Month: September 2015

TURNING the Interior Decorating World Upside Down

~ joelshaw@sbcglobal.net ~ 1 Comment

IMG_0030A metal working lathe is a machine which spins (“turns” in machining parlance) a work piece and allows the operator to cut that work piece with extreme precision. It is an incredibly versatile machine with gearing and attachments to allow for cutting threads, tapers, radii, and just about any profile that a mechanical part might require. I have a fairly modern lathe in the shop for years, and I probably found it to be one of the most exciting acquisitions I’ve ever made.

What does this have to do with interior decorating? If you haven’t guessed by the title and the brief background, this post is about a metal working lathe and how it relates to my version of interior decorating.

I’ve always been fascinated by gears, wheels, motors, machinery, and just about anything requiring electricity or gasoline. Several months ago, a good friend who knew about my interests mentioned that his neighbor had an antique lathe and needed some money. I really didn’t need another lathe and had just been laid off, but I really like machines. I like them even more when the are antiques.

This presented two hurdles:

  • How to mentally justify my need for another lathe
  • How to get it working

KIMG0101My first hurdle didn’t take that much to get over. Firstly, I have more house than furnishings. Secondly, I’ve seen classy looking households that highlighted antique Singer sewing machines as sculptures. Why not a lathe?  Sewing machines and lathes are both industrial machines with belts and gears. In fact, a lathe is a much better machine as it has more gears, more belts, more power, more speed, and can even be used to make a sewing machine!

Bringing the lathe back to functionality wasn’t that much of a hurdle either. Disassembly wasn’t bad, and the motor worked fine after a bit of rewiring and repairing some shorts.IMG_0042

After getting everything working, an unforeseen hurdle popped up: how to display it so people wouldn’t find it offensive.

The first step required hours with rags, tooth brushes, and solvents. It still isn’t perfect, but it no longer slings grease. It can even be handled without leaving one’s hands and clothing dirty.

The next step was presentation. I thought a metal cabinet like most lathes rest on would be harsh, so I decided to go with wood.  I just happened to find a guy on Craigslist who makes benches from scrap pine, and he had a smaller one that nobody seemed to want.  I bought it, stained it, added a directional switch with a linkage to a forward/reverse handle, and voila.

KIMG0103The lathe can be seen on the edge of this picture of my dining room.

I’d like to finish by mentioning my reason for this post. I’ve mentioned putting a lathe in my dining room from time to time, and some people have responded with confusion or even downright anger. I hope this post will act as a tool to explain my reasoning so that we can all just get along.

 

 

 

 

 

Best Thread Gauge Ever or Reunited After All of These Years

~ joelshaw@sbcglobal.net ~ 2 Comments

KIMG0090I haven’t posted in a while for several reasons:

  • I’ve been working on a super secret project
  • I’m waiting to see results on several other projects
  • All else has been mundane (lawn mower repair, flat tires, swapping alternators, fixing hydraulics….)

However, I am very excited to present these thread gauges (sorry about the poor picture quality).

I purchased a set like this about 18 years ago and was amazed at how simple, accurate, and useful they are. They each have a hole to determine the bolt diameter and serrations around the outside to determine pitch. Two are Imperial threads, one is metric threads, and one is a combination of NPT and spark plug threads. If you want a set, look up Thexton part number THE432.

You are probably wondering why this isn’t in the “mundane” category that I mentioned above. You probably think that thread gauges are pretty boring to write about, even for an unemployed guy. BUT, there is a story behind them.

7 years into my ownership of my first set, I brought them to the Tavern to measure some threaded parts from a friend’s gun (yes, this is Texas) but mostly to show them off. It was a fun night, and I went home after finishing my beer ration. Several days later, I needed to measure a part and my gauges were missing.

“No bid deal,” I thought, “I must have left them at the Tavern.” I went to retrieve them from the lost and found.  No suck luck.

“No bid deal,” I thought, “They weren’t that expensive. I’ll just buy a new set.”  I went online, and I found nothing. I drove to my favorite stores: Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, Grainger, Wholesale Tool, Tractor Supply… nothing. I think the lady at Tractor Supply almost laughed when she saw a tear forming in the corner of my eye. I was at the end of my rope.

About a week later, I was back at the Tavern drowning my sorrows over the loss. The bartender from that fateful night had been on vacation, but before leaving she had noticed my thread gauges sitting on the bar at closing. She stuck them them in her purse because she realized they were far too important for the lost and found. We were reunited at last!!!

8 years later, I moved from my house near downtown to one with decent shop space and plenty of parking. During the move, I put my treasured thread gauges somewhere safe so they wouldn’t be lost. Unfortunately, the place I chose was too safe. They have not been seen since. I’ve searched and searched, but they are still safely tucked away somewhere.

Out of desperation, I finally decided that it was time to move on with my life and settle for an inferior style of thread gauge. A week ago, I searched to the deepest depths of the internet for the best thread gauge. To my surprise, these are available again!!! Now I just need to find somewhere safe to put them so they don’t get lost. Once I figure out that place, I’ll probably find my other set!

 

On a side note, I’m glad nobody reads this drivel. They’d think I’m crazy.