Todays Project - What did you do today?

[f350ca]

Pretty much finished up the power drawbar. Still need to run a dedicated air line. It works, but not sure how secure it tightens, will see, had a real hard time releasing the drawbar from my previous wrench tightening.

[TomG]

Nice job Greg.  

I'm on my second Chinese impact wrench and it's on it's last leg, leaking like a sieve. They both had enough power, but just wore out or broke very quickly. I bought an Ingersol Rand impact wrench to adapt to it, but haven't got around to it yet. Looks like you have plenty of room to do the same, if necessary.

Tom

[Highpower]

It looks somewhat similar to the manually operated Kurt power unit that I adapted to my mill. At first I questioned the strength of the cheap little CP (Chicago Pneumatic) butterfly impact they used, but after lingering a little too long on the "tightening" side of the lever a couple of times - I worried about if I was ever going to get the drawbar loose again.  

Those little buggars will cinch up a drawbar a lot more than you think.  

   

[f350ca]

Have to agree, the drawbar seams to tighten a lot easier than release.

[Hawkeye]

I use a cordless electric impact to work my drawbar. I try not to let it hit more that three times after it makes contact, just for that reason. I've never had the R8 slip. I still have to give the bar a rap with a deadblow, but once is usually enough.

[Highpower]

That is the other benefit (for us old geezers with bad shoulder joints...) of the powered drawbar units. The base plate 'captures' the flange on the top of the drawbar and keeps it from moving upwards. So loosening the drawbar forces your collet down and automatically breaks the hold on the taper between your collet and quill. Rapping with a hammer or wrench is no longer required.

I'm to the point in my life where I take advantage of every little 'short cut' I can to make life a little easier. It's increasingly becoming more of a necessity rather than a 'nice to have' option.

[f350ca]

Been pretty quiet here.
Finished this tonight, took a couple of evenings, my soldering was a little rusty, but the 1500 watt Weller soldering gun pulled through.


Now to build a case.

Hoping spring is someday going to come. I water the garden out of the pond, small debris plagues the sprinklers so I built a filter.  Milled slots in the inner 1 1/2 abs tube and wrapped with this super fine brass screen I have, was surprised how well it soldered with a bit of soldering paste. Inlet water will come into the T and exit through the screen at the end port. Comes apart for easy flushing.

[TomG]

That a nice simple design Greg. Where did you get the kit?

Tom

[f350ca]

Etsy had a few kits Tom, can't remember how I found this one, it had reasonable shipping, came in about 10 days.
https://tubehobby.com/store.php?cat=1

[Highpower]

Looking good Greg. Nice job!

Your "filter" looks suspiciously like a combination golf ball / potato launcher though....

Tom:
Just google "nixie clock kit with tubes" and you'll find all kinds of them.
Etsy, eBay, Amazon etc. They sure are proud of some of those kits though.