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(01-15-2020, 11:33 AM)TomG Wrote: Not only the look, Willie. As with Snap-On, there is just enough material on the ends of the wrenches to get the job done, which means they will fit in places that others won't (such as Craftsman). I compared the Ikon 5/8" combination to my Snap-On and the only difference I could see was a slightly wider shank, but that is likely due to mine being a shorter version.
Tom
Yes I know what you mean Tom. I hate wrenches with schedule 80 ends on them. That is what I meant by the Snap-On 'look'. They are designed to be sleek, yet strong. My OLD Craftsman wrenches aren't too bad (not as slim as Snap-On though) but the newer import Craftsman tools are clunky and feel horrible. Same goes for sockets. While a nice fat impact socket is nice to have when you need it and have the room, a small thin walled socket is often the only way to access a lot of fasteners on things these days.
Willie
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HF is using a different business model in comparison to the past. They now have purpose built stores instead of making them fit into a closed business, usually a grocery store. HF has also stepped up its game on its products. Their new lines such as Hercules is far superior to their original low quality tools.
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People will only take getting stung so many times by the Chinese junk before they stop buying.
Tom
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(01-15-2020, 03:14 PM)TomG Wrote: People will only take getting stung so many times by the Chinese junk before they stop buying.
Tom
Well... yes and no. I just picked up a small (NOS) Rohm keyless chuck on ebay. Good German brand right?
I tried finding a good quality straight shank arbor for it with a 1/2"-20 thread. I couldn't do it. Had to go Chinese yet again because they are the only ones that have them. The usual suspects only offer MT or CAT arbors with that thread. 
Lot of good it does to buy a decent chuck to have to screw it to a junk arbor. Although I also recently bought an R-8 shell mill arbor too that is made in the USA. That turned out to be junk too after I passed on the imports. Can't win these days unless you can afford the big names for big bucks.
Willie
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You may want to give Shars a try. Overall the items I have purchased from them have been good to very good on the quality scale. If you have several items to purchase call them and they will usually work out a better shipping quote than one will get from the online catalog.
BTW, no connection to the company.
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(01-16-2020, 02:10 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: You may want to give Shars a try.
I looked there as well. They do not have any straight shank arbors with a 1/2"-20 thread (w/collar) either. Closest they had was an R-8 arbor with .0008" accuracy - four times more run out than most of their other arbors listed (that won't work for me) that show .0002" accuracy. But I don't want an R-8 arbor anyway.
I bought a couple of straight shank arbors from All Industrial. When I get time, I'll have to get out a DTI and check them. I don't have high hopes though.
Willie
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Score!
I have been using the old (1947 model) South Bend at school while I mentor my son's FIRST robotics team. It has a dial indicator on it, and while I always considered that a "maybe someday" upgrade, it was never high on my priority list. Well, I've discovered just how useful it is for making identical length parts, and decided to get one. Since I work pretty closely with real machinists, I asked around to see if anyone had one they'd like to sell. Head of the toolroom walked up and handed me this:
Wouldn't take a dime for it, claiming he hadn't used it in many years. I'll make him a pen or bottle opener as thanks.
Full of ideas, but slow to produce parts
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I have one very much like that, mounted on an old Starrett magnetic base. Same yellow tint to the styrene lens. Still as smooth as ever.
Mike
If you can't get one, make one.
Hawkeye, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Jan 2013.
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Picked up a box of The Model Engineer magazines from Facebook Marketplace today. They are from 1946 and 1947, and there look to be about 50 in total. Can't wait to sort through them.
Tom
![[Image: 20200121_180558.jpg]](https://photos.imageevent.com/tomgriffin/generalstuff/large/20200121_180558.jpg)
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UPS dropped off a couple of sets of new keyway broaches today. Metric this time... which is what I should have done before instead of getting Imperial sizes first. I see a whole lot more metric stuff than Imperial stuff anymore. 
Willie
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