I would have guessed the coal basked on the stool was to keep the iron warm enough to prevent ice on the tread. I can't imagine the railroad company had comfort in mind for employees to sit on.
Thank you for showing the Fell Level. I've seen several small to quite large levels used when we moved our machine shop once and never saw one like that..
Hi Keith - Thanks for this video. It was good to see what you had to share with us. So, you asked us to let you know what we like!! Well, I (and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this) would like you to strip that Long Arm Buffer down when you restore it so that you can show us what the insides are like and how it's built. I like the beauty of old machines and of how they were made. Many Thanks :)
As for old railroad things, I had a friend's step dad who worked for a railroad here in NE Ohio, he gave me a 1940's conductor's hand lantern. He had installed an electric light socket in it along with a long cord. Fortunately, he didn't alter it at all and I was able to find a replacement tank for kerosene (I just use plain lamp oil) that had the wick mechanism and I returned it to it's original function. I also have two glass insulators i took off a the cross beam on a pole that was almost on the ground next to an abandoned railroad track. Looking back, I wish I would've taken more of them.
Hey. Keith! Long time viewer, never commented. I'm a machinist /fabricator for 3 years. In the shop I work in called master model craft inc we do alot of big industry work we also have a grinder just about like that one we use a cork wheel it works great for deburing stuff I use it daily about every other hour just like the rest in the shop anyway nice tool they will last forever!
Keith, I just saw this vere same level in another video. The calibrating screws are not under the ring, there are Allen screws on the front/rear middle of the case, and very long slotted screws on both ends. Under the ring is a spring holding the bezel in place on the disk. I just watched this level on OXTools video.
Hey Keith, it was good to see you at the show. Palmer and I drove down from Ft. Worth. I was lusting over your buffer when I saw it on Andrew's trailer.. then I learned that it was already spoken for.. Rats! ... Well I glad it went to a good home. Great score. I remember a machine similar to it in my hometown blacksmiths shop. I think it was newer than yours as it wasn't as hefty looking and it seemed wider but that was probably an illusion. He had huge 2" or 3" wide stones on each end. No guards, no rests.. pretty scary machine.
Now that's one Hoss of a buffer !!! It looks to be the same type that Colt Firearms Co. craftsmen used for polishing, prior to bluing ! They mounted 15 inch diameter leather covered wood wheel and whatever rouge or secret polishing compounds they used in their custom shop . There's a few photo's, of wall's upon wall's of those buffing wheels ! I guess they didn't have to worry about any polishing defect's or artifacts, due to stalling with all that mass and momentum !! Great work Keith !!!
Last place I worked had a Grinding/Buffing machine exactly the same as the big green machine at the end of your vid, Keith. Our machine was spaced out and fastened down about three feet from the cinder block wall in back with a separate wheel and guards attached to the wall above and behind the machine. We ran a long coarse abrasive belt around that and a ten inch diameter wheel on the right hand side of the grinder. The left hand side had a buffing wheel on it. I used that machine extensively and ground all manner of things. Even had to pull it apart once to replace the bearings in it. My god it was fun to use, and fast.
I saw that buffer on Andrew's truck and wondered who was going to pick that up. I was tempted to snag that old Lincoln welder from him but I was in a rental car this year and I don't even think I could properly power it at the moment so I passed it up too. Glad you got that beast back home, and it was also nice to chat with you for a bit at the festival. Hope to see you next year.
Glad to see this vid. Made my Friday. I learned: The Fell All-Way precision level, one of the first successful American made bull's eye levels for machine tool use, was invented by William B. Fell, Rockford, Illinois prior to World War II in 1939.
The studs look like axle and wheel studs used in the larger trucks. I used to stock different sizes in the shop before I retired 14 years ago. You should be able to get them at a local Napa, I used to get them at fleetpride truck and trailer parts in Hickory and Charlotte NC. Euclid parts was one of the manufactors if my memory is still correct. Thanks for the very interesting videos.
The purpose of the pocket under the stool was to heat the step to keep ice off and give good traction stepping off the train. Currently a very rare item and a worthy restoration project. Congrats on all the goodies. Thanks for sharing.
I love your work. I've learned SO MUCH. Have you ever, or would you ever consider doing an episode on shop math? Calculating things on machines and the like.
look carefully at the extra 1/2 and 3/4 dies in your cutter.. there is a small chance they have left hand thread cutting dies in them.. so plumbers can make custom left and right pipe nipples as you can't use unions in natural gas piping.. must use left and rights.. usually that comes as a 4" section.. but who knows.
Might I suggest that instead of a wire wheel you get a 3M industrial scotchbrite wheel. Some one gave me one and I have found it very useful for deburing and polishing stainless steel. Sadly I have no idea what grade my wheel is but its fine and the wheel is quite hard. For the other end a taper spindle for mounting canvas polishing wheels. It's the best way of getting a good finish polishing stuff. It will need fixing securely, you would not want that beast chasing you! Why do I say this? Guess!
The correct phrase is 'dead on balls accurate.' "It's an industry term!" Mona Lisa Vito, "My Cousin Vinny" My cousin (former machinist apprentice) and I trade those lines back and forth all the time.
A good way to insert a leveling system of high precision for the surface plate is to put (on the 3 legs supporting the plate) worm screws that outreach to the edge of the plate. The worm screw will give extra range and the ability to keep sight of the high precision level at the same time. It's the best solution for something like this. This is not my idea, it's actually something i saw a few years ago on a high precision bed, for laser testing/measuring. The worm screw had such a level of precision, that turning the screw one revolution gave their leveling system (a complicated laser doo-hikey) a few thousands of a mm in motion, super fine movement. Of course, their system was fully computerized, and the whole machine self leveled itself based on what the readings were, we're talking high precision measurement, i think even standing in the room affected it. :))
This episode was awesome. I think you should restore the stool. It would make the stool so much safer and fun to use when done. Great story on the level. I did not that was available. Great example of that would be levels on survivor equipment. Keep up the great work. You are at the top of my watch list.
The fell level is really cool, Its like two starrett 98's in one. I guess turn it 90 deg. Then 180 deg, then 90 again with the slab on 3 point mount slab stand. or machinest's jacks to level a stand/slab. Never seen one course, being top secret and all. cool stuff
Two issues Keith. First that is a massif polisher/grinder if I have ever seen one. 5 HP is a heck of a lot of HP for any polisher/grinder for sure. Just DON'T get any sleeve or loose clothing caught in it when working around it. Something tells me, you wouldn't have a great day. I have a mere 1/2 HP polisher and that is a great machine. Can't even imagine a 5 HP machine running. Second, you need to tell us about your dog. I see him or her walking through on some videos. If you haven't already (I may have missed it) introduce him or her to us. I like dogs. Make sure you post the videos of you cleaning up the polisher/grinder for sure. I like it!
Keith, try taking just the feet off the stool first and see how that works- one of them look like it was disintegrated more than the others. of course, I got to look at it one camera for all of a minute and you have it in your hands, so you know how that goes. Could the basket in it be for a seat warmer, might make your clothes smell bad, but I bet it is warmer than a steel seat in the winter time; but that might burn you rather easy, but that could be why they don't have them anymore. Those other people are way more correct than my guess, no ice on the steps. Thanks for the videos, nice level.
@@tsufordman It feels weird to say what it sold for without permission but I'm fine talking about myself. I bailed out at 300. That is actually the highest priced one I have seen sold though. This one is in exceptional shape. I just have other things I need to buy first.
I like the idea of restoring the (very cool) stool. Restored history is better than rotting history :) Technically the "flat tube" inside a pressure gauge is called a Bourdon tube. It was invented by a watchmaker named Eugene Bourdon (patented in 1849).
I just got a Van Dorn Black and Decker 12x2 pedestal grinder at an auction. I cant find any manuals or really anything else for that size on the web. It’s a 3 phase 3 horse motor. I’d like to do a restoration, but I need to know what it looked like 60 years ago when it was made. Do you know anything about it?
Nice collection of new stuff for this Odds & Ends. Books are always good, but the level and the stool are special. I don't think you will have to do any cutting on that stool. A bit of diagonal compression should tweak it back to where all four feet are "on plane". (Diagonal compression is probably how it got damaged.) If you want the coal tray fixed, you may have to find someone with a spot welder, although drilling a hole in the tray and fixing it to the stool with a spot of braze might do as well.
A fun story: I went to UCLA (Math and Physics) and a friend of mine there was in Engineering (Nuclear Power) during the late 1960s and early 1970s: Like me, he did summer jobs to help him with the cost of books and such. One day, he saw an add about a summer job that said the person needed knowledge of steam engines. Well, nuclear power plants used steam engines to generate their output (electricity in land power plants and propulsion in nuclear-powered warships - he eventually joined the US Navy and worked directly on such naval nuclear power plants), so he put in for the job and they interviewed him and, lo and behold, he got the job: ENGINEER ON THE DISNEYLAND EXPRESS TRAIN at Disneyland in Southern California!! Many childhood dreams and he was one of the guys who ran those steam-powered trains, just like Keith does, for the entire summer. In fact, he also saved a child's life who was falling out of the train and became a hero, on top of everything else. Some people have all the luck...
Some very interesting items Keith but I wasn't familiar with the Fell precision level at all. That type of design would of been very useful over the years. Like you said you can see the whole scope of things with one look.
Mr. Rucker,is Mr. Wiggins Okay ? Have not seen anything from his channel. I did talk to him and you, in person at the hotel and at the bash. Was very nice to see you both and Lance. But have not seen or heard from Mike? Hope all is well any update from you on him?
Wish I could attend those, but I'm on a set income. But hopefully by learning from Machinists' like you sharing the knowlege I may have something soon to supplement my income making use of the Art of Machining & my experience in welding & auto & diesel repair. A lot of guy's I know would love to have some soft punches. And I need experience in toolmaking. It's a good thing not havve enough "work holding" tools & tooling. Looking for a Machinery's Handbook that won't cost me a major organ. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!!! Aloha, Chief #988
That long arm buffer looks like the most dangerous thing I've seen in a long while. Catch your apron in a wire wheel on that thing and it will pick you straight off the deck!! Fell level looks great.
That polisher is a literal widow maker. I've seen those used in a local foundry, gangs of them with wire wheels and cotton/canvas bobs. It would go a long way to look up how they actually used those types of machines safely. They are an entirely different beast. I wouldn't have anything to do with one of those. The wheel catches anything attached to you, its either coming off of you or you're going into the wheel, ALL OF YOU. With the amount of inertia in that thing, the lights won't dim and the motor won't bog down as its removing your arm from the shoulder lol
Had a couple of them in the cleaning room where I used to work, and somebody did get themselves caught in it. Quick reactions from his mate hitting the stop button saved his arm, but he was still off work for a couple of months recovering.
I have what I think is the same Mil. as you at lest same brand. Mine is a wells index 847. A question have you done any videos on yours besides the gibes?
Hello Keith! Love the videos. I was wondering how thick your concrete floor is in your shop? You obviously have a lot of heavy machines. I'm getting ready to start my new shop and have a few heavy machines myself. A 10,000 lb Monarch 60 series and a 6500 lb Schumacher and Boye 24 inch lathe from 1906 are a couple, and I'm trying to decide on how thick I should make my floor. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
@@KPearce57 I go every year to the TEDTEA Tractor and Engine show, and camp out over night. I bring an exhibit to show there. ruclips.net/channel/UCVVLQg6L-tLIZkrLxjJEtbA?view_as=subscriber
I made that level back in the 1980s. Well not that 1938 version... DO NOT REMOVE THE BLACK RING! This work of art is nearly impossible to calibrate...the vial has three feet which are lapped flat. It then sits on a radius that is ground inside the compartment where the vial sits. As the vial is moved on the x or y axis inside the housing, in theory, it moves over the radius and adjusts the calibration. The vial is held down by a 12 inch long torsion wire spring held in place by that black Bakelite ring on top of the level which has the company name on it. There are four long screws. One at each side and one at each end of the housing These are used to push the vial over the radius in order to calibrate it; a real impossible task.. Replaced in the 1950s with a version that used three adjusting screws equidistant on the periphery of the vial "cup which was mounted inside a boxy housing with a lengthwise cover on top for access to the vial's adjusting screws. FYI With the 1938 contoured level, you can throw away the spring and use anything to apply pressure, like some elastomeric foam, on the top of the vial so it sits firmly on the concave seat on the inside of the housing. The boxy levels were made at a trickle after my uncle Wm. B. Fell died in 1970 until I liquidated the assets of the business in 1995... Over the years, the medium in the pre1970 versions which was ether, would have globules formed on the underside of the lens inside the vial that would render the level useless. If you have an old level and it does not have globules on the bottom of the lens, you are lucky. It was probably a dry winter day when the vial was sealed. Note the resolution is the same as a standard machinist level resolution of 0.0005/in ft which is 10 arc seconds. Wm. B. Fell my uncle, who died in 1970, would call it 8.6 seconds for copyright reasons. It didn't really have a resolution of 8.6 seconds. The accuracy? Questionable. many of these had globules that formed on the inside of the vial, and some were just NOT made properly! This can be seen when tilting the level where the bubble wobbles as it moves. It still might have the resolution; you just need to kick it! A product the Far East has failed to copy! Ha! How fun to see this video Keith after I worked on the product 30 years ago...Thomas Butler Technology, Rockford, Illinois.
You keep getting more machines and you will have to build a "Doctor Who" phone booth to store it all in. I want a copy of the plans when you do so, as I have the same itch to acquire more machines.
Please be careful if you put a wire wheel on the buffer! If it catches your clothing it will throw you. I've seen what an unguarded wire wheel can do, its not pretty. My work removed and banned them. I use them in my home shop, but with guards.
That level could cause you to pull out more than your hair - your wallet too if you were making equipment that had to be so precisely aligned. I was told that the rule of thumb was that for every decimal point in precision, you could add another x10 to the cost of an item being made. This can be lunacy, of course, if you over-do a spec tolerance. One guy told me that to meet a tolerance once that he could not get changed, he had to wait until the sun coming through the large window in the room was exactly on top of the measuring device to warm it up enough to meet the spec, which of course meant that it was "out of spec" the moment it was moved out of the room to shipping. Stupidity has no limits, as Einstein said.
Keith, your railroad step is a really nice piece. A RR engineer buddy of mine had one from the Nickel Plate RR. That option on the bottom is for de-icing in snow and bad weather. His had a perforated lid on the ember box. You have come so far with your shop since finishing your new building. I'm in the process of building my new shop 32'x50' in Freeport, Fl. Want to come up and see you sometime when you have the time. I started my career in 1965 working for Mr. Mueller at Chandler Tool in Muncie, IN. he developed and manufactured boring heads. I worked in stock prep cutting material on a horizontal saw and a shaper. Worked as a certified welder for Westinghouse Corp. building pressure vessels for U.S. Navy. Later worked in the tool & die industry in progressive dies and multi-slide work. Enough wind for now, looking forward to meeting you some day soon.
![[4K] Watch SpaceX Catch A Starship Rocket From Space!!! #IFT5](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pIKI7y3DTXk/mqdefault.jpg)
I would have guessed the coal basked on the stool was to keep the iron warm enough to prevent ice on the tread. I can't imagine the railroad company had comfort in mind for employees to sit on.
Sizukun My thought exactly
I suspect the coal basket in the step was to keep ice from forming on the step in cold wet weather so people wouldn't slip and fall. :-)
RESTORE THE STOOL!! The AT&SF RR was local to me and I’d love to see that brought back to life!
Thank you for showing the Fell Level. I've seen several small to quite large levels used when we moved our machine shop once and never saw one like that..
Nice finds Keith. Thanks for sharing 👍
Hi Keith - Thanks for this video. It was good to see what you had to share with us. So, you asked us to let you know what we like!! Well, I (and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this) would like you to strip that Long Arm Buffer down when you restore it so that you can show us what the insides are like and how it's built. I like the beauty of old machines and of how they were made. Many Thanks :)
As for old railroad things, I had a friend's step dad who worked for a railroad here in NE Ohio, he gave me a 1940's conductor's hand lantern. He had installed an electric light socket in it along with a long cord. Fortunately, he didn't alter it at all and I was able to find a replacement tank for kerosene (I just use plain lamp oil) that had the wick mechanism and I returned it to it's original function. I also have two glass insulators i took off a the cross beam on a pole that was almost on the ground next to an abandoned railroad track. Looking back, I wish I would've taken more of them.
Hey. Keith! Long time viewer, never commented. I'm a machinist /fabricator for 3 years. In the shop I work in called master model craft inc we do alot of big industry work we also have a grinder just about like that one we use a cork wheel it works great for deburing stuff I use it daily about every other hour just like the rest in the shop anyway nice tool they will last forever!
Keith, I just saw this vere same level in another video. The calibrating screws are not under the ring, there are Allen screws on the front/rear middle of the case, and very long slotted screws on both ends. Under the ring is a spring holding the bezel in place on the disk. I just watched this level on OXTools video.
Hey Keith, it was good to see you at the show. Palmer and I drove down from Ft. Worth. I was lusting over your buffer when I saw it on Andrew's trailer.. then I learned that it was already spoken for.. Rats! ... Well I glad it went to a good home. Great score. I remember a machine similar to it in my hometown blacksmiths shop. I think it was newer than yours as it wasn't as hefty looking and it seemed wider but that was probably an illusion. He had huge 2" or 3" wide stones on each end. No guards, no rests.. pretty scary machine.
Enjoyed Keith!
ATB, Robin
Here in MN, we use my grandfather for checking levels. When the snus runs out of both corners of his mouth, we know we have achieved "level".
THANK YOU...for sharing. Enjoyed.
Now that's one Hoss of a buffer !!! It looks to be the same type that Colt Firearms Co. craftsmen used for polishing, prior to bluing ! They mounted 15 inch diameter leather covered wood wheel and whatever rouge or secret polishing compounds they used in their custom shop . There's a few photo's, of wall's upon wall's of those buffing wheels ! I guess they didn't have to worry about any polishing defect's or artifacts, due to stalling with all that mass and momentum !! Great work Keith !!!
Last place I worked had a Grinding/Buffing machine exactly the same as the big green machine at the end of your vid, Keith. Our machine was spaced out and fastened down about three feet from the cinder block wall in back with a separate wheel and guards attached to the wall above and behind the machine. We ran a long coarse abrasive belt around that and a ten inch diameter wheel on the right hand side of the grinder. The left hand side had a buffing wheel on it. I used that machine extensively and ground all manner of things. Even had to pull it apart once to replace the bearings in it. My god it was fun to use, and fast.
I saw that buffer on Andrew's truck and wondered who was going to pick that up. I was tempted to snag that old Lincoln welder from him but I was in a rental car this year and I don't even think I could properly power it at the moment so I passed it up too. Glad you got that beast back home, and it was also nice to chat with you for a bit at the festival. Hope to see you next year.
Could the coal grate on the step stool have been to keep ice from forming?
That's what I thought too.
That was exactly what I thought.
Ofcourse it was.. Why else would you heat it? :D
Well hell why didn’t I think of that boys
I thought the same thing and probably snow to
Glad to see this vid. Made my Friday. I learned: The Fell All-Way precision level, one of the first successful American made bull's eye levels for machine tool use, was invented by William B. Fell, Rockford, Illinois prior to World War II in 1939.
Your new buffer is a monster, I have seen it up close, it loses 1-2 hundred pounds on camera, good to see you again Keith!
That level is super sweet!
I would have never guessed that you are a scientist.
The studs look like axle and wheel studs used in the larger trucks. I used to stock different sizes in the shop before I retired 14 years ago. You should be able to get them at a local Napa, I used to get them at fleetpride truck and trailer parts in Hickory and Charlotte NC. Euclid parts was one of the manufactors if my memory is still correct. Thanks for the very interesting videos.
Love all your content, keep it coming.
The purpose of the pocket under the stool was to heat the step to keep ice off and give good traction stepping off the train. Currently a very rare item and a worthy restoration project.
Congrats on all the goodies.
Thanks for sharing.
I love your work. I've learned SO MUCH. Have you ever, or would you ever consider doing an episode on shop math? Calculating things on machines and the like.
That "long arm buffer" looks like a beast! Must weigh a ton, or close to.
Thanks for the video Keith.
The resolution of that level is incredible!
enjoyed Keith...
look carefully at the extra 1/2 and 3/4 dies in your cutter.. there is a small chance they have left hand thread cutting dies in them.. so plumbers can make custom left and right pipe nipples as you can't use unions in natural gas piping.. must use left and rights.. usually that comes as a 4" section.. but who knows.
Might I suggest that instead of a wire wheel you get a 3M industrial scotchbrite wheel. Some one gave me one and I have found it very useful for deburing and polishing stainless steel. Sadly I have no idea what grade my wheel is but its fine and the wheel is quite hard. For the other end a taper spindle for mounting canvas polishing wheels. It's the best way of getting a good finish polishing stuff. It will need fixing securely, you would not want that beast chasing you! Why do I say this? Guess!
The correct phrase is 'dead on balls accurate.'
"It's an industry term!"
Mona Lisa Vito, "My Cousin Vinny"
My cousin (former machinist apprentice) and I trade those lines back and forth all the time.
Ouch! BobUK
@@bobuk5722 That was a quote from Marisa Tomei's character in the movie "My Cousin Vinny". LRod Peterson wasn't being disrespectful. :-)
A good way to insert a leveling system of high precision for the surface plate is to put (on the 3 legs supporting the plate) worm screws that outreach to the edge of the plate. The worm screw will give extra range and the ability to keep sight of the high precision level at the same time. It's the best solution for something like this.
This is not my idea, it's actually something i saw a few years ago on a high precision bed, for laser testing/measuring. The worm screw had such a level of precision, that turning the screw one revolution gave their leveling system (a complicated laser doo-hikey) a few thousands of a mm in motion, super fine movement.
Of course, their system was fully computerized, and the whole machine self leveled itself based on what the readings were, we're talking high precision measurement, i think even standing in the room affected it. :))
Tks Mr. Rucker! awesome level!!!!!!
This episode was awesome. I think you should restore the stool. It would make the stool so much safer and fun to use when done. Great story on the level. I did not that was available. Great example of that would be levels on survivor equipment. Keep up the great work. You are at the top of my watch list.
It was good to meet you at the fest.
I been looking for a long arm buffer like that! That's a great find
The fell level is really cool, Its like two starrett 98's in one. I guess turn it 90 deg. Then 180 deg, then 90 again with the slab on 3 point mount slab stand. or machinest's jacks to level a stand/slab. Never seen one course, being top secret and all. cool stuff
Two issues Keith. First that is a massif polisher/grinder if I have ever seen one. 5 HP is a heck of a lot of HP for any polisher/grinder for sure. Just DON'T get any sleeve or loose clothing caught in it when working around it. Something tells me, you wouldn't have a great day. I have a mere 1/2 HP polisher and that is a great machine. Can't even imagine a 5 HP machine running. Second, you need to tell us about your dog. I see him or her walking through on some videos. If you haven't already (I may have missed it) introduce him or her to us. I like dogs. Make sure you post the videos of you cleaning up the polisher/grinder for sure. I like it!
Keith, try taking just the feet off the stool first and see how that works- one of them look like it was disintegrated more than the others. of course, I got to look at it one camera for all of a minute and you have it in your hands, so you know how that goes. Could the basket in it be for a seat warmer, might make your clothes smell bad, but I bet it is warmer than a steel seat in the winter time; but that might burn you rather easy, but that could be why they don't have them anymore. Those other people are way more correct than my guess, no ice on the steps.
Thanks for the videos, nice level.
That flat plane level, you can get an app for that !!
You’re right that is a big....buffing machine !
I was bidding on that level......... At least I know it went to a good home.
How much didn't you pay for it?
@@tsufordman It feels weird to say what it sold for without permission but I'm fine talking about myself. I bailed out at 300. That is actually the highest priced one I have seen sold though. This one is in exceptional shape. I just have other things I need to buy first.
The Fell is a treasure. Nothing quite like them made these days that I know of except electronic levels.
Are you going to have a book shelf in your shop for all the books?? seems like one EPIC collection...
For sure restore the railroad stool!
So someone got to Rucker that buffer for THE Rucker??? Awesome! (okay... I'm a bit of a geek that way!)
In looking forward to seeing the restoration of the railroad step.
Wow, I dig the level.
I like the idea of restoring the (very cool) stool. Restored history is better than rotting history :) Technically the "flat tube" inside a pressure gauge is called a Bourdon tube. It was invented by a watchmaker named Eugene Bourdon (patented in 1849).
I just got a Van Dorn Black and Decker 12x2 pedestal grinder at an auction. I cant find any manuals or really anything else for that size on the web. It’s a 3 phase 3 horse motor. I’d like to do a restoration, but I need to know what it looked like 60 years ago when it was made. Do you know anything about it?
Ive seen my father scrap those grinders, not enough people come to his store anymore. he owns Cook Machinery in Sicklerville NJ.
Nice additions Keith
Man, that Polisher is some Gozilla- Equipment.......
Abom is going to want one just like it!
Wow that's a big grinder. M
Nice collection of new stuff for this Odds & Ends. Books are always good, but the level and the stool are special.
I don't think you will have to do any cutting on that stool. A bit of diagonal compression should tweak it back to where all four feet are "on plane". (Diagonal compression is probably how it got damaged.) If you want the coal tray fixed, you may have to find someone with a spot welder, although drilling a hole in the tray and fixing it to the stool with a spot of braze might do as well.
A fun story: I went to UCLA (Math and Physics) and a friend of mine there was in Engineering (Nuclear Power) during the late 1960s and early 1970s: Like me, he did summer jobs to help him with the cost of books and such. One day, he saw an add about a summer job that said the person needed knowledge of steam engines. Well, nuclear power plants used steam engines to generate their output (electricity in land power plants and propulsion in nuclear-powered warships - he eventually joined the US Navy and worked directly on such naval nuclear power plants), so he put in for the job and they interviewed him and, lo and behold, he got the job: ENGINEER ON THE DISNEYLAND EXPRESS TRAIN at Disneyland in Southern California!! Many childhood dreams and he was one of the guys who ran those steam-powered trains, just like Keith does, for the entire summer. In fact, he also saved a child's life who was falling out of the train and became a hero, on top of everything else. Some people have all the luck...
Some very interesting items Keith but I wasn't familiar with the Fell precision level at all. That type of design would of been very useful over the years. Like you said you can see the whole scope of things with one look.
Mr. Rucker,is Mr. Wiggins Okay ? Have not seen anything from his channel. I did talk to him and you, in person at the hotel and at the bash. Was very nice to see you both and Lance. But have not seen or heard from Mike? Hope all is well any update from you on him?
Wish I could attend those, but I'm on a set income. But hopefully by learning from Machinists' like you sharing the knowlege I may have something soon to supplement my income making use of the Art of Machining & my experience in welding & auto & diesel repair. A lot of guy's I know would love to have some soft punches. And I need experience in toolmaking. It's a good thing not havve enough "work holding" tools & tooling. Looking for a Machinery's Handbook that won't cost me a major organ.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge!!!
Aloha,
Chief #988
Adam must be jealous of that buffer.....It is Abom size!
YOU were the one that outbid me on the Fell level!
That long arm buffer looks like the most dangerous thing I've seen in a long while. Catch your apron in a wire wheel on that thing and it will pick you straight off the deck!! Fell level looks great.
Long Arm Buffer - AKA "The Widow Maker" :)
That polisher is a literal widow maker. I've seen those used in a local foundry, gangs of them with wire wheels and cotton/canvas bobs. It would go a long way to look up how they actually used those types of machines safely. They are an entirely different beast. I wouldn't have anything to do with one of those. The wheel catches anything attached to you, its either coming off of you or you're going into the wheel, ALL OF YOU. With the amount of inertia in that thing, the lights won't dim and the motor won't bog down as its removing your arm from the shoulder lol
Had a couple of them in the cleaning room where I used to work, and somebody did get themselves caught in it. Quick reactions from his mate hitting the stop button saved his arm, but he was still off work for a couple of months recovering.
You are 100% correct, I always say my big buffer is one of those most dangerous tools in the shop.
there is a santafe railroad museum in temple, tx that would love to have that stool
I have what I think is the same Mil. as you at lest same brand. Mine is a wells index 847. A question have you done any videos on yours besides the gibes?
I think you'll be moving the shop divider wall back about 20 feet soon.
I think the step stool would look best if it would be straightened and minimally cleaned up and de-rusted.
You should name that big green grinder "The Incredible Hulk".
Please restore the step stool.would love to see it.
I have a FELL level I've had it for 5 years, mine has been used a lot. mine is in the same wooden box , how old are they.?
Hello Keith! Love the videos. I was wondering how thick your concrete floor is in your shop? You obviously have a lot of heavy machines. I'm getting ready to start my new shop and have a few heavy machines myself. A 10,000 lb Monarch 60 series and a 6500 lb Schumacher and Boye 24 inch lathe from 1906 are a couple, and I'm trying to decide on how thick I should make my floor. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Kurt Korenko at least 6”
How is Mike Wiggins? Haven’t seen him on his channel in months.
Last time I noticed him on someones video in the background he look much thinner, we are concerned good, bad, or indifferent, hope he is well.
I hope he is ok.
I imagine a scoop of hot coals would be to keep that step-stool from icing in the winter.
Isnt the coal basket for keeping ice off the step ?
That's what I was told years ago, anyway cool find
I was there! Sorry I didn't get to meet you.
Did you see that giant engine start up, pistons weigh +700 lbs that was cool.
@@KPearce57 I go every year to the TEDTEA Tractor and Engine show, and camp out over night. I bring an exhibit to show there. ruclips.net/channel/UCVVLQg6L-tLIZkrLxjJEtbA?view_as=subscriber
Didn't A.T. & S.F.RY stand for Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway as distinct from Railroad.
I made that level back in the 1980s. Well not that 1938 version...
DO NOT REMOVE THE BLACK RING! This work of art is nearly impossible to calibrate...the vial has three feet which are lapped flat. It then sits on a radius that is ground inside the compartment where the vial sits. As the vial is moved on the x or y axis inside the housing, in theory, it moves over the radius and adjusts the calibration. The vial is held down by a 12 inch long torsion wire spring held in place by that black Bakelite ring on top of the level which has the company name on it. There are four long screws. One at each side and one at each end of the housing These are used to push the vial over the radius in order to calibrate it; a real impossible task..
Replaced in the 1950s with a version that used three adjusting screws equidistant on the periphery of the vial "cup which was mounted inside a boxy housing with a lengthwise cover on top for access to the vial's adjusting screws.
FYI With the 1938 contoured level, you can throw away the spring and use anything to apply pressure, like some elastomeric foam, on the top of the vial so it sits firmly on the concave seat on the inside of the housing.
The boxy levels were made at a trickle after my uncle Wm. B. Fell died in 1970 until I liquidated the assets of the business in 1995...
Over the years, the medium in the pre1970 versions which was ether, would have globules formed on the underside of the lens inside the vial that would render the level useless. If you have an old level and it does not have globules on the bottom of the lens, you are lucky. It was probably a dry winter day when the vial was sealed.
Note the resolution is the same as a standard machinist level resolution of 0.0005/in ft which is 10 arc seconds. Wm. B. Fell my uncle, who died in 1970, would call it 8.6 seconds for copyright reasons. It didn't really have a resolution of 8.6 seconds.
The accuracy? Questionable. many of these had globules that formed on the inside of the vial, and some were just NOT made properly! This can be seen when tilting the level where the bubble wobbles as it moves. It still might have the resolution; you just need to kick it!
A product the Far East has failed to copy! Ha!
How fun to see this video Keith after I worked on the product 30 years ago...Thomas Butler Technology, Rockford, Illinois.
You keep getting more machines and you will have to build a "Doctor Who" phone booth to store it all in. I want a copy of the plans when you do so, as I have the same itch to acquire more machines.
Please be careful if you put a wire wheel on the buffer! If it catches your clothing it will throw you. I've seen what an unguarded wire wheel can do, its not pretty. My work removed and banned them. I use them in my home shop, but with guards.
Coal for de-icing for passenger slip-not?
That level could cause you to pull out more than your hair - your wallet too if you were making equipment that had to be so precisely aligned. I was told that the rule of thumb was that for every decimal point in precision, you could add another x10 to the cost of an item being made. This can be lunacy, of course, if you over-do a spec tolerance. One guy told me that to meet a tolerance once that he could not get changed, he had to wait until the sun coming through the large window in the room was exactly on top of the measuring device to warm it up enough to meet the spec, which of course meant that it was "out of spec" the moment it was moved out of the room to shipping. Stupidity has no limits, as Einstein said.
I have a level like that on my phone. It's cool. M
HOT COALS WOULD STOP ICE FORMING IN THE STEP
That lovely level would bring on paranoia. It would never be right until its right.
Your dog seemed underwhelmed with your big buffing machine.
You gotta be really careful with that. One slip you're going to spin for a while. M
I bet it will rip your arm off and beat you with it.
YOU MISSED OXTOOL'S " FELL " ???
Keith, your railroad step is a really nice piece. A RR engineer buddy of mine had one from the Nickel Plate RR. That option on the bottom is for de-icing in snow and bad weather. His had a perforated lid on the ember box. You have come so far with your shop since finishing your new building. I'm in the process of building my new shop 32'x50' in Freeport, Fl. Want to come up and see you sometime when you have the time. I started my career in 1965 working for Mr. Mueller at Chandler Tool in Muncie, IN. he developed and manufactured boring heads. I worked in stock prep cutting material on a horizontal saw and a shaper. Worked as a certified welder for Westinghouse Corp. building pressure vessels for U.S. Navy. Later worked in the tool & die industry in progressive dies and multi-slide work.
Enough wind for now, looking forward to meeting you some day soon.
Don't restore the stool. Just treat the rust and put paste wax on it. The patina is great. A few wooden pad feet will even it up. Awesome item.
About $60 each for those $4 books in today's money
thats a big polishing machine!!! its going take a week to stop
Show the bottom of the fell level
Keith, listen to yourself at every intro. friendlycity.org comes totally unintelligible you say it so fast! Love your videos man!
NO BULLET'S DAM...
Watch out, Tom Lipton is going to try and talk you out of that level
Can you make studs
"Only 5 horse power"...
So in other words, about 16 amps at 240 volts. That's a rather large draw for a home shop machine.
If you send that level out find someone with no hair to prevent them from pulling their hair out LOL
You only live once. Good way to end it all. M
texas early days tractor