Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

I live near tormach in Waunakee WI, and know a few people with their machines, and even know a guy who works there. Excellent support and the software seems to be really exceptional. That said I didnt have that kind of cash and I am just setting up my shop, so I picked up a 500$ enco knee mill and added a TouchDRO system. Had been running it on a 120v single phase to 220v 3 phase vfd, but have since set up a Rotary Phase converter because my new old lathe cannot use a vfd. Lathe is a leblonde 15x54 bought on surplus for a song, and admittedly is way too much machine for my 1700sqrft house basement haha.

You have some really robust machines there, can't wait to see what projects comes out of "the basement" 😊

Use compressed air with care and low pressure some, always watch eyes. Also. I try to keep a cheap paint brush handy for chips.

While compressed air is handy for cleaning after drilling and tapping, it's not useful for cleaning machinery unless you just want chips blasted everywhere they shouldn't be.

I have several of these cheap shop brushes ($4 for me):

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/00351601

I remove the T-Slot cleaner as I have a better, fitted one for that type of work. They are a small but nice size with stiff bristles that knock chips out but they don't embed into the brush. For small jobs you can catch the mess in a dustpan, but most of the time it's just easier to break out the shop vac and clean everything properly.  It's part of the job unless you like working in a pigsty.

For machinery mats to stand on I use those rubber kitchen/grease mats sold for restaurants. They keep my old feet off the cold, hard concrete and the holes give someplace for the chips to go instead of grinding them into the soles of your shoes. The best way to clean them is with the shop vac.  Duck boards are also common for this use but they would be a trip hazard in my small shop.

Hi

Bit late on the die filler, not sure you know about Vintage Machinery site, http://www.vintagemachinery.org/home.aspx.  It has lots of information on many companies like Keller.  Not sure which model you have, here is link to Keller 1A model manual: http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=23070

I have an All American die filler here is a link to it : https://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=179474

I use mine a lot and have a nice collection of files, I find them at flea markets, you need to look carefully but a giveaway is the tang and that there is no taper on any sides, as well as the direction of the cut when you drag it across your fingernail.  I have made adapters for short files to fit my machine.

Bob

New VEVOR Rotary Table 8" Horizontal/Vertical HV8-4 Precision 3MT center
Hi folks
I bought this for about $192 total from Vevor. I viewed a video from "lets Roger that" & he does a very comprehensive review on this exact rotary table. it was packed OK & the quality "seems" to be decent as of right now. i was holding out for a used Troyke, Yuasa, Bison, Cincinnati...ect, but they all got scooped up quickly or were very pricey, so I thought I would give this a try. I'm by no means a trained or experienced machinist, just a hobby shop guy.



From "lets Roger that"
https://youtu.be/oEFrATWR414?si=O4Zf5fOQiMFjvpzq

That's a whole heck of a lot more rotary table than I've got Bruce, but I get by with the occasional extension arm to add to my little 4" table.

That's a whole heck of a lot more rotary table than I've got Bruce, but I get by with the occasional extension arm to add to my little 4" table.

I have a 4" as well, amazing how 2" increments increase the size so dramatically. I think I'm glad I didnt buy the 10"er like I originally wanted.

That's a helluva' mill you got there Bruce!