Today I acquired...........

[Hopefuldave]

Cast iron makes for a good anode for a tank too. Lasts way longer than steel.

About all the cast iron i have is busy being a lathe or a milling machine... I do, though, have some huge blocks of graphite and a little table saw with a carbide tipped blade (and a workshop hoover - I could probably go into business selling graphite powder, if I could get it out of my clothes and skin)

 

[dobbslc]

I hit the jackpot this morning at a car boot sale.
Mercer dial gauge new and unused to replace my trusty Baty one that I dropped and knackered up a few months ago.

And a machine lamp of unknown origin but heavy, noni don't know what the fluorescent orange is all about but I'll repaint that.
I got a few other bits and bobs with the dial gauge deal too.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

I hit the jackpot this morning at a car boot sale.
Mercer dial gauge new and unused to replace my trusty Baty one that I dropped and knackered up a few months ago.
View attachment 419582

Ohhh that's really nice. I have a few Mercers, they're my favourites.

 

[Woody.v8]

Some mt4 and mt3 revolving centers

 

[minimutly]

Some mt4 and mt3 revolving centers
View attachment 419607

Did I see them on a*sebook marketplace?

 

[6ply]

I'd stick that in EGBERT (the Electrolytic Gungey Bubbling Encrustation Removal Tank) with a few gallons of deionised water and washing soda, stick 12v and some Amps (about 5-15 Amps per square foot works well - I've seen a DC TIG used as power source for larger items - like complete truck cabs) through a sacrificial anode* for a few days - it'd take off the rust without touching sound metal** underneath, beats putting grooves and valleys in it with a wire brush... Damn sight less effort, too! Won't put any pitting back though, that'd be too much to ask.

*Iron, steel or for us Posh Folks, Graphite*** - NEVER stainless steel. Aim for as much area in the solution as you can!

**Tested with Best Micrometer on sample of deliberately rusted gauge plate, change in thicknes below 2 microns on the unrusted parts

***Which doesn't grow rusty barnacles so you don't have to revisit every few hours to scrub 'em off with a cold chisel and wire brush.

I tried that on a swindens vice like last week. It worked, but so slow. And this surface plate is a lot heavier and less convenient to shift around. I haven't decided how to clean it yet, but it won't be a precision tool for me.

 

[MattF]

I tried that on a swindens vice like last week. It worked, but so slow. And this surface plate is a lot heavier and less convenient to shift around. I haven't decided how to clean it yet, but it won't be a precision tool for me.

It may be a slowish process in regards to some methods, but it's the gentlest process on the piece.

 

[m_c]

After a few months of turmoil with the organisations involved being stuck in a stalemate resulting in causing a lot of people a lot of stress, due to a last minute deal being offered, as of today after 24 years and 1 month, I've acquired the status of officially being no longer full time employed, and being a lot less stressed.

Not sure what the future holds at the moment, but I'm in no rush to get another fulltime job, and am planning some time out to get some projects finished and recover from the past few months.

 

[Woody.v8]

Did I see them on a*sebook marketplace?

You may have done, they were local to me.

 

[Jan-DIY]

More power.

 

[Kram]

New tree saw on left, compared with my (spare) silky clone on the right. Appears good, need to make up a climbing scabbard for it tho.

 

[6ply]

When looking at a surface plate I look at the edges first. Nice crisp edges usually means a nice plate even under the rust. Dinged or rounded edges not so good.

Cleaned it up. Doesn't look bad at all for £10. It won't be doing any precision work.

 

[JOEPRO]

Some cash for my Draper Expert AC DC TIG welder. It's been sitting collecting dust so it's off to a new home now.

I have this SIP AC DC Tig with higher output which I bought faulty and repaired so didn't need both of them.

 

[Pete.]

Cleaned it up. Doesn't look bad at all for £10. It won't be doing any precision work.
View attachment 419714

I bet that it would be better than you think, especially after a good going-over with a very hard stone and some brake cleaner.

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

Dads vice!

Used this throughout most of my life, had my own small shop a few years now and never got around to buying a vice for it so finally gave in today and asked dad if i could have it as he hasn't used it in a few years himself.

Gave it quick cleanup with a strip and clean disc and lubed it up, might even get some new jaws as teenage me beat the crap out of them

 

[indy4x]

Found this LiFePO4 battery last week, brought it home, put a meter across the terminals and nothing

Removed the cover and put a meter directly on the battery terminals and I had 10V

My Optimate battery charger refused to charge it so tonight I dug out 1 of my spare Mascot chargers and its taking a charge

 

[Moose McAlpine]

A very nice used Jones & Shipman 6" mill vice just arrived.



Quite a bit bigger than i expected. Looks like i'll no longer have both vice and rotary table on the mill together, until i get a bigger mill.

(At least this fits the mill, unlike the 10" Bison i bought a while ago.)

 

[Arc Tourist]

A very nice used Jones & Shipman 6" mill vice just arrived.

View attachment 419834

Quite a bit bigger than i expected. Looks like i'll no longer have both vice and rotary table on the mill together, until i get a bigger mill.

(At least this fits the mill, unlike the 10" Bison i bought a while ago.)

I know what you mean about a bigger mill. A 6" vice is a nice size to have, but still a heavy beast. I sold mine to a member here and acquired a 4 1/2" J & S to replace it for my Tom Senior mill. The overhang of the 6" vice seemed to spring the table too much for my liking, so for the possibility of having to clamp larger items, a got a set of Carver clamps which can be set up anywhere along the width of the mill table; well worth looking out for.

 

[Pete.]

I know what you mean about a bigger mill. Its The 6" is a nice size to have, but they are still a heavy beast. I sold mine to a member here and acquired a 4 1/2" J & S to replace it for my Tom Senior mill. The overhang of the 6" vice seemed to spring the table too much for my liking, so for the possibility of having to clamp larger items, a got a set of carver clamps which can be set up anywhere along the width of the mill table; well worth looking out for.

View attachment 419837 View attachment 419838

Those are damn nice and I intend to make something very similar one day.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

I know what you mean about a bigger mill. A 6" vice is a nice size to have, but still a heavy beast. I sold mine to a member here and acquired a 4 1/2" J & S to replace it for my Tom Senior mill. The overhang of the 6" vice seemed to spring the table too much for my liking, so for the possibility of having to clamp larger items, a got a set of Carver clamps which can be set up anywhere along the width of the mill table; well worth looking out for.

View attachment 419837 View attachment 419838

A 4" probably would've been a better choice for this machine, but i find 6" to be more versatile. And when i get a bigger mill i'll have this to use on it. The Warco's a bit small anyway, so i do want a bigger machine in the future. That said, i've been using a small (maybe less than 4" vice recently and it's nice to work with something that size.

Those Carvers are very nice, i have some too, and their lever action clamps:



One reason i like using a vice in this machine is that it sits on a base that's far too short. The table seems too low, so raising the workpiece makes for more comfortable working when needing to look at it closely or leaning in to measure.