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Post by oregon on Aug 10, 2021 19:42:22 GMT -5
I like to use float switches for the shutoff switch because they are a positive shutoff, those light switches can shut half way off and turn back on when you move the carriage. I've been tucking relays into my control boxes to prevent this. Is there some type of special 'float' switch I don't know about? got a link or example? thx
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Post by oregon on Aug 6, 2021 14:34:18 GMT -5
I use a digital caliper to measure cab thickness. All the ones I see use a button battery with a sliding piece of plastic to cover the battery case. The plastic won't stay in place and then the caliper doesn't work. I tried putting tape over cover but it doesn't help much. I have been looking for a caliper that uses an aaa battery and have not been successful. Any suggestions?
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Post by oregon on Aug 3, 2021 23:21:04 GMT -5
Estwing is fine, have several. But Vaughan is another option. I picked up an old one, used it to death, But I have to say that that pick is still sharper than my several basic Estwings, ymmv, but I have a sense that it didn't wear down as fast as my estwings. Might be the vintage steel? Not as prevalent, but a fine option if you come across one. Be curious if anyone else has used a Vaughan pick over the years? thoughts?
Anyone ever try sharpening a pick?
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Post by oregon on Jul 30, 2021 19:17:23 GMT -5
While the lortone's certainly are too hot for comfort (surprised they get a UL cert?) I tend to leave my home built one running, with a latching relay plugin. ymmv.
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Post by oregon on Jul 30, 2021 18:45:21 GMT -5
I have a spare webcam in my lab & shop I use to watch a 24 rotolap from my office when I was working. Just had to call my wife and ask her to adjust the water if it started to dry out. That way I could run it when I was at work. For me sound is the key you can hear if something is not running right. Tech has become so cheap we can use it to support our hobby. I just need to build a robot arm to polish flats on the big lap.
I suppose a dishwasher / washing machine valve tied to alexa/google home etc would allow you to quit bugging your wife. Always wondered if you could put a reflectivity sensor on there to measure the dryness, but maybe sound is a better bet...hmmm.
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Post by oregon on Jul 30, 2021 10:57:37 GMT -5
Why do you need to connect the two shafts like that? Wouldn't having a drive shaft and an idler shaft work; eliminating the need for the short belt? I"m sure others can chime in, but if one shaft starts dragging (rock grit) it'll just start wearing the rubber faster etc, just seems like a better /safer build. Hours of wear add up quickly for things that run 24/7, unlike most tools you or I own... 2c
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Post by oregon on Jul 29, 2021 16:07:24 GMT -5
We built a two 15lb hex barrel tumbler a while back, and it works fine. It runs more during the summer, but not constantly year round. On the non motor end of the bars we do have two 2.5" pulleys with a short coupling belt - 16 or 18"?. That short belt seems to crack pretty quickly, it'll keep running for a while when split, but just sort of a pain for something that doesn't have a huge load on it. I imagine that I could buy link belt, or that I could put larger pulleys on the ends or just keep buying belts.
Just wondering what lifetime others see out of these short belts (the one on the left below) and maybe what size pulleys folks tend to have on the coupling end. Drummond Island Rocks MichiganRocks
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Post by oregon on Jul 26, 2021 16:08:33 GMT -5
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Post by oregon on Jul 24, 2021 18:25:37 GMT -5
Beam me up... Lava Tube in Central OR...
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Post by oregon on Jul 14, 2021 0:45:27 GMT -5
You folks are so great at identifying rocks, wonder if anyone might recognize this old "vintage" trim saw, has bronze bushings, arbor mounted to the table, so it's easy peasy to clean out the water after use.
Cast Aluminum, was blasted and painted before me. Thought someone might recognize the little protective flange welded on for the belt guard....
Not the original motor.
Just curious. thx.
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Post by oregon on Jul 12, 2021 15:20:11 GMT -5
I have an old 15 pound tumbler that uses the same barrel as the Thumbler's model B. I bought a new top gasket, but I still am getting leaks. I've tried turning the screws tighter, and less tight. If the lid has been over tightened and no longer flat that creates problems. cleaning is key though. Another guy I used to know swore by his tube of Vaseline, seems like a pain to clean to me so have never tried that.
Also inspect the liner if you take it out, I've seen cracks that are pretty hidden on the shoulders. ymmv.
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Post by oregon on Jul 11, 2021 12:22:28 GMT -5
The actual power feed motor seems to be working ok, so I will attempt to take the spring loaded section apart and see what it looks like. Also on the feed rod itself there is a flat spot on the end that looks like a set screw has been used to hold it, but there is no set screw for it that I can find.
looks like a set screw on the top left in your photo? the left portion should be anchored to your motor.
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Post by oregon on Jul 10, 2021 23:13:44 GMT -5
That's a clutch. Believe those threads are intentionally removed. If I remember right... there's a spring loaded plate with 'bars' that fit the V shaped grooves. Nice way of keeping you from stripping threads on the feed rod. Wouldn't hurt to take it apart, make sure the parts aren't seized from years of rock snot in there...
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Post by oregon on Jul 2, 2021 23:47:30 GMT -5
Ask your optometrist next time you get an exam for an extra script. I get 'computer vision' glasses which are sorta set at a 2 foot focal distance unlike readers that are closer. I imagine there's some formula for a given focal distance. Take your script and order an inexpensive pair online, I use zenni, but there are plenty of places. Cheap enough that I leave pairs in my car, desk, fishing vest! You may still want the magnifiers on top of that, the optical folks should know all the combos. ymmv.
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Post by oregon on Jul 2, 2021 1:03:20 GMT -5
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Post by oregon on Jun 30, 2021 10:53:14 GMT -5
Thank you all. I'm not sure if I'm more amazed that so many different rocks travel around the world so far, or that so many rocks are particular to one specific location just visibly (not chemically) or that the crowd here can Id them with the collective knowledge. So this is most definitely Parral agate. Blue & Brown colors as well as the banding all fit the description. here's pic that looks off the same rock ...
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Post by oregon on Jun 29, 2021 21:28:08 GMT -5
Thanks! Definitely looks closer (if not identical) to anything else I've been able to google...
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Post by oregon on Jun 29, 2021 18:08:55 GMT -5
Someone just dropped this boulder off a while back, no idea where it came from. It's hard, glassy, looks like some bluish agate with sorts of dendrites, not the typical tree pattern, but little more blobby. A few dots as well, I know Polka dot is close by, but this doesn't feel like that to me. The white opaque does not seem like Opal to me, more of a Jasper/agate. It's about 16" across and the Minor chunk cleaved off when I dropped it a while back... Second photos show some brown agate inclusions on the edge as well. Guess away, no idea here An for those of you who love Bat Cave Jasper and haven't seen rough, here's some. You can see why slabs parallel to the layers are hard to come by. The bands are usually a thin layer, 1 or two slabs. You can also see how the other piece with the light tan top looks like it has bat droppings on top of it. Don't know that Bats (mammals) were around long enough for this to be true, but fun story.
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Post by oregon on Jun 27, 2021 10:43:55 GMT -5
These were made by Dodson and Evans Lapidary out of Bliss, Idaho. I bought an old warehouse and it has parts to make these and lots of parts for other things, all labeled Dodson and Evans. Tony
Thanks for that, interesting. These look like they had removable rubber liners, my homemade version doesn't That would make cleanouts a PIA, so I haven't felt the urge to complete it. One thing that keeps me from using the vibrasonic more, having to unbolt the two hoppers to do a cleanout...
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Post by oregon on Jun 26, 2021 22:00:57 GMT -5
Yeah, well since my prompting made Randy go out and do all this work for a thread, here's my creations with all leftover materials. The 3 ft hooped fence is ancient, but heavier gauge than anything on the market today & narrower openings. Since the fir trees shed needles, caps, pollen pods and cones, Rocks will get buried in short order, just like my gutters. I happened to have two unused can lids, so I just made the gabions to fit. Will get to practice smashing sunbaked plastic buckets tomorrow.
>100 deg weather doesn't make anything happen fast here! Forecasting an all time record high tomorrow
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