From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

I routinely grab aluminum TIG wire to drop between stock and the moving
jaw to help get a better grip. Pretty self explanatory. The soft wire deforms to conform to the slight surface irregularities in the stock
giving you the number of points of contact needed to get a firm grip.
The wire is handy, probably cheaper than copper, and IT WORKS. I do
have copper wire on hand as well, but I have moved most of it out to the storage container.

Put a small squirt of cutting oil on top of the vise and apply to stock
with a cheap acid brush when I am using the manual mill to prep stock. I
have used an oil cup, but dipping a brush in liquid oil gets way more
oil than I actually need. Oil cups constantly get knock off wasting ALL
the oil in the cup. If the oil bottle gets knocked on the floor its
flip up spout doesn't leak any oil if closed, and not much even if open.
Its pretty fast, and I don't worry about catching the brush in a
spinning tool since last time I bought some they were 3.99 for a bag of
36 of them. You might think with my lectures about time I'd go with
what might seem like a faster approach. A spray can of WD-40. WD is
fast, but I don't think its as fast as the flux brush. Its a more
expensive, its wasteful applying way more oil than needed, and while
generally I have decent muscle memory I still sometimes miss. Then its
slow, expensive, and messy.

I rarely "need" to vises on the manual mill, but the main vise I keep in
the table lined up and bolted down is one of a pair. Most of the time I
keep the second one loose on the far end of the table. At about 100lbs
it doesn't move much unless I move it. I will often use it to support
the far end of a piece of long stock instead of a machinist jack or a
stack of blocks. It grips the stock, not just supports it, and the mass
damps vibration. By leaving it loose I can also quickly slide it out of
the way to use one of my other vises like the self centering vise or the
angle vise. I used to dial it in with its mate, but every time I got it
just perfect I'd have to take it back off again.

Feel free to add the silly little thing you do to save a buck and/or a
minute.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10pi01c$ffoh$1@dont-email.me...

I routinely grab aluminum TIG wire to drop between stock and the moving
jaw to help get a better grip. ...

Put a small squirt of cutting oil on top of the vise and apply to stock
with a cheap acid brush when I am using the manual mill to prep stock. I
have used an oil cup, but dipping a brush in liquid oil gets way more
oil than I actually need. ...

I rarely "need" to vises on the manual mill, but the main vise I keep in
the table lined up and bolted down is one of a pair. ...
Feel free to add the silly little thing you do to save a buck and/or a
minute.
Bob La Londe
------------------------------------------

I machine brass, mild or stainless steel more often than aluminum, on old
low speed manual machine tools. The vise padding is scrap countertop or wood for irregular items, thin cardboard for polished or bearing surfaces.

The "HSS" end mills in blue tubes I bought from Enco stay sharp longer in steel at the old pre-HSS cutting speed.

I bought Spillmasters back when they were cheaper. A needle oiler bottle
puts only enough in the parting groove or small drilled hole. Milling RPMs
are low enough to brush more oil onto the tool shank when the smoking stops and let it feed down slowly. There isn't really much difference between a little and no oil at lower speed, except for parting. I see hot blue chips only when turning hard steel such as slimming down hex shank driver bits for recessed screws. Kerosine from a needle bottle has been good enough for me
on aluminum, even for hogging out custom microwave circuit enclosures. https://www.gquipment.com/blog/universal-aluminium-enclosure-for-rf-circuits

https://www.penntoolco.com/spillmaster-container-prevents-spills-even-when-turned-upside-down-red-lid-spm002r/?

https://ctemag.com/articles/which-better-dry-or-wet-machining/

I milled a Segway prototype part to the height of my vise table as an outer support, it's visually distinct from other scrap. I haven't seen another Wilton milling vise like mine so the second vise is a Columbian drill press vise of larger capacity but less suited to heavy milling, though fine for wood, plastic or sheet metal control panels. They aren't as heavy as the
Kurt type to handle, and not as precise so I have to tap the work down while tightening until it grips the parallels. Screwless vises can also stabilize extended overhangs.

The current project is made from oak firewood, a functional copy of the
spare tire stem and backup camera mount on a Bronco, for the external spare tire on my CRV. I might copy it in metal or just waterproof the oak by
dipping in molten wax, which sliding the tire on won't remove like paint.
The backup camera is the only feature I like on new cars.

The backup cam I bought has two cameras that can show adjacent lanes or shopping carts on both sides beyond 180 degrees split-screen if mounted on
the ends of a removable bar behind the spare. I think 3M outdoor Command stickies should secure my LCD screen mounting plate to the dash without drilling.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1ZJ63G5/ref=twister_B0F3X4CPM5?

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 3/20/2026 6:41 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10pi01c$ffoh$1@dont-email.me...

I routinely grab aluminum TIG wire to drop between stock and the moving
jaw to help get a better grip.-a ...

Put a small squirt of cutting oil on top of the vise and apply to stock
with a cheap acid brush when I am using the manual mill to prep stock. I
have used an oil cup, but dipping a brush in liquid oil gets way more
oil than I actually need.-a ...

I rarely "need" to vises on the manual mill, but the main vise I keep in
the table lined up and bolted down is one of a pair.-a ...
Feel free to add the silly little thing you do to save a buck and/or a minute.
Bob La Londe
------------------------------------------

I machine brass, mild or stainless steel more often than aluminum, on
old low speed manual machine tools. The vise padding is scrap countertop
or wood for irregular items, thin cardboard for polished or bearing surfaces.

The "HSS" end mills in blue tubes I bought from Enco stay sharp longer
in steel at the old pre-HSS cutting speed.

I bought Spillmasters back when they were cheaper. A needle oiler bottle puts only enough in the parting groove or small drilled hole. Milling
RPMs are low enough to brush more oil onto the tool shank when the
smoking stops and let it feed down slowly. There isn't really much difference between a little and no oil at lower speed, except for
parting. I see hot blue chips only when turning hard steel such as
slimming down hex shank driver bits for recessed screws. Kerosine from a needle bottle has been good enough for me on aluminum, even for hogging
out custom microwave circuit enclosures. https://www.gquipment.com/blog/universal-aluminium-enclosure-for-rf- circuits

https://www.penntoolco.com/spillmaster-container-prevents-spills-even- when-turned-upside-down-red-lid-spm002r/?

https://ctemag.com/articles/which-better-dry-or-wet-machining/

I milled a Segway prototype part to the height of my vise table as an
outer support, it's visually distinct from other scrap. I haven't seen another Wilton milling vise like mine so the second vise is a Columbian drill press vise of larger capacity but less suited to heavy milling,
though fine for wood, plastic or sheet metal control panels. They aren't
as heavy as the Kurt type to handle, and not as precise so I have to tap
the work down while tightening until it grips the parallels. Screwless
vises can also stabilize extended overhangs.

The current project is made from oak firewood, a functional copy of the spare tire stem and backup camera mount on a Bronco, for the external
spare tire on my CRV. I might copy it in metal or just waterproof the
oak by dipping in molten wax, which sliding the tire on won't remove
like paint. The backup camera is the only feature I like on new cars.

The backup cam I bought has two cameras that can show adjacent lanes or shopping carts on both sides beyond 180 degrees split-screen if mounted
on the ends of a removable bar behind the spare. I think 3M outdoor
Command stickies should secure my LCD screen mounting plate to the dash without drilling. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1ZJ63G5/ref=twister_B0F3X4CPM5?

In my defense.

1. The post was about being cheap.
2. The amount of oil I use when wetting an acid brush is adequate for
similar cuts in steel. I rarely cut brass, since it is so expensive. If
I need bearing material I just buy bronze bushings near net size. While
more expensive per ounce than brass its cheaper than buying a piece of
brass large enough to make the inferior brass plane bearing.
3. I get adequate oil for milling steel with the acid brush wet in a
puddle on the top of the vise. For corroboration, as long as there is
smoke there is oil.
4. Turning is a far different application and skill set. One that for
which I have mastered very few operations.

Aside: For steel oil seems to help with the actual cut, but in aluminum
it helps reduce or prevent chip welding. In heavy cuts to the tool, and
in light finish cuts when thrown back on the work piece. I'm not sure
if its done by reducing heat from cutting forces, or by simply making
the surface nonstick like a good skillet for cooking eggs.

A common cut I make is a heavy climb cut in one direction, and then a
spring pass in conventional back the way I came. I can produce accurate repeatable cuts this way when taking saw cut blanks to final size. In
the heavy cut the light oil keeps the chips from sticking to the tool.
In the spring pass the oil keeps the chips flung around from sticking to
the stock.


--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10pjrja$1nti3$1@dont-email.me...

In my defense.

You don't need any defense, I pointed out that my use is different, more applicable to a casual hobbyist with small or old manual machinery. I'm usually concerned with what can I get away with rather than maximizing efficiency.

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 3/20/2026 9:51 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10pjrja$1nti3$1@dont-email.me...

In my defense.

You don't need any defense, I pointed out that my use is different, more applicable to a casual hobbyist with small or old manual machinery. I'm usually concerned with what can I get away with rather than maximizing efficiency.

But the post was about being cheap (and efficient).
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10pk1hh$1qak4$1@dont-email.me...

On 3/20/2026 9:51 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10pjrja$1nti3$1@dont-email.me...

In my defense.

You don't need any defense, I pointed out that my use is different, more applicable to a casual hobbyist with small or old manual machinery. I'm usually concerned with what can I get away with rather than maximizing efficiency.

But the post was about being cheap (and efficient).
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
--------------------------------

I can only dream of efficiency and cheap is fading fast, I just paid $5.48
for a single 12mm bolt and nut.

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 3/20/2026 4:26 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10pk1hh$1qak4$1@dont-email.me...

On 3/20/2026 9:51 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10pjrja$1nti3$1@dont-email.me...

In my defense.

You don't need any defense, I pointed out that my use is different,
more applicable to a casual hobbyist with small or old manual
machinery. I'm usually concerned with what can I get away with rather
than maximizing efficiency.

But the post was about being cheap (and efficient).

I can only dream of efficiency and cheap is fading fast, I just paid
$5.48 for a single 12mm bolt and nut.
-------------------

I've found that being cheap usually ends up costing me more in the
end than if I'd spent a little more .
--
Snag
I appreciated foreign cultures more
when they stayed foreign ...
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Snag" wrote in message news:10pl5u7$25qut$1@dont-email.me...

I've found that being cheap usually ends up costing me more in the
end than if I'd spent a little more .
--
Snag
I appreciated foreign cultures more
when they stayed foreign ...
---------------------------

I consider that to be an educational expense, also $200 for 1 and then 2 ton hanging scales as medical accident insurance.

I found a 2.5" OD exhaust pipe coupler that fits the wheel hub hole and can sleeve over the wood plug, which is still needed for alignment and support. More money, stronger part. The spare tire is included in 5 tire rotation and comes off and on yearly, when I check the brakes.

This is the Bronco part I'm imitating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKMt4iFm-Jk

And the CRV spare mount:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/127617750629

The two cameras will give a 180+ degree view of approaching cars, shoppers & carts when I back out from a mall space. I taped them to the tire to check.
A button push switches to the centerline camera with adjustable backup
lines. There's no downward view but I have the pickup for towing and
parallel parking is too rare to consider here.

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:10pm3qv$2eo3j$1@dont-email.me...

This is the Bronco part I'm imitating: ...

They are available for older Jeeps. https://www.extremeterrain.com/dv8-offroad-jeep-wrangler-camera-extension-bracket-tcjl-ext.html?

I'm making one which is a close sliding fit in the hub center hole to align the studs, and mounts the dual camera cross bracket, attached with a spare
lug nut, thus the metric bolt with the same M12-1.5 thread.

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