Do you know how to do the "Hurdy Gurdy"?

[Runs With Scissors]

Well I finally did it, I got a DRO from Santa, so its time to install it.

I have watched so many videos on the subject, I feel as if I have done it already.

So off we go.

Here is the backside of the "new to me" lathe that is currently blocking the damn door.

(I have about 396,712 projects going on right now, all at the same time, and the shop/s are a friggin disaster area.........and this is probably the least important job/project, but sometimes you just gotta "scratch that itch")

So after "mocking it up" with clamps, and mounting a dial indicator on the carriage to check for "level'ness"

I drill it for 8-32 cap screws to attach it with.

After drilling, and upon further review......

Its a little too close to the end for my liking, but I figure its a pretty "light duty" job to hold that encoder(?) in place, and my only other option is to try and get ahold of Xi Wang Phuy in China, then ship it back, then wait...blah blah blah.....






After tapping the holes I check it for "run out" and it's off by about 15 thou.







I am not sure if that is good enough or not, so I decide to try and "shim it up" to a more acceptable amount. (not knowing what that is of course, because for 185 bucks you do not get even install instructions written in "Ching'lish.


I originally decide to shim it, by grinding/sanding down the washers that I have behind the encoder.

Well that went over like a "fart in church".....The damn thing kept slipping and ending up on the floor.



So then it hit me, my wife complains about me saving every damn little screw, nut, bolt and such.

Last year I "sacrificed" a set of feeler gauges for some project, and yes......I saved the remains, so its off to the "junk drawer"





I couldn't find the "exact" shim I needed, but I got it to within about 4 thou.

I am hoping that is "good nuff"



So being the "hoarder" that I am, I have to cut it down and save the other half....

Then drill it to fit the cap screw.



For whatever reason, adding the shim got the same results as before adding the shim?????

I have no idea why, but I had to take it off and on and switch it around about 5 times....But I finally got it.

~3.5 thou will have to work.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Ok, now I need to make a bracket that goes from the "encoder" to the "encoder reader thingy"

So its off to the scrap pile.

Just by happenstance, I had a piece of "mystery aluminum" that fits nearly perfectly.....a little narrow, but it should work.

A dab of Dykem and it's "hole lay out" time.



Now its time to drill the carriage, to accept the bracket, but I do not want to go all the way through and hit the ways, so I carefully measure and then wrap the drill bit with painters tape as a sort of "drill depth guide/marker.





(Off topic) for some reason this is one of my favorite tools.....It's nothing special, but for some unknown/stupid reason this stupid thing brings a smile to my face each time I use it.



Well doing things "on the fly" has some "pitfalls" of course.

So when I go to "bolt her up", I can't get to the damn bolt heads cause it's too close to the "encoder reader thingy"

M$^$#@#$%^^&&**(




Well after some searching though the nearly useless hardware they send with it, I find that "diamond in the rough" and I have to do some 'hole relocating"







Caution small rant: I am not blaming anyone in particular, and I suppose that it has simply "evolved over time" but my local Ace Hardware used to have basically everything you needed.......I mean my dad would go in there and ask for some crazy, off the wall stuff, and they would have it, and the Crotchety Old Man would know exactly where it is, and give tips on how to use it.........

Now they have every new cooler and insulated mug you can imagine, and an entire warehouse of F'ing candy at the checkout.........but the kid selling it to you, couldn't find his ass with both hands and apparently he knows how to pierce his face, and the location of the local tattoo parlor............But no Bottom taps, or even what they are......

GET OFF MY LAWN KID!!!!!! Sorry, rant off......



So now I am just waiting on some "bottom taps" from the Big A, to finish tapping the holes a bit better.

 

[Yooper]

Another suggestion for taps and just about everything else is McMaster Carr. Been doing business with them for decades. Absolute 5 star company. I usually get the stuff delivered the next day because their warehouse is in Chicago.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for the cross slide.

Things are pretty tight and it sticks up a little more than I would like, but this seems to be a common problem/occurrence on these small lathes.

But the run out is minimal right off the bat, so it's drill time.




So here we are......the Dewalt is simply not going to fit.





I figure that an 'extra long drill bit" would solve my problem, but I reasoned that if "Bottom taps" confused and amazed "Stevie from Ace Hardware" then a "long drill bit' would be like asking for a copy of the Magna Carta.....


So what to do????????

I know I have 90 degree drill somewhere, and searching for it reveals a "long lost friend"

Enter "The Hurdy Gurdy"




Haahahah.....I haven't used one of these since I was a Marine. I am shocked that I even kept it. Now for those of you who have never used one, you have not had the "entire experience' yet.

What a totally archaic tool, that I used to be quite skilled at using. I have drilled out "literally thousands" of rivets with one of these, and logged thousands of rainy/sunny/freezing/fuel/hydraulic fluid soaked hours on EA-6B's using one of these.....

Thank God for the advent of the cordless drill.

So for "old times sake" and since it fits, I "give her a whirl" (literally)



Well my "memory lane love affair" lasted about 15 seconds before my 'flash-backs" of using this POS tool jogged my memory.....

Ahhhhhh.....much better now...




I could have sworn that I had a "pan cake" drill that used threaded drill bits but maybe that was a "shop tool" that I had to give back when I left the "company".

Now that thing could get into amazingly small places.

Now my problem is that I don't have a "tap wrench" that will fit.

So I cobble this thing together.



and it works....to a certain point anyway.




It will start the tap, but after about 2 1/2 turns, the resistance is enough to "un-twist" the nut and the tap loosens.

so then I have to use an allen wrench to twist the tap when the hole is not aligned.

 

[johnjk]

Always entertaining posts. I remember the old DIY Hardware. Smelled of paint, oil and cigars. Now my local Ace is 10x the size with 60% less hardware and sadly I often know more than their staff. I want to buy local but when they either don’t have it or it is 20x the cost of buying online, they make it really difficult. I find myself hitting the Rural King before Ace. Better prices and more of the hardware I’m looking for.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I forgot to take pics of the cross slide "done pictures" , but I was able to get'er done.

Now to mount the DRO head.

Without instructions, it took me a few minutes to figure it out.

So I decide to mount it to the "electric panel" that houses a ridiculous amount of wiring for the motor.







And here we are....the moment of truth......




She works like a champ!!!!!


I now return you back to reality.......and for me its, cleaning the damn shop.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Always entertaining posts. I remember the old DIY Hardware. Smelled of paint, oil and cigars. Now my local Ace is 10x the size with 60% less hardware and sadly I often know more than their staff. I want to buy local but when they either don’t have it or it is 20x the cost of buying online, they make it really difficult. I find myself hitting the Rural King before Ace. Better prices and more of the hardware I’m looking for.

I couldn't agree more.

I used to enjoy taking long romantic strolls through the hardware store, but it has become an increasingly frustrating experience.

But I can't claim any "high ground" on the "buy local" argument.

Those 'cap screws" I used were bought at the Ace, but at $1.65 each I decided to order a small selection from "you know who" ( and to top it off, I bought my grand kids some candy when I was in line at ACE, further complicating the problem )

 

[Lil Foot]

Caution small rant: I am not blaming anyone in particular, and I suppose that it has simply "evolved over time" but my local Ace Hardware used to have basically everything you needed.......I mean my dad would go in there and ask for some crazy, off the wall stuff, and they would have it, and the Crotchety Old Man would know exactly where it is, and give tips on how to use it.........

Now they have every new cooler and insulated mug you can imagine, and an entire warehouse of F'ing candy at the checkout.........but the kid selling it to you, couldn't find his ass with both hands and apparently he knows how to pierce his face, and the location of the local tattoo parlor............But no Bottom taps, or even what they are......

GET OFF MY LAWN KID!!!!!! Sorry, rant off......

I had no Idea you lived in my neighborhood.
We go to EXACTLY the same hardware store!

 

[Lil Foot]

Invest in a set of these, they will pay for themselves quickly: (or make)

https://www.amazon.com/Collar-Wrench-Premium-Positioning-Tiosamd/dp/B0CXNHWXGW/ref=asc_df_B0CXNHWXGW?mcid=ef5995e2c028331cb763bc8d6d04aa41&hvocijid=9881565010872606779-B0CXNHWXGW-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9881565010872606779&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030160&hvtargid=pla-2281435175938&psc=1

 

[Lil Foot]

Buy or make:

 

[Lil Foot]

Buy extension taps:

 

[Lil Foot]

Make extension holders for existing taps:

 

[Lil Foot]

Enjoyable thread- it's like watching someone put a DRO on my lathe.

 

[NCL4701]

I know the hardware/lumber stores are like any other retailer and pretty much have to stock stuff that generates enough revenue to pay for the floor space it takes up, but like many others I miss having some oddball thing to fix or fabricate and going to the hardware store to either just pick up a 2” x 10” grade 8 bolt or browse through a broad selection of stuff to spur the imagination on reasonable options. Back when this area was primarily a combination of manufacturing and agriculture, you could find about anything you could possibly want or need local. Now it’s either McMaster Carr or Grainger for anything but the most common of common stuff.

Couple of weeks ago I needed a pressure switch for our well. Just a normal 30/50 pressure switch. Thought I’d stop by Lowe’s and pick one up. They could get me one in two weeks but none in stock for at least 100 miles. Home Depot could get me a store brand in 2 days. Wholesale plumbing supply in town agreed to sell me one even though I’m not a plumber since I have a tax ID for a corporation that’s headquartered at the place needing the switch (my house). It’s not like I’m the only one in the area who isn’t on gov’t water.

 

[Lil Foot]

I am doubly frustrated with what today passes for a hardware store and their employees.
My first full time job (well, 39hrs/week) was at an old mom & pop hardware store that carried everything on the planet and some stuff from Mars.
I learned from 3 old masters, who knew just about everything when it came to hardware.
My father was also a tool designer, so I have a pretty good background in things mechanical.
(when I was seven I disassembled my parents brass wind up alarm clock; they were very angry, and I couldn't understand why, so I put it back together, and it worked to their utter amazement)

Imagine my frustration having people who know nothing, and probably needed help tying their shoes that morning, attempting to help me find parts they have never heard of, to build something they could never understand.

On the bright side a few miles from me is a place called Mark's bolts, nuts, & surplus.
My first trip there the owner asked me what I needed.
I told him you probably don't have it, but I need SS 5/16-18 flathead bolts 8" long with a torx head.
His response was "How many?"
It has been great over the years to have that asset available, but alas, Mark has retired & sold the place, and the new owners are taking it down hill fast.

 

[Yooper]

They’ve all been hit by the Death Star, aka Amazon and online ordering in general.

 

[LFP57]

Caution small rant: I am not blaming anyone in particular, and I suppose that it has simply "evolved over time" but my local Ace Hardware used to have basically everything you needed.......I mean my dad would go in there and ask for some crazy, off the wall stuff, and they would have it, and the Crotchety Old Man would know exactly where it is, and give tips on how to use it.........

Now they have every new cooler and insulated mug you can imagine, and an entire warehouse of F'ing candy at the checkout.........but the kid selling it to you, couldn't find his ass with both hands and apparently he knows how to pierce his face, and the location of the local tattoo parlor............But no Bottom taps, or even what they are......

GET OFF MY LAWN KID!!!!!! Sorry, rant off......

I had no Idea you lived in my neighborhood.
We go to EXACTLY the same hardware store!

That goes for Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone and just about any where one goes now these days.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

That goes for Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone and just about any where one goes now these days.

Agreed..........

 

[BBFarmer]

Agreed..........

That goes for Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone and just about any where one goes now these days.

Hey, wait I wanna rant some....

But first off, Brother.....you got one hell of a setup going on there. Wow.

But I completely agree. The future of a strong workforce is over as we know it. At least in the basic everyday commerced areas.

Most of the specialty jobs, skilled labor etc....are still ok....At least the ones that can still find that sort of skilled help anymore. And of course, minus the ones DEI barged their way into and now have tainted.

These positions are now mostly filled by people who aren't even capable of performing the bare minimum requirements of the job....nor would they even want to. They're only there for that check .....of which they believe is owed to them either way.

I've been in a shop now since May of '00. And like most of us here I HAVE SEEN SOME S*%T. But it has really gotten to a whole other level the last 4 or 5 years.

The rare occasional applicant that does happen to "sloth" their way through our door now will arrive in a blown out, couple decade old, t shirt accompanied by umbros and crocs. They will guaranteed lack basic communication skills. While scratching their most certainly unwashed head, they won't even be able to spew more than 2 or 3 words from their unbrushed mouth without having to look at the phone that will ultimately never leave one of their soft delicate hands.

After that, the 7am show up time will most definitely become an immediate problem. Followed by the "I've been throwing up all night" monday morning call ins. And all this before we even realize that we will have to spend money on tooling and actually retain information gathered and be you know...USEFUL.

wooo that felt good!

 

[Hkb82]

Great post Scissors always fun to read your stuff. Thanks for taking the time.