Making A Pen Holder For My Markers

Difficulty Level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane):
Easy

Process:
I didn't realize how many times I have rummaged through my tray where I keep all my markers and pens so I decided I was gonna take an old piece of left-over 18-gauge rocker panel from a previous car repair and make me a marker holders.

All I had to do is measure, punch, pre-drill and then drill the holes to 5/8". After deburring the back, all I had to do is drill 4 more holes for the mounting screws and screw it into the bottom of my tool shelf.

I ended up taking it down again, drilling a bunch more 1/2" holes for my permanent jiffy markers and putting it back up.

It looks really nice and I'm sure will save me a lot of time in the future because I won't have to go digging through my marker tray.

Videos:

 
Pictures:

Marking out the holes

The holes marked out

Punching a little divet with a center punch to make it easier to drill

Cutting off 10" on the metal band saw

De-burring it on my little bench top belt sander

Pre-drilling the holes with an 1/8" drill bit

Marking the step drill so I don't drill too deep

Drilling the holes into the metal

Hammering the burr flat

Marking out the holes to mount the holder

Installing the marker holder under my tool shelf

I drilled a bunch more smaller holes for the permanent jiffy markers

Another view

The finished shelf

Another view

Another view

What a beauty

Tools:
Measuring tape
Square
Pencil
Center punchMetal band saw
Drill press
Drill bits
Bench top belt sander

Hammer
Cordless drill

Materials:
10" of 18-gauge sheet metal

Cost:
$0

Time:
1 hour

Savings:
Not sure

Conclusion:

This will save me a lot of time in the future. I'm glad I did this

Making a Sandvik Coromant TopLok 3CL Clip

Difficulty Level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane):
Medium

Process:
I'm doing this blog only because I've been searching for an image for a 3CL TopLok (Top-Lok, Top Lok, Top Lock, Top-Lock, TopLock) clip for my carbide inserts for a long time and just could not find anything decent.

I ended up going to Joe from Big Joe's machine shop down the road to ask him if he had any 3CL clips laying around and he actually did. I asked him if he would let me borrow it for the weekend and he was ok with it since he didn't even have a tool holder for it.

Tonight, I took some O1 tool steel and machined it down to size, heated it to a cherry red and quenched it in oil. Then I tempered it to about 425 degrees (F) by heating it over my oxy/acetylene torch until it turned a light straw yellow color.

Now, all I have to make is the actual holder and I'll finally be able to use those inserts!

Documents:
Top-Lok PDF (from sandvik website)

Pictures:

Tools:
Metal lathe & accessories
Metal band saw
Oxy/acetylene torch

Materials:
1" of 3/4" O1 tool steel
Old motor oil

Cost:
$0

Time:
2-3hrs

Savings:
Not sure

Conclusion:

It looks wonderful. Can't wait to use it!

Making an Aluminum Follow (Travelling) Rest - Reloaded

Difficulty Level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane):
Medium

Process:
The process was exactly the same as when I Made an Aluminum Follow (Travelling) Rest for my Emco Maximat V10 Metal Lathe the first time around.

Videos:

 
Pictures:

The broken steady rest - version 1

My aluminum melting foundry furnace

The finished mold ready for pouring

The in-gate (top right) and the 3 risers

After the aluminum was poured

Pouring the left-over aluminum into my ingot mold

The steady rest taking shape

Making 3 longer tie-down/locking bolts

The brass contact point assemblies

Machining the v-groove into the base of the steady rest

The finished steady rest

The back side of the steady rest

Another view

Another view

The steady rest ready to be used

Tools:
Aluminum foundry & accessories
Propane burner for my foundry
Metal lathe & accessories
Delta belt sander
Metal band saw
DIY Ingot Mold
Square
Pencil
Welding magnet
Hammer
Tap & die set

Materials:
6" by 6" piece of 3/4" MDF
2 lbs of aluminum

Cost:
$0.00

Time:
About 4 hours

Savings:
$200 bucks or more

Conclusion:

It works great and I'm sure this time I won't break it

How To Fix A Cracked Home Aluminum Foundry

Difficulty Level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane):
Easy

Process:
Within the first month of making my Home Foundry, the drying out of the fire clay left some cracks which have virtually remained at the same state for the last 5 years. I decided to give it a bit of a face lift with some fire mortar.

The process was very easy, I just mixed up the bucket of fire mortar, applied it with a spatula, let it dry for a couple of days and then fired it with the Propane Burner I made especially for the foundry furnace.

Videos:

 
Pictures:

The fire mortar I used to line the furnace

More info

Instructions

Tools:
Spatula

Materials:
Bromix fire mastic

Cost:
$25.00

Time:
20 minutes

Savings:
N/A

Conclusion:
It looks and works great