• Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope that you all have something to be grateful for this year and for many years to come

  • The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
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  • America has reached 250 years, and I am grateful to be here, in the best country in the world. Thank every one of you who helps make this country a better place, those who have gone before and risked it all, and those who've paid the ultimate price to make the United States what we are today.

    Happy Birthday America! Let Freedom Ring for all time!

Me shop is now COMPLETE!!!

R

rashid11

Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
707
well, almost. I really can not think of anything I want to add :)
Few things I'd love to upgrade to large versions, but shop being
a garage in a townhouse, I have me limits. On the same note,
I really love the fact that both the mini-mill and mini-lathe can be
easily moved by 1 person. I can lift the lathe on/off the workbench
and easily move the mill the workbench (to move it on/off, one
needs to remove the column/head assy, to be safe, that's one large
nut and you're done)


So here the list of what I have, bought over last 6Y or so . All improvements by yours truly:

- HF Mini-mill. Converted to belt drive, 3-axis Shumatech.com DYI DRO
- HF 8x10, upgraded, vis LMS kit, to 8x14. Longitudal DRO and power feed
- HF 4x6 bandsaw. Didn't do much to it, outside of DT 3/8 NC into UL corner of moving jaw so I can cut smaller piece w/o jaw tilting. From www.mini-lathe.com, BS section. Reward the BS and yerself with proper bi-metal blades!
- HF TIG/Stick
- HF dual MIG
- HF grinder/buffer, converted to HMG+buffer of my own design (posted the how-to on Web)

- HF dry/wet sharpener http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33867
converted into diamond power hone
- HF air compressor: 2HP 8Gallon 6SCFM @ 90PSI http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90385

LOUD, but tolerable, portable and works great.

- HF angle grinder http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3150

- Craftsman 4x36 belt/disk grinder

- Crafstman's BS http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...ical=TOOL&subcat=Band+Saws&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes . Paid $255+T @ local sears

Unbeleivable value for the money, BUT you MUST replace the gutless crappy worthless motor with 1HP "farm duty" HF motor ($75) and THEN it SINGS !

For $320 you will get a portable, solid BS, with excellent machined table, almost 8" throat capacity, excellent rack/pinion guide etc etc. And it looks good too ! I welded a pair of smallish casters to one side of the stand. Reward the BS and yerself with proper Timberwolf blade!

- Craftsman 4" jointer

- Craftsman jigsaw

- Craftsman shopvac

- Craftsman latest portable tool set: nailer, drill, reciprocating saw, "cold" light

- Some HD stuff: portable table saw, mitter saw

- HF air tools: grinder, incl micro, paint guns

- HF digital calipers. LOOOOVE them. Buy a 20-battery pack at a local
fair for $1. Batteries last forever, but I replace them when they start
blinking


- Home-built heat-treating oven. State-of-the-art :) digitally controlled 240V design. Goes to 1800F in minutes, reaches 2000F or may be even higher. (posted the how-to on Web)



I built 2 semi-stationary workbenches, both fold flat against the walls I need them to. Some HW is stowed under the benches

Some tools, being rather light, hang (flat against the walls) on largish screws I have in the wall studs: table saw, jigsaw, etc. Incredible space saver.

I also built a moveable workbench, 2x4, with 12 full size full extension
ball-bearing drawers (4+" high, ~24 wide/24 deep) for all the tools and tooling
I have.

And of course, plenty of shelves.

Now one prolly wonder how all the gear fits into modest size garage .
The answer is: very comfortably ! Most of the floor space is wide open.


Executive summary: HF rules ! :D
 
Way too much stuff to take pics of :)

I just posted pics of adding power feed to mini-lathe.
My HMG and oven were also posted, a while back.

Now I gotta go and rewire the HF's 1HP motor that I mated
with the Craftsman BS for 240v. Got some paddle 15A 240V
switches from surpluscenter.com ($.60 per), along with gear
motor I used for the power feed.
 
Sounds like a great set up. I like the idea of replacing motors to get things up to snuff. I have a Sears Craftsman Drill Press, that has turned out to be a quality piece of equip. It would be better if I replaced the chuck with a better quality one, but so far it has done what I need it do, trouble free. I have a HF 1-1/2 HP bench grinder, 10 IN wheels. It has the sealed cast iron housing like the Baldors, cools by absorbtion and radiation. I cant feel any shake in it after at least six years ( I can't remember exactly when I aquired the thing.) Some HF stuff is only marginal, but some of it is pretty darn good. My wife has a Ryobi :thumbup: "dremel" type tool that we got at HF. It has been very good also,, much better than the D. :thumbdn: brand she wore out in no time.
 
you batard..........mine is coming down! :D

I need to order a nwe building next week.

Sounds great what you have parner!
 
"Home-built heat-treating oven. State-of-the-art digitally controlled 240V design. Goes to 1800F in minutes, reaches 2000F or may be even higher. (posted the how-to on Web)"

Where on the web is the how-to posted?
Thank you
 
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