Spending money I don't have

[gregs78cam]

Well I just had this dropped off today. Was made available from the guy I do work for on the side, and I couldn't pass it up. 11x36, 2hp, variable speed. Should do most anything I need to do for this auto stuff.

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and I bought this a couple of months ago, it's almost paid off.

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Now I just have to buy a panelboard, breakers, wire, etc. and get them wired up. More money I don't have.

[93V8S10]

Very cool!

[EagleMark]

and you can build those hybrid distributors with those 2 pieces of equiptment! Actually just ths lathe, but with the millport you can make injector holes in an intake for MPFI !

I've been thinking of getting a sheetmetal brake to make ECM brackets, like in attached PDF...

[rts91tsi]

At least you spent the money on things that are useful, and could be used to make money. Excellent purchases!

[gregs78cam]

Well the mill is finally paid off along with 2/3 of the lathe, I got them wired up, and making chips, well the mill is. I had to buy a vise for the mill, and I still need to get a hold down set for it, and a toolpost and tools for the lathe, and collets, and .........soon though.

[EagleMark]

If you follow some links from URL below there are some pretty cool setups for tool stands on mill and lathe. Along with a lot of other cool stuff!
http://www.homemadetools.net/

[RobertISaar]

i really need to convince the wife that a CNC mill at home is an investment, not just a toy. :D

[EagleMark]

i really need to convince the wife that a CNC mill at home is an investment, not just a toy. :D

I don't know? Billet Aluminum seems to be a man thing, now if you can figure out how to CNC some girl stuff you may have a chance!

[JeepsAndGuns]

Nice! I wish I had a mill, and lathe, and a shop to put them in! Oh the jeep and gun parts I could have made over the years, and all the stuff I could make now too....lol

[gregs78cam]

Well today was a good day. Last night I went out at around 10PM, and leveled the lathe, took off the back gear cover and made a few adjustments to the geartrain, tweaked the gibs and ways, and got the thing running sweet. Today, I went out to replace the wheel bearings on our '98 Grand Am, and found I need to do the brakes as well. It just so happens that the rotors just barely fit on the lathe. I got one mounted up, the tooling set up and put a nice finish on it. I had to make a trip to Pull and save to get a ABS plug bracket, and pads from Napa on the way, then I came home and turned the other rotor, replaced the tie rod ends, and took it for a drive. Not bad for half a day's work (12 hours).

Bottom line.......I am very happy with this lathe so far.

[EagleMark]

Woo Hoo! I got a freind with a lathe!

[PJG1173]

so when are you going to start modifying intakes for injector bungs and fuel rails?

[gregs78cam]

Well I was kind of thinking the first one I did was going to be my own so that I can take as long as I need to make some fixtures and jigs, and to get the process sorted out well. Then I could actually do others and maybe make a little money on them.
I guess if someone wanted one done, I would do it, but it might take some time. I would need to get some more things to do it.....injector seat drill, Argon bottle for my Tig welder, make some injector blanks out of steel,

I have been thinking of doing the paperwork to start a business, for the name I have been really liking "Benedict Machine and Fabrication" or BMF, hahaha. Or as my dad would call it Benedict Mechanic'n and Fix'n.

[EagleMark]

Or as my dad would call it Benedict Mechanic'n and Fix'n.

I like him already!

Don't forget fuel rails will have to be part of each intake done to match!

[gregs78cam]

Well I decided to repower the lathe to get rid of the variable speed V-belt, as it was causing some vibrations. I ended up going with a VFD very similar to the one on the mill, and setting up 3 switches to select among 8 speeds of the motor, combined with direct/back gear I have 16 speeds easily selectable. It runs much smoother now.

I have a project going now for a buddy, he has me building a Wakeboard tower for his 20' jet boat. So that necessitated buying a bottle for my Tig welder, and building a cooler for the new water cooled Flex-loc torch. Commercial tig coolers run anywhere from about $450-800. I think I have around $100 in mine including coolant($68), fittings, and PC power supply($15) to run the pump and fan(free) on the radiator(recycled drinking fountain evaporator)(free). Everything should be getting a nice workout tomorrow, as we hope to have the tower pretty well finished on my second day off in about 6 weeks.