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Hey guys. I'm planning to take a trip backpacking in the near future, and I thought it would be neat to be able to lock my laptop with a multipurpose cable (so that I can also lock my bag to a post or something with the same cable & lock). I found that some companies do make 'security slot clips' like this: Basically, you fit each of the two halves of the clip into the slot individually, then put the cap over top it. You can use any cable and lock combo you like from there.  My concern is two fold: first, the bent steel bits don't seem like they would resist much force, and second, the lock could be easily defeated by simply cutting the plastic enclosure. For reference, this is what a Kensington lock looks like up close:  What I'm wondering is whether or not I should even try commissioning a sturdier set from a machinist (milling seems like the best option, since a milled set would be both strong and cheaper than other options), or if doing so would be prohibitively expensive.
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Nov 24, 2011 04:10
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Ambrose Burnside posted:e: #nonferrouschat: What's the best gauge of copper sheet to buy for cold-forming? I reeeeally-really wanna try dishing stuff in swage-blocks/tree-stumps and making hammer-textured bowls and poo poo, steel, copper or otherwise, and copper's probably the best place to start 'cause it's worked cold and looks real purdy. Well I tried making a frying pan with metal that was far far too thick at 2.5mm. If I were to do it again I'd go for <1.5mm, probably 1mm. It's surprisingly strong after work hardening. Just remember it is as expensive as hell. quote:Also, I've got a weird bug up my rear end to try making mokume-gane with copper and brass or copper and nickel-silver- how hard is it? The steel clamp method (where you sandwich a coupla sheets of your chosen metal with steel plates, and then bolt them together- when you put the entire thing in the fire the copper/brass/whatever expands more than the steel and kind of laminates itself [supposedly]) makes it look downright manageable, I don't know about this but you'd want to be really careful that the copper/silver doesn't melt. Cleaning that up'd be a bitch. quote:but everything to do with metalworking looks awesome and easy when someone who knows what they're doing demonstrates for you. This is painfully true. I guess there is a reason these were life-long professions.
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Nov 24, 2011 10:36
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I already tried making a tiny mokume-gane billet but it didn't fully laminate. I flattened some 16-gauge copper and brass wire segments, cleaned 'em up, and bound 'em together with wire. Of course, when I started heating it up the steel wire wrapping was able to uncoil and loosen, so it didn't do a whole lot. I hammered on it after heating a couple times, but (naturally) a tiny little billet loses heat so fast that it was probably too cool by the time the hammer hit to do anything. About half the flats were kinda-sorta sintered together, but I was still able to pry them apart with a bit of work. It might work better if I rigged up a wee little steel-plate/bolt press and used a hotter/another torch to get the entire assembly hotter, but. ehhhhhhhnnnn
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Nov 24, 2011 16:27
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Ambrose Burnside posted:I'm kinda jealous 'cause it's hard to find heavy copper/copper-alloy hammers and they're super-useful for transmitting a lot of force without marring whatever you're workin on up. I kinda want to cast myself a lead hammer some day but I'm saving that for my eventual Bulk Non-Ferrous Poor Metal Order. Harbor Freight sells them, as well as Home Depot and Sears. Expect to pay 25-35 for one, and if you get the Harbor Freight one, expect to re-handle it as the heads tend to come off their hammers pretty easy. For non-marring work, I cast a slightly dished block of pewter that I set work on to have a soft but sturdy base. Works great for polished stuff, but I don't use it for hot work as pewter melts at 350-400 degrees. If it ever gets too mashed up to use, I can re-melt and re-cast it easily. Ambrose Burnside posted:e: #nonferrouschat: What's the best gauge of copper sheet to buy for cold-forming? I reeeeally-really wanna try dishing stuff in swage-blocks/tree-stumps and making hammer-textured bowls and poo poo, steel, copper or otherwise, and copper's probably the best place to start 'cause it's worked cold and looks real purdy. Also, I've got a weird bug up my rear end to try making mokume-gane with copper and brass or copper and nickel-silver- how hard is it? The steel clamp method (where you sandwich a coupla sheets of your chosen metal with steel plates, and then bolt them together- when you put the entire thing in the fire the copper/brass/whatever expands more than the steel and kind of laminates itself [supposedly]) makes it look downright manageable, but everything to do with metalworking looks awesome and easy when someone who knows what they're doing demonstrates for you. Mokume Gane is pretty tough to make but is manageable if you are capable of forge welding and know what conditions to look for. I have helped another smith make it but never did it myself. As for cold forming copper, remember that it will work harden and will develop cracks if you don't anneal it as you go. With sheet metal gauge, the higher the number, the thinner the material. 30 gauge is a lot thinner than 18 gauge. I have used 22 gauge (1/32 inch thick) for some things and thicker material for others. It all depends on what you want to make. If you want to make a plate, thicker material is better because you don't want the plate to flex at all. Same goes with bowls. Repousse art should be done on thin sheet, since thinner metal is easier to work intricate details into. There is a coppersmith that lives near me and he does a lot of high end repousse artwork. The majority of his wall hanging pieces are made using ~30 gauge, with thicker metal for pieces that are required to be more sturdy. If you are interested in copper work, check out some videos on youtube that show a method called flame painting. Its pretty drat cool.
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Nov 24, 2011 17:27
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a depressed kitten posted:What I'm wondering is whether or not I should even try commissioning a sturdier set from a machinist (milling seems like the best option, since a milled set would be both strong and cheaper than other options), or if doing so would be prohibitively expensive. Unfortunately those cable wires are pretty easy to cut with the right tool. I think the best security in this case is simple not leaving expensive things unattended for people to steal. Milling those pieces wouldn't be difficult or expensive. If you're in college you can probably find a workshop on campus in the engineering buildings and you can likely get a student to cut them for you.
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Nov 25, 2011 17:51
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I made a post in this thread, or a version of it years back... Since then I have purchased a Brown & Sharpe #2 Universal Milling Machine and tons (literally) of other toys. So, I have acquired through auctions/ebay/whatever a few hundred taps. I've looked at tap dispensers, and they really come up short (in price, and ability to index taps) to keep them neatly organized. I thought about routing out boards, but that's really time consuming and I really suck at hand routing wood. With the price of AL plate (steel's out of the question) I'm kinda stuck. I'm not routing wood on a bridgeport! Any suggestions?
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Nov 29, 2011 05:24
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Can anyone tell me off the top of their heads if rebar is galvanized? I'm building a smoker and bought some rebar from Home Depot to hold up the grills. I'm worried about the zinc poisoning the food when it gets heated up.
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Nov 29, 2011 05:24
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camino posted:Can anyone tell me off the top of their heads if rebar is galvanized? I think the answer is a definite maybe? I have a bunch of rebar in one of my sheds that floods, and it hasn't really gotten all that rusty, but some has. I'd be willing to bet some rebar is indeed galvanized.
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Nov 29, 2011 05:37
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camino posted:Can anyone tell me off the top of their heads if rebar is galvanized? It's normally unfinished. Galved rebar exists, but I've never personally used it. Most of the stuff I use at work is epoxy coated. e: galvanized rebar would work too, you would just need to heat the hell out of it (outside, while wearing a mask ideally) first. Probably several times. I believe muriatic acid strips it off, too. ee: if you absolutely must do this, be really, really careful with ventilation. I've had metal fume fever a few times and it really, really isn't fun at all. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 05:45 on Nov 29, 2011 |
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Nov 29, 2011 05:38
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I have never seen galvanized rebar, i would assume that if it looks like regular steel then it probably is just regular steel. Also seconding the advice on being careful with heating up galvanized, the zinc poisoning really doesn't make for a fun weekend.
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Nov 29, 2011 05:54
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I had a thought- if I had an oxy-acetylene rig but ran it off of propane, could I weld with it if I used a supplementary flux like borax? I was bitching and moaning about the price of acetylene and doing mental math to figure out how much a cylinder + a fill would cost (and/or renting the tanks), but then I thought of forge-welding, and how you can absolutely forge-weld in a propane gas forge... if I could get away with using just propane for everything I can definitely justify getting an OA setup. And that would make me happy.
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Nov 29, 2011 05:55
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Oxy-propane cuts like poo poo in the first place, and isn't quite as hot as oxy-acetylene. You also go through a fair bit more oxygen. As for welding (this is almost entirely anecdotal), it works beautifully for brazing and soldering, but it doesn't shield the weld like oxy-acetylene does, and contaminates the pudle. You end up with horrible brittle welds. A welding tip for oxy-acetylene and a oxy-propane tip are also very, very different. I don't believe you can run welding tips on propane. An OA setup needs different hoses (propane eats up normal OA hose) and a different nut to connect to a propane bottle, and the torch needs a different tip. e: The "cuts like poo poo" isn't really true. It's awesome for cutting up scrap and things. I just hate it for cutting smaller/finer/carefully. OA vs OP is a ridiculous argument that people bitch about endlessly. I prefer OA. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 06:17 on Nov 29, 2011 |
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Nov 29, 2011 06:09
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Hu Fa Ted posted:I'm not routing wood on a bridgeport! If it's a huge problem just get a plastic 'screws and nuts' organizer thing from Home Depot and look for a bunch of the plastic cases taps come in online and label them, then jam them in the storage unit. Samuel L. Hacksaw fucked around with this message at 14:10 on Nov 29, 2011 |
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Nov 29, 2011 14:08
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Hypnolobster posted:As for welding (this is almost entirely anecdotal), it works beautifully for brazing and soldering, but it doesn't shield the weld like oxy-acetylene does, and contaminates the pudle. You end up with horrible brittle welds. Yeah, I've heard this too- which is why I asked about adding a flux to make up for the lack of shielding gas generated. You can weld with a propane forge, so (in a perfect world where I don't have to spend a lot of money) it should work without the forge shell and with a slightly different burner arrangement, too. e: Or, hell, even some kind of jury-rigged CO2 system alongside the oxy-propane stuff. A CO2 tank and a propane tank, plus accoutrements, should still (by my napkin calculations) be cheaper to run than oxy-acetylene. Ambrose Burnside fucked around with this message at 15:10 on Nov 29, 2011 |
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Nov 29, 2011 15:08
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SmokeyXIII posted:I have never seen galvanized rebar, i would assume that if it looks like regular steel then it probably is just regular steel. Most everything I've read online says to just flat out not heat up galvanized metals. Being careful is apparently not good enough. That said, I think most blacksmiths use rebar at some point and I doubt it's common for it to be galvanized.
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Nov 29, 2011 15:42
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Sometimes you have to weld it though  Respirator up and stand back!
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Nov 29, 2011 17:07
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SmokeyXIII posted:Sometimes you have to weld it though Grind the zinc off with a flap disk or wire wheel to reduce your exposure. You will still get a little, but the majority will be ground off. Alternatively, you can soak the part in vinegar or muriatic acid if its small enough. Just make sure you clean it extremely well after your soak.
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Nov 29, 2011 20:39
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Ambrose Burnside posted:Yeah, I've heard this too- which is why I asked about adding a flux to make up for the lack of shielding gas generated. You can weld with a propane forge, so (in a perfect world where I don't have to spend a lot of money) it should work without the forge shell and with a slightly different burner arrangement, too. CO2 would likely be a bad idea with propane as the combustion is not complete leaving the torch. Have you considered OXY/MAPP; still much cheaper then O/A, slightly more expensive then propane; but if you can justify a 100# tank it will likely be trivial.
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Nov 29, 2011 21:20
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Do they sell MAPP at your local welding store? Never seen a MAPP cylinder outside the little disposables you get in the plumbing aisle, though I've never asked if bigger ones exist.
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Nov 29, 2011 23:43
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MAPP's supposed to be terrible for welding anything substantial because the hydrogen it imparts can't migrate out, so I wouldn't bother with MAPP for anything more than a lil jewelry torch (which I almost bought last weekend. Dropped that money on pewter blackener, gravers and a bracelet mandrel instead).
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Nov 30, 2011 02:47
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Random Number posted:Why not? I've done it loads of times, just hook up a big shop vac near the head to get the wood and take care to not light the wood on fire, high speed, short cuts, all by hand. If you're breaking through anywhere (drilling or plunging) make sure to back up the work piece with scrap and strap it to the table or breaking through will tear off huge chunks of wood from the work piece. Wood dust gets loving everywhere and it sops up oil like nobodies business. No wood poo poo in the machine shop -- it just makes a mess. Plus, I dislike machining wood, it cracks, it splinters and just generally acts like a jerk. I have some chunks of 1/2" AL plate I was thinking of using, but it seems like a waste for a bucket of taps and drills. I was just hoping someone had come up with a cheap sleazy idea to keep what was probably a couple grand worth of HSS taps (when new) organized and not banging around.
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Nov 30, 2011 03:15
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hayden. posted:Most everything I've read online says to just flat out not heat up galvanized metals. Being careful is apparently not good enough. Wear a good respirator (not a disposable POS) and work with plenty of ventilation, preferably outdoors with a noticeable breeze. Also, don't stand over what you're working on. Put it at eye level. Hot fumes go up, away from the air you're breathing (through a respirator). Some people are incredibly sensitive to zinc fumes. Some people aren't. I've welded galvanized metal plenty of times and have never had metal fume fever, or anything remotely like it. Limit your exposure and you'll probably be fine.
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Nov 30, 2011 03:19
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Hu Fa Ted posted:Wood dust gets loving everywhere and it sops up oil like nobodies business. No wood poo poo in the machine shop -- it just makes a mess. Plus, I dislike machining wood, it cracks, it splinters and just generally acts like a jerk. I have some chunks of 1/2" AL plate I was thinking of using, but it seems like a waste for a bucket of taps and drills. I was just hoping someone had come up with a cheap sleazy idea to keep what was probably a couple grand worth of HSS taps (when new) organized and not banging around. Storage bins and organizing racks is how we do it in the biz if you don't want to mill up a board. Whenever we milled wood we just put a big vacuum next to the head, same as when we milled fiber board for heat insulation. Just oil the machine when you're done, they don't need to be babied that much, the loving 70 year old ones at my highschool still held tolerance at about .001". Your choice, besides that's a waste of aluminum making a tap rack out of it.
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Nov 30, 2011 03:20
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ductonius posted:Wear a good respirator (not a disposable POS) and work with plenty of ventilation, preferably outdoors with a noticeable breeze. Also, don't stand over what you're working on. Put it at eye level. Hot fumes go up, away from the air you're breathing (through a respirator). Yeah, I've done this outdoors on some galvanized water pipe I used to make a crucible, I just let it cook in the blast furnace for a few minutes. It probably ranks up on the siphoning gas with your mouth scale of dangerosity. My dad did it, I've done it, lot's of guys I know have done it when absolutely necessary... Not recommended, but neither is smoking. I guess it depends on your personal risk tolerance.
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Nov 30, 2011 03:24
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Random Number posted:Storage bins and organizing racks is how we do it in the biz if you don't want to mill up a board. Whenever we milled wood we just put a big vacuum next to the head, same as when we milled fiber board for heat insulation. Just oil the machine when you're done, they don't need to be babied that much, the loving 70 year old ones at my highschool still held tolerance at about .001". Yeah, definitely a waste of aluminum. I've seen the bins and racks in machine shops, I'll probably just wait until I see a couple go at an auction somewheres for nothing. Until then, maybe tackleboxes are the way to go. Nah, I disagree there. I baby the poo poo out of my machines. I load those motherfuckers up with enough oil to keep that evil rust poo poo away. I also never expect to find another Bridgeport for $400, another Sheldon 13", a B&S #2 Universal or any of the other antiques in my non-environmentally controlled shop. Oil is cheap as poo poo. Those machines are nigh irreplaceable. gently caress wood dust. e: Besides, isn't this the Metalworking thread? 
Pimblor fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Nov 30, 2011 |
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Nov 30, 2011 03:35
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hayden. posted:Most everything I've read online says to just flat out not heat up galvanized metals. Being careful is apparently not good enough. That said, I think most blacksmiths use rebar at some point and I doubt it's common for it to be galvanized. The real risk is people who do something really, really dumb and weld while leaning over top of it and get an hour or so worth of nice big lungfuls, or people who do it every day for 30 years. Metal fume from galvanized won't kill you, it just really really sucks. It generally doesn't even cause any lasting problems unless you're either extremely susceptible or have an insane exposure level. To be honest, you really shouldn't be breathing any welding or heating fumes, and you shouldn't be breathing any grinding or sanding dust. Smart people wear downward facing respirators in the shop that will fit under a welding helmet. Almost nobody is that smart, but it's still a good idea.
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Nov 30, 2011 05:32
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It's actually starting to become the norm for companies to have mandatory respirator use when doing hot work. It's at about half the job sites I go to now which means that it can't be long now before it is at all of them. I use my respirator anyways since I'm just so used to wearing it it's not a huge deal, and especially considering all the alloy work I've been doing lately.
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Nov 30, 2011 05:49
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Hu Fa Ted posted:Wood dust gets loving everywhere and it sops up oil like nobodies business. No wood poo poo in the machine shop -- it just makes a mess. Plus, I dislike machining wood, it cracks, it splinters and just generally acts like a jerk. I have some chunks of 1/2" AL plate I was thinking of using, but it seems like a waste for a bucket of taps and drills. I was just hoping someone had come up with a cheap sleazy idea to keep what was probably a couple grand worth of HSS taps (when new) organized and not banging around. You could try something like this. Plus the suggestion of using lumps of modelling clay to make finger dimples so you can actually get the things out. http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=4770.msg52671#msg52671 Might make the drawer very single purpose though. No room for odd sized replacements or additions.
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Nov 30, 2011 13:46
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Lets Play Arson posted:You could try something like this. Plus the suggestion of using lumps of modelling clay to make finger dimples so you can actually get the things out. That is loving awesome.
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Nov 30, 2011 17:25
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Don't mill pockets, drill holes and stand the taps upright. Or buy a plastic small parts box with a bunch of tiny drawers to keep everything separated. Or if you want it to be portable, http://www.mcmaster.com/#small-parts-organizers/=f5uedq
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Nov 30, 2011 20:32
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Hu Fa Ted posted:Wood dust gets loving everywhere and it sops up oil like nobodies business. No wood poo poo in the machine shop -- it just makes a mess. Plus, I dislike machining wood, it cracks, it splinters and just generally acts like a jerk. I have some chunks of 1/2" AL plate I was thinking of using, but it seems like a waste for a bucket of taps and drills. I was just hoping someone had come up with a cheap sleazy idea to keep what was probably a couple grand worth of HSS taps (when new) organized and not banging around. Think fishing! Go to your local sporting goods store and pick up a large lure organizer. It will be a tackle box that holds several of the smaller organizers inside it. Get one for metric and one for inch sizes. You can also keep the proper size drill bit in the same bay as the tap so you don't have to go 2 places to get the job done. Something like THIS.
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Nov 30, 2011 21:55
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Slung Blade posted:Do they sell MAPP at your local welding store? I work for a welding supply company in a gas production facility. Its been a long time since I worked in the flammable gas division but we used to to fill MAPP in cylinders from 1 pound up to 115 pounds. I say used to because MAPP is a proprietary blend of gases and it got stupid expensive. We switched to propylene because its cheaper. As far as I know we didn't have any complaints from customers when the switch over occurred. So if you are actually looking for larger cylinders of MAPP they are out there. You may also want to look at propylene as a less expensive alternative. shamelessly stolen from a another website because I am lazy posted:MAPP gas is ... Farside fucked around with this message at 00:03 on Dec 1, 2011 |
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Dec 1, 2011 00:00
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 Attention Philadelphia area metalworking goons The Philadelphia Blacksmithing Guild will be having our first meeting and demonstrating on Saturday, December 3rd from 10am-3pm at the Ryerss Museum Carriage House in Burholme Park in North Philadelphia. Come out and ask for John to meet a fellow goon. I will be arriving around noon.
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Dec 1, 2011 02:07
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oxbrain posted:Don't mill pockets, drill holes and stand the taps upright. I did just that for a bunch of milling cutters/big drills. Works well for sitting next to the milling machine. I really like the tacklebox idea. That's just cheap and sleazy enough to appeal to me.
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Dec 1, 2011 17:54
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iForge posted:Think fishing! Go to your local sporting goods store and pick up a large lure organizer. It will be a tackle box that holds several of the smaller organizers inside it. Get one for metric and one for inch sizes. You can also keep the proper size drill bit in the same bay as the tap so you don't have to go 2 places to get the job done. Something like THIS. Great idea, this is exactly the ticket. And if I ever come across one of those big tap dispenser filing cabinets cheap, hey, extra tacklebox.
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Dec 1, 2011 17:57
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Lets Play Arson posted:You could try something like this. Plus the suggestion of using lumps of modelling clay to make finger dimples so you can actually get the things out. I should do that for the stuff in my metrology drawer. Very nice idea. I wonder how long "great stuff" lasts? Hopefully it doesn't turn to nasty dust in 15 - 20 years. I have a Mitutoyo depth indicator that I bought for $5 that's all gummed up with dust from the foam that broke down and other guck from the case it was stored in.
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Dec 1, 2011 18:01
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Hypnolobster posted:To be honest, you really shouldn't be breathing any welding or heating fumes, and you shouldn't be breathing any grinding or sanding dust. Smart people wear downward facing respirators in the shop that will fit under a welding helmet. Almost nobody is that smart, but it's still a good idea. Do you have any suggestions for affordable respirators that will fit under a mask? I don't weld much especially now that I am back in school, but I want something I can add to the kit for when I do weld, paint, etc.
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Dec 1, 2011 18:03
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3M 7500 Silicone Half Mask is the most comfortable respirator I've found to date. It's got a downward facing exhaust hole so you don't fog up as bad when you're working in the cold. These P100 filters are what we use for welding, though I'm not sure they work too great for painting. This organic fume filter would probably be better for painting but someone else might be able to verify that since I'm not 100% sure about painting filters.
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Dec 1, 2011 18:49
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SmokeyXIII posted:3M 7500 Silicone Half Mask is the most comfortable respirator I've found to date. It's got a downward facing exhaust hole so you don't fog up as bad when you're working in the cold. Thanks. I like the price and it looks good. I can consult with my dad on filter types. He worked on a ship and was in charge of ordering most of that type of stuff. If he doesn't know one of his old coworkers will know. Plus I can probably get him to buy the stuff since I do most my welding for him.
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Dec 1, 2011 18:58
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Lets Play Arson posted:You could try something like this. Plus the suggestion of using lumps of modelling clay to make finger dimples so you can actually get the things out. Thank you for this.
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Dec 1, 2011 23:32
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