cavala

I have two Milwaukee grinders and a Makita and have had Bosch in the past. The bosch burned up in a couple months replaced the brushes didn't help. The Makita is ok but the Milwaukee is much more robust I have one with a variable speed wich is real nice for polishing. Don't cheap out on tools that get alot of abuse you'll spend more time and money replacing brushes and the tool itself. Thanks Marc

Now if only I could set up my lathe to mill out dovetails. The market possibilities are great anvil/swage block. Offer dishing inserts half rounds etc. Blankswe could weld your spring swages to or texturing tools. This could become one of the most versital tools in a metal shop. Get ta work you might get to Barbados yet. Thanks Marc

The possibilities are endless, it's an amazing design "collabortion". Maybe also you can offer a large flattening plate, an option but I like large flat surfaces. Then again it's like buying a new car, what options would you like no frills or the whole package. Sign me up I'll customize as I need. Who knows you can always offer custom machining for new dies. Good work. Fun to watch the process. Thanks Marc

I love sketcuhup btw wanted to say something on your other post. I use it all the time. My question is why can't you make a concentric cone for the horn, seems easier to machine and more usefull for truing rings. I always see an eccentric cone on the horns on anvils and thought if I were to machine my own how nice would it be just angle it up so it's paralel. I could be missing something though. Thanks Marc

Did you just butt joint it or scarf it? Nakedanvil It was a butt joint and brass brazing. Maybe this is why I had failure in the joint. I can see how an overlaping joint would be much better. I did not have a clean straight fracture in the blade and I didn't want to effect it's leangth so I butted and brazed. Now is silver soldering a stronger bond and more durable for the abuse of a saw blade than brass. Thanks Marc

Well I spoke too soon. The blade has broken on me again already I brazed it up again to finish my cut list. It seems to be just a temporary fix if your in a jam. Would be nice I priced some coils at a 100' and figured cost could be around $10 bucks a piece pretty good savings maybe that cheap HF band saw blade welder would be a good purchase. A weld would prolly hold up better than brass. Marc

Ok so I had my band saw blade snap on me today during a cut. I'm out of backups so I decided to braze it up and see if I could get back to the cut list. It actually worked like a champ, saved me 25 bucks today. Im kinda p.oed thinking how many I've thrown away in the past. So now I'm thinking I've got this 7 x 12 h/v Wilton and I've been paying someone else to weld up the blades for me. I'm guessing the blades come in a roll and you just cut off 96" and braze em up...am I right. How many of you do this is it worth while and do the rolls come in varying leangths. How much per foot do ya think . Thanks Marc

If you're talking about the clover shaped things I have tons of those. I also have lots of the track plates, spickes, bolts and the big brackets that tie the track together, I don't know what they're called but they're big chunks of steel.

Swage block I don't have one of those I like that idea are there any blueprints or should I just go to town with a torch and a grinder

Well I've tried some practice passes on some scrap 3/16x1" I blackens it like was suggested and shockingly it it welded. I did melt the ends but as I started to get the hang of it I was able to build it back up. Now these aren't pretty welds but from what I can tell I'm getting good penitration. I guess my only question now is does cats aluminium weld like the bar stock. Knowing the weldabilty difference in cast iron and steel. Thanks Marc

The technic I use for a faux finish is coat with a dark brown spray paint let dry then take dark walnut wood stain and dab it on with a dry paint brush to create a mottled look let that dry completly and seal with aclear coat. Another technic is spraying the piece with a metalic bronze paint and then lightly spray dark brown then black holding the can back so to let the other colors show through. But just try to google oil rubbed bronze finishes I'm sure you'll find many more ideas good luck Marc

They probably mean oil rubbed bronze which can be done in a faux finish layering dark brown and black with bronze highlights, otherwise you should try plating and then darkening that, jax has some good products for all that

So what can i do with rail. A guy just moved into the space next door to my shop and as a day job works for CSX. Well he saw some track ive had laying around for years and said " hey man I can get ya all kinds of that stuff" well sure enough he did and now its starting to stack up. Any ideas of what to do with it. I think i read on here they dont make good anvils and I already have one. so boat anchor, paper weights, steel toe checker. They are just cut offs 1, 2 3 foot chunks 'bout 8" tall. All ideas welcome Marc

"Better off" ... I guess my question wasn't clear I realize a tig machine would be easier but I have an oxy acet torch. I was More looking for advice or technics tip size, oxy fuel pressure etc not give up and let someone else do it. That's not in my vocabulary. Now if your saying it's so difficult that id be better of tig welding it then I appreciate the challenge. Thanks Marc

I have part that's cast aluminium that a friend needs repaired. Of course I take the work before knowing if I can do it. I can weld Al with a tig but I don't have one and I don't have a spool gun for my mig. So my option is oxy acet. I've tried brazing Al in the past but this part needs to be repaired ie good penetration. I picked up some rods at the weld supply warehouse around the corner (they recomended me buying a tig) they gave me a good price for a one pound box because they said noone buys them. Like I said I'm comfortable welding Al just not this process are there any tips or technics that differ that might make my life easier and not destroy this guys part. The part is cast about 3/8" thick and the rods are flux cored about 3/16" Also one more thing who is comfortable with pot metal. I restore slot of antique lighting and I see a ton of broken pot metal parts and struggle trying to repaire them. Hope you guys can help thanks Marc

they are tricky, I usually do a template of every tread marking at two points and getting the height. When i take it back to the shop i tape it all back together lining up the reference points. I then build a full sized jig and mark all my tread heights on it weld on some angle to represent your tread and there you have it. With enough leverage and some heat and lots of clamps the radius shouldnt be too difficult bending it manually. I use 1" sq tubing for the jigs and reuse them as much as possible If your ceiling dosent allow for the full jig cut it in half. Now if you dont have a steel plate on the floor thats gonna make the jig a problem. Im sure someone may have a better idea

new to posting so hello to the community. 2 things really, all these mythbuster episodes on thermite has had me thinking could there be a way to use the process to cast iron. I realize its very dangerous and Im not saying id ever try it, but basically your byproduct is commercially pure melted iron; 1: Could there be a way to cast the metal? When welding on rail tracks they use a cast. 2: Wrought iron is almost pure iron,could this process be used to create bars for forging. Its prolly crazy and like i said I will not be trying this. Just wanted to throw it out there see what the community thinks. I look forward to your responses, Marc