Industrial Arts

If only I had a Circle Shear -- It's hopefully in Transit

2012-01-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

I have ordered a use PEXTO Circle Shear from Terry Tynan at the Metal Spinning Workshop. Hopeful it is on its way be now. I have been wanted to get a circle shear for years. I have been cutting my circle by hand with aviation snips. It often take longer to cut the circle than it does to spin the part. I have purchased a stand from Harbor Freight that will work with a little reinforcement. Is you can see I am already for its arrival. Once the circle shear is set up and working I will move it to my office at the TechShop in Menlo Park, California.

Pexto Circle Shear Support Stand -- Harbor Freight

2012-01-24T14:40:00.000-08:00

I purchased a PEXTO Model 278A Circle Shear. I am going to mount the circle shear on a wood lathe stand from Harbor Freight. The wood lathe stand was only $39.99 plus tax and shipping. This stand my need a little reinforcing but I think it will do a good job. I am going to cut a piece of plywood to use for a shelf for storing circles.

Wood Lathe Stand

New Sets of Professional Metal Spinning Tools for the New TechShops in New York and Los Angeles

2012-01-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

I have secured two more sets of professional metal spinning Tools for the new TechShops in New York and Los Angeles.

Walmart Launches “Get on the Shelf” Contest to Uncover the Next Great Product | @WalmartLabs

2012-01-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

To my colleagues at the Techshops, If you've got a great new product, get it on the selves at Walmart.
Walmart Launches “Get on the Shelf” Contest to Uncover the Next Great Product | @WalmartLabs:

'via Blog this'

Test Assembly and Troubleshooting the USS Pampanito Wardroom Aft Cabinet

2012-01-21T20:19:00.000-08:00

Today Max and I completed a trial assembly and fit-up of the USS Pampanito Wardroom Aft Cabinet. The pictures below show the cabinet down because I still need to mill-in the slots for the alignment slots in the bottom. The restoration required that we fabricate a new bottom panel, top of the photo, a new partition, between the first and second doors. The second photo shows the new end panel, and the third photograph shows the new back panel. Next week I will install the hinges and mill the slots in the bottom. I still need to fabricate a cabinet divider panel separating the first and second compartment in the cabinet. The last fabrication that will be needed is the five shelves that go inside of the cabinet. So of the pre-drilled hole did not line-up correctly, but the doors seem to fit perfectly.

Corrugated Pads -- Why Not Recycle Cardboard at the TechShop

2012-01-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today I was just about to order a bundle of 50 Corrugated Pads, (cardboard) for shipping materials from Uline. I have been buying cardboard boxes from Uline for yours. However, today I stopped and decided that there may be a better way. At this time I needed some 20" x 12" corrugated pad, this is simply a piece of cardboard cut to 20" x 12". Most of the time there is dumpster full of cardboard at the TechShop. So today I recycle some old cardboard to make up the corrugated pads I needed. If I were to purchase them from Uline they would cost $.59 each plus shipping. In the future when I need these kinds of packing materials I am just going to offer a bounty of $.59 each for the corrugated pads. I will post the sign at the TechShop and gladly pay a colleague at the Techshop. They could make $30 for an hours work.

Switching Aluminium Alloys -- 3003 Rather Than 1100-0

2012-01-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

The aluminium Coca Cola Products bottles are manufactured from aluminium alloy 3003. This alloy is very similar to the 1100-0 alloy that I use for my aluminium spinning, however 3003 is higher strength because of the 1.0 to 1.5% manganese that is added.

Manufactured from Alloy 3003 Aluminium

I have been manufacturing the Coca Cola Serving Trays and Cups in 1100-0 Aluminium. Yesterday I received some 1 mm thick 3003 aluminium. I am proposing to change from 1100-0 to the 3003 so that the Serving Tray and Cups will be manufactured from the same alloy as the Coca Cola Products aluminium bottles. Being that I am going to sell the Serving Tray and Cups as a set with the Coca Cola aluminium bottles I think it would add value to have the materials of manufacturing to match.

Spun using 1100-0 Aluminium Alloy

Pre-Production of 11 sets of the Coca Cola Serving Tray and Cups -- Techshop

2012-01-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday 12/8/2012 at the Techshop Menlo Park, I completed a pre-production run of 11 sets of the Coca Cola Serving Tray and Cups. The effort was to improve the consistency and the "as spun finish. I have greatly improve the quality and efficiency were I now think this could be a viable product and a reasonable price. On Wednesday we will take some photograph of the entire offering of the Coca Cola Serving Tray and Cup. the default product will offer one each aluminium bottle of Coca Cola Classic, one aluminium bottle of Zero and one aluminium bottle of Diet Coke, four cups and one serving tray. You may also mix and match the Coca Cola Products as you like. All classic, all Zero, or all Diet Coke, you may also want to substitute Sprite as appropriate. We are discussing selling the Coca Cola Serving Tray and Cups on Esty, Amazon.com, Shopify, Ebay Store, and others. The set with the three Coca Cola products will sell for $129.00. These are hand spun on hard maple mandrel in Silicon Vally, USA. Each piece will have the EGP maker's mark. This Coca Cola Serving Trays is on Display at all three of the California TechShops.

Max completes Cabinet Stakes for the USS Pampanito Wardroom Aft Cabinet Restoration Project

2012-01-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

The Wardroom Aft Cabinet is held together with the steel stakes shown below. We did find one of the original stakes. My Grandson Max fabricated the other five stakes that will be needed to complete the restoration project.

Max to Fabricate five metal parts for the USS Pampanito Aft Cabinet Restoration Project

2012-01-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow my grandson Max will fabricated the five steel stakes used in the assembly of the USS Pampanito Aft Wardroom Cabinet.

Last Major Part Completed for USS Pampanito Aft Wardroom Cabinet

2012-01-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

Today we completed the last major part for the USS Pampanito Aft Wardroom Cabinet. The next setup will be to test assemble all of these parts and fit-up and mount the three doors. This parts was fabricated from 16 gauge galvanized steel sheet. We used the press brake at the Techshop in Menlo Park.

Needful Things a New TechShop Start-UP -- Looking for Co-founder(s) We Need Biz Ops and Biz Dev

2011-12-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

Needful Things a New TechShop Start-UP -- Looking for Co-founder(s)
In the new year I am going to launch a new start-up, Needful Things, to sell many of the items we have manufactured at the Techshop. Over the last three years we have developed tooling, processes, manufacturing expertise that we want to capitalize on in the coming years. Below is a list of items that may be offered for sale. These items will all be manufacture at one of the three northern California TechShops.

Coca Cola Serving Tray and Cups -- options: aluminium, pewter, colors

Center Bowl -- options: bronze, copper, brass, aluminum, Large and Med size, and patina

Earl's Cheap Imitation Mutton Tallow -- Single and/or 3 pack

Many people like the Bronze Buckle centerpiece.

Circles, for metal spinning -- In standard and custom sizes, aluminium and red metal

Pendant Light fixtures -- Large and Med. size, aluminium many colors

LED Pendant Light Fixture -- same as above with CREE LMR4 technology

Pop Corn Bowls -- these are the TechShop Pop Corn Bowls that are made in the metal spinning classes.

Misc Spun Parts -- Lot's of stuff in the shed!

Hockey Puck LED Lamp -- LED Table Lamp with five removable Puck lights that can be place as needed and then returned to home base for charging
Soft Pack RV Accessories -- A new concept for new times.
Lubricant Dollys

Spinners Back Sticks
Cast Pewter Items
Metal Spinning Tools

Detroit TechShop -- Metal Spinning Mandrel and Supplies Shipped

2011-12-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I fabricated the metal spinning mandrel for the class at the new Detroit Techshop. The tooling for the class consisted of a hard maple mandrel and follow block. the Mandrel has a 1 1/4"-8 TPI thread so that it can be directly mounted on the headstock spindle of the TechShop's Powermatic 4224 Lathes. I don't know the schedule for the first metal spinning class but they will soon have everything that is needed.

Detroit TechShop -- Metal Spinning Soon to be up and running

2011-12-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

I will finish the the tooling for the metal spinning class in the new Detroit TechShop. I will be sending the mandrel, follow block, back sticks, lubricant, dollys, and aluminium circles out to Detroit tomorrow. In the metal spinning classes we fabricate a 160mm diameter Pop Corn Bowel.

This is it! I have got to have one -- no Metal Spinner can live without one

2011-12-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Max and I set around the Techshop cutting out aluminium circles with aviation snips. For over two years I have been looking for a good circle shear. It turns out that you can still purchase a brand new "hot shop ace in the hole" PEXTO No. 299 ring and circle shear. These ring and circle shears cost $4,700. That's a lot of money but when you consider that I can often spin the item faster than I can cut the circle. It seem like a reasonable thing to have. I have seen used circle shears available but they always have wear on the cutters so they need to be sharpened or replaced.

With this ring and circle shear I can cut of of the circle that I need for my own work and all of the circles needed for the TechShop classes. I could also offer custom circle sizes to whom ever needs them. I could offer circles in white and red metals.

Earl's Cheap Imitation Mutton Tallow 3pk -- Metal Spinning Lubricant

2011-12-17T16:52:00.000-08:00

Shown below is a three pack of Earl's Cheap Imitation Mutton Tallow. This waxy metal spinning lubricant has been used at all three of the California Techshops.

Earl's Cheap Imitation Mutton Tallow 3pk

There are three containers for wax lubricant included. Each container has a screw-on lid to protect the lubricant form being contaminated by metal chips and/or dust. On the bottom of each container is a strong magnet that allows for one hand use of the lubricant.

The lubricant containers may be placed at any convenient location on the metal spinning lathe. This allows for one hand application of the lubricant as required.

Here the lubricant container is place on the lathe tail stock. The lubricant will be applied using a denim dolly.

Sold a Bronze Center Piece Buckle Today

2011-12-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

Many of my colleagues at the Techshop have liked this bronze centerpiece buckle. Today one of my Techshop colleagues purchased this spun bronze buckle for his mother for Christmas.

Bronze Centerpiece Buckle

Two Bronze Centerpiece Bowls Completed at the Techshop

2011-12-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

Add caption

Maker's Mark

Bronze Centerpiece Bowl

How the OD and Bottom Polishing Was done

2011-12-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

Using the original spinning mandrel and follow block to hold the bronze centerpiece bowl in place, I polished the OD surface with Scotch Brite pads.

OD Polishing

After completed the OD polishing I taped the outer most edge of the centerpiece bowl to the mandrel. Then I remove the lathe tail stock and follow block. This gave me access to the bottom surface that I polished with Scotch-Brite at 3500RPM.

Bottom Polishing

Polishing the Inside of the Bronze Centerpiece Bowl

2011-12-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

With the newly fabricated cavity tool I was able to polish the inside of the bronze centerpiece bowl. I used Scotch-Brite Hand Pad and spun the part at 3500RPM.

Polishing the Inside of the Bronze Bowl

Polishing Fixture

Fixture Installed on Lathe

ID Polishing Fixture for Bronze Center Bowl completed

2011-12-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished cavity tool for polishing the inside of the bronze center bowl.

Cavity Tool for Polishing Bronze Center Bowl

Fabrication of an ID (inside) Polishing Fixture for Bronze Center Bowls

2011-12-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

In metal spinning it is generally easy to polish the OD (outside) of the spun part because it is held on the original metal spinning mandrel with complete access to the spun surfaces. However the ID (inside surfaces is much more difficult because we have no fixture to hold the part while turning it in the lathe. What I am showing below is a fixture using on of the center bowl aluminium proof spinnings. I have attached an 8/4 hard maple block that has the 1 1/4"-8 TPI thread to match the lathe spindle. This is all aligned perfectly by using a live center alignment tool. This fixture can now be turned around and mounted on the headstock by screwing it on to the lathe spindle thread.

ID Polishing fixture

Large Hemisphere Tooling Available at the Techshop -- Metal Spinning

2011-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

During the last two years at the TechShop I have developed a lot of tooling and fixtures for metal spinning, in particular, I want to point out the hard maple tooling shown below for spinning very large hemispheres. Each of these mandrels have a set of three follow blocks. This tooling and the experience of using it has dramatically increased the overall capability of metal spinning at the Techshop.

Second TechShop Start-up Doing Something New with the Old Automat

2011-12-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

A new start-up had their iteration of the old Automat installed in the San Francisco TechShop. This is the second group at the Techshop that is working on a new spin on the old Automat. The photograph below show the sheet metal fabrication work done at the TechShop in Menlo Park.

Another TechShop START-UP Insanely Great Products, Inc.

2011-11-30T13:04:00.000-08:00

Insanely Great Products, Inc. — Home — Accessories for iPhone and iPod — Designed and Made in USA: