I do a decent amount of work on my metal lathe, and I've been known to set my pants on fire while welding.
I ordered a bunch of boring bars the other day, but before I could use them I needed to figure out how to clamp them in the AXA holder. So how do you hold a 1/2″ boring bar with a holder designed for 3/4″ bars? With a sleeve of course. Sleeves are very easy to make; all you need is a lathe & a bandsaw.
My QCTP came with this 3/4″ boring bar holder but I have never used it.
I have been working without a proper welding table for a while now, and it was really starting to cramp my style. I borrowed the Idea for my table from Bob Warfield, and used a roll-away tool chest for the frame, and 1/2″ steel plate for the top.
Yesterday I mad the first modification to my saw. I didn’t like the door hinge method of tensioning the pulley belt. Don’t get me wrong, the stock method is fine, but I don’t want to get a wrench out every time I want to change speeds.
I learned about this mod on the home shop machinist forum. It’s really simple and requires no unalterable modifications to the saw. All you need is a length of angle iron a spring and an eye bolt.
After using a hacksaw to cut of a length of 1.5” diameter 4140, I decided it was time to get a bandsaw. OK I didn’t really decide, my aching arm told me it was time. I spent about a week doing my typical re-search to see what brand and model was best. I eventually settle on the Jet 5×6, because I could pick it up at my local Menards. I was a little wary of the Jet, because the display model looked like crap, but several people had good things to say about it. On black Friday I bit the bullet, and through down the cash.