Archive-name: metalworking-faq/part1 This is the FAQ for rec.crafts.metalworking. It is in several pieces to keep the overall size of each part below the limits imposed by some news systems. This is part 1 of 11. Generally, units below are United States dollars, degrees Fahrenheit, and all the other silly backwards units we Americans still use. Sorry. The questions being answered in part 1: 0. Where is this FAQ kept, and where are archives of the newsgroup? 1. The original rec.crafts.metalworking charter. 2. Network resources (other lists, vendors, etc.) 3. What are some good books and/or video tapes on metalworking? The questions being answered in part 2: 4. Who makes good lathes/mills/etc? 5. Where do I buy a machine? 6. What are good magazines to subscribe to? 7. Where might one take classes or get instruction? 8. Where can I get raw material for my projects? 9. Where can I get tools, drill bits, etc.? 10. What are some of the related professional/hobby associations? 11. How do I harden/temper metal? The questions being answered in part 3: 12 How do I wire up this strange motor? 13. How do I deal with mail-order suppliers? 14. How to sharpen knives, chisels, and other tools? 15. Some safety reminders. 16. How do I drill round holes? 17. What's TIG and MIG? 18. MIG welding technique. The questions being answered in part 4: 19. Which MIG welder should I buy? 20. Books on welding. 21. Soldering/brazing topics. 22. What are bolt grades? 23. What is XYZ made of? 24. How do I build a furnace or forge? The questions being answered in part 5: 25. What is Damascus steel? 26. How do I repair/replace this old leather belt? 27. Can I use a drill press as a cheap vertical mill? 28. What is involved in building a steam engine? 29. How do I anodize aluminum? The questions being answered in part 6: 30. Rust! How do I deal with rust? 31. Are there any machinery museums? The questions being answered in part 7 32. How do I cut metal? 33. What kind of oil should I use on my lathe/mill? 34. What are the various tapers (Morse, JT, R8, etc.)? 35. What is Electric Discharge Machining (EDM)? The questions being answered in part 8 36. Solvent safety 37. What does "gage" (or "gauge") mean? 38. Leveling a lathe. 39. Wind Chimes The questions being answered in part 9 40. Patinas 41. Removing broken taps 42. Machining Plastic 43. Engine Turning, Jeweling, etc. The question being answered in parts 10 and 11 99. Names and addresses of publishers and suppliers (OK, so I got tired of re-numbering it every time a new question was added!) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Where is this FAQ kept, and where are archives of the newsgroup? This FAQ is also available via anonymous ftp to w3.uwyo.edu, in the METAL directory. I also hope to someday get it posted to news.answers and into rtfm.mit.edu, which is where many groups' FAQs are kept. I also keep an "informal" archive of the newsgroup on w3.uwyo.edu, also in the METAL directory. It's informal in that I only update it from time to time, not continuously. w3.uwyo.edu is usually down early Sunday and Monday mornings, so if ftp fails then, just try it again later. 1. The original rec.crafts.metalworking charter. A tiny bit of history: there existed a group trial.rec.metalworking, but few sites pick up the "trial" feed. Also, the trial method of group creation sort of died of neglect, so this group (rec.crafts.metalworking) was created to take its place and become an official wide-spread group. Charter ------- Charter -- REC.CRAFTS.METALWORKING The USENET newsgroup, rec.crafts.metalworking, is a newsgroup which discusses various aspects of working with metal, such as (but not limited to): machining, as on a lathe, milling machine, grinder, etc.; numerical control of such machines; welding, whether by gas, arc, mig, tig, thermite, or other methods; Metal joining, whether welding, brazing, soldering, riveting, screwing, folding, etc. (this section was added during the discussion) casting various metals by various methods; hardening/tempering various metals; blacksmithing/forging; spinning and hammer work; sheet metal work; jewelry-making; purchasing and/or reconditioning metalworking tools and machinery; interesting projects; books on metal technologies and history; Example areas of interest: knife/sword making; automotive repair; steam engine (model/scale, though full-sized discussions are welcome!); art work, such as bronze castings and sculptures; gunsmithing; toolmaking, such as for woodworking, further metalworking, etc.; While the bulk of the discussion will probably be directed towards small-scale "home" shops, industrial/production discussions are also quite welcome. 2. Network resources (other lists, vendors, etc.) There are several other metalworking-related resources on the Internet, such as mailing lists and WWW pages. Here are a few we are aware of. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ So the first one I list isn't even metalworking related! A handy reference available in most libraries is the Thomas Register, which lists many manufacturers and sellers of "stuff". They currently have an on-line presence on the World Wide Web: http://www.thomasregister.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.metalwebnews.com Metal Web News "A Virtual Newsletter for the Online Metal Enthusiasts" An effort by William Gray and others to present a metalworking newsletter. Contributions are welcome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://metalworking.com A service provided by Stevs Stallings and Practical Micro Design. Includes a "drop box" for pictures, shareware, and links to other sites. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A blacksmithing newsgroup was created in early February 1998: alt.crafts.blacksmithing ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MIT has some interesting material on metalworking at http://me.mit.edu/2.70/machine/outline.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ An excellent tutorial on spring-making is at: http://home.earthlink.net/~bazillion/springs.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The "heat treating industry" has a web page: http://www.heattreatingonline.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Houston Home Metal Shop Club has web pages of interest, and are nicely designed: http://www.comwerx.net/biz/geotek/hmsc/index.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Machine Design (a Penton publication) has some nice web pages that discuss a range of topics such as fastening (glues, clapms, etc.) and many other topics. http://www.penton.com/md, under "Basics of Design Engineering" for example. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Model makers might find Chris Heapy's web pages interesting: http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/homepage.htm There's also a mailing list, modeleng-list, available by sending a request to majordomo@swcp.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Small parts are useful to machinists, and robotics people also are interested in such things. Try looking at: http://www.robotics.com/resource.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available via: gopher://gopher.chem.utah.edu/11/MSDS http://hazard.com/msds http://turva.me.tut.fi/cgi-bin/wilma/msds http://www.enviro-net.com/technical/msds/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Electric Discharge Machining (EDM) is discussed in the FAQ (question 35) but see also: http://www.pe.net/~brettj/edm/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Metal properties: Metal Suppliers Online (MSO) includes a database of metal property data: http://www.suppliersonline.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Two newsgroups related to crafts such as metalworking: alt.binaries.pictures.crafts alt.binaries.pictures.crafts.d The first is where people should post binaries such as blueprints, photos of projects/equipment, and so on. The second is for disucssion of what's posted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Welding newsgroup: sci.engr.joining.welding ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steam engines: http://chaski.com/wwwboards/live_steam/ http://livesteaming.digiweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CAD software and related goodies are available via: http://www.mecheng.asme.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) mailing list was created in mid-May 1996. Here is part of their announcement: A new mailing list for the discussion of any CAM related software, hardware, questions, procedures, methods, terminology, etc. has been created and is now in operation. Topics could include, for example, software such as Camax, Mastercam, CimLinc, Cisigraph, SurfCam, etc, or subjects such as G-godes, APT source, different cutting methods and styles, or even actual CNC related topics. To subscribe to this list, send mail to "majordomo@umcc.umich.edu" with: subscribe cam in the body of the mail by itself. The subject of the mail is ignored. This will subscribe you to the per message version of the list. This means that for every message the list receives, you will receive one piece of mail. If there are 10 submissions to the list in one day, you get 10 pieces of mail. There is also a digest version available. To subscribe to the digest version, send mail to "majordomo@umcc.umich.edu" with: subscribe cam-digest ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There's a CNC newsgroup: alt.machines.cnc ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gardner Publications, publisher of the magazines Modern Machine Shop, Production, and Products Finishing, has a web page: http://www.gardnerweb.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Metal casting: http://www.teg.co.uk/teg/hoben/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you are interested in clocks/watches, there is a CLOCKS mailing list. Send mail to listserv@listserv.syr.edu, containing the command "SUBSCRIBE CLOCKS your name". There is also a clock presence on the World Wide Web (WWW): http://glen-ellyn.iit.edu/~clocks/clocks/clocks.html A similar newsgroup is alt.horology. See also http://www.horology.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steam Engines: http://livesteaming.digiweb.com, http://chaski.com/wwwboards/live_steam/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the scientific side, there's sci.engr.metallurgy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is also a Usenet newsgroup rec.woodworking that may be of interest to people who read rec.crafts.metalworking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- WWW (World-Wide-Web) users may be interested in Enrique Vega's efforts which he calls ArtMetal. This includes a mailing list and Home Pages of: http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/ArtMetal.html http://www.artmetal.com/ Enrique can be reached at evega@artmetal.pdial.interpath.net. See also the Prince Edward Island Crafts Council (Canadian): http://www.peicraftscouncil.com A crafts fair guide is at: http://www.teleport.com/~paulec/FAIRGUIDE/CRAFTLST.HTML ------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Usenet newsgroup was created around March of 1994, called rec.crafts.jewelry. Some of the questions on rec.crafts.metalworking have been jewelry related, such as casting small pieces; these might be more appropriate on the new group, or at least you might get more answers! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- A newsgroup called rec.knives was created in September 1995. A mailing list for knifemakers was created in early 1995: Such a list is now available, and may be joined by sending mail to majordomo@swcp.com containing a line "subscribe knife-list". Following is the announce text for the list: The purpose of this mail list is to be a forum where knife makers and bladesmiths discus technical, artistic, political, and business ideas related to the field of custom and handmade cutlery. Knife fighting techniques and martial arts are not part of the discussion, except where it relates to an actual knife design. In short, this mailing list is for knife makers, sword makers, bladesmiths, and serious collectors of custom and handmade cutlery. An older mailing list for knifemakers, collectors, and people interested in edged-weaponry martial arts and techniques is the EDGE mailing list. Requests to be added to this list should be sent to: EDGE-owner@HICOM.LUT.AC.UK Submissions to the list itself should be sent to: EDGE@hicom.lut.ac.uk Topics on this list have ranged across topics like discussions of the types of steels used in knives, and why select one over another; the qualities and selection of different types of pocket tools [such as the Gerber Multi-Plier, the Leatherman, the SOG Toolclip, etc.]; current sales on knives from mail-order or discount-house sources; why Japanese swords are made the way they are/were, and how to take care of such a sword; selecting modern reproduction swords for martial-arts purposes; and many other edged-weapon and edged-tool subjects. However, lately (April 1995) it has been heard that the list is largely dead and unresponsive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silversmithing (commercial): http://www.gold.net/users/dy93/. Also, the Society of American Silversmiths at http://www.silversmithing.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The "industry", whatever that may be, has a WWW home page as well as a Telnet address, respectively: http://www.industry.net industry.net Then there's the manufacturer's Information Network: http://mfginfo.com/home.htm Metal finishing (electroplating, anodizing, galvanizing, etc.): http://www.finishing.com http://www.peganet.com/dalmar/dalmarhm.html METAL Machining and Fabrication: http://www.mmf.com/metal Used Equipment Network (UEN), WWW or Telnet respectively: http://www.hsix.com buyused.hsix.com The Global Recycling Network deals with used machines and tools: http://grn.com/grn/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Book sellers: Powell's Technical Books (new and used) can be reached at http://www.technical.powells.portland.or.us, or you can get more info by sending blank e-mail to ping@technical.powells.portland.or.us. More info in the vendor list. Amazon.com claims one million titles, at http://www.amazon.com. Book Stacks Unlimited can be reached via telnet to books.com, or (216) 861-0469, or http://melville.books.com/scripts/main.exe? or http://www.books.com. 3. What are some good books and/or video tapes on metalworking? Note that this is not a complete list. If you are looking for books on anodizing, there is a separate FAQ section that deals with that topic and lists several books. - How to Run a Lathe This book is available from South Bend distributors, such as Blue Ridge, and/or Lindsay. It was originally printed in 1914 and last updated in 1966, I believe. - Advanced Machine Work by Robert H. Smith (1925). This book is not as "advanced" as the title might indicate, but assumes that you are not a total beginner. Available from Lindsay Publications (Cat. No 4236, $27.50, hardcover). - Machine Tool Operation, Vol. 1 & 2, by Henry Burghardt, Aaron Axelrod & James Anderson. These books were for many years the standard text in trade schools and technical colleges. Volume one covers the basics: safety, measuring, bench work, drill press, lathe and forge. Volume two covers: shaper, planer, milling machine, grinding, hydraulics, band saw, metallurgy, and cutting fluids. Your best source for these is a used book store or a technical school library. They overlap much of "Advanced Machine Work", but neither is a complete substitute for the other. - Materials Handbook by George S. Brady (McGraw-Hill Book Co.) "An encyclopedia for purchasing managers, engineers, executives, and foremen". Essentially, it gives an "executive summary" of virtually every material that is valuable in commerce. For instance, there is a two-page entry for "Die Steels". It is not aimed at the scientist or engineer; it is aimed at the person who needs to quickly understand the important characteristics and economics of industrial materials without involvement in details. It does cover a lot of non-metal materials as well. - Machine-Tool Work, by William P Turner and Halsey F Owen. 1932 and 1945 (hence no ISBN number). Some libraries may still have a copy, though you're probably out of luck for a purchase. Moderately good text, very good diagrams and pictures, especially of huge special-purpose machines like railroad wheel grinders. Suffers a bit from age, and seems intended for large industrial shops, but a good read if you find it. - Machine Shop Theory and Practice, by Albert M Wagener and Harlan R Arthur. 1941 (hence no ISBN number). Some libraries may still have a copy, though you're probably out of luck for a purchase. Fairly good text, more specific techniques than the Turner/Owen book. Suffers a bit from age, but still a nice instructional book. - Lathe Operations, by Richard R. Kibbe. 1985, ISBN 0-471-89023-5. Adapted from materials originally prepared by the Engineering Industry Training Board of Great Britain. Also in the same series: Milling Machine Operations, and Grinding Machine Operations. A step-by-step text with about 2 photos and lots of simple but usually-clear drawings. Shows how to do most any common lathe operation (and a few uncommon ones) in as few words as possible. Check page 90 for what seems to be a man with two right hands. - Machine Tool Practices, by Kibbe,Neely, Meyer and White. It's the first year machine shop text used by some community colleges. - The Making of Tools, by Alexander G Weygers Prentice Hall Press, 1973, ISBN 0-671-60924-6. A modern book about doing things the old way. How the artist/craftsperson can design, make, sharpen and temper tools. May be available from Centaur Forge. - Machinery's Handbook. A standard reference book for machinists, available from most distributors of machines or tools. http://www.industrialpress.com/handbook/index.html - Clockmaking & Modelmaking; tools and techniques by W.R. Smith Mr. Smith has published other books on clockmaking, but this one covers more than just clocks, and is thus of interest to more than just clock-makers. This is a collection of articles from the British Horological Journal, Timecraft, Model Engineer, and Horological Times. The articles have been updated and expanded for inclusion in this 112-page coil-bound book. For a complete review, see HSM Jan/Feb 1992, page 14. Available from Gateway Clocks (see names/addresses section), $35 post-paid within USA (overseas buyers add $5 for postage). - Elmer's Engines, by Elmer Verberg, available from Modeltec magazine. Has many very nice, and fairly easy to build stationary steam engines. - Model Locomotive and Marine Boilers [Argus Press, 1988, ISBN 0-85242-923-1] by Martin Evans (well known in the Model Engineering field, at least in Great Britain) - Model Boilers & Boilermaking by K.N.Harris, published 1971 Possibly available from Argus. - The Shop Wisdom of Frank McLean, available from Village Press. Lots of good ideas, and common sense approaches, and the few pages about inspecting used machines is worth its weight in gold for first time buyers. - THE MACHINIST'S BEDSIDE READER Guy Lautard 2570 Rosebery Avenue West Vancouver, B.C., Canada V7V 2Z9 (Some of Guy's books are also available from other suppliers, such as MSC) Contains: Working drawings and detailed instructions for making 15 useful and practical machinists tools and lathe accessories; dozens of hints, tips and tricks to help get things done faster, easier and better in your shop; a collection of 2 dozen machine shop anecdotes; 2 highly readable machinists short stories. Projects include: a sharpening jig for drill from 1/8 to #60, a swiveling base for a 2" Wilton vise, a graduated handwheel for the lathe leadscrew.........and many more THE MACHINIST'S SECOND BEDSIDE READER Similar in format to the first book; projects include: a small pantograph engraving machine, a tool maker's block, poor man's jig borer and a kerosene-burning blowtorch....... also a short story titled "The Bullseye Mixture" which details the method for carbon pack color casehardening. THE MACHINIST'S THIRD BEDSIDE READER Some of the projects/info: color casehardening, a co-ax indicator, a collet chuck system, a deluxe overhaul of a keyless drill chuck, sharpening tools, sandblasting, setting up work on a faceplate, taper turning, knurling flat surfaces, and more. "A Treatise on Oiling Machine Tools" Very small (25 pages), very costly ($7.95), and not much useful information according to Tom Walter. One useful warning is to not use way oils in a milling machine's centralized oiling system, as some of them contain wax which will clog the system. Other books and plans by Lautard (not a complete list): "Hey Tim, I gotta tell ya....' a mini Bedside Reader" "3.75 Inch Diameter Ungeared Rotary Table" "Universal Sleeve Clamp". Lautard's targeted readership seems to be the home machinist. I'm sure that much of what he has to say may be "old hat" to a skilled machinist with many years experience. I confess that I am a rank amateur in machine shop practice (my only professional experience was as a part-time helper in a gunsmith shop where the machine I got to know best was the polishing wheel). The flyer I quote from is available from Lautard at the address I gave with my last posting. [reviews and typing courtesy of Michael Gordon, except for the description of the third bedside reader. JK] It has also been reported that Guy sells an index of some sort, either of all projects or all articles, in the back issues of Model Engineer. See also the description of Model Engineer magazine. - Machine Tool Reconditioning, by Connelly Covers reconditioning of machine tools, including figuring out what's off on lathes and such. Also a good section on scraping (i.e. removing small areas of metal by scraping, such as making a plate very flat). Mostly deals with reconditioning ways, and does not spend much time on mechanical problems such as worn nuts or gears. Currently available from Machine Tool Publications, Suite 208, 1600 University Ave. W, St. Paul Minnesota 55104, (612) 458-1540. The current (January 1998) price per an ad in HSM is listed as $92.95 plus $5 shipping. May also still be available via Dapra Corp., 66 Granby Street, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (860) 242-8539. Last time anybody mentioned their price it was $81, but call and check. - The Surface Treatment and Finishing of Aluminum and its Alloys, Edited by S. Wernick, R. Pinner, and P.G. Sheasby. Published 1987 by ASM International, Metals Park, Ohio. 2 volumes. Mentioned in sci.materials in response to a "how do I anodize aluminum?" question. - Electroplating for the Amateur, by L. Warburton. Model & Allied Publications. Available via Argus. - The Electroplater's Handbook, by C.W. Ammen TAB books. ISBN 0-8306-0410-3 (hardbound), ISBN 0-8306-0310-7 (paperback) - Metal Finishing - Guidebook and Directory Metals and Plastics Publications, Inc One University Plaza Hackensack, NJ 07601 Mentioned as a good reference for electroplating. - Machine Tool Practices, fourth edition, John Wiley and Sons. Covers a lot of ground and is the first-year book at DeAnza College. - Machine Shop Practice, second editions, volumes 1 and 2 by K.H. Moltrecht. Published by Industrial Press, Inc. ISBN ISBN 0-8311-1126-7 and ISBN 0-8311-1132-1 (vol 1, vol 2) Preface: "It is written for the beginner, as well as for the more advanced craftsman, technician, and manufacturing engineers." "...designed for use in the classroom or for home study,..." (about $20 each) - The Home Machinist's Handbook, by Doug Briney (c)1983, $17.95 [TAB Books] ISBN 0-8306-1573-3 (paperback) Basic... Reading prints, measurements, hand tools, bench tools, the lathe & operation, the milling machine & operation. Projects using the Sherline machine system. - Machinists' Ready Reference, 7th edition (c)1989 [Prakken Publications, Inc], Compiled by Clarence Weigartner, ISBN 0-911168-74-5, 7th edition: $12.50/$10.00(schools), new 8th edition: $14.50 Pocket sized (4.5" x 6"). Good student guide to math, drills, tapers, threads, milling/turning speeds, gears, weights & reading shop prints. Sort of a "poor man's Machinery's Handbook". - How To Work Sheet Metal, by Herbert Dyer Available from Power Model Supply. Highly recommended by Guy Lautard in his Machinist's Bedside Reader. - The New Science of Strong Materials, 1968 (1st ed.), 1976 (2nd ed.), 1984 (Penguin paperback). J.E. Gordon, Princeton University Press. (review courtesy of Bob Powell): This wonderful 280 page paperback lucidly covers the realm of materials science and engineering, in lay terms rather than textbook theory, but with enough depth and detail to satisfy an engineer in a different discipline. Explains, along the way, the physical and chemical nature of wood, and the nature and evolution of all common glue types, plastics, composites from straw-clay brick to fiberglass to kevlar, through iron and steel and alloy metals. Elasticity and the theory of strength and toughness, with basic beam theory developed from first principles. Cracks, defects and crack propagation (why glass bends then shatters), hardening and tempering, and to boot, the best explanation I've seen of all the classic iron and steel making processes. For the wood-inclined, a whole chapter on timber and cellulose from the molecular level up through the evolution of the structural design of wooden ships and (wood) airplanes, with insight into wood drying and wood rot. Dedicates a chapter alone to the evolution of wood glue and the operation and properties of each type. - The Starrett Book for Student Machinists (c)1941, 1975 & 1982 [160 pages] Catalog #1700 @ $8.50. Drawing, fits, bench work, how to measure, cutting speed/fluids, drilling, lathe operations, grinding, sawing, toolmaking, geometry, mechanics, & reference tables. Good information, well worth the price. It covers screw cutting, via the lathe, better than most. Be sure to get the FREE Starrett information, "single copy mailed to individual craftsmen." Decimal Equivalent Card (pocket size 3" x 5"); The Starrett Story (36 pages 4-5/8" x 6-7/8"); The Tools and Rules for Precision Measuring, Bulletin #1211 (80 pages 5-1/4" x 7-5/8") - Watch Making, by George Daniels. - De Re Metallica (Georgius Agricola, 1556) translated by Herbert Hoover - Pirotechnia (Vannoccio Biringuccio, 1540) translated by Smith & Gnudi These two are Dover reprints, and were state-of-the art from renaissance through perhaps 1850 or so. The first is on mining, and the second on metalworking. An interesting historical look at how things were done in earlier times, and why they thought it worked. - Computational Geometry for Design and Manufacture, Copyright 1979, I.D.Faux, M.J. Pratt. Ellis Horwood Publishers, a division of John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-85312-114-1 Very good overall text on surfaces and design. Was recommended as a way of learning strange jargon used in CNC machining of surfaces, such as loft, nurbs, and coons. - Computer Numerical Control: Essentials in Programming and Networking by Lin. Delmar Publishers, Inc. 3 Columbia Circle, P. O. Box 15015, Albany, NY 12212-5015. (800-347-7707) (recommended by Jerry Kimberlin) This is a textbook for a 2 semester course. It assumes you know nothing and takes you through the whole thing including G, N, APT...2D, 3D, CNC networking, the math, etc. I don't remember the exact price but it is over $50 and less than $70. - The New Edge of the Anvil, by Jack Andrews Not only is it a great intro to blacksmithing, but it also has the most wonderfully brief description of metallurgy and heat treating. It is available from Skipjack Press direct at: 637 Drexel Ave. Drexel Hill , PA 19026 or e-mail andrews@hslc.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- The following suggested books pertain to jewelry-making, per Sherry Lem. The Complete Metalsmith ISBN 0-87192-240-1, $14.98 Tim McCreight Davis Publications, Inc. Worcester, MA, 1991 Excellent, easy to follow techniques for beginning to intermediate levels, this is the revised edition which is much improved over the original. Contemporary Jewelry, Philip Morton Holt, Rinehart & Winston NY, 1970, 1976 Interesting design philosophy, techniques. Design and Creation of Jewelry, Robert vonNeumann Chilton Radnor, PA, 1961, 1972 Form Emphasis for Metalsmiths, Heikki Seppa Kent State University Press Kent, OH 1978 Perhaps THE book on anticlastic raising/forming, though difficult to teach yourself from the pictures and instructions. Jewelry Concepts and Technology ISBN 0-385-04185-3, $100.00 Oppi Untracht Doubleday & Company Garden City, NY, 1982, 1985 Most comprehensive guide on jewelry making techniques, also contains gemological data, info on setting up a workshop. Also, his "Metal Techniques for Craftsmen" $75.00 is a somewhat abridged version. Jewelry: Contemporary Design and Technique, Chuck Evans Davis Publications Worcester, MA, 1983 Especially good sections on mixed metals (mokume gane, etc.). Jewelry Making and Design, Augustus F. Rose and Antonio Cirino Dover Publications, Inc. NY, 1949, 1967 Decidedly English flavor, very inexpensively priced. Jewelry Making Manual, Sylvia Wicks Brymorgen Press Cape Elizabeth, ME, 1986 Beautiful color photos, good technique instructions. Jewelry Manufacture and Repair, Charles Jarvis Bonanza, NY, 1978 Metal Sculpture - New Forms New Techniques, John Lynch The Viking Press NY, NY Basic art metal techniques. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Another book, suggested by Marc Kerr: "Silversmithing" by Finegold $35.00. This is an excellent book if you are really after smithing and not jewelry making. It has very good descriptions of the smithing process and walks you through a few projects like a bowl, box with hinge and others. -------------------------------------------------------------------- How about video tapes? - New Life Video Productions Several tapes with Rudy Kouhoupt, frequent author in HSM and other magazines. Titles such as: "Fundamentals of Machine Lathe Operation" "Fundamentals of Milling Machine Operations" "How to Cut Spur Gears" "How to Cut Screw Threads" "Building a Sterling Hot Air Engine" Price varies from tape to tape. Production qualities seem poor (based on viewing the first title), such as poor and inconsistent audio, including a radio playing in the background. But you can safely ignore this and concentrate on what Rudy is trying to show you. Seems reasonably priced for the material covered. The material is quite good for the beginner ("I just got a vertical mill; how do I use it?"), or perhaps even the advanced beginner. These are probably tapes you will watch once or twice, so it would be nice if you could rent instead of purchase them! Most of them seem to focus on making a simple but useful project while presenting the material. - Bailey Craftsman Supply "Greensand Casting Techniques" from David Gingery's workshop. HSM seemed to like it. Others include a second volume of the above, Basic Metal Lathe Operation (2 vol), Basic Milling Machine Operation. - Darrell Markewitz, Wareham Forge "A 3 hour instructional VIDEO - $25.00 each (includes postage)" "This video contains a wealth of information, including what to look for in used tools, building a home shop, and demonstrations of a number of basic forming techniques." PART 1 - TOOLS: forges; lighting a fire; coal anvils; hammers; vises; safety PART 2 - TECHNIQUES: 'S' hooks; tent peg; fire poker twists; toasting fork; home forge the WAREHAM FORGE Hamlet of Wareham - RR #2 Proton Stn Ont, CDN - N0C 1L0 (519) 923-9219, wareham.forge@headwaters.com - Artistic Iron Instructional video tapes on blacksmithing. http://www.artisticiron.com - Quality Street Productions The Fourth Annual NAMES Expo (1993) - Starrett Tools and Rules for Precision Measuring - Colonial Williamsburg P.O. Box C Williamsburg, VA 23187 Tapes are also available from: KVC Entertainment P.O. Box 40276 Indianapolis, IN 46240-0276 CW produces several tapes on blacksmithing, silversmithing, gunsmithing, and so on. They show the "old time" way of doing things, but are reported to be excellent. - Tim McCreight: Complete Metalsmithing Apparently Tim has a book *and* video by this title. Sandy Grossmann sez: "He takes you step by step through a couple of projects. When *he* does it, it sure looks simple! He gives some great shortcuts, and his examples are instructive." "I especially liked his sections on riveting and on using a rolling mill. Very useful. The entire video is oriented toward jewelry, but he also does a sterling silver box. You can get the video mailorder from River Gems and Findings (phone 1-800-545-6566) or from TSI (I think). Last time I checked it was about $40." - Toika Bridges (http://members.aol.com/t2945/page1.html) Video tape and other information on anodizing titanium and niobium. Archive-name: metalworking-faq/part2 This is the FAQ for rec.crafts.metalworking. It is in several pieces to keep the overall size of each part below the limits imposed by some news systems. This is part 2 of 11. Generally, units below are United States dollars, degrees Fahrenheit, and all the other silly backwards units we Americans still use. Sorry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Who makes good lathes/mills/etc? Who makes good cars? This is almost purely a personal preference, though in general the imported machines (Grizzly, Jet, Enco) seem to rate lower than US-built machines (South Bend, Bridgeport). However, the imports are usually MUCH less expensive, offsetting some of the quality issues for home shops. There is some indication that Grizzly equipment is slightly better than other "Taiwanese" machines such as Enco, and that Jet is slightly better than Grizzly. Prices go up with quality. One of the main complaints about Taiwanese machinery is the lack of replacement parts and service. Grizzly claims that they keep a supply of parts on hand for all their machines. The same factories appear to turn out Grizzly, Jet, Delta, and the "no-name" machinery. A few years ago Fine Woodworking magazine published an article on this subject. Unimats are sometimes considered "toys" rather than real machines, though they may do just what you want if you don't push them hard. Some Unimat owners are quite pleased, in fact (hi Reg!). The Unimat PC may be a nice small CNC lathe; any experiences? Unimat, Sherline, and Taig are "micro lathes" in that the swing over the bed is less than 5 inches, and the bed is about a foot long. Sherline and Taig are made in the US, and Unimat is made in Austria (and hence uses metric threads, e.g. in the spindle thread, which may be a pain to US buyers). Sherline and Taig both use 3/4 inch x 16 threads in the spindle and can thus interchange accessories*. The Taig cannot cut threads, while the Sherline and Unimat can (with accessories). Sherline and Unimat sell a milling add-on. The Taigs come in unbundled kit form where you have to buy everything; they claim an overall accuracy of .0004 inch and have excellent parts and service, and also sell a watchmaking headstock. Taig is the cheapest at about $250 to get started, about $450 for Sherline. It appears the only Unimat now being sold is the CNC "Unimat PC", at about $750. Unimat seems to charge quite a bit more than normal for accessories. Just keep in mind that these are not as rigid or powerful as full-sized lathes. * It has been reported that although the Taig and Sherline use a 3/4-16 spindle thread, the threads on Taig chucks and faceplates are recessed far enough that a Sherline lathe will only grab about 1.5 threads, not enough to be usable. However, one reader bored out the back of a Taig faceplate to 1 inch diameter for about 1/4 inch depth, and reports it threads on his Sherline quite well now. So, be careful if purchasing a Taig accessory for use on a Sherline lathe! Harbor Freight sells a "precision 4x10" mini-lathe for around $400 with autofeed, change gears for most english threads at extra cost. It is actually a 7" lathe which takes standard 2MT tailstock tooling and 3/8" cutting tools, and has Electronic Variable Speed (EVS) instead of changeable belts. This is larger and sturdier than the Unimat/Sherline/Taig, and sounds similar to the 8" Grizzly except for the EVS. What can you do if you have little money? Aside from looking at used equipment, you can actually build a lathe and other machine tools. Dave Gingery wrote an excellent series of books on building your own machine tools with just hand tools. While it's a lot of work, you can learn a lot. First you make an aluminum charcoal foundry, then a lathe, and finish up with a dividing head (five or six books later). Other authors have published detailed plans for making lathes. See the publisher's catalogs from Lindsay, Cole's, Power Model, Tee, Nexus, and Argus. A very thorough discussion of vertical mills and what to look for was in Home Shop Machinist, July/August and September/October 1993, by Thomas Howard. Here is a very brief summary: 1. Spindle-to-table distance, or "daylight." Remember that by the time you clamp your work in a vise on a rotary table then slap a chuck with a drill into the spindle, you might run out of room. Try to anticipate your needs. 2. Knee mills: A mill where you can raise/lower the table with a crank, as opposed to only raising/lowering the head and/or quill. Knee mills are generally more useful and accurate. 3. Spindle brake: Locks the spindle during tool-changing. Very nice to have. 4. Power downfeed on spindle. A very nice option, relieves tedium when boring, and often yields better surface finish. 5. Spindle taper: determines what type of tooling you can "plug in" to the spindle. R-8 is most popular, and there's lots of inexpensive tooling. Morse and Brown&Sharpe exist and are less popular. 6. Bearings: Apparently it's not as important whether they are ball roller bearings, as the grade. And the better the grade, the longer the machine lasts, more than anything else. 7. Table sizes and travel: Like lathes, you can always use one an inch larger! Don't buy one larger than you have room for. From 6x20 (inch) to 8x30 seems right for most home shops. What will you be doing with it? 8. Power feed on X/Y axes. Very nice to have, just barely falls into the "luxury" status. 9. Table and knee locks: Used to maintain rigid setups when one of the axes won't be changed during an operation. Check for easy access and that they lock solidly. 10. Graduated dials with adjustable zero: an absolute necessity. 11. Adjustable gibs: a necessity. 12. Range and number of speeds. An average is 100-2500 rpm, and 12 to 16 speeds. Howard goes into great depth in his article to explain why you need both a wide range of rpm and many speed, and how those speeds should be spread out in a geometric progression. 13. Motors: be sure you get a motor you can run. Check frequency (60 or 50 Hz), voltage, and 1-phase vs 3-phase. For home-shop use, anywhere from 3/4 to 1-1/2 seems right. 14. One-shot oilers are nice but in many cases they don't work right and are hard to check. 15. Look. If at all possible, examine the machine you want, before you buy. 16. Buying used: you should be experienced enough to know what to test for! Or "borrow" somebody who is. 17. Will it fit? Be sure it can be moved to where you want it. Don't buy then find the stairwell is smaller than you thought. Get professional movers to do the moving; "real" mills are literally "killers." 18. Tooling: can sometimes double the cost. ........................................ The following comments, regarding the Central Machinery (Harbor Freight Salvage) "Precision 7"x10" Mini Lathe", were originally sent to John Kopf in response to a query of his, asking the opinions of this versus the Grizzley 8x18 lathe. Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1993 09:40:15 CST From: (Gordon Pari) I own a 7 x 10 mini-lathe offered by Harbor Freight. First, the good points. Compact size useful for relatively large turnings...easy to move/store....tight headstock bearings....nice 3-jaw Yamakawa (japanese) chuck....good cross-feed and compound feed...good accuracy overall... Mt2 tailstock compatability...fun to use...3/4" hole in spindle.... quiet without feed engaged....relatively easy to set-up tooling... cuts threads.....has chip tray...uses cheap 3/8 tooling. Now for the down side....motor on mine with a Dremel speed control substituted for the factory setup has good high-speed power but is lacking in low-speed torque....my set-up produces surges of rpm occasionally... newer version appear to have 2-speed setup that may help... HF parts supply is limited....I could not get jaws for the chuck (I need inside gripping because they were missing..used equipment!)...feed screw is poorly mounted/designed and uses up a lot of available power.....split nut on carriage is prone to disengage...the motor is 120V DC fed by a rectifier and that may be part of my problem.. manual carriage feed wheel/mechanism is not smooth and perhaps needs bushed. Overall, I love it because I bought it used needing some repairs for $95. Enco in Chicago now offers it for $1000. They are more reputable than HF IMHO. They also cannot provide my jaws or a specifically designed 4-jaw. If I paid $800 I would want the split-nut and RPM/POWER problems completely eliminated. After my initial $95, I have spent about $65 for a live center and tools from Enco. I use it weekly and am learning a lot. A friend who is a lathe operator has used it and is impressed. I hope this helps. If you buy one and find solutions/parts, keep me posted. Date: Tue, 23 Nov 93 14:48:23 -0800 From: Greg Saville Just one comment, if you end up ordering the Harbor Freight one, DON'T order the $43.00 threading gear set. Though it's not clear in the catalog, it already DOES come with the lathe (unless you order the ~$550 version that says "same as above, but without threading capability.") ... I've enjoyed the lathe, have been pretty happy with it, but have no other experience to be able to compare it to any other like the Grizzly you're also looking at. Date: Tue, 30 Nov 93 14:18:01 EST From: fisher@gaas.enet.dec.com I purchased one of these mini-lathes this summer. Since then I have read a few books and learned much about lathes. If I had to do it over again I would purchase the Grizzly "8"x18" Lathe you mentioned. I kinda like the mini-lathe for 1) the size and 2) the variable speed motor. What I don't like is 1) Support (I had a bent shaft on my cross slide and called them back within 48 hours after receiving the lathe and I still haven't received the replacement part - I think they ordered it from Korea.), 2) It is sufficiently non-standard that Nobody makes a 4 jaw chuck for it or any other bolt on accessories such as a steady rest or a follow rest. But it seems to work and I have been having fun with it and learning. The size is great - I just finished cutting about 50 brass port holes for a model tub boat. 5. Where do I buy a machine? Check out the Yellow Pages, the ads in the magazines, and catalogs from the "names and addresses" section elsewhere in this FAQ. For example: Blue Ridge Machinery and Tools, Inc Alley Supply Company Enco Grizzly MSC 6. What are good magazines to subscribe to? - The Home Shop Machinist (HSM), "dedicated to precision metalworking" Published 6/year by Village Press (see addresses section), $27.50/year. Note that many back issues are not available, though most of the projects are available in the "Projects" book series. Mostly techniques, no steam, some gasoline engine projects, many tooling projects. Probably the best of the US magazines. Some projects will span several issues. - Machinist's Workshop, formerly Projects In Metal (PIM). Published 6 times per year by Village Press, $23. Mostly projects, few advertisements. Each project is complete in one issue. A "weak sister" to HSM, apparently started in part to handle overflow projects from HSM. Earlier back-issues have been combined into a new book series called "Metalworking". - Live Steam Magazine. Published 6 times per year by Village Press, $35. Mostly trains, some techniques, some stationary engines, lots of history and club information. Usually each issue has one stationary engine and two locomotive construction projects in various stages. - Model Engineer's Workshop Published bimonthly by Argus (or is it now Nexus?). Described as the British version of HSM, and similar to the tool-oriented writing in Model Engineer. U.S. subscription rate is $38. More "packed" than HSM, and features the uniquely English way of doing machining (e.g., spending hours to make a cutter to make the cutter for gear cutting, when many of us in the US would just order the gear cutter and be done with it). See the Model Engineer entry, below, for details on subscriptions. - Modeltec. "Machinist Projects of Beauty and Usefulness" Published by George R. Broad, 12 per year. P.O. Box 1226 St. Cloud, MN 56302 Phone: (612) 654-0815 http://www4.infoanalytic.com/modeltec $36 per year ($45 in U.S. funds if outside U.S.). Similar to Live Steam but not restricted to trains. Lots of projects for railroad cars. - Strictly IC (IC stands for Internal Combustion) Published 6 times per year. $24.25 (+$2.00 US foreign, WA residents add $2.00 sales tax) Robert A. Washburn, editor 24920 43rd Avenue S. Kent, WA 98032 Concentrates on construction of miniature internal combustion engines, and has a few classified ads, usually for engine castings. - Gas Engine Magazine P.O. Box 328 Lancaster, PA 17603 (717) 392-0733, (717) 392-1341 (FAX) - Model Engineer Published twice each month, about $79 US/year (as of 2/2/95) Formerly published by Argus, now by Nexus. Their USA agent (also for Model Engineer Workshop) is Wise Owl Worldwide Publications. The king of model machining magazines it has been around for about 100 years. Varied construction articles, lots on trains. Some projects can take years to complete! Extensive back-issues are available from Tee, and we presume from Argus/Nexus since they publish it in the first place! An index to back issues is available from: G.V. Wilkinson 129 Springside Road Hillcrest 3610 South Africa The index used to cost 30 pounds sterling last I heard. A computer-readable index is apparently available from Henri Larose, covering about 30 years (growing as he gets time to do more). Cost is 30 UK pounds if in the UK, or $30 US if in the US. Contact the author vie e-mail at 73114.3203@compuserve.com. Or, his mail address is 211 Lanitos Ave, Sunnyvale Ca 94086. - Engineering in Miniature Published monthly, about $30/year. Tee Publishing Similar to Model Engineer, more steam traction engines. Has an extensive collection of back issues of this and other model magazines. - Clockmaker Tee Publishing Discussed how to build mechanical clocks, with many projects spanning several issues. Big names like John Wilding write in this magazine. Classified ads for clockmaking supplies. Started in April/May 1990 it ceased with the April/May 1994 issue, followed by a photocopy supplement to tie up loose ends. Though no longer being published, Tee does offer back issues. - Timecraft Similar to Clockmaker, including the fact that it ceased publication. Published from January 1981 to Sept/Oct 1989. - Workshop Masters Published by Tee, ceased regular publication in 1991. - American Machinist Penton Publishing 1100 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114-2543 (216) 696-7000, (216) 696-0177 (FAX) One of those free trade publications with lots of ads. - Metalworking Digest Gordon Publications, Inc. 301 Gibralter Drive, Box 650 Morris Plains, NJ 07950-0650 (201) 292-5100, (201) 898-9281 (FAX) Another free trade publication with lots of ads. - Modern Machine Shop 6600 Clough Pike Cincinnati, OH 45244-4090 (513) 231-8020, (513) 231-2818 (FAX) Another free trade publication with lots of ads. - Horn & Whistle Richard Weisenberher 2655 North Friendship, Lot #8 Paducah, Kentucky 42001 $18 per year. Low budget, in that they publish anything people send in. Some technology, some nostalgia, lots of stuff on meets where they get together and have "steam blasts." - Traction Engine Magazine - The Anvil's Ring This is the publication of ABANA (see below, associations) published 6 times a year; cost is $24 per year, or you get it as part of the $35 dues for joining ABANA. An index is currently being maintained: ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/ABANA/RingIndex.txt The newsletter of one of their chapters, BAM (Blacksmith's Association of Missouri), is kept at: http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/News/BAM/BAM.html ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/News/BAM/00Latest/ ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/News/BAM/ For more info on BAM contact: Jim McCarty - Anvil Published monthly, about $30 per year See Centaur Forge, elsewhere. - American Craft (bi-monthly) (jewelry) published by the American Craft Council 40 West 53rd St. New York, NY 10019 (212)956-3535 Current work in metal, clay, glass, wood, textiles, mixed media; featured artists, calendar of events. - Metalsmith (quarterly) (jewelry) published by Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) 5009 Londonderry Drive Tampa, FL 33647 (813)977-5326, (813)977-8462 fax Jewelry, techniques, featured artists, current exhibits. An index is at: ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/edu/arts/metal/SNAG/Metalsmith_Index.txt A contact is: Bob Mitchell - Ornament (quarterly) P.O. Box 2349 San Marcos, CA 92079 Jewelry (metal and beads) and textile/fiber art. - Machinery Journal P.O.Box 7767 Long Beach, CA (310) 595-5731, (310) 424-1563 (FAX) Free. A monthly list of machinery dealers. - Punch Press News P.O.Box 127 Toledo, OH 43607 (800) 255-0114, (913) 983-4398 (FAX) http://www.machinetools.com A sort of classified listing of machinery, alphabetical by type of machine; very neatly laid out. Apparently costs $10 for a subscription. - Weldon F. Stump & Co. 1313 Campbell Toledo, OH 43607 (419) 243-6221, (419) 243-7277 (FAX) No prices, just inventory numbers of used machines, alphabetically listed by type. - Locator Published by the MDNA (Machinery Dealers National Association) in Silver Springs, MD, (301) 585-9494. A monthly listing of used machinery. You can call them for a free list of dealers, and/or a free issue of Locator. - Used Equipment Directory/Network P.O. Box 823 Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604-0823 (201) 393-9558, (800) 526-6052, (201) 393-9553 (FAX) BBS (201) 625-2636 8N1 modem settings telnet buyused.hsix.com or http://www.hsix.com Used equipment list, available on-line or in printed form. They reportedly will give you one free copy of the printed magazine for evaluation. - INDUSTRIAL MACHINE TRADER P.O. Box 1415 Fort Dodge, IA 50501 (800) 247-2000, (515) 955-3753 FAX A heartland Industrial Group Publication. "The only weekly nationwide publication that links active buyers and sellers of new and used industrial Machinery" - The Surplus Record 20 N. Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 372-9077, (312) 372-6537 tscanlan@surplusrecord.com http://www.surplusrecord.com An industrial database of used and surplus machinery and equipment. There is also a Listserv: "machine@surplusrecord.com" where users can e-mail their machine tool inquiries, whether the machine(s) are wanted or for sale. 7. Where might one take classes or get instruction? This depends on several factors, mostly where you live. Good places to check out include community colleges (universities sometimes will have classes in metalworking, but perhaps only for already-enrolled students or faculty/staff). Sometimes a high school will offer night or weekend classes to the public, funding permitting. Also look for vocational/technical schools, and possibly even art schools since some metal sculpturing requires a firm background in welding. In a few cases there may be specialized schools in your area, so check your yellow pages or ask around. Some examples: John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown NC (800) 562-2440, Craft Center in Ripley WV. Some schools also offer room and board and/or campground hookups. 8. Where can I get raw material for my projects? The Yellow Pages are often a good place to start. Also, the advertisements in magazines like Home Shop Machinist. Another way is to go find your nearest junk yard and/or metal recycling business and scrounge around. Make friends with a machinist at the nearest mining operation and ask for their throwaway "scraps". Order from a supply company (see ads in the magazines, and/or the "names and addresses" section elsewhere in this FAQ). Sometimes you can discover a creative re-use. For example, buy a few old aluminum automotive pistons, perhaps from your junk yard or a garage that rebuilds engines. Cut off the top and clean it up on your lathe. Now you have a nice round blank to start some project with. Similar discoveries should be posted to the newsgroup! Some of the magazines have ads for small "garage" shops that produce specialized castings. 9. Where can I get tools, drill bits, etc.? Many of the places that sell equipment also sell tools but there are also outlets that only sell accessories such as lathe bits, drills, taps, and so on. Scan the "names and addresses" section elsewhere in this FAQ. 10. What are some of the related professional/hobby associations? ABANA - Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America PO Box 206 Washington, MO 63090 (314) 390-2133 Dues are $35 per year, which also includes their publication "The Anvil's Ring" (see earlier, magazines) The British counterpart is apparently the BABA (British Artist Blacksmiths Association) but I don't have an address for them. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 345 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 (800) 843-2763, toll-free Mexico phone: 95-800-843-2763 toll phone: (201) 882-1167; fax: (201) 882-1717 & (201) 882-5155 email: infocentral@asme.org The ASME publishes codes and standards for drafting, pressure vessels, machine tool accuracy, etc. There was recently a thread in which a gentleman asked about alternate sources for an ANSI standard (published by the ASME). Unfortunately, the third-party publishers charge more for these documents than the ASME does (the originator). In this particular case the third-party wanted $100 for a standard that the ASME charges $23 for. The Society of Model & Experimental Engineers (SMEE) Marshall House 28 Wanless Road London SE24 0WH Society of North American Gold Smiths, SNAG 5009 Londonderry Drive Tampa, FL 33647 (813)977-5326, (813)977-8462 fax They publish the quarterly magazine Metalsmith (q.v.), and a bi-monthly newsletter, and you get both for the $55 membership. The membership also gives you a discount on the annual conference. You can also contact them via e-mail at rmitchel@cftnet.com. MDNA (Machinery Dealers National Association) Silver Spring, MD (301) 585-9494 You can call them, or drop e-mail to morton@interserv.com for a list of machinery dealers. They publish a magazine called the Locator which lists over 25,000 separate metalworking machines each month; you can also ask them for a single free copy if you don't want to subscribe. American Welding Society (AWS) (800) 443-9353, (305) 443-9353 http://www.amweld.org/ "Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is dedicated to providing high quality services to our members and the industry which will advance the science, technology and applications of materials joining throughout the world." ASTM -- American Society for Testing and Materials (610) 832-9585 Publishes various manuals and publications relating to metalworking, among other things. Society of American Silversmiths Web: http://www.silversmithing.com E-mail: jherman@silversmithing.com 11. How do I harden/temper metal? Heat treating is a *huge* subject, and depends on the metal, and intended use. Most of the time, this question is asked regarding steel, so we'll give a brief description of that, based on an article in Home Shop Machinist (Sept/Oct 1991, "Heat Treating Basics" by Steve Acker). [Also thanks to Steve Gaudio (?) for his post of 18-Sep-1992, and clarification by Tim Eisele] Iron will, at common temperatures, organize itself into an atomic structure that is called "body centered cubic." This consists of overlapping cubes with an atom at each corner, and one more in the center of the cube. But above roughly 1400 degrees F there is a change in structure to "face centered cubic" and the central atoms migrate to the faces of the cubes. This latter form is not magnetic. Steel is basically iron with some carbon mixed in, though modern alloys have various other metals and substances as well. When steel is heated to the critical temperature (about 1400 degrees F), the iron will change to face centered, and the carbon atoms will migrate into the central position formerly occupied by an iron atom. This form of red-hot steel is called austentite. Since it is not magnetic, a magnet may be used to determine when the critical temperature has been reached (though the magnetism may be lost before the transition, so this is only approximate). Complete migration of the carbon atoms may take a minute or two. If you let this cool slowly, the iron atoms migrate back into the cube and force the carbon back out, resulting in soft steel called pearlite. If the sample was formerly hard, this softening process is called annealing. If you cool (quench) the sample suddenly by immersing it in oil or water, the carbon atoms are trapped, and the result is a very hard, brittle steel. Too brittle for most uses. The structure is now a body centered tetragonal form called martensite. So, the next step is to heat it back up, to between 200 and 800 degrees F or so, depending on the desired end hardness. This allows some of the hardness to relieved and is called tempering. The amount of tempering that is desirable depends on the final use. Cutting tools are very hard, knife blades less so because they must flex under use rather than break. Tempering is a trade-off between hardness and flexibility. Accurately measuring the tempering temperature is important. A nice, expensive thermostatically-controlled oven is great. Or, some special compounds can be applied that melt or change color at the right temp, such as Tempilstik and Tempilaq. If the steel is clean to start with, then you may notice that it goes through certain color changes as it heats up, with understandably vague descriptions such as "light straw" indicating about 440 degrees F, and purple=520. These colors are not incandescence colors, but are viewed in normal room light. The colors are due to types of surface oxidation that are temperature dependent. When quenching, it is often very important to avoid stirring a part because this will cool one side much more quickly than the other, and might cause warping. For knife blades, as an example, move it strictly up and down during the quench. Case hardening is a bit trickier, and involves heating the object in some sort of agent that promotes hardening at the surface. Liquid cyanide works well but should be out of the question for the home machinist. Luckily there are substitutes available from suppliers, one being called Kasenit, for example. Note that hardness is often measured using a "Rockwell C" scale, with 63 being very hard and 35 being fairly soft. A type of steel called "drill rod" is especially useful for home/hobby use. As its name implies, it is the type of steel used for drills, and is available is round or square form (square drills?). Drill rod is also very useful around the shop because it is usually made to very accurate dimensions. Some types of drill rod are formulated for hardening via heating then quenching in oil, while others are quenched in water. The difference is that water will cool more quickly because it's a good conductor (though it may also form a steam "jacket" that moderates this effect), while oil will cool more slowly. Since rapid cooling may warp a part, this could make a difference in the final product. There is also an "air hardening" steel, though it seems to be quite a bit more expensive than other steels. It has been reported, by way of example, that you can make springs out of hacksaw blades by annealing, bending, hardening, then tempering by heating to a "metallic blue" and quenching in oil. I suspect lots of experimenting may be in order before you get things just right. Remember the steel must be clean (no paint etc.) to see the colors. Quenching in oil may be a fire hazard. Take proper precautions, such as removing flammable materials from the area, wear proper clothing, and have an extinguisher handy. Even quenching in water presents the risk of scalding from steam or splattered water. As one newsgroup reader pointed out, not only are there a gerbillion alloys, but zillions of treatments to choose from, and this is just for steels. Other metals, like brass, can be hardened by "working" the metal, by bending, hammering, peening, etc. Brass is usually annealed with a quench, which is the opposite of steel. It's best to carefully research your particular project first, especially if it's something that is valuable. A recent book, "Simplified Tool Steel Heat Treatment and Selection Guide" by Bill Bryson, may be of some help. $31.95 from Bill Bryson, 336 Governors Road, Milton, NH 03887. I purchased this, and was surprised to spend $32 on 100 pages of loose-leaf pages. The information is geared more towards the small commercial shop than the home shop, and thus deals with issues such as atmospheric control (using stainless-steel foil) and using accurate temperatures. In the home shop, we usually read about methods like "hit it with a torch then drop it in a bucket of oil." Bryson goes beyond this, discussing accurate methods that might be out of reach for some of us, but just barely. He also has a chapter on cryogenic treatment, that can also be used in the home shop via dry ice. http://www.worldpath.net/~hisaim for more info and ordering info. Note the title has been changed to "Heat Treatment, Selection, and Application of Tool Steels." Power Model Supply recently (December 1992) listed two small heat treating ovens in an HSM ad. 2000 degrees F, 4x4x4 inch $330, 6x6x6 $435. Write them for more info or see the ad. 10/27/97 somebody posted a URL for the "heat treating industry": http://www.heattreatingonline.com Archive-name: metalworking-faq/part3 This is the FAQ for rec.crafts.metalworking. It is in several pieces to keep the overall size of each part below the limits imposed by some news systems. This is part 3 of 11. Generally, units below are United States dollars, degrees Fahrenheit, and all the other silly backwards units we Americans still use. Sorry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. How do I wire up this strange motor? (with thanks to Bill Brown) The following describes how to deal with an AC/DC "universal" motor that has 4 unmarked wires coming out. Be sure you don't have some other motor, such as a 3-phase unit. Other motors are covered in an FAQ for the newsgroup rec.woodworking. The FAQ postings (six of them) for rec.woodworking are normally posted around the first of each month, and possibly also posted to the newsgroup news.answers. I can't say how long *your* news system will choose to keep these around! Look for "Frequently Asked Questions about Electric Motors." Also, the "Electrical Wiring FAQ" may be of interest. The universal motor is called that because it can run on AC or DC. Older units might have been designed this way because very early power distribution had not settled on AC or DC, or with 50 or 60 cycles. Thus, such a motor could be used universally, in all locations provided the voltage was within reason. This still may be a concern with some on-site jobs feeding power tools from DC sources such as portable welding rigs. Another nice thing about these motors is that they are easily reversible. They are also easily speed-controlled, such as in hand drills, whereas induction motors prefer to run at or near synchronous speed. The first task is to determine which two wires go to the armature, and which go to the field winding. If you can't tell by examining where the wires go (or the nameplate), get an ohmmeter and connect it to the wires until you find two that show some continuity. Rotate the shaft slowly by hand and note if the resistance changes as you turn it. If it does, you probably have the armature, and the fluctuations are due to the brushes making and breaking contact with the commutator. The other winding (field coil) should show a steady resistance. Presuming you want the ability to reverse the motor, find a switch that can handle the rated current, in the double-pole-double-throw configuration with a center-off position. The suggested hook-up is (as usual, a bad ASCII graphic): +-------------------+ 1 | | 2 ----------FIELD-------o<--O o A 0 white \ / R \ / M V X A O / \ T L black / \ U T ----------------------o<--O o E S | | +-------------------+ NOTE: no connection at "X"; Include a green-wire frame ground if at all possible Avoid reversing the motor while it is moving in the "other" direction as this could severely stress the switch and motor (particularly the brushes). Move the switch to the center (off) position, and continue on to the other direction after the motor has stopped. Please, always be careful when dealing with electricity. If you don't feel comfortable and safe doing such a hook-up, find someone who can do it for you, or at least who can check what you're doing. 13. How do I deal with mail-order suppliers? The following suggestions were offered by Stu Friedberg -- Get the catalogs and know what you want. There are often many sizes, models, and sources of an "X", so you need to know which particular X when you write and especially when you call to place an order. Even the smallest industrial supply houses deal in tens of thousands of items, which means even very knowledgeable order-takers can't always give you the information you need over the phone. Reserve queries about details for stuff that you couldn't figure out for yourself. Many of the order takers are very helpful and knowledgeable. At *SOME* sources the order takers can actually go look in the stock bins, take a micrometer to measure a shaft diameter, etc. I have had people at three different companies do something like this for me. However, some companies have computerized centralized order taking at a location completely separate from their stocking locations, so don't *assume* people can tell you anything that's not written in the catalog. I've had one company tell me to just order a set of change gears and return them if I couldn't use them. This wasn't crazy, the order taker simply had no relevant information available. Get the catalogs and shop around. Very often there are *big* differences in price between identical items, and even more often one source will have a unique or slightly different item at an excellent price compared to the "standard" item. There are lots of reasons for this. I have seen 2 to 1 price ratios on things like shim stock (from the same manufacturer) and "can't twist" clamps (from different manufactures but of equal quality). Occasionally, you will find 10 to 1 price ratios on things like boxes of hose clamps. Great deals if you look around. If you can, examine a tool at a local store (where the prices may be higher) to see what the quality is like, before placing the order by mail or telephone. You can also learn a great deal by perusing the catalogs, both about tools in general, and about specific details of specific tools. There's seldom enough room in a catalog to print all the manufacturer's data, but different sources will select different stuff to print. I have many times used one company's catalog to select the precise thing I wanted, then bought it from another company because the price was better. Most suppliers ship quickly if they have a credit card authorization. If they don't ship within two working days on a routine basis, shop somewhere else in the future. One full working day is quite common. I have had only one bad incident in the 4 or 5 years I've been buying industrial stuff by telephone, and came through with no losses. A supply company (which entered bankruptcy proceedings just a little while ago, by the way) charged my credit card for the full amount of my order, didn't ship for a month, and was completely clueless as to when they would ship my order. That is intolerable, and protection against abuse like that is one good reason to use a credit card rather than sending a check. You don't need to sue to get your money back if the merchant doesn't come through. (If it's not obvious, I got my money back and started to throw out that company's catalogs as they arrived.) Some industrial suppliers don't do back orders because it slows things down. The stock pickers send what's in stock and mark out of stock items on the invoice. This may be a little different from retail mail order sources you've dealt with in the past. Contact them about what's in stock and when it's expected to be available. Be prepared to return an item. Having to return an item because it was misshipped, defective, or of unsatisfactory quality is *NOT* an indictment of the supplier. If you do enough shopping for industrial supplies, you will find that you have to do a partial return maybe 1 time in 5. Don't get mad; don't get upset. It's routine. Industrial supply and consumer retail have different expectations about quality control. When you return an item, follow instructions. Many, but not all, suppliers require you to contact them for a "return authorization" number, which you must write on the outside of the package. You should include a copy of the invoice in the package. This is *NOT* an opportunity for the supplier to screw you over. This is a routine matter, and most of them just ask you to note on the invoice what was wrong and if you want credit, a refund, an exchange for something else, or whatever. 14. How to sharpen knives, chisels, and other tools? This is actually a tricky subject, and beyond the scope of this FAQ. However, an excellent book on sharpening knives and similar tools is: The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening, by John Juranitch. 1985 by Warner Books, ISBN 0-446-38002-4, $12.50 This book can sometimes be found in the larger knife stores, such as frequently found in USA malls (e.g. Cutlery World). It is a bit biased in that John also sells sharpening equipment, but the techniques are fundamental and can be used with competitor's equipment such as Lansky's. Another source for the book is Knife World Books, (800) 828-7751 Ext 71. Sharpening drill bits has never seemed easy. If you have lots of money, Darex makes drill and mill sharpeners, and Glendo's Accu- Finish line addresses simpler cutting bits (and they even re-sell some Darex tools in conjunction with their grinders). Black and Decker reportedly make a decent drill sharpener (1/8" to 1/2") for around $250. On 3/18/96, Curt Anderson (anderson@darex.com) posted a nice summary of some sharpening methods for drills: ------------------------- I'll list a few options and the pros and cons. 1. Sharpening off-hand. PRO: No expensive equipment other than a grinder is needed. There is certain satisfaction in knowing how to hand sharpen. CON: Its unlikely that the drill is ground concentricly or that the angles of the point are equal in length and degree. Thus the drill is really just cutting on one side. Therefore, the holes may not be the size or shape you expected. 2. There are various drill sharpeners sold in hardware stores. E.g.: the Accu-sharp, the Multi-sharp and the Martek. PRO: They are relatively cheap $69 and under. Some even sharpen other tools like chisels and knives. CON: In my opinion, they really do a lousy job on drills. For one thing, the operator is expected grind equal amounts off both cutting edges (this by eyeballing). Other than the more consistent angle, the drill might as well be sharpened by hand. 3. Another option is a machine-shop-quality sharpener like the Darex. (I should say that I work for Darex, so I'm somewhat biased). For those interested there is an extensive list of Darex pros, see http://www.darex.com). PRO: Accuracy and simplicity. The Darex (and some of our competitors) produce accurate drills and on-size holes. Drill points can be changed to meet the needs of varying materials. CON: The price. Our least expensive sharpener is the M3 at $298. Although, we sell a lot of M3s and even our more expensive models through "HomeShop Machinist", etc., we realize that the price may not be worth the convenience of having sharp, accurate drills for the casual hobbyists. 4. Another option is to send your drills to a sharpening service. (Jim Harvey of this newsgroup will sharpen your drills with a Darex. He is on the web. We have a link to Jim's sharpening service at http://www.darex.com/links.htm) PRO: You get drills that are as good as new at the angle and relief you want for a cost much less than new. CON: You may have to wait a day or two to get your drills back. 5. Run down to the hardware store each time you need a drill. Or keep a supply on hand. PRO: No big expenditures. CON: It's a hassle. ---------------------------- (end of note by curt) Some of the magazines will print articles from time to time on sharpening, and/or building sharpening equipment. For example, there is an article in the March/April 1996 issue of Home Shop Machinist by Frank McLean on setting up and using the less-expensive drill grinding attachments. 15. The following text on safety was donated by Gary Preckshot: The forces involved in metalworking machinery are far higher than most people expect. You can either be struck by shrapnel or pulled into a machine by being caught by a moving part. There are several rules that reduce these hazards: a) Don't wear loose clothes, ties, unsecured braids, or jewelry. b) Turn off machines and *WAIT* for rundown before approaching the working area. You'll spend a lot more time in an ER than you'll ever save by jumping in right away. c) Don't snap chips using a shop towel. Use a brush or air. d) Don't mess with long chips curling off a turning. If you get build up, stop the machine and remove the chips wearing leather gloves and using pliers. e) Keep power transmission belts of any kind isolated and guarded. Flat leather belts are especially hazardous because they tend to be unguarded on crowned cone pulleys. If in doubt, add more clamps. If in doubt, chuck more deeply or use a collet. A turning that comes adrift can damage both the lathe and you. A workpiece that shifts can damage both the mill and you. Stuff gets hot when cut. Let it cool before picking it up. Metal cutting generally leaves a sharp burr. Break the edges with a file or a de-burring tool before you release the work for general handling. Don't let kids, wives, husbands, girlfriends, or boyfriends close to metalworking operations without training or close supervision. Chips are extremely sharp. Long, curled chips from lathe turnings are especially dangerous because kids, wives, husbands, girlfriends, or boyfriends see only how pretty they are. You can get a very deep cut by handling such chips with your hands. Have a system for removing and storing chips. Use it regularly. Use eye protection - ALWAYS. Beware of fascination. Metal cutting tools flash and glint as they spin. An unwary person may reach toward the pretty, shiny tool. This is no joke. It happens. Then you take a trip to the local ER. Don't watch welding without adequate dark glass filters. You can get a tan in 2 minutes and a burn in five on any exposed skin close to arc welding. It doesn't hurt for about 3 hours, but then it hurts for days. Cover up. Don't play with air. Not only can it inject chips (by blowing them) into your body, but it can inject oily air as well. Sometimes right through the skin. Air is no joke. In general, no horseplay in the shop. Banish anybody who can't understand this simple rule. This is one place where absolute dictatorship is better than democracy. Take your time. You'll save on rework time, machine repair, and medical costs. 16. How do I drill round holes? In May 1993 the following question was posted. This brought a lot of useful suggestions for a problem often seen ... Subject: I can't drill round holes I am trying to drill 1/4" holes in 3/32" mild steel with a H/S twist bit in a 12" Delta bench press. The holes are not round. They tend towards the triangular. The piece I am drilling has a 1 1/4" square cross section. The distortion is worst in the exit hole through the bottom of the member. What is going on? Is there anything I can do to correct the problem? Morgan Hall gave the following shot as to how a simple twist drill manages to create a non-circular hole: Hint -- look at the rotor and housing of a Mazda rotary engine You can model the working end of a drill bit as a single straight line of finite length. If you fix one end and try to rotate it, the opposite end of the line sweeps out an arc. (the drill flexes) After about 1/3 revolution, the stuck end breaks free and sweeps out another arc while the formerly free end sticks. With alternate ends sticking, then breaking free, the arcs will form a kind of polygon with arcs of radius equal to the drill's diameter. After the first cuts, the "corners" of the polygon tend to stop the sweeping cut for each drill flute. The most common I've seen is the triangular hole, but other polygons are definitely possible. I suspect that this occurrence is related to some sort of resonance in the drilling setup. The suggestions that followed may be useful to anyone trying to drill holes. Some of them may qualify as 'obvious' but they're still worth bearing in mind... * Ensure the drill is sharp. * Make sure the work is firmly clamped * Don't try and run the bit too fast for the drill size and work material. * Don't force the feed rate; as with *any* cutting process, let the cutter do the cutting. * Keep as much of the drill in the chuck as possible. The more flexibility there is in the drill, the more likely you are to have problems. * When drilling thin material, it is often useful to provide some form of backing clamped to the work. This has the added advantage of keeping the burrs to a minimum. * The drill tip may need to be ground to a different angle, depending on the material being worked. * An undersize pilot hole is often a good idea. If you are drilling using a mark made with a centre punch and the tip of the drill is larger than the mark, you are unlikely to get accurate placement. * Don't forget to use a cutting lubricant * The quality of the hole is only going to be as good as the machine you are using will allow. If the drill spindle is sloppy, there may be nothing you can do about it. As a final comment, if you really want a round, accurately sized hole, you are unlikely to get it with a twist drill. Drill undersize and use a reamer if it's important. Another alternative to very finely finished holes is to force a hard polished sphere through a slightly undersized hole. See the vendor list, under "Spheric". 17. What's TIG and MIG? TIG - Tungsten Inert Gas; also called GTAW -- Gas Tungsten Arc Weld, but nobody calls it that except the American Welding Society (AWS) A small torch with a tungsten electrode is used to make the arc inside an envelope of an inert gas, usually argon or some argon mixture. A filler rod is manually introduced to complete the weld. The resulting weld is very pretty and usually requires no further finish. It is used mostly for welding sheets of mild steel, stainless steel or aluminum. The better machines have a foot control and a high frequency arc starter. Any sizable stick welder can be retro-fitted to do TIG welding, but without the foot control. MIG - Metal Inert Gas MIG and wire feed are the same thing. In this process, a consumable wire electrode is fed from a spool to the torch where the weld occurs inside an envelop of pure carbon dioxide, pure argon or a mixture of both. The weld continues as long as the operator has the trigger depressed and there is something to weld. This process is very fast, easy to learn and results in fairly good looking (better with argon) and strong welds. Most production welding of mild steel is now done with MIG welding. There is no slag to chip, but there is a slight thin coating of a glassy material that probably should be wire brushed off before painting. MIG welding can be used for thin or thick materials and is commonly used on mild steel, stainless and aluminum. Some common features of MIG machines are spot welding and stitch welding of sheet metal. There is a special wire called flux core that can be used in a MIG welder without the shielding gas. This process leaves a slag coating that must be chipped off. For most people on this group there isn't much use for flux core, as it was developed to reduce cost for large- scale welding where the cost of Argon starts piling up. There are fairly cheap 120 volt MIG welders that will only weld thin sheet metal. A more practical 240 volt machine that will weld up to about .25 inch is about $1500-$2000 new, $800-$1200 used. The machine I have will do MIG welding and stick welding, but most are MIG only. A machine that will weld .25 inch in a single pass will still weld thicker materials with multiple passes. 18. MIG welding technique. (The following was submitted by James Swonger on May 4, 1993) The quality of a MIG weld is controlled by gas flow, the qualities of that gas, the "heat" and feed rate settings. While getting a quality weld is less dependent on "touch" than gas or arc welding, it does depend on the right combination of the settable machine parameters. There are three modes of material transfer in a wire feed machine. One is "blob mode", where the wire sticks, then melts locally, then breaks. This occurs at the lower end of the heat/wire feed range. I say heat/feed rate as a ratio, because this pretty much determines which deposition mode you will see. Blob mode welds are the lowest penetration and lowest transferre heat, because there's almost no real arc action, just mostly resistive heating of the wire and contact point. The second mode as you move up the range is a soft arc with the metal being pushed through it. You'll recognize this mode when it happens; there's no more "wire push", the sound changes from a random snapping to a more uniform sizzle and everything just gets smooth. This is what I consider the ideal mode. The arc is stable but most of its energy is transferred into melting the fed wire and a localized area of the workpiece. In this mode I see about 1/4" of heat affected zone around the weld (automotive sheet metal thickness), and by proper setting I can get perfect penetration which I define to be some backside protrusion but no sag or burn-through. The handpiece ("gun") in this mode may have a buzzing feel to it but none of the bucking you get in blob mode. The third mode is when heat is much higher than the wire feed rate needs. This mode is akin to traditional arc welding, except with a fed wire. The arc energy now is biased more into the workpiece, with attendant heating and penetration. The wire still adds filler but there is more tendency to undercut, eat back and blow through especially on thin pieces. In this high heat/feed mode the buzzing/sizzling sound is replaced by a more purely electrical arc sound (whispering/crackling). This mode is desirable when welding pieces much thicker than the wire, especially when you haven't taken the bother of grinding proper chamfers and need to get penetration. Gas flow provides an important cooling effect. This is one reason why flux cored wire is harder to use on sheet metal; there's no place for the weld heat to go except the workpiece. Argon, A75 and CO2 have different welding characteristics. Argon will make the weld "sit up" higher, CO2 gives the most penetration and A75 is in the middle somewhere. Only Argon is suitable for aluminum; A75 is sort of marginal for stainless (leaves some carbon) but pretty ideal for general mild steel use. An adjustable regulator provides more latitude in balancing arc heat/feed and cooling. A high flow of gas can reduce warpage while allowing faster material transfer. I have a cheap preset flow regulator which is a compromise setting, compromise price type deal. To minimize panel warpage you must apply some technique as well. The MIG machine does not eliminate the need for skill; it just lets you apply your attention to more important things and lets you slide on some of the basics. Warping results from too much differential heating and expansion in the workpiece. By understanding the material and equipment you can keep this from being a problem. Duty cycle is one simple way of further reducing overall heat input. By welding in short, spaced beads you can join panels without overheating any large areas. First the piece should be "tacked" every few inches, with bead lengths of 1/2" or so. Make several passes after that, filling in the gaps bit by bit and not working any one region for long. The workpiece's thermal spreading will cool the small HAZ (*) pretty quickly if the total heat deposited remains small. A spot cools much more rapidly than a line. The edge of a thin metal piece presents a special case, a "boundary condition" which behaves differently than the bulk. With half the heat dissipation ability of the bulk, the edge will tend to burn back, distort and so on. This can be addressed by reducing heat (although this may force you into running blob mode), by different choice of metal overlap configuration and by carefully running the arc. A true butt joint in thin material is difficult to make. A -perfect- butting is hard to do on formed sheet metal, and any gaps will tend to enlarge in the welding process. For this reason a lapped weld is often preferred. A panel can be flanged to let the two pieces overlap but keep the final surface flush. The flange provides a backup as well in case of erosion of the edge on the top piece. =========\\W++++++++++++ \\==== A second sort of joint is a butted-V which protects the edges as the weld hits the sidewalls without necessarily reaching the bottom of the groove. --------\WW+++++++++ \+ Places like Eastwood sell specialty tools for making both types of flanges on sheet metal. Of course, you need to be careful not to cause deformation from the flanging process itself. I have made my own flanging tool for the first form out of an extra pair of Channel-Loks with extra jaw material brazed in and ground to shape. The Eastwood tool is Vise-Grip based and looks like it's a bit better as far as force required to make the flange due to the compound action. I think a pair of beat up sheet metal shears might be a better basis for making a new one. (*) HAZ = Heat Affected Zone; the area where you see thermally-induced material changes in the workpiece. This is basically the extent of any visible surface discoloration when using the MIG, although if you run the gas after stopping the arc you may not even be able to see anything because oxygen is excluded. If you remove the gas and arc together you will get the normal thin oxidation layer like you see when grinding or heating to temper. The outside of the blue oxide region is the periphery of the HAZ, although the material effects there are probably negligible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following was submitted by mrehmus@ix.netcom.com Use of MIG for body work. A bad idea fostered on us amateurs by our ignorance. If you look at the available wire for MIG, you don't find anything much softer than S60 or higher wire. In general, the higher the yield strength of metal, the harder it is to work. (Try forming tool-steel as a test). The weld bead left by a MIG is very hard relative to the body sheet metal and is almost impossible to work. It also cracks very easily even if one trys to anneal the metal in the weld. In restoring a 1967 Mercury Cougar I finally had to teach myself hammer welding using a welding torch. The results were much better!! 1. The seam is the same thickness as the parent sheet metal. 2. The seam is as soft or softer than the parent sheet metal. 3. The seam and the surrounding sheet metal are easily worked to remove any defects caused by the welding process. Should anyone want to equal the hammer welding process but with an electric source of heat, TIG is the only way to go. The filler metal selection is much, much wider and the TIG can be run way down to 10 amps or so which would probably let you weld aluminum foil if you wished. Oh yea, in the professional welder's world, the common opinion is that a TIG weld is superior to MIG. So why do the professional body shops like the MIG? It is necessary for the welding of high-strength steel that is commonly used in the structural parts of the modern automobile. Not, I repeat, NOT for the external sheet metal. The external sheet metal (the part we can see) is still mild steel because of the expense and difficulty of making sheet metal forming dies that would last and give good results with high-strength steel. Remember that body shops replace whole panels, they rarely "patch" a panel. The high-quality restoration shops use TIG or (usually) a torch and hammer welding. GOOD video tapes to know about: "Learning MIG Welding" by SIP (one source is J.C. Whitney, their # 12VL7580P, $26.99; their phone number is (312) 431-6102) "Hammerwelding Techniques" by Car Guy Videotapes "Patch Panel Installation" by Car Guy Videotapes I have watched these tapes many times, always learning more at every session. The tape on MIG welding uses a good visual filter technique to show every type of weld puddle. After viewing the tape, my MIG welding has been much better. Archive-name: metalworking-faq/part4 This is the FAQ for rec.crafts.metalworking. It is in several pieces to keep the overall size of each part below the limits imposed by some news systems. This is part 4 of 11. Generally, units below are United States dollars, degrees Fahrenheit, and all the other silly backwards units we Americans still use. Sorry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19. Which MIG welder should I buy? We frequently see "What should I buy" questions; one example is "What MIG welder should I buy?" There is no definite answer, and the prospective buyer should read the other entries in this FAQ regarding welding. What follows is an example of such a question and the answers received (June, 1993). We claim no responsibility for correctness or liability for your money! Keith King asked: I'm looking at the purchase of a MIG welder for auto body repair and other light welding jobs around the homestead and I don't have much background on this type of equipment. The models I'm looking at are the Lincoln SP-100 and the Miller 130. Both models are 110v portables. The Miller has a higher rating but I'm not sure if that's critical for my applications. The Lincoln has the advantage of having infinitely variable power output vs. stepped output for the Miller and the salesman said the gun on the Lincoln was a "Tweako?" whatever that means. Both units are similarly priced/warranted etc. Century has a bunch of lower priced, shorter warranty, cheaper looking, MIG welders. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on these welders or other MIGs to help me make a more informed purchase. Jim Narem answered/asked: I'm also interested in MIG welders for sheet metal and roll bar work. I've used the Italian made SIP 110V MIG unit. It works; it was worth $100 (purchased at some close-out sale) but not the $350 that places want retail. It's tough to get parts; even the tips have to be ordered. The wire feed mechanism sucks. I've seen some new Lincoln's on the market; both are wire feed welders with optional MIG kits as opposed to the SP-100 and SP-130 which are purpose build MIG units. Lincoln Weld-Pak 100, 88 amp, 18V @ 20% duty, 110V, $354 w/MIG kit. Lincoln Weld-Pak 125, 130 amp, 20v @ 30% duty, 220V, $556 w/MIG kit. (Prices are Connecticut Home Depot, tax bandit not included) The MIG kits are about $80 each, they have a gas flow regulator, solenoid and (I think) a different gun. Does anyone have any experience with these welders? They seem cost effective compared to the SP-100 and SP-130 but I'm nervous since Lincoln seems to be releasing some home/consumer grade equipment (like their new AC arc welder with the cheezy variable amperage control). There are also several Century MIG units commonly available at large home improvement shops (yup, WELD on that new addition). I've used their AC/DC arc welder and was impressed with its cost/performance. Has anyone used any of the Century MIGs? Ken Clarke answered: I took an evening welding class at a technical high school (10 weeks) and got to try various types of welding (stick, MIG, TIG, and oxy/acetylene. Also got some good tips on safety, and on how to by a MIG welder. The instructor spoke of the "big three" in the welding business (Miller, Lincoln, and Hobart). He was a confirmed "Miller" man, but we used Lincoln (and Airco) welders in the tech. school. I now think that it makes sense to buy whatever you decide to buy at your favorite welding supply store. The guys there have lots of good advice and if you go with one of the big three, you will not have any problem getting parts and consumables for your welder. I looked around for a while and compared the 110v portable welders by Lincoln and Miller and Hobart. My favorite welding supply house was having a "package deal" that included the Hobart Handler 120. Included in the package was the welder, a 2 lb. spool of .024 wire, a Jackson welders mask with the 4x5 face plate (get a number 10 shade), a *good* pair of welders gloves, a 55 cu. ft. tank of shielding gas (C25 which is 25 percent CO2 and 75 percent Argon), a dual-gauge regulator and connecting hose. This was about 1.5 years ago and I believe I paid $625 for the package. The Hobart has been great. It works fine on auto body panels and I have also done work on exhaust systems, mailbox posts, minibike mufflers, lawnmower parts, and am finishing up a trailer axle for a friend this weekend. So, I guess I'm advocating the Hobart, but if you can get a good deal on the Miller or the Lincoln, those would probably be fine, too. A few of the features on the Hobart that I liked were: 1. A "purge" feature, that allows you to set the flow rate on the shielding gas without spooling out wire. 2. The wire feed mechanism that lets you set the tension on the drive wheel but also lets you change wire spools without moving the setting. 3. The ergonomics of the unit, the way the wire spool goes in, the way the lid hinges down (not up like the others). 4. Five year warranty on power diodes and SCRs, three years on major components and one year on parts and labor. I would stay away from the Century welder. I don't think it has the quality of the "big three". I think you would have trouble getting parts, probably would have to order them. All parts for the big three can be had at local welding supply houses, in-stock. Also, the "Tweeko" comment is referring to the gun end of the welder. I hear that it's supposed to be a very common industry-standard type of part. Parts for the Tweeko handle/gun should be available at any welding supply house. Jim Swonger answered: "Tweako" is actually Tweco, a manufacturer of MIG and TIG handpieces and such. What this means is that parts are pretty readily available; they're everywhere. For sheet metal welding you'll run nowhere near the maximum heat setting on any machine. On my 160 I'm down on "2" for heat. The higher current machines of some of the cheaper brands need to be looked at carefully; some of them have -very- low duty cycles, leading me to believe that the critical parts are not much, if any, better than the cheaper models. The "purge" feature is good to have; however if you do not find a machine with it you can add it pretty simply. An auxiliary control switch for the solenoid valve is all it takes, in parallel with the relay that runs off the gun trigger. For serious sheet metal work spot and stitch modes are very nice amenities, allowing you to tack up a large piece with spaced short beads, minimizing distortion and allowing a fast, even hand motion. You can get by without it, but if it comes free or cheap... Quite a while later (26-Sep-1993), mrehmus@ix.netcom.com wrote -- I've owned a Century 90 amp MIG welder for 4 or 5 years now. Never a problem with the unit and I've put three large reels of 0.024" wire through it. The one time I thought I had a problem the people at Century were very helpful. Century may not be one of the "big three" but they have been around for a very long time (mainly they make many of the professional battery chargers sold in this country, so I'm told). ------------ Other comments that have come up from various sources, especially Ken Clarke: Arc welders are often rated for a particular duty cycle, such as 30%. This means you can weld for about 3 minutes at full power, then you have to let the welder cool off for 7 minutes. The cheap units are typically low duty cycle, where the professional units have a high duty cycle. Also, units are often rated at a certain lower amperage where they can safely be operated at a higher percentage; for example, a 200 amp unit might be rated at 50 amps @ 100%, 100 amps at @ 60%, and 200 amps at 30%. Look for some sort of automatic cutoff to protect your investment in case you get carried away. DC systems are nicer than AC systems, especially if you can reverse polarity. AC systems splatter a bit more. DC doesn't as much, and makes a nicer weld as a result. Reversing polarity apparently can direct heat away from, or to, the workpiece; directing it away from a sheet metal weld can reduce warpage. Inverter models run off DC, or rectified line current. Their portability is the main selling point, for field welding where 220V isn't available. For the home or small shop, they are probably overkill. Large spools of wire, or other welding supplies, may corrode before they get used up in a hobby environment. Dry storage is important to preserve them. In late 1995 (10/1), Ernie Leimkuhler (ernieleim@aol.com) wrote: The best of all the baby migs are the Lincoln SP-125, Miller 130, and Hobart Handler 120. All 3 are gas MIGs that can also run flux-core (but why would you want to if you don't have to ?). I own a Handler 120 and have loved it for the last 3 years. I've welded stainless, aluminum and steel with it without a hitch, although the aluminum capability of all the baby migs is pretty limited. For regular steel I use a 75% argon / 25% CO2 mix, but if I need to do a bunch of stainless I swap my 75/25 bottle in for a bottle of Helium-tri-mix. This gives hotter, cleaner welds on stainless and as long as you own your tank it doesn't cost much to swap out for a specific job and then swap back. Eventually I suppose I'll buy another tank, but for now it doesn't seem worth it. Flux-core is only recomended where a sheilding gas is likely to get blown away, such as in-the-field repairs. It is considerably nastier and means a lot of cleanup. BTW instead of buying 10 lb. ($50 - $60) spools of stainless, I buy the little 1.1 lb ($6 - $7 )spools made for spooler guns. This saves a bit of money for small jobs, but if you are doing a lot of stainless, it is cheaper per pound to buy the 10 lb spools. Remeber to match you filler metal on stainless, other wise you can get some funky welds. 308L SS filler wire is used for 304 SS. 316L SS filler wire is used for 316 SS. (The "L" stands for elevated temperature stable). The Hobart, Lincoln , and Miller machines all run close to $500 for a package. I would stay away from the cheesier brands on principle allthough some members of this newsgroup have bought them and been quite satisfied. The problem is that the low end companies tend to have probems with warranty repairs and replacment parts, whereas the larger companies have certified repair stations all over the country. All these machines have similar max output amps and tend to max out on 1/4 inch plate steel. For thick sections just preheat to above 400 deg F. -- to which Jim Campbell (campbellj@fdtc.flo.TEC.SC.US) replied: The Chicago Electric systems also have a clever marketing scheme that uses non-standard wire diameters that may commit you to using their systems and materials only. That's probably why their machines are priced rock-bottom, especially through Harbour Freight. [See next comment by Altavoz. JK] For those asking Mig theory questions, are you getting enough info in your operator's manual (When all else fails)? A good little book on Mig is ESAB's "Mig Welding Handbook" revised in 1994. Only $7.50 and evaluation copies FREE for students/educators/advisors to schools, or whatever. ESAB was once Union Carbide/Linde. They may sell a small Mig unit too, but I am not familiar with theirs. ESAB's snail mail is: PO Box 100545 Florence, SC 29501-0545 and voice is (803) 669-4411. (I do not work for them, but use their mechanized stuff). -- Altavoz (altavo19@IDT.NET) points out that Chicago Electric is actually Harbor Freight's name for an Italian company. He's had no problem using their .035" tips on Tweco handpieces, contrary to Jim's previous comment. 20. Books on welding. Courtesy of kenm@daffy.cac.washington.edu Here's a source of good and inexpensive welding books. A catalog is available from: Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation PO Box 17035 Cleveland, OH 44117 They list a couple of dozen titles. Here are nutshell reviews of the ones I've seen: Metals and How to Weld Them, 400 pg, $5.00 A great book on the metallurgy of welding. It's not a how-to-weld book, but instead answered the Why? type questions I've had for years. Principles of Industrial Welding, 384 pg, $6.50 Your run-of-the-mill textbook. Design of Weldments, 464 pg, $7.00 A text on the design of welded machinery etc. There is a different book on welded structures. Well worth it it you are designing your own projects. New Lessons in Arc Welding, 528 pg, $5.00 Hard to describe - kind of a lab manual for a welding tips. Certainly worth the $5. Arc Welded Projects Vol 2, 272 pg, $5.00 Arc Welded Projects Vol 3, 170 pg, $4.50 Full of short (couple of page) descriptions of all kinds of rather ambitious projects - a tractor snowblower, log splitter, chariot, sailboat, woodstove, .... These are good books at any price, and great books at these prices. ----------- According to Jim Campbell (campbellj@fdtc.flo.TEC.SC.US): For those asking Mig theory questions, are you getting enough info in your operator's manual (When all else fails)? A good little book on Mig is ESAB's "Mig Welding Handbook" revised in 1994. Only $7.50 and evaluation copies FREE for students/educators/advisors to schools, or whatever. ESAB was once Union Carbide/Linde. They may sell a small Mig unit too, but I am not familiar with theirs. ESAB's snail mail is: PO Box 100545 Florence, SC 29501-0545 and voice is (803) 669-4411. (I do not work for them, but use their mechanized stuff). 21. Soldering/brazing topics. There sometimes seems a fine line between soldering (several types, at that), brazing, and welding. Here we try to shed some light on soldering and brazing. The following was contributed by Tim Kirby around 3/3/93 when the newsgroup was discussing the "true meaning" of silver soldering and the distinction between hard and soft solder. : Can anyone remember the "official" difference between : Hard & Soft solders ? While browsing for something else entirely, I found my copy of 'Model Locomotive and Marine Boilers' [Argus Press, 1988, ISBN 0-85242-923-1] by Martin Evans (well known in the Model Engineering field, at least in the UK) from which I have gratuitously (and without prejudice) stolen the following extract for your contemplation. As an aside, this is a useful book for those interested in designing and building boilers. Chapter 3, page 55: Silver Soldering and Brazing Soldering and brazing are processes which involve the joining of metals by the addition of molten filler metal of substantially different composition, at temperatures well below their melting point. An important difference between silver-soldering and brazing or welding is that the brazing alloy or filler material must be drawn by capillary forces right through the mating joint surfaces, and not merely deposited at the edges. Soft Solders are generally accepted as including the alloys of low melting point up to about 400 deg. C. They are usually based on Tin or Lead with small additions of antimony and sometimes silver. Hard solders, or silver-solders, are those alloys suitable for soldering which have melting points from 400 deg. C. up to about 800 deg. C. (see BSI 1845/1964) [for those who don't understand that reference, BSI is the British Standards Institute, similar in function to (for example) ANSI. BSI 1845 probably details this stuff in excruciating detail ;-) ... Tim.] Brazing alloys are alloys suitable for brazing (sic) which have melting points from about 800 deg. C. up to about 1000 deg. C. It should however be understood that there is no definite line of demarcation between silver-solders and brazing alloys. The former always contain a proportion of silver, while the brazing alloys generally contain copper, zinc and sometimes tin. Brazing alloys containing copper and phosphorus are also available but these are not recommended for boiler work. 22. What are bolt grades? We frequently see questions regarding bolt grades, so here's a partial list. Please note that just because a bolt is grade 2 does not mean it will break easily. Grading only refers to the minimum strength, not the maximum. Thus, if a machine uses a soft bolt as a safety shear pin, and you happen to replace it with a grade 2 bolt that was actually manufactured to grade 8 specs (but was marked down because too many of the bolts in the lot failed, so the whole lot was marked down) you could create some serious problems. Replace safety-related items with proper stuff! Also beware of improperly-marked forgeries. If your application is critical, test some samples or get certified hardware (not that readers of rec.crafts.metalworking are likely to be building interstate bridges or spacecraft, but it's worth saying). A note on "strength" which is actually a complex subject. First, note that there is a maximum "dry" tightening torque, and that part of this torque goes to overcoming friction. Thus, a lubricated bolt should be tightened to a lesser torque, as much as 1/2 the dry torque. Note too that bolts are rated as to their minimum tensile strength (presumably before breaking) and also their "proof" load, which is I believe the maximum load they can be subjected to as proof of their being grade "n", but this load is higher than the maximum suggested operating load. Thus, like automobile mileage figures, use these numbers for comparison only. I suggest reading the below-listed references before building any life-critical contraption. And remember that tensile strength is not the same as shearing strength. And note that there have been many scandals over the years involving manufacturers or distributors who certify hardware as high grade, incorrectly. John M. Peterson kindly typed this in on July 20, 1993, and I have added a few strength figures (jk): Taken from Machinery's Handbook 23 , page 1286. Torque: see Pocket Ref, by Thomas Glover, page 250. Strength: Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, 7th ed., page 8-35. This also has a table of safe loads, as well as tensile and shearing strengths. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM and SAE Grade Markings for Steel Bolts and Screws ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade Marking Spec. Material ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAE - Grade 1 Low or Medium Carbon Steel No ASTM - A 307 Low Carbon Steel Mark SAE - Grade 2 Low or Medium Carbon Steel ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- SAE - Grade 3 Medium Carbon Steel ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | SAE - Grade 5 Medium Carbon Steel Quenched and Tempered ASTM - A 409 / \ Min Tensile Strength: 105,000 to 120,000 psi Proof load: 74,000 to 85,000 psi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | SAE - Grade 5.2 Low Carbon Martensite Steel \ / Quenched and Tempered ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- -- SAE - Grade 6 Medium Carbon Steel | Tempered ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ASTM - A 325 Medium Carbon Steel Type 1 Quenched and Tempered A 325 Radial dashes optional / \ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ASTM - A 325 Low Carbon Martensite Steel \ / Type 2 Quenched and Tempered A 325 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM - A 325 Atmospheric Corrosion (Weathering) Type 3 Steel, Quenched and Tempered A 325 ----- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM - A 354 Alloy Steel, Grade BC Quenched and Tempered BC ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | SAE - Grade 7 Medium Carbon Alloy Steel Quenched and Tempered, -- -- Roll Threaded After Heat / \ Treatment Min Tensile Strength: 133,000 psi Proof load: 105,000 psi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | SAE - Grade 8 Medium Carbon Alloy Steel \ / Quenched and Tempered ASTM - A 354 Alloy Steel, / \ Grade BD Quenched and Tempered | Min Tensile Strength: 150,000 psi Proof load: 120,000 psi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- \/ SAE - Grade 8.2 Low Carbon Martensite Steel \ / Quenched and Tempered \ / ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM - A 490 Alloy Steel, Type 1 Quenched and Tempered A 490 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASTM - A 490 Atmospheric Corrosion (Weathering) Type 3 Steel, Quenched and Tempered A 490 ----- 23. What is XYZ made of? Metals 1. What is Brass made of? Brass is a combination of copper and zinc, in approximately the ratio of 2/3 to 1/3, respectively. Sometimes lead (about 3%) is added to improve machinability. 2. What is Bronze made of? Bronze is usually made of copper and tin. However bronze describes any bronze colored alloy even if it doesn't have any tin. Various bronze alloys include silicon, manganese or phosphorus. Mostly bronze is used for bearings. 3. Steels Steel is a refined iron where the impurities carbon, silicon, sulphur and phosphorus are removed and then the iron is combined with carbon and/or chromium and/or nickel. Various other metals may be added to create a nearly infinite variety of steel and steel alloys. A few common steels are discussed below. a. What is CRS? Cold Rolled Steel. b. What is HRS? Hot Rolled Steel. c. What is HSS? High Speed Steel. d. What is stainless steel? Stainless steel is low in carbon but has about 20% chromium. Stainless has a beautiful finish but it is very hard to machine. Both CRS and HRS are mild steels. Mild steels have a low carbon (<.3%) content and therefore can't be hardened. CRS is formed (into bars, rods or angles ...) "cold" and therefore has internal stresses inside. Because of these stresses, an intricate part, like a one piece crankshaft, or a heat treated part may distort. CRS has a smooth surface, which requires no additional finishing. The steel stock found in the hardware store or home improvement center is usually CRS. HRS is formed hot so it does not have any internal stresses but it has a rough black scale surface. HRS is a little cheaper, but CRS is easier to find. HRS is used for welding, so a welding shop with steel stock would be a good source for HRS. HSS is a carbon steel (0.3%