You had me at "dirt nap." I get no shortage of laughs as well as nasty stares when I use that phrase, both of which encourage me to use it even more. I must say that I would have enjoyed your rant about airport security, especially if you've had your few cups of coffee beforehand. For those of you who also enjoy the rants, you must go watch Mr. Pete's Etch-a-sketch video, one of his very best.
Just wanted to give a long overdue thank you to you, I inherited some machine shop equipment and tools from a relative of my wife who passed away he was over a hundred years old when he passed and that was about 20 years ago so you can imagine a lot of the tools are older and there's quite a few I have no idea what they do. I took shop in high school I've always been handy with my hands I thought I knew quite a bit about tools but there's quite a few tools and accessories he had in his collection that I have no idea about and thanks to you I'm learning what they are this was one of them I knew what the gauge was but not with the attachment was for. Keep up the good work and I don't mind you repeating yourself and again thank you for all you do
i honestly wish i had you as my teacher in trade school. you explain things so much better than what i had. i might have learned things much better than i did. it was.... well what it was.
Agreed Mr. Pete. I used too fly alot but I got tired of being unnecessarily scrutinized prior to boarding. I now drive as much as possible and fly only when absolutely necessary.
I just be dang. I had this about 20 years ago in a box of stuff I bought. Didn't know what it was and through it away.....dang it ! Thanks for the info and the video Mr Pete.
I love these easy projects and the depth and "over" explanation. ( I don't consider it over explanation, but others may). I've just acquired a used Bridgeport and have it running. These kinds of projects are a necessity for me! Thank you Mr. Pete!
Even in lackey work in factories people used to get unhappy when I asked that they fully explain the orders they had for me. Never want confusion and when one person tells another some thing confusion often follows.
If anyone is wanting to make the 'spring loaded' version of this, and doesn't have a hoard of flat springs like Mr. Pete, you can use the 'spines' out of a windscreen wiper blade. I always rip these out and keep them when I have to replace with new ones, as they are a great source of flat spring steel for projects.
Thanks for the reply. A small end mill could solve the pockets for the tabs at the ends, but the hard part would sizing the spring length just right and bending the tabs over without snapping them off (been there, done that).
I'm blown away! I just watched this vid and discovered I have one of these attachments in my "measuring" drawer and never knew what it was for. Thanks shop teacher Mr. Pete!
Years ago I discovered one of these attachments (Starrett No 392) in a lot of tools I bought some time back. I also didn't know what it was for. I looked it up in Starrett catalog. I have used it ever since. One of my fishtails 'lives' in the attachment. I like the set screw idea since, as I said above, they are so useful it is worth it to just keep a fishtail gage in it all the time. As mrpete222 says it would be difficult to make the spring. It would also be difficult to heat treat (case harden or harden) the attachment without it turning banana shaped. With some steels it can turn banana shaped just crom cutting one side off lengthwise. I would be interested to see what the measurement was in the middle and if it was the same as measurement for both ends.
Well, I just finished machining my center gauge attachment. I copied the one you made and it works very well. I ordered a slitting saw the right thickness and when it cam in I got started. Thanks.
It is a great tool to have if you grind your own tools. I have a slitting saw arbor just like yours and it wobbles like a drunk amazed to see yours so straight. Thanks for the video.
Neat project. I never knew these attachments existed. Thanks for making the video. Since I have more money than time, I bought a Starrett attachment and center gage on eBay. But I may attempt to make an attachment someday. Might be something worth making and trying to sell on eBay and Amazon.
The information was extremely useful and very informative. I'm starting to feel my age and forgetting stuff so that's why I've created a little log of little tips and tricks for my lathe, milling machine and other tools that I have to pass along to my son Thanks for the information cuz you never get too old to learn. Lol
This man deserves far more subscribers.Busy taking a dirt nap .ha ha ha. There are not enough old geezers telling their knowledge on you Tube .Its just gold ,pure gold.,being lost forever in the days of plastic and we must have it immediately.
I just received a thread pitch gauge and that thing came with it but I did not have a idea what it was for completely, well now I do. Thanks for the tip, not that I ever cut a thread and ever will.
Thank You for a very interesting video. I have never seen one of those tools before, so I was all ears as you explained how it was used and how to make one.
Wonderful, I was cutting a metric m20 thread on a recent video and asked the question how do folks hold the fishtail gauge in place while adjusting the cutting tool. Now I know and can add another tool to make to my project list. Thanks very much for your video . I would add I use self ground hss bits as here in the UK we have far too many thread types to get a full set of insert tips when starting out. BSW, BSWF, UNC,UNF, METRIC, METRIC FINE, BA and that's excluding pipe fittings ..... It keeps us vintage machine guys on our toes. All the best Mat
I keep my eyes open when in town looking for street sweeper metal brush blades that have broken off. They make great little springs for this type of project. I often find in mall parking areas, etc
I know the feeling of breaking a tap. In fact I was reminded today while working on tooling I'm modifying for my lathe I broke a tap while tapping a hole for the adjusting stud. Thankfully I can work around it, because like your project it was the last operation.
Teacher ,I have been 55yrs in machine shop and I never seen that type of holder ,but it is wonderful process to make it . I did gear and turret lathe operation but never use that thing . my six inch scale was the best friend in my life of business . Thank you .
I visited the US 15 years ago. I flew into Philadelphia. At the passport desk a security man was ordering people about in the lines as if they were criminals. It was not a pleasant start to my visit. Incidentally the visit turned out to be wonderful and the people very welcoming. We have been back twice since then and loved it.Talking to other people in the UK who had similar experiences it seems to be more of a problem with US airports than other countries. A pity because most Yanks are great people.
US immigration haven't always been nasty. On my first visit I was first to the desk. He took my passport and keyed in my details and frowned..tried again then smiled... Anything wrong? I asked. Well it's like this he's said. Your name rings bells on our system. There's warrants out for drug dealing and homicide...at this point I'm expecting to be marched off and searched in places I keep for the wife...but he looked over his glasses and said, it's ok it's not you. How can you be so sure? I asked. Well you ain't 6 feet 5 and you certainly ain't black...never been so relieved to be white and 5'8" I my life.
Australian airports are bad 99% of the security staff are muslims ,we are treated like criminals . I get special attention due to having a digital pacemaker in my left shoulder , despite having a special ID card stating that fact ,I get dragged aside every time for a body search ,I cannot pass through the magnetic barriers as there is a chance that the pacemaker will be turned off causing me to collapse on the spot . I no longer fly anywhere ,if I cant drive I dont go .
Nice work Lyle; I was surprised at your comment that you did not have any bottoming taps, especially when you said that you have broken a lot. I'm a pack rat (never throw anything away) and when I break a tap I grind the broken end for a quick and dirty bottom tap. Hopefully the original tap breaks close to the tip for the most length. Or I take an old tap that I've acquired and grind the tip off for an impromptu bottoming tap. Thanks for the great video, thumbs up.
@ 12:15 you explain how you go into detail for those who want great detail and suggest skipping ahead for others if it bothers them... there is a "You tube specific" shortcut key for skipping ahead (or back) 5 seconds per shot.. The right and left arrow keys... punch that baby a few times and you can skip right through the parts you don't want to see.... But I have to say, I almost always only use this for skipping back to repeat dialog I might not have understood the first time. Thank you mrpete222 for all the great content.
When starting holes on a round part or on off-angle surfaces, I find using a ball mill as the first tool to locate the hole eliminates the need to mill a flat spot first. It also makes a dandy center to start the following drill.
Always a pleasure to watch your videos sir!!! And it would have been more pleasurable if the rant was still available. We all need to learn your opinion so we can become just like you!!!
Good day Mr. Pete, I hope you are doing well. I want to thank you for this instructional video on making a center gauge. I've been wanting one and now I think I can machine one with a bit of confidence. By the way, I can never get to much detail, I like any and every tidbit there is. Thanks.
As always greta video, and also great dark humor :) thanks for sharing . And btw it is a useful tool , i use mine on pieces with bigger DIameters, makes life much easier
Tiny broken tap challenge, may be a good humorous thing to do. Get some small taps and break them in a work piece and send them to various You Tube machinist. HA HA. Good instruction, who'll expect anything less than excellent from Mr. Pete 222?
It always amuses me when you say that "no one is going to make this" as I have followed your instructions and made several(center drill holder, counter-weighted drill press table, oil can, vise...) but I'm probably not going to make this one. Still, learning the operations is worth the video and it's always a pleasure to hear your stories.
It's been a while since I've cut a thead on a lathe, my bosses were kinda cheap so it was always hss. And Lh threads we ran the lathe in reverse with the bit upside down
Yes you do have your right for your opinion and I agree with you although we do need to have security at the airport none of us like having to stand in the lines that's why I choose not to fly unless it is absolutely necessary
I still use the buggy whip hand ground tool bit. To get the correct nose profile you have to have a selection of inserts and I HATE buying that stuff if I don't have to. I like the flexibility of making my own, there are always situations where you have to have some odd angle to clear other surfaces and with insert holders you are stuck.
The spring is likely held in with pins the way a mainspring or hairspring in a watch is held to the bushing. The end of the spring is bent to perpendicular to the arc of the spring then the flat is inserted in a hole in the collet or bushing which diameter is the same as the spring width. A tapered pin is driven into the hole. The hole in the collet or bushing is drilled obliquely so it doesn’t drip into the shaft in the center of the collet, and the pin is tapped into the hole in the direction of the flat end of the spring. In this tool’s case the pin is going to be tapped in opposite the direction that the spring inserts, so a hardened shim will have to be inserted into the slot to prevent the spring end from being pushed out as the pin is tapped in. In the case of a watch’s spring the pin is typically brass with a fairly long taper. The ends being cut off and finished smooth with the collet or bushing body. In the case of this tool soft steel with a short taper would be best so it projects into the slot no further than the spring thickness and if it does it will flatten against the shim.
I have one of the Starret flavor of these that I bought over 40+? years ago and still use, (but only when I use a hand ground cutter) My son who is also a machinist saw it the other day and asked me what it was for. When I explained what it was for he said the he really couldn't see a reason to use it as they only use inserts for threading. (must be nice to have the $ to buy inserts).
A couple of comments 1. Some airline security staff are most likely the guys who used to slice deli meats for you at the supermarket -- being unkind is their form of payback, and 2. I bet I can make one of the center gauge attachments with only $5k worth of tooling.. Great videos!
Mr. Pete ,My family has a fastener company in Rockford Illinois. I am a third generation owner a company that does machining operations on headed fasteners. If you are ever in need of a field trip that's not to far down the road from you I would be happy to show you our plant and our machines that were running parts in the 40's and 50's still going strong today. If any of this might interest you or your viewers get in touch with me.
Yes, I am very interested in a field trip. Would I be able to film it and make a video? I cannot give you my email address in a comment. Can you please find my video entitled winter night school video courses by Tubalcain. In this video you will find my email address and for that matter my home address. Then we can discuss this matter further. Thank you very much
Good video, you mentioned your Mitutoyo center gage was made in the USA. They make other things here as I bought an edge finder the other day marked made in USA.
I'm not aware of a Mitutoyo plant here so that is probably the case. It sounds like you are still changing belts on your mill. After putting the VFD on your drill press, you said you might do the mill, have you changed your mind about that? You inspired me and I did it to a lathe and so far I have been happy with it.
Good video. I'm a bit older now and the old eyes aren't working like they used to. Think I'll make one of these gauge attachments........... Thank you Mr. Pete
I remember reading years ago that the Japanese actually renamed a maaanufacturing town USA so they could stamp products that way. This was back in the day when Japanese products were considered junk. They took on the W. Edwards Deming philosophy to totally revolutionize their manufacturing processes and tremendously increase their quality. I worked at a food grade chemical plant where I included part of the story into a manual as part of the Deming philosophy that the plant used.
If I ever get my mill into the garage I'll make one of these. (It's too tall to bring in through the garage door or side door and the head doesn't tilt. Over 15" too tall.) One thing I would've done differently was I would put a second piece of stock on the other end of the vise to keep the jaws parallel to the small surface being used to hold it for cutting the slot. Many old vises have too much movement at the end of the vise screw and it not being parallel could cause the small piece to be pushed out and the slot cut at an angle to the v-groove.
My grandfather retired from Rockford Screw Products. He was from the era when they actually made the items they sold there in Rockford and not from China!
Thank you. This will come in handy instead of buying one. I have an apprentice that has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering that can learn from this. Also a good item to make for our personal tool boxes. If it was already mentioned ( 423 Comments ) please excuse me. Mr Pete buy a Spring Loaded Tap Guide. They are priced well and get years of use.
i never saw a center gage attachment before this video. thank you fore the video it was interesting, and i will not be making one either as i have gotten along with out 1 for my 66yrs..
Sorry to have missed the talk on the TSA's manners...got a few words myself and likely not of the variety children should hear on an emergency trip to be with my father who served this country for 30 years and in 3 wars, as he was passing. I guess the good part was I wasn't arrested and cavity searched because I forgot my nice money clip my Son gave to me 10 years earlier had a blinking pen knife on it...and a nail file...Duh, Duh, Da OMG! He just didn't appreciate the fact that I said I could have done more damage with my hands and feet...oops @¿@ I ranted again...sorry. Nice build & learned a couple of things Mr. Pete, but surprised you didn't whip one out on the printer. ~¿@
I'm glad you at least got to keep yours. I had to give mine up or go back find an envelope and stamp and mail it to myself and wait in line again for another 45 minutes and miss the flight...a 3 legged flight because of short notice. My brother and wives missed being their still as he passed, as we got into the middle leg in Phoenix. Probably obvious, that puny god left a mark and a bad taste in my mouth. Would have liked being the Hulk with Loki in the Avengers. ;-) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-31ZjnrHR8EA.html
these idiots patted down my wife ( elderly ) because we married late in life ( both widdowed) and her drivers license was not updated with her married name. giving these people some authority simply goes to their heads, and it very irritating
I still use the fish gauge to set my threading tool, but I'm nearly 77. I have the cutters for the threading tool you shown, that would last a hundred lifetimes., but as you said most people use the carbide threading cutters now. Those cutters are dipped in the plastisized wax sealant. So they will eventualy wind up in some land fill somewhere. I recovered them from an old industreal machine shop that was closed down. There must have been a hundred slitting saws just goin to rust that had never been taken out of the wraper, untill I opened them up. What a waste.
In the stages the only thing different I would do is in clamping the job in the vice, always have a piece the same length in the vice at the other end of the jaws so it clamps perfectly square.
So, Mitutoyo, a Japanese company started in 1934, opened a US branch about an hour down the road from mrpete222 in Aurora, IL, in 1963, making a full line of precision measuring tools. It's not clear if they continue to manufacture products there. They are listed as having 200-500 employees at that site. Nowadays, in addition to sales and service, they offer a series of seminars on measurement and calibration of precision tools through their Mitutoyo Institute of Metrology.
Thanks for that bit of information. My son lives up that way. There is a big Catapillar plant in that town that is scheduled to close. A huge facility.
Hi Mr Pete from england British standard whitworth (BSW). British standard fine (BSF) British standard pipe (BSP) then (ba) (bsc)etc etc very nice video as usual!
I find it slightly amusing (bemusing) as a born and bred Metricated Englishman to go into a Ferreteria in Spain and walk out with a handful of BSP fittings to do a spot of DIY.
