The Misadventures of Mad Machinist

[Oddjob]

Not what I expected at first when I clicked on the journal; I am glad it was not because this is a very interesting read so far, and I hope it keeps on going.

MM you always say what folks are thinking and will not come out and say. Keep it coming.

 

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[KevinInColorado]

If it is economically feasible hire some laborers.

Yes this! Use your expertise and someone else's back!!

 

[Mad Machinist]

Yes this! Use your expertise and someone else's back!!

Yea, that's what I did. Got a couple of buddies together on the promise of beer and one of my smoked briskets and we "temporarily sealed" the adit to protect the land owner's children. We will deal with recovering the equipment at a later date.

Now I got to get my lazy butt in gear and put my welding hood on to go finish a project to better organize my "little garage". All the stuff I am doing as far as equipment design and build is out of my two car garage, just like most here would be doing.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Figured out I can still use my old phone to take pics and I am waiting on the saw to finish a cut, so here goes.

Pic of the truck I bought starting to grow up. After getting caught in the monsoon like I did last year I wanted my truck back. Sitting on 6 inches of lift and 33's right now. I am not happy with it's performance out in the desert so it will be getting a solid axle up front and at least 35's instead of the independent suspension under it now.

The full story behind the condition of my Jeep, on page two I think it is, is as follows.

The wife, my boy, a friend of ours, and I decided to take a quick trip out for fire agate near the house here. She originally wanted to take the car because we could get close to the area we were headed to and just walk in the rest of the way. I decided to take my Jeep instead just because I could.

We found some nice fire agate and continued to keep an eye on a monsoon developing to our south. I decided it was time to go and we got hit by the monsoon on the way out and it turned into a nightmare from there. We had to rig a tarp over the Jeep to protect us from the wind driven hail that came. And it started raining so hard after that that it was impossible to drive.

We waited out the monsoon and started home again. Well when we got to one of the washes we had to cross, the road was gone and in it's place was a gully about four feet deep. Luckily, we did take my Jeep. I was able to crawl down one bank and up the other bank to get us out of that part. Gotta love Jeeps.

The rest of the roads on the way home were about a foot of mud so it was fun.

We went with minimal water and no dry clothes since we were less than 10 miles from home. Just goes to show ya, that nothing should be taken for granted in the Arizona desert.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Couple of links for the ball mill project.

Open Source Machine | Open source, Open design, Open ideas, Open minds. This is to an open source multi function machine capable of doing just about any type of machining needed for our purposes. These ARE NOT hard to build and really don't require a lot of extreme skill to build, just attention to detail and an open mind.

Surplus Center If ya'll didn't know about this place, well, ya do now. Lots of interesting stuff that can be used for our "ideas" like this: Surplus Center

Want an overhung load adapter for your mixing tank? Surplus Center

Some of the engineering math involved in this is just plain gross, but if your all really interested I'll show it.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Been awhile since I posted anything so here goes. I just finished brushing up on hydraulics. I spent four days in a classroom so I could show the PROPER way to deal wuth hydraulics. I am moving forward on my idea of lawn/garden tractor based machines. I have to go on Sunday to pick up a Dynamark tractor that was given to me by a friend. I am going to pass on a lot of information concerning hydraulics and making a few recommendations such as buying this book, FLUID POWER SAFETY INSTITUTE™ - Complete description of How To Interpret Fluid Power Symbols book and Interactive CD-Rom . THis guy in THE GURU as far as hydraulics are concerned.

I HIGHLY recommend buying this book as an educational reference as one really needs to understand what is going on when messing with hydraulics. Hydraulic fluid injection injuries can be devastating. They seem harmless as they only make a small pinprick hole that most would ignore. To get my point across, I'll show you a few images of a hydraulic fluid injection injury.

Mods, I know these are going to be graphic, but everyone needs to understand what they are messing with if they decide to mess with these things. Please leave them up. I am not doing this because of some sick perversion, just ot serve a s a warning not to get stupid with hydraulics.


WARNING: GRAPHICS PICS FOLLOW!!!!

This is what they have to do to you if you get stupid with hydraulics. All of this is to remove the hydraulic fluid and reduce swelling before it causes more damage. So don't use your hands to find hydraulic leaks.

And here is what happens when you try yo be a "hero" and not go get a hydraulic fluid injection injury treated.

This is within a few days of the injury. All the black areas is where the flesh died. This ended up as a full amputation of the hand.

Like I said, I am not trying to make anyone sick or be "sick" myself. But everyone needs to understand that this isn't something to take lightly or try and do haphazardly.

 

[Mad Machinist]

I know you all are thinking I am trying to get you to buy tools you don't need, but here is one more book you should buy. https://new.industrialpress.com/machineryhandbook

With that book and a pair of calipers I will show you how a quick and dirty method to do this.



To make these: https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Roller-Sprocket-Reboreable-Single/dp/B004JXWGWY

And as a bonus, I'll even show you how to make the track chain and grouser pads.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Latest project while I am waiting for parts for other stuff. Toolbox for my work truck since my douchebag of a boss thinks I can't do anything since I am considered disabled with my heart problems. I can still do everything I used to do, I'm just not as fast as I used to be.

Frame work is almost complete. Need to finish welding it all together. 4 drawers in each of the small bays with two large drawers underneath them. The box on the end is for larger stuff like spray bottles and aerosol cans. Drawer slides along with the metal to skin the box and bend up the drawers will be here soon.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Forget to add that I picked up the garden tractor. It was free and didn't run. I had it running and the magnetic pick up burned out. New one on the way along with a new starter. I'm leaning towards a crawler project with it. The hydrostatically transmissions from a zero turn mower are independent for each wheel so that would take care of the drive. More as it develops.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Pics of said tractor. Like I said it didn't run when I got it and it was free so if this doesn't work, I'm not out much.

Don't mind the mess. Cleaning out and downsizing my inventory of old parts.

 

[Capt Nemo]

Tank treads on that would be perfect for the beach!

 

[Mad Machinist]

Tank treads on that would be perfect for the beach!

I have the general design worked out for the tracks. And if is very possible and rather easy to lay out a no. 240 3" pitch sprocket with just a pair of dial calipers. I also found a place where I can get the circular blanks for the sprockets for a really decent price considering the thickness, 1 3/4".

Tomorrow is a dump run, then a "salvage mission" to clean up a few refrigerators I found out in the desert, then finally fixing the front end alignment on my truck from the bit hit it took where I found the refrigerators.

Finally, I am getting a few projects out of the way and then it is hard and heavy on this. I found some old plans for a small backhoe out in the shed I need to clean up for this project too.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Cleaning out the storage shed and found books from these places in my SHTF stuff.

Gingerybooks.com Gonna try this one of these days

Youroldtimebookstore.com Some REALLY interesting and old school stuff here.

Stevechastain.com Some more interesting and amazing stuff.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Been quite some time since I updated. Not much going on except working the day job and trying to work through some of the equipment ideas I have.

Wife got me a new toy for Christmas to help me along the way. She gave it to me a little early.

Time to get to work.

 

[Oregon Viking]

That is cool...
Are you going to use the RAGE Multipurpose TCT Blades, or a diamond blade?
I would like to know how the RAGE blades hold up/work/cut.

 

[Mad Machinist]

That is cool...
Are you going to use the RAGE Multipurpose TCT Blades, or a diamond blade?
I would like to know how the RAGE blades hold up/work/cut.

Patience you must practice, my young padawan.

Had to go make sure I didn't burn supper.

 

[kcm]

Yes, please write us a review. If the saw works well, would be a smart $360 buy!!

 

[Mad Machinist]

Yes, please write us a review. If the saw works well, would be a smart $360 buy!!

$360? The wife got this one at Home Depot for just over $160.

 

[Mad Machinist]

Ok, there is going to be several posts here rapid fire. Each one needs its own post as it needs an explanation of what is going on. Hopefully I don't get them out of order as that would really jack things up. Lets see if anyone can figure out what I'm building.

Here's a hint: it has to do with building the equipment we need with just common hand tools and a welder.

First one:

What this is, is a piece of 4x4x3/8" thick angle with a piece of 2x2x1/4" angle welded to on side. You can see the magnets holding it in place and my Starrett angle gage setting there to kind the 2x2 angle up so it is even with the top of the angle. I'm building a jig here to cut another piece of angle at a specific included angle. Don't worry it will make sense soon.

 

[kcm]

Ah, yes - here it is. This is a comparison between the two models. Quite honestly, I don't see a lot of difference other than the price. But then I'm running WAY low on data time!!

Product Comparison Page