Tool talk

[zubenelgenubi]

Here's the plate compactor, put back together and fully functional.

This is the motor off the bandsaw. It buzzes when you turn it on, and if you spin the pulley it starts up. I was thinking it might be the centrifugal switch, but after opening it up I think It's the start capacitor. Looks like it had one melt down, and I think the replacement doesn't have the proper capacity for this motor.

An antique dewalt radial arm saw. As far as I can tell it works, just needs a little cleaning up. Super heavy.

My bench top wood lathe. Pretty sure everything works. Even have a decent assortment of knives for it.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

If you don't know what yak shaving is, watch this video.

That's basically how my projects always go, which is why I don't like starting any, ever. Never enough time to do all the other things you have to do before doing the thing you set out to do.

I am working on cleaning up an area next to my house to do some painting and other maintenance stuff. I have heavy things to move that require a hand truck. I use a hand truck rated for 750 pounds to move things that weigh 300-500lbs regularly. Apparently the welds on the wheels aren't rated for that much and they keep breaking. In the process of replacing a wheel and repairing the broken one I was going to have to air up the tires. I pulled out my harbor freight special pancake compressor, set up fittings on a new hose and plug everything in. I go to switch on the compressor... nothing.

Since it's a 3 day weekend and I have no timeline for my other project, I decided to figure out what was wrong with this compressor rather than pull out my heavy compressor.

I pull the cover off, check all the electrical connections, wires, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. I developed a trick to quickly narrow down problems with electrical systems. I use a current detector and follow the current through the wires until I find where It's not going through wires when it should be. In this case I quickly determined it was the switch. I pulled it out and tested it for continuity, and sure enough, the switch is btoken. Not having spare compressor switches sitting around, I figure I'd pull the switch apart and see if I could fix it. Of course the spring goes flying the second I pop it open. I find it, but have no clue how the thing went together.

I do happen to have some other spare equipment sitting around that may have a rocker switch I can cannibalize. After rummaging a few minutes, I find one, pull it out, compare the ratings and size. It's a little skinnier, but I shimmed it up to make it a snug fit. I put everything back together, plug it in, switch it on, presto! Working like a charm again, or at least as well as it ever did.

 

[Mutineer]

An antique dewalt radial arm saw. As far as I can tell it works, just needs a little cleaning up. Super heavy.

Be very careful with any RAS. Especially that old turd. Also iirc, the blades for DeWalt radial arm saws were proprietary. Also, the blade installed on it now is for thicker stock. Cut something thin and it may grab violently. Also, there is no fence installed.

In a nutshell: All RAS's require special consideration and understanding before they are used. And that saw is VERY dangerous in it's current state.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Be very careful with any RAS. Especially that old turd. Also iirc, the blades for DeWalt radial arm saws were proprietary. Also, the blade installed on it now is for thicker stock. Cut something thin and it may grab violently. Also, there is no fence installed.

In a nutshell: All RAS's require special consideration and understanding before they are used. And that saw is VERY dangerous in it's current state.

Yeah, no safety whatsoever. I don't know whether I plan to ever use that thing, but even if I do, it won't be for production level work. I have table saws, if I really need to cut anything that wide, and I'm pretty decent with a skilsaw.

I just like that it matches a lot of the other shop equipment I have. It'll probably just be around for decoration, or maybe I'll mount a bottle opener on it to get some use out of it.

 

[BlackFriday]

Be very careful with any RAS. Especially that old turd. Also iirc, the blades for DeWalt radial arm saws were proprietary. Also, the blade installed on it now is for thicker stock. Cut something thin and it may grab violently. Also, there is no fence installed.

In a nutshell: All RAS's require special consideration and understanding before they are used. And that saw is VERY dangerous in it's current state.

A dead flat table is a huge must for a RAS. Get a drop from the local granite supplier and put a layer of mdf on top.

 

[Mutineer]

A dead flat table is a huge must for a RAS. Get a drop from the local granite supplier and put a layer of mdf on top.

For their day they were great for making long, very accurate, square crosscuts. Iirc, there were sooo many injuries with them that at one time Sears offered a reward for disabling their RAS's so they could not be used.

I just like that it matches a lot of the other shop equipment I have. It'll probably just be around for decoration, or maybe I'll mount a bottle opener on it to get some use out of it.

If you wonder why yer woman is always angry and yells at you so much, that is why.

 

[BlackFriday]

I owned one for a while and got rid of it. I put crazy hours into building a dead flat table and the saw worked well but for the size of the footprint, and the stuff I was doing, it was overkill. I got a good compound sliding chop saw for almost nothing and it is a huge improvement. I take it out of storage when I need it and put it back when I'm done.
I really don't like woodworking. It makes such a damn mess. I much prefer working metal.

See what I mean? What a damn cleanup.

 

[Mutineer]

I owned one for a while and got rid of it. I put crazy hours into building a dead flat table and the saw worked well but for the size of the footprint, and the stuff I was doing, it was overkill. I got a good compound sliding chop saw for almost nothing and it is a huge improvement. I take it out of storage when I need it and put it back when I'm done.
I really don't like woodworking. It makes such a damn mess. I much prefer working metal.

See what I mean? What a damn cleanup.

Hitachi makes really good tools. Plenty of the cheapie slider-saws don't cut square with the slide.

I haven't seen a Sheldon lathe in a looong time.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

If you wonder why yer woman is always angry and yells at you so much, that is why.

I'm always triggering her safety Sally neuroticism. Just wait til I teach the kids how to use that thing.

 

[BlackFriday]

Hitachi makes really good tools. Plenty of the cheapie slider-saws don't cut square with the slide.

I haven't seen a Sheldon lathe in a looong time.

I think my Sheldon is my favorite tool and I've got a crazy amount of tools. Old USA made heavy metal tools rule.

 

[BlackFriday]

I purchased 200 pieces of 1X4 clear Ponderosa pine for $1.00 ea from a local millwork manufacturer that is going out of business. I purchased it because it was a steal and I can always use it to make bee equipment.
After purchasing it, and realizing that it is going to be used for years, I also purchased a tool that I have wanted for a long time. It's a corrugated fastener gun. It is awesome for joining wood in all sorts of ways.

 

[oldngray]

 

[rod]

 

[rod]

 

[rod]

 

[rod]

 

[BlackFriday]

I'm pissed! I am refinishing a guitar and broke out my old Sharpe Finex FX100 hvlp mini spray gun. It worked great for several coats of nitro lacquer but then didn't. I did an autopsy and found a bad O-ring. Non of the many I have fit. I also dropped and lost a spring - my fault. I went looking for a rebuild kit #248761 and they are unobtainable. So now I have a pristine spray gun that's trash. Unbelievable.

 

[sailfish]

View attachment 392781

That's why miscellaneous leftover fasteners go right into the trash.

 

[oldngray]

That's why miscellaneous leftover fasteners go right into the trash.

At least I sort them into different bins instead of just tossing everything into a coffee can

 

[rod]

That's why miscellaneous leftover fasteners go right into the trash.

Not me. I save every piece of hardware. Its all separated into bins marked nuts, bolts, washers, etc. They have saved me countless trips to town to find just that perfect nut or bolt. I could open a hardware store. It all started years ago when I was assigned the job of sweeping out the empty trailers at work after I came back from a back injury. You would be amazed at the hardware laying on the bottom of those trailers that has fallen out of packages. The first day I walked into the managers office and asked what he wanted me to do with a handfull of nuts and bolts he said "toss it".-- so I did - right into my pocket. Over the period of a couple of months I ended up with two 2 pound coffee cans of assorted nuts and bolts.