One for the engineering nerds

Does Obsidian Really Form the Sharpest Edge?

#machining #sharpness #obsidian #flint

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqkzQfpn3-E

It's hotter than Satan's armpits in here and I'm #machining a part for the microscope... Parting off is next, then I need to tap one end to M8x0.5, cut four notches and add two M2 cross drills. Fun fun fun!

Casual pencil and paper CAD drawing before machining. I'm just working out the order of operations... A parting tool may end up being used to cut those recesses.
Nice excuse for some turning and milling.
#machining #olympusBH

I'd been meaning to try making a ball detent, and I'd been meaning to make my mill vise handle less prone to falling off, so tonight I did both. It's not quite as positive as I was hoping, since there is a lot of slop in the bore, but it will definitely be an improvement.

Drilling the dimples was particularly fun -- since I couldn't remove the vise screw, because then what would I hold it in? So instead I clamped the vise down onto a machinist's jack, carefully adjusted to keep each hex face up in turn, and extended the ram of the mill to drill it in situ.

#machining

TIL about High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coating which uses a liquid fuel + oxygen combustion chamber (🙀) to eject powders from a sprayer. The coatings can be cement, ceramic, metal, polymer, and every combination thereof. It's basically an ICE (sparkplugs, timing, valves, etc) but instead of pushing pistons it's pushing molten powder. That's just wild.
https://youtu.be/XA1o_6advII?si=aGlVeM8D68UrEo29
#machining

@mos_8502 Mine are #machining tools, but mostly also hand.

The centerpiece (which I used all the time ~10y ago, but hardly at all lately) is a restored 1954 10" #southbend #lathe

Making an Injection Mold For Yourself - Injection molding is the obvious onward step from 3D printing when the making of a... - https://hackaday.com/2023/08/28/making-an-injection-mold-for-yourself/ #injectionmolding #toolhacks #machining #cnc

Hey machine tool users: Have you ever seen a kit for making a moving solar system model, AKA orrery. Ideally, I'd like to buy the drawings and metal stock for less than $200 but I'm aware that might be optimistic. I've found lego, lasercut, and other formats but not metal.
#machining #orrery

I couldn't find a local service that cuts 0.8mm stainless sheet (because, SAE) so I was pleased when Xometry took my order.
My step specified 0.8mm thickness.
In the material selection section I specified 0.8mm.
When the parts came they were 21 gauge. 🤦
After 4 days, 3 escalations, and an email asking whether I'd accept 22 gauge (again, 🤦 ) they declared that the parts were in tolerance. 🙀
I figured tolerances were for cuts, not sheet stock, but 🤷 .
Anyway, they lost a customer.
#machining

Hackaday Prize 2023: Machining Metals with Sparks - Working with metals can present a lot of unique challenges even for those with a f... - https://hackaday.com/2023/08/08/hackaday-prize-2023-machining-metals-with-sparks/ #electricaldischargemachining #2023hackadayprize #thehackadayprize #metalworking #electricity #toolhacks #machining #cutting #plasma #spark #edm

Okay, I did *NOT* see this one coming:
The least-expensive option I can find for a left-handed ball screw assembly with the recirculating nut (at least without going through a whole quoting process) is *mcmaster*.
Their value prop is that whatever weird thing you need, you can get it next-day or so, but the cost is usually quite high.
Increasingly, I'm finding that they've become my first go-to because their prices on lots of stuff is actually really reasonable.
#machining #metalworking

I'm thankful for a quiet day in the shop. Scrubbed a layer of gunge a few thou thick off of the drill press's machined surfaces and they look good. Made some chips on the little Sherline mill, the first time I've used it for any length of time so now, of course, I have a list of improvements to make to the milling station.
#shopLife #machining

In today's installment of wild machining setups we have Gotteswinter making a 400mm radius facing cut. (skip to 31:54)
#machining
https://youtu.be/rRIZLKbii58

If you're interested in machining in general or specifically in Hemingway Kits then I recommend the Jonesy Makes channel on YT. It's well edited with helpful commentary and nicely shot processes.
#machining
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNLI2Pi_jUIBmNrWBcwE8Nzt0kDaSVQxG

I'm not set up for coal but this table forge would be a dang neat setup for someone who is.
#blacksmith #forge #machining
https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/tls/d/bremerton-blacksmiths-coal-forge-blower/7643680941.html

I’m contemplating buying a personal MacBook Air M2 with the idea that I could also use it with fusion 360 for CAM. Any #machining people have experience running that setup? I know fusion is still not running natively on apple silicon but the performance should only get better when that finally happens. Suggestions I use windows are not helpful.

Check out this setup for face knurling!
#machining
https://youtu.be/m7PcNL64CNo

@jerry I haven't had a lot of luck finding active hashtags for workshop-related topics but #machining #cnc #fusion360 and #freeCAD occasionally turn up interesting projects and people. The best luck I've had is to look at people's follows. Feel free to browse mine! https://machines.social/@trevorflowers/following

As the sun🌞 reaches its zenith and nature blooms with vibrant colors🏝, we welcome the arrival of Slight Heat. This ancient Chinese solar term marks the beginning of a new chapter in this summer season. It's time to savor the subtle joys that come with the gentle warmth.
#futianroller #slightheat #machining #industrialroller #rollermanufacturer

I hope this new wave of switchers has a lot of #machining and #shopLife people. Come for the lack of centralization, stay for the chitchat about #cad, #feedsAndSpeeds, and whether left-handed threads are the work of the deep state. 😹