04-20-2014, 08:24 AM
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Todays Project - What did you do today?
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The one without the logo is the one I have and sure appears it's made here. No tags anywhere on the product or packaging to indicate made in China and the step blocks have "USA" cast into them. They are the cheapest because they sell 10x the volume of that set than any others. The next size up has the 1" thick step blocks, mine are 3/4". The rack for the wider blocks is sheet metal, mine is a sturdy plastic.
I will look over the packaging when I get to the shop and report back. That said, there is NO QUESTION that the quality of everything is far better than the Chinese made set I also have. BTW, in going through the pages of that KBC on-line catalog I see they have Te-Co T-bolts. I'm going to order up four T-bolts & flange nuts so I can dedicate those to fastening the vise(s) to the table and still have the full set available for other setups. It's good stuff and for the $25 it saves having the shortest studs and a couple of nuts from the set always missing. 
04-20-2014, 09:34 AM
(04-20-2014, 08:38 AM)PixMan Wrote: The one without the logo is the one I have and sure appears it's made here. No tags anywhere on the product or packaging to indicate made in China and the step blocks have "USA" cast into them. They are the cheapest because they sell 10x the volume of that set than any others. The next size up has the 1" thick step blocks, mine are 3/4". The rack for the wider blocks is sheet metal, mine is a sturdy plastic. Those definitely don't sound like the typical made in China ones, of which I have a set. I also have some of the Te-Co step blocks and T-nuts, not a complete set, and they are worlds apart in quality compared to the made in China set I have. Ed
04-20-2014, 09:54 AM
I've also bought lots of the Te-Co heavy flange nuts, in both 3/8"-16 and 1/2"-13. Most of the studs I have are either pieces of B-7 hardened allthread or long set screws (some up to 4" long).
jack
04-20-2014, 12:05 PM
nothing like B7 Boiler studs, you can get them in about any size or length that you could want, and for the faint of heart most are black oxide coated, although I do have some in 1/2" that are cad plated.
dallen, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Apr 2012.
If life seems normal, your not going fast enough! 
04-20-2014, 07:07 PM
Got an hour & half to play in the shop. Started a brake actuator for Neil (expat) made out of 316 stainless. It's just the threaded blank, I still have to shorten the thread length to eliminate my center hole, mill the two flats on the tip of the thread, finish the thread relief groove and finish the head. Not sure how I'm going to make the 7mm radius yet. I haven't yet made or bought a ball turner, so I may just take it over to my pal Rollie Gaucher and have him turn the radius.
![[Image: IMG_2263-r_zps4d69ea55.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/kenm10759/Dads%20shop/IMG_2263-r_zps4d69ea55.jpg) It really should have been just a 45 minute job (or less) to get it to this point, but having to change gears to do metric threads (M8x1.25) takes time. 
04-20-2014, 07:15 PM
Nice job Ken - you could always make a HSS form tool to do the radius...
Hunting American dentists since 2015.
Thanks given by: PixMan
(04-18-2014, 02:41 AM)Mayhem Wrote: C'mon Ken - you know the rules: No pics means it didn't happen... (04-20-2014, 07:15 PM)Mayhem Wrote: Nice job Ken - you could always make a HSS form tool to do the radius... Yeah, I'm thinking of doing that because I have LOTS of HSS tool bits, grinding wheels and a radius dresser I've yet to use. The only thing holding me back is that it takes so much time to set up a wheel and the dresser, dress the wheel and get the tool made, then cut the part. Comparing that to just bringing over to my friend with ball turners already set up on two different lathes makes it a tough decision.
04-21-2014, 12:04 AM
(04-20-2014, 08:24 AM)EdK Wrote:(04-19-2014, 10:18 PM)Mayhem Wrote: Interesting that only two of the three TE.CO sets carry the "Made in the USA" logo. In my experience the "cheaper" set it still made in the USA. The main differences being that it has a plastic carrier and the studs are made without being "squared" in the middle. They sell this as the "Promo" kit. Wife got me a "promo" set for Christmas. -Ron
11" South Bend lathe - Wells-Index 860C mill - 16" Queen City Shaper
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