vs 20W CFL vs 9.5W LED vs 13.5W LED (Flood)

I’m also going to provide links to the bulbs on Amazon so you can check pricing. Also check your local Costco (if you have one). Costco has been comparable or cheaper than Amazon, but all other stores I have checked (Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc) have been more expensive than Amazon. So if you live by a Costco check prices there first, otherwise buy online from Amazon. Also, keep in mind that LED bulbs are more expensive than incandescent or CFL bulbs. Often a lot more. But they are more energy efficient and have a longer lifespan (20+ years). So in the long run LEDs are a better buy, even factoring in the higher initial purchase price.

9.5W LED (Click image to see Amazon Pricing)

13.5W LED Flood Light (Click image to see Amazon Pricing)

Now for the comparison:

Here’s the light output of a 150W incandescent bulb. Since both LED bulbs are brighter than the 75W incandescent they were designed to replace I thought I’d step up the comparison to a 150W bulb. Notice how the light has a yellow hue. Disclaimer: some of the yellow color is likely due to the lack of white-balance capabilities of my camera. The light looked a bit whiter in real-life. But not nearly as white as the LED bulb, as you’ll see in a moment.

150W Incandescent

Here’s the 20W CFL (after warming for at least 5 minutes). You can see that it’s not quite as bright as the 150W incandescent (which is to be expected since the CFL is designed as a 60W incandescent replacement). You can also see how yellow the light is. Some people like “warm” yellow light. But for task lighting I prefer white light.

20W CFL (after warming 5+ minutes)

Here’s the 9.5W LED. Notice how bright and white the light is compared to the incandescent or CFL bulbs.

9.5W LED (designed to replace a 60W incandescent bulb)

Here’s the 13.5W Flood Light. Notice that all the light is exiting the top of the bulb (which is exactly what you’d expect from a flood light – hence the dim lamp shade and bright, focussed circle of light on the ceiling). I think for task lighting (where you want the light pointed at a specific surface or object) this bulb is the ideal choice. But if you’re trying to light up a room the 9.5W LED is a better choice because it provides a wider-angle light similar to a traditional incandescent bulb.

13.5W LED (designed to replace a 75W incandescent flood light)

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of both LED bulbs. The 13.5W LED (flood) bulb is brighter and casts a more narrowly focussed beam than the 9.5W LED bulb.

13.5W LED (flood) vs 9.5W LED

Here’s a look at the comparison between the 20W CFL (cold) and the 9.5W LED. There’s a big difference in the light output (both lumens and color) between the two until the CFL has had time to warm up. But after a 5 minute warmup the CFL puts out a yellow light similar in brightness to the LED bulb.

20W CFL (cold) vs 9.5W LED. After 5+ minutes the light output between the two is similar in brightness, but the CFL casts a yellow light.

And just for fun, here’s a comparison of a 2.5W LED vanity bulb, compared to four 40W incandescent bulbs. I will be switching out the bathroom lighting next. With five bulbs @ 2.5 watts apiece, that’s 12.5 total watts, compared to 200 watts (five bulbs at 40 watts each). And the quality of the light is better (whiter).

2.5W LED vs 40W incandescent Vanity Bulbs

In conclusion: would I switch out every light in the house to LEDs? No, not yet. Not until they come down in price.

But I will be replacing any burned out bulbs with LEDs over the next several years. However, if I were to build a home I would seriously consider investing in LEDs from the start. If not every light bulb, I’d at least buy LED lights for those hard-to-change fixtures like you find in a high vaulted ceiling. I’d rather break out the ladder once every 20 years than once every 2 or 3 years. But that’s just me. Maybe some of you like messing with a ladder in your living room …

I know it sounds like I’m a huge advocate for LED, so why am I not switching out every light in my house? Somehow swapping out 20 or 30 functioning incandescent bulbs seems wasteful to me. And it would probably take me all afternoon to do it. So I think I’ll wait until they burn out and replace them one-by-one with LED bulbs. By the way, I’ve been writing the date on my bulbs as I install them (with a sharpie). That way I will know how long they truly last. Sorry for the tangent, let’s get back to the point of this article.

For task lighting in the shop I think LED lights make an excellent choice!

The fact that LEDs have instant-on brighness (no warm-up needed), and are cool to the touch make them a clear winner over incandescents. Why haven’t I compared the LEDs to Halogen? Because I don’t own a halogen bulb. I never have. I’ve never felt like their brightness justified their over-the-top energy consumption. They are too hot and too inefficient for me to justify using around the shop. I realize that there are applications where halogens make sense (like photography lighting) but I don’t have the need for them because I can get by with non-halogen light sources for all of my hobby needs.

You might have noticed that I haven’t provided a price comparison between the bulbs. That’s because to me looking at the purchase price of an LED bulb ($8 to $20+ per bulb) vs a CFL ($1 to $3+ per bulb) vs an incandescent ($1 or less per bulb) is a very short-sighted way to look at such an investment. You really need to look at the operating price of the bulb over the bulbs lifetime. An incandescent bulb costs less than a dollar and might last anywhere from 1-3 years depending on how many hours a day you use the bulb. A comperable LED bulb would cost $20+, but would last 20+ years (25,000 hours or more). So you’d need to buy 7 or more incandescent bulbs (assuming optimistically that they last 3 years each) to equal an LED bulb’s lifespan. So that $1 bulb will actually cost you $7 or more, and that’s just considering the purchase price alone, not the difference in efficiency.

The real cost of the incandescent comes from the wasted energy over the life of the bulb. I’ve found that a 9.5W LED = 75W incandescent = 20W CFL (looking strictly at light output or “lumens”). It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a 9.5 watt LED bulb is far more efficient (and thus less expensive to operate) than a 75W incandescent, and is twice as efficient as a 20W CFL.

I don’t think anyone would argue that a CFL is more efficient than an incandescent, and an LED is more efficient than both a CFL and an incandescent. So if you’re worried about the electric bill (or the environment) and conserving energy is a primary concern for you than an LED light might seem like the best choice (it seems like the best choice to me). But as soon as you start comparing different types of bulbs other factors besides energy efficiency start to creep in. I’m not an expert on lighting, so I’m sure that there are other considerations I haven’t thought of. There are probably people out there that would argue that an LED bulb is somehow worse for the environment than an incandescent just like some people argue that CFLs, while more energy efficient, are worse than incandescent bulbs because of the negative impact they have on the environment when disposed of (mercury), or the risk they pose when accidentally broken, etc. I’ll leave those discussions to other websites. I don’t want to get into that here. All I wanted to do was show a simple comparison of the quality of light you get from LED bulbs.

Even though LED bulbs are 10 to 20 times more expensive than incandescent bulbs, in my opinion they are well worth the investment simply because of the quality of the light they produce. Let alone because of how efficient they are or because of how long they last (which depending on the manufacturer is said to be 20 to 25+ years).

I’d be interested in hearing what you guys think. What have your experiences been with LEDs? Click on the link below to leave your comments on the forum.

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Well, I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that I’ll have more time to spend on my metalworking hobby, as well as on the site over the next few months.

The bad news is I’ll have the time because I found out recently that I will indeed be getting laid off. But that’s actually a good thing. I’ve been itching for a career change for the last few years of my 10 year career in healthcare. So now I’ll have the time to make that career change. My wife also works in healthcare and didn’t get laid off, so financially we will be fine.

Please don’t mistake this as a plea for sympathy. As I said, we are going to be fine as a family. My wife works and we don’t have kids yet, so that definitely helps. With the state of the US economy, I’m definitely not the only one facing career challenges/changes. I actually feel fortunate that I’ve kept my job as long as I have (I’ve survived 7 of 8 layoffs over my 10-year career). And I also feel fortunate to be getting a severance. Many unemployed aren’t so lucky. So again, I’m not looking for sympathy, I just want to make sure you all knew where I’ve been and why I’ve been largely absent over the last several months. Basically I felt like I owed everyone an explanation. And I owed a few of you an apology for forgetting things or letting things fall through the cracks. I hope you all know I’d never intentionally let any of you down. It’s just that stress wreaks havoc on my memory, and with all the stress I’ve had over the last several months I’ve dropped the ball on several things. And for that, I’m sorry.

So here’s the timeline. My last paid day will be Feb 14th (with a mass layoff they have to give us a lot of notice). Between now and then I will have a lot of loose ends to tie up. But after that I should have a lot more time to develop and improve the site. So sometime after  February of 2012 you should start seeing more projects and more forum posts. But until then, thanks again for everyone’s patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Tyler Youngblood

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Do you have trouble turning to a shoulder? Do you long for an easy way of repeating where you stop the carriage?

If you answered yes to either one of these, you could need a carriage stop.

Here is what mine looks like.

This was made from a block of aluminium which is 51×26.3x22mm

To machine the contour of the lathe Vee, I mounted the stock in a vice at an angle.

I also made:

A Clamp plate.

This is the locking screw, for the adjustable stop, it is made from stainless steel, and is threaded M5

This is the adjustable stop, it is made from some sort of steel, and measures 74mm in length, the thick bit is 17.5×7.8 and the remainder is 6.8mm in diameter.

On the bottom of the clamp is two nubs that act as a lever for the clamping plate, they measure 4mm in diameter and protrude by 3mm. These were made by drilling two 3x4mm holes, and then gluing two 4x6mm aluminium dowels in.

Lets talk about the main body, on the top side it has two countersunk holes, for two M6 screws. it doesn’t matter where these go really however I shall, draw a proper plan for them.The larger hole is 10mm and the smaller is a clearance hole 7mm.

On the side of the stop is a hole, 7mm in diameter to take the adjustable stop.

On the back of the stop there is a hole, tapped m5 to take the adjustable stop screw.

There is a bit of extra space, if you wanted to put a micrometer, or make a multiple stop disk. That shouldn’t be too hard.

Thanks for reading.

By Gareth Bellringer About the Author

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The problem.

The solution.

Here we see the tailstock as a whole:

Finished camlock.

So I started by machining a new clamp plate, this measures 42.00mm by 25.4mm. It is 5.7mm thick. The grooves come in 8.5mm from each edge and are 2 mm deep. The hole is 10mm in diameter and is 15 mm from the right hand edge and 13.5 mm from the front edge (closest to the camera in this picture)

The clamp plate.

Next I machined a clamp bolt from 10mm steel bar (of unknown grade) which was threaded on both ends using an M8 die. The bolt is 56.3mm in length, the larger threaded portion is 12.2mm to the shoulder, the smaller threaded portion is 9.2mm to the shoulder. Then I attached a bolt on the end, and put it in the lathe to shorten the length of the nut so that it would clear the bed.

The clamp bolt.

Next I made a cam receiver, it was made from 12.7mm hex stock, centerdrilled then drilled to 6.8mm, then tapped M8, once this was done, it was cross drilled 8mm.

The receiver is 17.6mm in length. The cross drilled hole is halfway along the length.

The Receiver

After these were done, I made the cam. This was done by offsetting the work in the four jaw chuck. This would be easier to do on an individual four jaw, but I don’t have one, I only have a self centering so I offset it by putting some packing material in. The cam was made from 10mm steel (unknown grade) and is 47.2mm in length. The offset portion is 13mm long and 7.8mm in diameter.

Turning the cam.

I did this at quite a slow speed, because I was worried about the work coming out. I wasn’t sure how secure it was. Either way it turned out well.

Finished cam with handle attached.

The cam was pressed into a bit of steel that had been drilled to the same size as the cam, then cross drilled to accommodate the handle.

Here is an overview of the parts

The only thing missing from the image above is a spring that is used to keep the clamp plate away from the ways when it is unlocked.

In Use:

Here the tailstock is unlocked.

Here it is locked.

Note the nice knob on the end of the handle, this was made using my ball turning attachment. I haven’t shown the handle because the dimensions aren’t critical.

To conclude:

This has been a very worthwhile project, saving me lots of time and frustration. If I was to make it again I would make the part of the cam that goes into the receiver slightly longer, so that I could put a circlip on it so that it wouldn’t come out.

Although this is for the Clarke Lathe, I’m sure that you would be able to modify it for your machine. As promised, here are the plans:

Thanks for reading.

By Gareth Bellringer About the Author

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About me:

• I live in North Wales
• I work as a firefighter
• My interests include
  • photography
  • guitars
  • golf
  • shooting
  • kiteboarding
  • stargazing
  • and of course hobby engineering
• I studied outdoor education in college
• I spent 4 years in the territorial army, and have completed tours of both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why did I get interested in machining?

I wanted to make a radio controlled tank so bought a Clarke CMD 10 mill to help the project along. Then I got more and more into machining and bought a lathe. I’ve always been into making things, DIY etc

What do I have in the shed?

I have a Clarke CMD10 MIll, I also have a Clarke CLM 300M. I also have the capacity to anodise, dye and seal my own parts.

To conclude this introduction. If you are thinking of buying your own mill/ lathe/ both, and want to get started as a hobby machinist, go for it. It is a really good hobby to have, and although it is expensive at times, it is possible to earn money from it, by making things for people.

Good luck!

Contributing Work:

• A Tailstock Camlock for the Clarke CLM300M Lathe

It’s for 44 taps in various sizes … for $26 bucks! For comparison purposes, I’ll include a box below showing other taps and their prices on Ebay (typically a quality 3 piece set is about $15+).

And according to the seller, these are New USA Made quality taps. From the picture it looks like they are Besly taps. Here’s the link:

http://shop.ebay.com/marko3337/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

Anyway, I thought I’d share. If  anyone decides to buy a set be sure to report back! Thanks again Ironman for pointing this deal out!

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Here’s the link to the new section:

Metal Finishing and Heat Treatment

I’ve searched the forum for any previous posts that dealt with anodizing, blackening, etc and moved them to the new section. I’ve found and moved about 5 old posts. If you know of an old post that needs to be moved to the appropriate section please send me a link.

And if you have any tips or tricks that you’d like to share about metal finishing or heat treating, please do so! This could include (but isn’t limited to):

• Anodizing
• Blackening/Bluing
• Metal Polishing Techniques
• Powder Coating
• Heat Treating
• etc …

Not ideal.

Luckily there are a few nifty storage solutions just waiting to be implemented. The first comes from Norman in Texas who was clever enough to make little dovetail brackets that he can secure to the wall. His first few brackets were milled, but now he’s casting them. Here’s what Norman’s brackets look like in use. The third one down from the top is an empty bracket:

But wait, there’s more!

After seeing Norman’s solution Alexander submitted a few of his own. Here’s a solution that Alex found on the web from DocsMachine.com.  Doc mounts his tool holders to the wall using a short rod (upper right highlighted in red – you can click the image to enlarge it). This seems to work well, but I think some J or Z channel would also work and might be sturdier and easier to mount.

And here’s Alexander’s personal solution, consisting of a piece of plastic angle bolted to his backsplash. I like the idea of plastic or aluminum angle instead of steel since there’s no chance of them damaging the dovetail on the tool holders.

If you’d like to read the original forum post or submit your own solution, please visit the forum post here:

QCTP Tool Storage Solutions