Tiny machines

[Lil Foot]

I love the workmanship & skill in this tiny stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAY_ptV146Y
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/jordan.htm

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Unbelievable.

I was down at the metal supply store in PHX today and picked up some solid aluminum scrap material I want to try and turn on my lathe. The lady down the street lost her husband a few years back and she had this lathe she wanted out of the shop. "If you can move it, you can have it!" I still paid her what was left of my allowance "savings" for it (after buying a bunch of other machines off of her) and its all there with tons of chucks and bits and tail pieces and stuff. Its a Chinese lathe but it seem to work nicely. Also got a mini-milling machine that is very cool. I have a couple "80% projects" scheduled for that machine.

 

[Lil Foot]

I was down at the metal supply store in PHX today and picked up some solid aluminum scrap material

Which one, if you don't mind my asking? (cross streets will do)
Many will not discount remnants & bar ends anymore, they want full boat new prices.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Industrial Metal Supply: A Welder's toy store.

https://www.industrialmetalsupply.com/Locations/Phoenix-Metal

I bought my wife a "new" computer off CraigsList and had to run down to within a couple miles of IMS to pick it up.

My wife actually liked the store and we picked out some wavy bars for some work we need to do. Loads of pre-made doo-dads and their remnant room is awesome. I bought 7 good sized pieces of solid aluminum stock, roughly 1.5x1.5 by 8 for $15. They charged me $1.5 a lb. Some stuff is cheaper. Some larger stock is $2.50 a lb. They have tons of cutting leftovers too. 1/8" by 10" by 36" was around $15. I need to make up a shopping list and go back with my trailer! They'll custom cut to order for a small charge and it almost always makes sense to buy a whole sheet and have that cut as needed and then keep the scraps. I did that when buying galvanized for my horse stall exit doors I sealed up. Turned out cheaper.

 

[Tooljunkie]

My buddy bought a mini lathe and brought it home in a suitcase.
My south bend 9 x48 is about small enough. I use it often. Today to machine
A socket. It was too big to fit in a bore,so i took .060 off. Dont be fooled,sockets machine easier than you would think.

 

[Lil Foot]

Industrial Metal Supply

Thanks Ray, I will have to try them; never been there, but it sounds good.

Dont be fooled,sockets machine easier than you would think.

Yup, I do it all the time. Won a $20 bet once from a guy who said it wasn't possible.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

I keep a set of cheaper "chickenese" sockets just for when you have to modify one. Handy...

 

[skeets]

I have a couple "80% projects" scheduled for that machine. 80% projects huh,, a man after my own heart

Making a tool is a special art, one that requires a person to kind if 3D, something most people are not able to do my self included! But to build a machine that is as small or smaller than a loaf of bread! That is not engineering that is a love of the game! And to a person like me it is almost magic

 

[Tooljunkie]

Skeets, in my line of work,making a tool is something i do often. Someting as easy as bending a wrench or a device to keep brake applied. I have all kinds of hokey tools.

Now there are guys out there that build steam engines from scratch and others that cut their own gears. Thats a mad skill.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Talk about insane...

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=miniature+ferrari+engine&t=ffhp&atb=v29-5__&ia=videos&iax=1&iai=QDZICiGmDxs

 

[Racer X]

A Ferrari 312PB 1/3 scale model that actually runs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeUMDY01uUA

It makes Ferrari Music.