i'd like to hear what guys use instead of to get the job done... i think this would be a good thread...

 

Buffer stand. Also holds elecky motor with a wire wheel on it. Buff comes off and a bar bender can bolt to the top. Base is a Leopard tank road wheel.

 

I used to have a bench grinder stand made out of an extra wheel and a used driveshaft. Worked like a charm, but would vibrate half way across the room if you didnt keep your foot on it.

All this has me wondering if I could make a decent small scale lathe out of my drill press.

Keep em coming, good ideas I don't think I've thought of! Its amazing how you realize you need something when someone shows what they've got.

 

 

This is RAD!! Im sooo gonna copy that!Hope ya dont mind.
Awesome tech thread!

 

Tubing Bender. Design by Blackjack. Adapted to take a locally produced hatchback hub. I've built several frames with it so far and recommend it highly

Easy enough to use that even Neo Dutch had a go.

 

Tubing Bender. Design by Blackjack. Adapted to take a locally produced hatchback hub. I've built several frames with it so far and recommend it highly

Easy enough to use that even Neo Dutch had a go.

Sorry man, but ^that^ thing looks like a quick trip to the ER.

 

So what Hatch back hub do you use with that?

 

Here's a tubing notcher that I made got it from some guy off the net. It works well.

 

It works very well and will replicate bends easily. I use a high tech method to replicate bends. I mark the hub with a piece of chalk and then bend the next piece to were the chalk mark is. I used a Holden Barina hub which is common as muck here , Blackjack used a Ford Fiesta and I've heard some guys in the USA use Rabbit or Jack Rabbit(memories not so good) hub as well. It's a very flexible design that has at least 12 variants that I know of . It's Low Tech but it works. Here's where to find it.

http://www.thefont.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bikes/tube_bender.htm

 

It works very well and will replicate bends easily. I use a high tech method to replicate bends. I mark the hub with a piece of chalk and then bend the next piece to were the chalk mark is. I used a Holden Barina hub which is common as muck here , Blackjack used a Ford Fiesta and I've heard some guys in the USA use Rabbit or Jack Rabbit(memories not so good) hub as well. It's a very flexible design that has at least 12 variants that I know of . It's Low Tech but it works. Here's where to find it.

http://www.thefont.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bikes/tube_bender.htm

Barina, AKA: the mighty Geo Metro. Look out for the one in Seattle with grafitti on the back hatch that says "Yeah, I'm driving a Metro... what are you compensating for?"

BTW, if a guy has a 30 ton press, what the hell will he need fat chicks for?

Also, I bought a real cheap dolly, swapped out the pneumatic tires for solid, welded on a chain to retain bottles, a hook for goggles, and added a tube to hold welding rod... DIY welding cart. Sorry, no pics; it's in storage twenty miles away.

-Bill

 

This is what I made to put louvers in exhaust tube for making baffels
I use the angle aluminium to shim for different diameter tubing.

 

Adding a "strap" wouldn't be a bad Idea to keep that from exploading if it slips off.

 

There was a thread about engine turning finishes recently. You can glue some sandpaper to the bottom of a valve and stick that in your drill to use for engine turning. Bigger valve, bigger pattern.

 

Great thread! I think this was started once before but didn't get even close to being this big.

I've got a thingamajig I made for engine turning. I'll try and get a picture of it.

BTTT

 

I got a homemade wheel truing stand:

I got a homemade clutch hub puller:

And last but not least, I got a homemade phase converter so I can run my 3-phase mill & lathe off of residential 220 juice:

 

The Three phase converter...Holy shit.

 

On the topic of that pipe bender... I was thinking that a come-along strapped to it would probably make the bending easier. Maybe safer, unless the cable breaks.

Love where this is going!

Gotta see more stuff. I'm just a broke white boy, cant afford lathes and pipe benders and all that shit.

 

Oil furnace broke.
Replaced with gas furnace.
Needed a use for old furnace fan.

This thing blows the smoke out of the garage when I am welding or when I set something on fire.

 

That thing rules! So does the sign to the left of it!!

 

F.st.m. can you give us some more detail on the phase converter?

 

great scott 1.21 jigawatts

 

Sure Raz,

First single phase (2 hot legs) enters the knife switch box at the bottom of the box. Leg #2 is jumped(split) to power up what will become the third leg. Time-delay fuses are installed so that the breaker doesn't trip during initial start-up.

Then the third leg power is sent down to a start capacitor. It returns up and into the momentary (light switch) switch. It then goes down and "bump starts" the idler motor which is bolted to the side of my mill.

With zero load on the idler motor, it creates a steady third leg (L3) which can now be used by the mill & lathe.

Though still a bit messy, the circuits can be identified on the wall board in this last photo. When running only one machine, the circuits (L1, L2, & l3) are very well ballanced and the "created 3rd leg" is at 92% - 96% amperage which is just about perfect. When running both(mill & lathe) machines simultaneously, amperage on L3 drops to 88% so I just plug in to the dayton run cap (blue star in photo) and this brings it back up to 95%.

Total expenses were $80 this includes the idler motor(ebay), fuses, romex, capacitors, and light switch. The knife switch came with the mill when I got it, so that was a freebie.

 

Sure Raz,

First single phase (2 hot legs) enters the knife switch box at the bottom of the box. Leg #2 is jumped(split) to power up what will become the third leg. Time-delay fuses are installed so that the breaker doesn't trip during initial start-up.

Then the third leg power is sent down to a start capacitor. It returns up and into the momentary (light switch) switch. It then goes down and "bump starts" the idler motor which is bolted to the side of my mill.

With zero load on the idler motor, it creates a steady third leg (L3) which can now be used by the mill & lathe.

Though still a bit messy, the circuits can be identified on the wall board in this last photo. When running only one machine, the circuits (L1, L2, & l3) are very well ballanced and the "created 3rd leg" is at 92% - 96% amperage which is just about perfect. When running both(mill & lathe) machines simultaneously, amperage on L3 drops to 88% so I just plug in to the dayton run cap (blue star in photo) and this brings it back up to 95%.

Total expenses were $80 this includes the idler motor(ebay), fuses, romex, capacitors, and light switch. The knife switch came with the mill when I got it, so that was a freebie.

I have heard of this done before but nobody explained it as well as you have.Nice job ,esp when multible applications are needed.I have printed this and put in my notes for future reference.....Thanks

 

I converted a 9" benchtop drill press into a makeshift vertical lathe for polishing aluminum tubing.A live center on the bottom & a bow roller off a boat trailer that I cut in half & reshaped on the top.

 

I converted a 9" benchtop drill press into a makeshift vertical lathe for polishing aluminum tubing.A live center on the bottom & a bow roller off a boat trailer that I cut in half & reshaped on the top.

OH HEY!! That's a great idea!!!

 

F.St.M.

I applaud your make do creativity, but your electrical installation is a disaster.

Get an enclosure for those live parts before someone gets zapped. Those lugs are an electrocution hazzard, especially with either motor under load.

 

F.St.M.

I applaud your make do creativity, but your electrical installation is a disaster.

Get an enclosure for those live parts before someone gets zapped. Those lugs are an electrocution hazzard, especially with either motor under load.

I usualy try to avoid licking the live lugs on the wall when I'm machining something, so enclosing them is not a concern.

 

Here is my home made mill, back in trade school each of us made parts and then we all put them together and we each had a mill.
Chad
www.pearsoncustoms.com

 

wheeling machines, got plans off internet, made two one paid for
mine.

 

a stand for holding stuff, the arms adjust vert. and horizontaly

neck fixture for an as yet unfinished frame jig

probably too dark to see but a combo wheel chock / tie down

over center bike lift

some mods to a HF tubing notcher

kids in shop class using a T-dolly

this table has been one of the most useful things ever, has casters and makes moving things around the shop super easy, a '26 roadster is sitting on it now and I just push it around the shop

homemade Les Paul

 

The thing was actually pretty decent for a HF tool right out of the box. The only things I did were mount it to a good heavy base (I built a wood one first but the 1/4" steel plate is much better). The biggest problem I found is that the pipe clamp didnt quite line up with quill, hole would be drilled off center. All I had to do was put some shim stock between the pipe clamp (the black piece) and the frame (the gray piece) to line it up. I think the biggest secret to making it work is good hole saws.

 

Just found this online... Guy says its for forming tunnels for bike gas tanks.