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Bruce Page
01-11-2006, 9:04 PM
Recently, I had the urge to scatter stainless steel, brass and aluminum chips all over the shop. I was impressed with the new MicroFence® Plunge Base (www.microfence.com (http://www.microfence.com)) that they have designed for various trim routers. As luck would have it, Santa brought me the new Bosch variable speed Colt to play with. :)

My base is pretty much a clone of the MF with a few changes/improvements. This project even included some woodworking; note the two maple burl knobs. (I think they turned out ok, for not being a wood turner :o ). The knobs are finished with John Miliunas’s witches brew (equal parts of BLO, wipe-on poly, & naphtha) thanks John!

To make the micrometer threads, I threaded the 304 SS bar stock to class 3A specs (read tight) and borrowed a 3B tap from work to tap the brass block with. The micrometer style adjustment system is surprisingly accurate with less than .001 deviations per full length of travel. Machining the micrometer barrel was a bit tedious with each graduation line having to be accurately indexed 7°, 12 min, 0 sec., using my 14” rotary table. (Pic#5)

The turret rotates on a small thrust bearing and there is a ball plunger installed in the base that indexes each post by 120°.

I had some ¼” Lexan sheet so I made three bases to cover all contingencies.

Travel is a little over 2¾”. The compression springs from HD are a little stouter than I wanted but I discovered that unless you’re willing to buy 100 or more from a spring company, your choices are limited. I’ll keep looking…

All in all, I have about $40 in it including the two trick LED lights from MicroFence. :eek:

Bruce Page
01-11-2006, 9:05 PM
Few more pics

Chris Padilla
01-11-2006, 9:15 PM
Sweet stuff, Bruce!! How much for you to make me one??? hahahahaha....

Jim Dunn
01-11-2006, 9:17 PM
Beautiful, brilliant, outstanding, somebody help me here I'm running outa words.:)

Jim

Steve Clardy
01-11-2006, 9:26 PM
Awesome!! Looks nice!

Jim Becker
01-11-2006, 9:29 PM
You are truly skilled...excellent results!

Doug Shepard
01-11-2006, 9:35 PM
Awesome! Looks even better than the MF version I got this week. Sure wish I had the knowledge, skill, and tools to whip that kind of stuff up. I kept wondering what kind of "improvements" you might be cooking up. I was kind of expecting to see some sort of integral dust collection and maybe a Wixey digital readout for depth.:D Will yours work with MF's edge guide too?

Peter Pedisich
01-11-2006, 9:38 PM
Bruce,

Nothing short of remarkable.

Restores my faith in America, HEY! all you guys under 30 - think about what it took to make this!

Bruce Page
01-11-2006, 10:27 PM
Thanks guys, this was actually fun to build. It has been many years since I left the machinist trades and I always enjoyed it. This was a “fix” for my metal thrashing urges.

Doug, dust collection is the one thing I wish I could have incorporated into it, but short of making an injection mold, I couldn’t figure any graceful way to do it.
If the MF’s edge guide posts are on 3 inch (?) centers, then it will work. I based the 3” on a hunch looking at the pictures on the MF website. I plan on making my own edge guide for it anyway. :)

Roy Wall
01-11-2006, 10:33 PM
Bruce,

I've been in awe for 20 minutes looking at your photos. Read another thread.......come back to this one.......jaw still dropped open.....

Precision, execution, and craftsmanship can't get any better than this

Thanks for sharing..............

Mark Singer
01-11-2006, 10:39 PM
Bruce,
You are amazing! That work is unbelevible! I can't even imagine how you did it! You should be making all your own hardware including pulls and hinges... Bruce my Bosch Colt is very jealous....it is a great little router! Ireally like most of their tools a lot. The router is so smooth and ergonomic...its the first one I want to use.

David LaRue
01-11-2006, 10:42 PM
Yowza Yowza Yowza ... jaw dropping, stunning, WOW! No wonder we can get to the moon and back! Great job. Way beyond anything I could dream of building. :)

John Miliunas
01-11-2006, 10:48 PM
OMG!!!! I already knew you were a skilled machinist but, this is just over the top!:) And there I thought I was doing well bending a couple junks of flat steel to mount that DRO. That's what I get for thinking! :rolleyes: :D Sorry, I just can't come up with any additional adjectives to completely describe what I'm thinking or seeing right now! Just way, way cool, Bruce!:) :cool:

Vaughn McMillan
01-11-2006, 10:57 PM
Man Bruce, once you get a little more practice, you'll be pretty good at that metal scattering stuff. :D Absolutely stunning work. If I did metalworking, I'd be selling my tools in surrender right about now. Great job.

- Vaughn

Keith Outten
01-11-2006, 11:01 PM
Just Excellent!

Machinist's produce the tools for all trades, they are the ultimate craftsmen.

Bruce, I own a benchmill and a South Bend 9 metal lathe but don't have the skills to produce such a nice piece. Thanks for sharing your new router base system I really enjoyed the pics and can appreciate the workmanship involved.

Bruce Page
01-11-2006, 11:08 PM
OK, you guys are starting to make me blush! :o

Thanks again!

Dev Emch
01-11-2006, 11:25 PM
I am thinking front page of Home SHop Machinist. Give the ladies a call at Village press and write this up. The photos need to be JPEGs and if you can include a CD, that is even better. They dont have full time photo-gophers like FWW. Its all up to guys like you to do everything. Oh, by the way, you get money for submitting this stuff. I say submit. DARN IT BRUCE, SUBMIT!

Jim Fancher
01-11-2006, 11:33 PM
A true work of art. I love it!

Sign me up for one. :D

Howie French
01-11-2006, 11:40 PM
Wow ! Beautiful !

Thanks for sharing the pics, I am very very impressed.

Howie

Frank Chaffee
01-12-2006, 12:48 AM
Bruce,
I’m trying to keep my fingers off the caps lock key right now. What you have done with your machining skill and the Bosch Colt is what it’s all about. So few woodworkers expand activity beyond one medium, but I hope that seeing what you have achieved will inspire many.

I feel that it is absolutely essential to the health of this country to maintain abilities to create all of the tools we need to function.

Just as Bob Smalser is helping us to retrieve tools of nearly lost trades and teach us in their use, perhaps you will help us get Bridgeport vertical mills and rotary tables into our shops.

Frank

Dev Emch
01-12-2006, 2:16 AM
Bruce,
I’m trying to keep my fingers off the caps lock key right now. What you have done with your machining skill and the Bosch Colt is what it’s all about. So few woodworkers expand activity beyond one medium, but I hope that seeing what you have achieved will inspire many.

I feel that it is absolutely essential to the health of this country to maintain abilities to create all of the tools we need to function.

Just as Bob Smalser is helping us to retrieve tools of nearly lost trades and teach us in their use, perhaps you will help us get Bridgeport vertical mills and rotary tables into our shops.

Frank
All it takes is a south bend heavy 10-L metal lathe and your on the way and I know exactly where you can find one.;) Suscribe to Home SHop Machinst Magazine and your addicted for life. Wait till you see what the guys are doing at the NAMES show! You will need to wire your jaw shut. Here is a little taste. I hope the base has a little wood in it to keep on topic.:D

Brian Jarnell
01-12-2006, 2:46 AM
Not to be outdone,what do you chaps think of my BBQ,ha ha
http://www.imagef1.net.nz/files/BBQ_for_blokes.jpg

Dev Emch
01-12-2006, 3:52 AM
Not to be outdone,what do you chaps think of my BBQ,ha ha
http://www.imagef1.net.nz/files/BBQ_for_blokes.jpg
O.K. I have a bite. Tell us more. First of all, is thing like one of those self propelled rocket launchers except its a self propelled bovine roasters (SBR)? I will bet that thing can put the bark on a hunk of briscuit. Boy does thing make me hungry. You guys back east have all the lovely hardwoods but we have south western BBQ.... a national artform!

Hey wait, what gives. Brian, your in New Zealand. No matter, I will still have that briscuit with the deep bark please.

One guy who goes on tour built his own rig as well. He used air to air missle storage and shipping tubes for the smoke stacks and fabricated the individual damper controls in these stacks. You ever get a chance to go to serious BBQ contests, GO! The smells, the machines, the people, the contest and the endless tasting. This is serious quality time.

Jay Knoll
01-12-2006, 7:29 AM
Bruce

What a great piece of work! I've got a feeling that if you put out a post that said something like "Hey I'm thinking of cranking this up, how many of you guys want one of these?" you'll be duluged with orders.

Thanks for giving me a reason to buy a Colt

Jay

tod evans
01-12-2006, 8:21 AM
bruce, that`s a very impressive piece of work! thanks for sharing (and making me feel totally inept:) ) tod

greg sproul
01-12-2006, 8:38 AM
Wow!! that is very cool, how many hours do you have in that?

Kent Parker
01-12-2006, 8:54 AM
Bruce,

Suitable for framing. Great detail and workmanship and what everyone else said too! Truley awesome:)

Cheers,

Kent

Tyler Howell
01-12-2006, 8:57 AM
Speachless. Simply speachless!!!!:rolleyes:

rick fulton
01-12-2006, 10:59 AM
Bruce - that is fantastic. Very impressive. Thanks for sharing.

Chris Padilla
01-12-2006, 10:59 AM
OK, you guys are starting to make me blush! :o

Thanks again!

Well, here is your new blushing avatar, Bruce! hahaha :p

Bruce Page
01-12-2006, 11:27 AM
Dev, as anyone that has read my posts knows, writing and syntax are not my specialty. Also, I didn’t take any “action” shots except the one rotab shot that I thought would be interesting to the folks here. I haven’t read Home Shop Machinist so I don’t know what they’re looking for but other than chasing the 7/16-20 class 3 threads (which I haven't done in years!) the machining on this was pretty basic stuff.

Jay, if I had a CNC machining center, I could kick butt on MF’s asking price (their patent attorney might want to have a talk with me tho…) I would loose my shirt producing these on my conventional, non-CNC mill & lathe.

Greg, I didn’t keep track of the hours but I probably have 25-35 hours at a hobbyist pace.

Bruce Page
01-12-2006, 11:30 AM
Well, here is your new blushing avatar, Bruce! hahaha :p

You're too much Chris!
LOL!!

Dev Emch
01-12-2006, 2:03 PM
Dev, as anyone that has read my posts knows, writing and syntax are not my specialty. Also, I didn’t take any “action” shots except the one rotab shot that I thought would be interesting to the folks here. I haven’t read Home Shop Machinist so I don’t know what they’re looking for but other than chasing the 7/16-20 class 3 threads (which I haven't done in years!) the machining on this was pretty basic stuff.

Jay, if I had a CNC machining center, I could kick butt on MF’s asking price (their patent attorney might want to have a talk with me tho…) I would loose my shirt producing these on my conventional, non-CNC mill & lathe.

Greg, I didn’t keep track of the hours but I probably have 25-35 hours at a hobbyist pace.

Yah, the CNC approach is the way to go. That is why you can buy really nice conventional machines like bridgeports for a relative song. They are just too expensive to run any more outside the context of a prototype shop. I got my hardinge HLV-EM lathe from Hewlett Packard when they switched their prototype shops over to CNC machines. In with the HAAS and out with the obsolete and useless Hardinge HLV-EM gear. Oh well, its progress and your not getting any complaints from me.:D At any rate, HSM is intended for the home shop machinist. That would be you. Folks just starting out with model engineering and, ironically, making parts for old woodworking machines. Hah, I knew there was a reason wood butchers are buying subscriptions to a magazine showing them how to make accurate stuff out of metal.

Bruce Page
01-12-2006, 2:29 PM
Yah, the CNC approach is the way to go. That is why you can buy really nice conventional machines like bridgeports for a relative song. They are just too expensive to run any more outside the context of a prototype shop. I got my hardinge HLV-EM lathe from Hewlett Packard when they switched their prototype shops over to CNC machines. In with the HAAS and out with the obsolete and useless Hardinge HLV-EM gear. Oh well, its progress and your not getting any complaints from me.:D At any rate, HSM is intended for the home shop machinist. That would be you. Folks just starting out with model engineering and, ironically, making parts for old woodworking machines. Hah, I knew there was a reason wood butchers are buying subscriptions to a magazine showing them how to make accurate stuff out of metal.
Dev, I would love to have a HAAS or Fadal with say a 20"X40" table! Maybe someday...

Peter Pedisich
01-12-2006, 3:44 PM
Bruce,

Have you tried www.centuryspring.com (http://www.centuryspring.com) ?

Pete

pat warner
01-12-2006, 4:57 PM
Terrrific skill and talent, excellent photos. A Sudden and delightful impact for this tech.

Bruce Page
01-12-2006, 5:48 PM
Bruce,

Have you tried www.centuryspring.com (http://www.centuryspring.com) ?

Pete

Pete, ya, actually I did look at them and they have the spring that I need (.040 wire) but you still have to buy 20 of them. I plan on looking around some more and if I don't find anything I'll go back to them. It's funny, the 2 springs that I bought from HD were made by Century.


Pat, thanks from another tech!

Joe Mioux
01-12-2006, 9:34 PM
Bruce: That is outstanding!

Joe

Gilbert Vega
01-12-2006, 9:35 PM
All I can say is WOW! It has been my dream to have the skills to do something like this. For now woodturning is about my limit.

Just curious, what is the minimum investment one would have to make to have the tools to do this? (counting my pennies)

Dev Emch
01-13-2006, 12:57 AM
Not a dime. I had foot surgery last November and was off for six weeks – plenty of time to dream/draw this up. My best bud owns a large machine shop here in town and I order all my material through him. The ONLY involvement Sandia had in this was the borrowed tap, which was returned. As far as machinery, I have no need to use Sandia’s, I have my own.
edit:
I want to add, I very much resent your inference!
ME TOO! That was a below the waste hit! And for your information, check out Bruce's finished shop photo he posted on this site. Look in the corner to the right and you will see a croped but ever present series one knee mill. Could not identify it as a bridgeport or a clone. You think the oliver guys are crazy, you should see some of the home shop machinists. I personally own a 20,000 pound DeVlieg 3B-48 jig bore mill, two kearney treckers and the venerable Brown and Sharpe Omniversal #00 tool and die makers mill. Truth is, when uncle sam needs anything anymore, he needs to come to us cause we scarfed up all the toys. The reason uncle sam cannot replace the space shuttle with a new one is that we now own all the machine tools used to make the original shuttles in the first place!

Dev Emch
01-13-2006, 1:21 AM
All I can say is WOW! It has been my dream to have the skills to do something like this. For now woodturning is about my limit.

Just curious, what is the minimum investment one would have to make to have the tools to do this? (counting my pennies)
That varies. Its often been said that the QUEEN of the shop is the metal lathe. If you can find an old south bend 9 in or other smallish type lathe, that would be a start. You can also look at used Taigs or other desk top units. Bruce, what is that desk top lathe with the black anodized body and red dials. Very popular but the name slips me right now.

(I knew it would come to me... SHERLINE)

At any rate, a milling bracket can be used with the lathe until you find a small milling machine. Visit machine shop auctions and other sites. Stay low until you learn a bit. At first, its like drinking from a fire hydrant. But then it levels out.

As your learning, you dont need to purchase super accurate machines for now. One ideal machine would be a used myford from england. I would first start by buying a copy or two of Home Shop Machinist from the local news stand. Read it and see it this is something you might like to try.

Another thing to pay attention for are metal shapers. They weigh a bunch and often are three phase. But you can change them over to single phase if you wish. The small ones are still the most valuable because they are useful and convenient to the HSM gang. When they reach 16 and 20 inches, they weigh 1000 pounds or more. These can be useful because they are often next to free if you find a shop that wants it removed. These have little value to industry anymore. But a metal shaper can do many tasks that a milling machine can do.

Hope this helps a bit....

Jack Hoying
01-13-2006, 8:24 AM
Bruce,
That is truly a work of art. Nice job!!!
Jack

Jim Becker
01-13-2006, 8:53 AM
OK FOLKS...back on track. There is no point in further comments about a particular offensive post. It just takes away from the tremendous skill that Bruce has evidenced and the intention of this thread.

SMC is a friendly place and responding in-kind to something you deem offensive isn't necessary. Just click on the exclaimation point in the red triangle at the top, right of any post you feel needs moderator attention.

Bruce Page
01-13-2006, 12:49 PM
Just curious, what is the minimum investment one would have to make to have the tools to do this? (counting my pennies)

Gilbert, it’s hard to say. Machinery cost varies by locality, usually cheaper on the west/east coast or big cities like Chicago. Around here you can pick up a decent (but not great) used Bridgeport knee mill at around $2500. If you want table power feed or digital read-out add another K or two. Light duty lathes like the Southbend or Atlas go for around 1-2 K. When you start adding vices, rotary tables, boring heads, cutters, drills, etc, you can easily add another 2+K just for the basics. Wood working equipment/accessories are cheap when compared to the Machine shop world.
Try looking at the business/industrial section of eBay to get a feel for the cost. Also, this stuff is very heavy, so shipping or just moving it across town can be expensive. Like Dev said, check out HSM to get a feel for it. I will never be without a lathe & mill. You wouldn’t believe how many times they come in handy, especially if you know what they can do.

Barry Wixey
01-13-2006, 1:05 PM
Bruce:

That is a fantastic looking piece of machining! Are you looking for work??:)

Barry

Gary Herrmann
01-13-2006, 1:17 PM
Very nicely done, Bruce. I wish I had the skills to do that kind of work.

Bruce Page
01-13-2006, 3:05 PM
Bruce:

That is a fantastic looking piece of machining! Are you looking for work??:)

Barry
Thanks Barry, I have enough work to keep me busy! :eek:

Frank Chaffee
01-13-2006, 5:14 PM
Bruce:

That is a fantastic looking piece of machining! Are you looking for work??:)

Barry


Thanks Barry, I have enough work to keep me busy! :eek:

Barry,
Seeing the good stuff that you are manufacturing, I can well understand why you would want to bring Bruce onboard. But considering the level Bruce works at, figure that he is reely reeely reeeely hard to get!
Frank

Lee DeRaud
01-13-2006, 6:27 PM
Seeing the good stuff that you are manufacturing, I can well understand why you would want to bring Bruce onboard. But considering the level Bruce works at, figure that he is reely reeely reeeely hard to get!Speaking as a former aerospace engineer, the way it really works is, we may be easy but we're not cheap.:cool:

Bruce Page
01-13-2006, 7:20 PM
Speaking as a former aerospace engineer, the way it really works is, we may be easy but we're not cheap.:cool:

Yep, I've said that one a few times before.. :rolleyes:

Chris Dodge
01-13-2006, 7:24 PM
Amazing work! Really amazing!

Gilbert Vega
01-13-2006, 9:14 PM
Bruce & Dev
Thanks for the informative writeups. This will definitely be my goal within the next couple of years. What would the LOML say when I tell her I want to get into this and she see's all those $$$$$ floating away.

Dev Emch
01-13-2006, 10:20 PM
Bruce & Dev
Thanks for the informative writeups. This will definitely be my goal within the next couple of years. What would the LOML say when I tell her I want to get into this and she see's all those $$$$$ floating away.

Yah, go for it. For the record, none of you guys looked to closely at the motor photo I posted in this thread. This motor is wird. It has not one but three crank shafts set in the pattern of a equilateral triangle. There are three banks of cylinders and each cylinder has not one but two pistons that work against each other. Think about this. This is model engineering at its finest.

Dev Emch
01-13-2006, 10:26 PM
Speaking as a former aerospace engineer, the way it really works is, we may be easy but we're not cheap.:cool:

The size of the hole in the ground is directly proportional to the the amount of VALUE ENGINEERING you put into the product if it has to fly! Accuracy Costs. Period.

Peter Pedisich
01-13-2006, 10:30 PM
Bruce,

After being away for a day I just feel that I have to say more about this...

Your post is a perfect example of why I come to SMC every chance I get, seeing the photos of your work has inspired me. I may not ever get to work on machines like that but it teaches me something about what can be done, and challenges me to do something! Similar to the way I felt the first time I discovered Pat Warner's website.

THANK YOU for sharing the photos and explanations, I hope to see more in the future.

One must have goals to achieve, and my goal is to one day produce work at the level of yours. I may not get there, but I'll enjoy every minute trying.

Pete

Michael Ballent
01-13-2006, 11:01 PM
Well I have been researching this too and have come across this WWW site:

http://www.jjjtrain.com/vms/

It has all sorts of good info on machining... For a complete newbie (like me :o) I think that this will provide us with a ton of info :D


Bruce & Dev
Thanks for the informative writeups. This will definitely be my goal within the next couple of years. What would the LOML say when I tell her I want to get into this and she see's all those $$$$$ floating away.

Walt Pater
01-13-2006, 11:10 PM
I, Walter Pater, do now solemnly swear never to attempt to make another jig again for the rest of my life.
JOSEPH AND MARY, BRUCE, THAT IS PHENOMENAL!!!!

Frank Chaffee
01-13-2006, 11:22 PM
Bruce,

After being away for a day I just feel that I have to say more about this...

Your post is a perfect example of why I come to SMC every chance I get, seeing the photos of your work has inspired me. I may not ever get to work on machines like that but it teaches me something about what can be done, and challenges me to do something! Similar to the way I felt the first time I discovered Pat Warner's website.

THANK YOU for sharing the photos and explanations, I hope to see more in the future.

One must have goals to achieve, and my goal is to one day produce work at the level of yours. I may not get there, but I'll enjoy every minute trying.

Pete

Well stated Peter,
I echo your sentiments exactly.

Frank

Chris Pasko
01-14-2006, 9:51 AM
Man, that is absolutely increible! I wish I knew how to do that sort of stuff! Very very nice!

Bob Swenson
01-14-2006, 11:17 AM
How Great you are!

Mike Swindell
01-14-2006, 3:23 PM
I have worked in the aerospce industry for over 20 years - currently in satellite operations. I have known and worked with numerous machinsts and have had the opportunity to see their work in many applications, many of which are still in space and working perfectly. Bruce's work is very good and by the looks of the machining, top notch.

If my comments were inapproriate, I'm sorry. Perhaps if all the members had read the first words, it did say "nice work". There is probably no one in this forum has never used company resources for some type of personal work - whether it be printing or using a machine shop. This type of work, known as G jobs, has been done in the aerospace industry for years and will always continue. That is what I was referring to in my comments. I never intended to cause such a uproar over my comments. It's obvious that members jumped to conclusions after the fact, and other members jumped on the bandwagon, and the critiques snowballed. Seems like most negative comments about my reply just assumed I was knocking Bruce on a personal level. This far from the truth.

Jay Knoll
01-14-2006, 11:44 PM
Mike

That is a very heartfelt and appropriate apology! Too bad that sometimes written comments can't convey the nuances that we hear with the spoken word. Thanks for the post.

Jay:)

James Boster
01-15-2006, 6:08 AM
Bruce, very impressive!!. I want one, but then I guess so does everyone else on the creek. I do have a 9A southbend and have just started to play with it but this level of work is out of my league. Just curious though if you have drawings of your design as I love my bosch colt and this would make a great accessory. :D

Mike I'm glad to see you step up and appologize instead of just getting mad and not returning. I personally understand what you ment by your first post. I work in a major chemical plant and the "goverment" work as we call it goes on all the time, from someone wanting a lawnmower piece fixed to building large boat parts or others. I have used this resource before and I am not ashamed of it. It works on the old principle of you help me out and when you need help I will return the favor, very similar to the barter system.;)

Keith Outten
01-15-2006, 7:58 AM
Mike,

I didn't take offense to your statement, I spent ten years at NASA Langley and understand the government job reference :)

Clearly Bruce's work is top shelf and you can tell from his photos that he paid attention to the fit and finish part of the job. Looking closely you can tell he is an accomplished machinist. The scrapyards located anywhere near a Government facillity will always be full of high tech material that can be purchased for penny's, I have found some real bargains at scrapyards in Hampton Virginia on mateial and some very cool equipment as well. I have also worked for companies that allow employees access to scrap material, it saves them from having to pay the landfill fees.

Bruce, I just purchased a Bosch Colt router and used it for the first time yesterday. I am really impressed with the quality and how smooth it runs. I was also impressed with the design of the stock router base untill I saw yours :)

.

David Less
01-15-2006, 9:24 AM
Since we are having a design/build show off thought I'd post my router lift.

David

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuv69/Lift_Front.sized.jpg

http://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuv69/Lift_Side.sized.jpg

Mark Singer
01-15-2006, 9:27 AM
David,
That is impressive...I like the floor structure of the router table...laminated plywood beams...impressive..like a battle ship:eek:

Brian King
01-15-2006, 10:06 AM
Bruce,
From one toolmaker to another nice job!. It takes years of learning from other skilled toolmakers to develop the knowledge it takes to do this kind of work. Some people never do get it. If you are a toolmaker you know what I mean. Similar to a top notch woodworker. You can't buy the machines and then make this kind of thing.
It's this kind of skill that built the USA into what it is today. Virtually everything around you was produced with the involvement of a machinist.
I believe this trade is or was the backbone of America. Unfortunately, there are not enough young people getting into it anymore. In the last few years with manufacturing moving overseas I've felt it is somewhat of a dying trade here in the states. Over half of the Mold shops in this area have closed up shop. You can buy a plastic injection mold from China cheaper than you can get the steel here. Something is wrong!
Rant OFF!
Great work Bruce!

greg sproul
01-15-2006, 10:29 AM
very nice david! I wish I could find yours and david's at my local woodworking store! Do you guy have any books to recomend on making this kind of stuff?

John A. Williams
01-15-2006, 10:55 AM
Bruce, that is awesome, simply awesome! David I would like to see some more picture of yours and a description, it looks very well built.
John

Ed Bamba
01-15-2006, 12:08 PM
Bruce,
From one toolmaker to another nice job!. It takes years of learning from other skilled toolmakers to develop the knowledge it takes to do this kind of work. Some people never do get it. If you are a toolmaker you know what I mean. Similar to a top notch woodworker. You can't buy the machines and then make this kind of thing.
It's this kind of skill that built the USA into what it is today. Virtually everything around you was produced with the involvement of a machinist.
I believe this trade is or was the backbone of America. Unfortunately, there are not enough young people getting into it anymore. In the last few years with manufacturing moving overseas I've felt it is somewhat of a dying trade here in the states. Over half of the Mold shops in this area have closed up shop. You can buy a plastic injection mold from China cheaper than you can get the steel here. Something is wrong!
Rant OFF!
Great work Bruce!

Brian and others who work in the same industry, I too really admire the products you all produce from a chunk of metal. Like you, I too am concerned that our young people will not fill the gap left by the retiring machinist of the country. In my mind, machinist, and more specifically tool makers, are geniuses. What is your impression of the comment made earlier, eluding to the idea that machinist work isn't cheap? Could this be one of the factors that those jobs are being sent across the pond? It really is sad that we Americans want quality while in the same breath, demanding lower prices.

To the OP, sorry for the hijack. Your work is remarkable! I've been looking for ways to get into the machinist trade, but it seams that no one will hire based on your aspierations alone. So unless I find a way, I'll have to remain on the sidelines, wiping away the drool. Keep up the excellent work, and keep posting pictures of your remarkable work.

Take care,
Ed

tod evans
01-15-2006, 12:23 PM
ed, most vocational schools offer night classes in different areas of metal working and many of the instructors are retired machinists who posses a wealth of knowledge......02 tod

Mark Valsi
01-15-2006, 12:33 PM
Bruce,

Outstanding Craftsmanship !!

wow indeed !

Ed Bamba
01-15-2006, 12:33 PM
ed, most vocational schools offer night classes in different areas of metal working and many of the instructors are retired machinists who posses a wealth of knowledge......02 tod

Thanks for the info Tod, I'll check to see if there are any our area.

Take care, Ed

Eric Haycraft
02-10-2008, 12:43 PM
All it takes is a south bend heavy 10-L metal lathe and your on the way and I know exactly where you can find one.;) Suscribe to Home SHop Machinst Magazine and your addicted for life. Wait till you see what the guys are doing at the NAMES show! You will need to wire your jaw shut. Here is a little taste. I hope the base has a little wood in it to keep on topic.:D

Took me forever to find what type of engine that was.. Wow. And with a turbo to boot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Deltic

Thanks for that pic.

Dewey Torres
12-27-2008, 8:12 PM
Sorry folks but after reviewing Bruce's thread on his workshop:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=100052

I just had to bump this thread. I have always said my complaint with the Colt was the absence of a plunge base but Bruce sure as heck solved that!

Shawn Honeychurch
12-30-2008, 6:32 PM
Since we are having a design/build show off thought I'd post my router lift.

Davidhttp://www.woodworkersweb.com/modules/gallery/albums/albuv69/Lift_Side.sized.jpg

WOW, I have never seen an invisible router lift before...

What am I missing?

Shawn

Bruce Page
12-30-2008, 6:38 PM
This happens often when someone links their pictures through a photo hosting service and the links get broken or the owner pulls the pics. That's why its best to post your pics directly to the Creek, they'll be here as long as the waters flowing.

Rob Cunningham
12-31-2008, 8:28 AM
Bruce,
Beautiful craftsmanship. As a fellow toolmaker I know the tediousness of precision work. Nice job.
Did you chase the threads on the lathe or use a die?

Bruce Page
12-31-2008, 10:14 AM
Bruce,
Beautiful craftsmanship. As a fellow toolmaker I know the tediousness of precision work. Nice job.
Did you chase the threads on the lathe or use a die?
Thanks Rob, I chased the thread to class 3 spec's on my logan lathe. Rod stock was 304SS

Alan DuBoff
12-31-2008, 11:50 PM
Holy moly Bruce, that is gorgeous work!

That is a nice project.

I was pondering to make a micro-fence edge guide for my router, although I don't use it often...I would like to have one when I need it...

Steve Clardy
01-01-2009, 12:13 AM
I think ol Bruce is going to be a machinist one of these days. :D:D:D:D:D

Joe Trotter
01-01-2009, 10:34 AM
Wow, impressive!

I was a tool maker for twenty years, I miss having access to machine tools.

Joe

Eduard Nemirovsky
01-01-2009, 1:13 PM
Just say WOW:D:D