It is just a threaded screw with division’s of 25 notches on its belt. The only match is addition. If the barrel stops between two numbers, then “SWAG” it. (Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess). And feeler gauges fall into two classes; flat and stepped. While flat are common and obvious in description, the “Stepped” are my favorite for speed and accuracy. I bought my 3 sets from SnapOn but if setting cold valve lash to 0.010”, I have to find the one that is marked 0.090”-0.011”. This make a step that stops taking the feel out of feeler gauges, that’s how they got their name. My only recent discovery in the world of accuracy was a documentary about an engineer before the turn of the century who tool steel and compound, rubbing each together for weeks or months. Each became standards so flat that when dry, the stuck together. Sold as a set and in very high demand, they sold for thousands of dollars. Millions in todays value. It was the beginning of machine making accuracy for firearms. This would allow interchangeable parts. Smith & Wesson pulled a stunt at the worlds Fair in Paris in 1906 (Not sure as going by memory) but to show their firearm accuracy, he took 8 firearms hours was spent on by technicians & engineers who filed and fitted each part. Either Wesson or Smith was the salesman and put on a show for hundreds. He disassembled every part of all six guns, moved the parts at random, put them together and they fired accurately. It was a huge victory for sales. Even though years before “Machines” could reach that level of accuracy.
Tin is possibly confusing "accuracy" with "precision". Accuracy is adherence to a standard. Precision is how finely divided the measurement is. You can have something that is very precise, down to a hundredth of a millimeter, but it can be several millimeters off standard.
4K video downloader is very good. I paid £10 for a licence so I can download playlists but you can download individual vids without it costing anything.
Yeah - this is a PHENOMENALLY valuable resource! I love the mix of the formal explanation of why things are the way they are - along with the "Yeah - but I don't bother with all of that - this is better/cheaper/easier!"
Tim, I’ve been meaning to message you for ages. I’m a long time fan of your work. Like you I have an interest in all things engineering, I’m a tinkerer, and I’m never happier than when I’m in my garage welding, soldering or generally making/breaking something. I’ve been a fan of your work since the “secret life of” series. I watched them on video over and over and over as a child, seeing you and Rex talk about and demonstrate how things work really struck a chord with me. I’ve re-watched the shows many times since, and recently with my children who also loved them. It’s fair to say you inspired at least two generations of my family! I did actually meet Rex back in about ‘97, as we were both competitors on robot wars series 2. He was a lovely guy, they say never meet your heroes, but Rex didn’t disappoint. I’m emailing you today to say thanks for your recent RUclips series documenting your experiences over your long career in engineering. I find the new videos fascinating and it’s fantastic that you’ve taken the time to detail the practical things you’ve learned over the years. I love the level of detail you go into, and your passion is evident. I hate to think of this sort of practical hands-on real world knowledge being lost. That’s all really, I’m a huge fan, love your work, thanks for everything you’ve contributed over the years. I for one really appreciate it. I’ve never actually made it over to Southwold pier to see your under the pier arcade, but hope to do so soon. I live in Bristol, so it’s a bit of a trek, but I will make the effort as I’m sure it’ll be worth it. Thanks again Tim, I’m 45 now, and have been watching your stuff for 30+ years and will continue to do so. We need more Tim Hunkins in the world if you ask me! :-) Just getting to see the different parts of your workshops is a treat. Thanks Dan
I fail to comprehend how this man does not have a million or more subscribers in 2022! Simply incredible content since before RUclips was a proverbial twinkle in the eye!
English to American Translations: Spanner = Wrench Torch = Flashlight Spudger = Drift Pinch Nut/Clinch Nut = RivNut Thread Repair Kit = Helicoil Linisher = Belt Grinder Castle Thread = Acme Thread Great episode as always. I just wanted to leave a comment. My favorite part: "The micrometer is more accurate than I can cope with" I hear you there. Oh! The ball thread! I had no idea what was under there. That is so cool!
Thankyou so much for your videos. They are very interesting and informative. Today we are so technologically advanced but the basis of this technology is so little seen or understood.
I just arrived at your channel a few days ago and I am still trying to figure out WHY did RUclips not tell me about you LONG AGO! Your content is amazing! I am trying to soak up all I can and forcing my 5 yr old son to watch with me when ever possible! He loves this stuff just has a rather short attention span. Thank you for existing and helping me teach my boy!
You’ve probably been asked this before but…. Any chance of doing videos of you fair ground inventions. One contraption per video starting from your oldest to latest. I know some have had their own airing but, as someone who has followed you from childhood, (and given I live on the other side of the planet), I would love to see them ALL, sequentially, and in their finest glory. With, of course, your cometary to their secrets and hidden Easter eggs. Thanks for YEARS of entertainment.
I agree, I would enjoy that very much. Also agree with watching you for years. I'm from the US and finding your SLOM series occasionally on broadcast TV was always a joy. Thanks for years of info and enjoyment.
It might have been more controllable using a Bit and Brace. I don't have one so I have frequently drilled out the screw. Once the head is off the rest of the screws are usually mobile. Unfortunately, some nuts have been damaged. Obviously I was not careful enough every time. PS. I now have a cutting bit which works when turning in the opposite direction to a normal drill bit - but have had no occasion to use it.
This takes me back to the 90s, the only 2 things missing are the late, great Rex Garrod (sleep well good sir) and the legendary sketches, I'd love to see some of those. Tim, I wish to thank you for bringing us these videos and the original secret life series. Since I emailed you many years back I've learned so much, mostly about electronics. You and Rex are a large part of the reason I love engineering today. Thank you.
I could listen to Tim tell us about pretty much ANYTHING and it would make me happy. But to hear a man talk about his life's passion is definitely a treat!
Some companies I worked with required thread-inserts in all aluminium parts. Obviously their assembly crew and field-mechanics had no torque-wrenches in their toolboxes.
I was last at the Exploratorium over 6 years ago... and I *remember* your clock. It is quite the centerpiece attraction! It makes you stop and look for a while. After seeing many of your "Secret Life" series videos over the last year, I'm delighted that I've actually seen your work in person. :)
I wish that I could inherit this man’s memories, and consolidate them along with my own, and someday a successor could inherit our cumulative memories. That would be a valuable life lived indeed. Actually, in a way, Mr. Hunkin HAS passed along his memories - and to a great many more people than just myself! He did it through these most excellent films!!
You're a world class national treasure, Tim! These videos really give me nostalgic feelings about growing up in the 90s and watching The Secret Life Of series on PBS. Thanks for making RUclips a better place with your videos.
Tim you’re an inspiration to us all and you will never be replaced. Your knowledge is indispensable and your guides improve our own skills. Please keep them coming.
Tim I wish you lived next door to me.. I'd b there helping you daily and learning your skills.. Thx for taking us along on another informative adventure.. Take care my friend and God Bless...
Greetings from North America, specifically, Port Chester, NY. Port Chester was the home of Russell, Burdsall, and Ward. In the 19th century, stove manufacturers were using carriage bolts and Russell and Burdsall, two Quackers in New York City began making nuts and bolts. The village was known as the capital and nuts and bolts, and the company claims to be the first large scale producer. RBW left the village in 1973 leaving behind a contaminated property that is the site of a closed supermarket. Thank you for the very informative video.
Long may your expertise live. I was utterly transfixed by the presentations that you and Rex made being myself, a child of the mid seventies. Secret life filled my young mind with vast amounts of useful information and set me on the path to where I am now. I cannot thank you enough for educating me in my young years and for answering the call to continue to share your knowledge and experience. The theme music reminds me of days gone and days present, all equally important. Further gratitude, Doug.
The 'stickyness/softness' of stainless bolts is actually the material wanting to gall, unless you lubricate the threads. Stainless tends to be harder for strength, over regular steel.
You can choose between A2 (304) and A4 (316) quality. A4 is stronger, harder and more expensive. If you combine A2 with A4 the risk of galling is diminished. Otherwise grease the thread before mounting like you said. There are a few inconsistencies in the video like the smallest hex size bolts available. I have them e.g. in M3. (Hex heads are only advantageous when you can only reach the head from the side.) And some more. The chuck key standing in the chuck isn't a good example of shop safety either. But hey! He's my favorite granddad! Look at all the wonderful stuff he's done. A monument is a better praise. Thank you Tim!
@@graemewhite5029 Agreed! The chuck key that came with my drill press actually has a spring in it that automagically ejects the key from the chuck when you are finished tightening it. You literally CAN'T leave the key in the chuck!
My new favorite channel. I’m watching this entire episode too. I’m strangely obsessed with screw threaded fasteners. Must be something in my German DNA.
I'm retired. I'm still learning. Thank You, Tim, for explaining all this to us. We really appreciate it. I like the fact you call them "G" clamps, while in the USA we call them "C" clamps.
Holy shit, it's the "Secret Life of Machines" guy. Thanks! You've inspired me so much. It's 2022, and I'm showing my friends the Internal Combustion Engine episode.
Podger: A general philosophy, I think! It was good to see the clock in the Exploratorium. I went there as a child in the 60's and ended up designing exhibits at a similar science museum many decades later. Secret Life keeps me dialed into this wonderful world. Thanks again, Tim!
my fascination with engineering began with acme lead screws for rotary to liner motion many years ago with window opening devices, sadly i don't have an impressive workshop such as Tim has, but thanks to Tim and his excellent films hopefully new generations of engineers will be inspired
Tim, as a certified automotive ASE* Master tech in the states, I am tremendously pleased with the presentation, examples, history and the teaching you provide. I was told that “Archimedes” invented the screw that was using to lift water. Also famous for levers and fulcrums but still as fascinating subject. I was riveted to my chair as I watched, as if to somehow bolt down unable to move. I have gravity but what would space travelers use to hold them with no gravity. Velcro I guess as their sleeping quarters are sleeping sacks held in place with the generic two part material we now call “Hook & Loop” fasteners. Another interesting screw extractor is made by Ridid Tool, but provides a shaft with fluted sides. A hole is drill, the fluted extractor is driven into the hole, then a nut slides over it with matching internal fluted or vertical raised areas and turned by hand to extract the broken bolt. The fluted extractors can be replaced but often kept by the technician like me, as a trophy or sorts. As you call it a “Poder”, in the states we call it a “Spud” wrench. Tapered on one end but fixed size “Spanner” commonly used in construction as I repaired TV and Telephone Relay towers from 100 feet to 1,375 feet. That was the tallest for me when much younger. Thanks very much! God bless the brain that never sleeps or gets tired of learning. (*ASE= Automotive Service Excellence, 8 categories of questions on a test. Pass all 8, they award you a “Master Level” award.)
If you're interested in the origin and the 'natural history' of the screw thread, there's a nice wee book called 'One Good Turn' by Witold Rbyczynski. It's probably out of print now but it's worth searching for. And incidentally, thank you Tim for remarking on the Useful Podger - podger was one of my late father's favourite words, and tools. You'd have liked him - no tool was ever the wrong tool when the job had to be done. He really respected your ability and outlook. Keep the oily rag flying Mr. Hunkin.
Respectfully, I’ve never seen anyone use a nutsert or “pop rivet” thread gun. Frankly, I never knew they existed. That said, I’ve always installed nutserts by dropping the nutsert or “pop rivet” thread into the hole, running in a bolt and just keep thumb pressure down while tightening the bolt with an open end wrench. This method takes advantage of the inclined plane that makes screws and bolts as helpful as they are. It’s much easier than the rivet gun method, apparently as I’ve never grunted while installing a nutsert. ☺️👍🏼 Found your channel only today and I’ve enjoyed each of the videos I’ve seen so far! Bravo, Sir! 👏 👏👏👏👏
This is a great channel. In the US we call your “self tapping screws”, “sheet metal screws”. There is another class of screws in the US call self tapping but they have a drill bit tip that makes the hole in the metal followed by threads. If you want some, I will DHL you a box.
48:46 - hah! I've long admired that clock, and then I came across your channel some weeks ago, and... I think I've only just now made the connection between the two! Kudos on that wonder of a thing. Whenever I'm there with someone, I try to be near it around the hour, to be able to point it out right before it starts doing its thing. Nice work! On all of this, really, but on that one in particular just because I've admired it from so much nearer by. :)
This video was perfectly timed. I am rebuilding a trailer and needed a less permanent fixture than rivets but had never heard of cinch/rivet nuts. They will be perfect, many thanks Tim.
There are self-tappers that create a standard metric thread by cutting like proper tap. Don't forget "thread-form" self tappers, which have a triangular shaped beginning section that actually rolls or "forms" the thread - those tend to deform the metal into a bulge at the back, which makes a longer threaded part. To make them grip much stronger in thin metals, you can start them using a roofing punch, which is kind of like a center punch but thinner. You belt that in instead of drilling, creating a divot that you then drive the self-trapper (of whatever form) into.
The fine thread Tek Screws are such a time saver when you have to drill something through an RSJ or steel with some thickness. And also good if you have rubbish drill bits and want to make a pilot hole.
Your videos are the most comprehensive review on a specific mechanical subject I have ever encountered. I have had four or five years of technical training and worked the "dead line" reparing all of the machines that the other technicians gave up on for a fair part of my career, so I spent a lot of time trying to learn all the tips and tricks to fix things and get everything back up and running, so I feel I have a fair perspective in saying your videos cover the subject wonderfully. Thank you for all the hard work and dedication. Additional thoughts: The springs that are screwed into the tapped hole to fix the threads are called thread inserts for metals HELICOIL® and they were made by the devil to make mechanics sorry they ever encountered a Helicoil. After being loosened and re-tightened a few times like on an acces pannel they fail. Better to tap it to a larger size or to fill it with weld and re-drill and tap it again. Also the Helicoil only has about 40% of the original holding strength. Another interesting related subject is Torque Seal and anti tamper indicator paist. Both can be applied in a small dab to the edge of the head of a tightened bolt or to a nut and if the bolt head moves the hardened paist will crack and you will know that it has moved and may be loose. Thanks again for all of the amazing videos, they are a treasure for all who are dedicated to learning and designing machines.
Tim, ever considered replacing the wooden sides of cabinets with plexiglass? I absolutely *love* seeing the mechanisms of the arcade machines, and it makes them even more wonderful and mysterious and joyful!
Today’s self to yesterday’s self.. “make sure and set aside an hour for a video on working with screws” Yesterday’s self. “Yeah right” Today’s self. “It’s Tim Hulkin” Yesterday’s self. Fantastic video! I have, to my eternal shame, never thought of welding a rod to a stuck bolt….beautiful! Just a general safety thought: always weld zinc plated pieces in a well ventilated area…some really awful off gasses.
British English "G-clamp" = American English "C-clamp" BrEng "Castle Threads" = AmEng "Acme Threads" BrEng "Mole Grips" = AmEng "Vice-Grips" (trademark name for "locking pliers") Thank you Tim.
Tim, you are always such an educator and an entertainer. I know Rex is very proud of you and enjoying all of your content and only wishing he could help out.
As usual, excellent. In the US, we often call castle threads "Acme" threads. (You say "Acme" at 45:50.) In boarding school, we had an excellent metal shop, and most of the machine tools were very old, so my teacher always did the repairs. The tail stock in our ancient Monarch lathe failed, and the teacher fixed it with a new threaded piece. He cut an internal, left-handed, acme thread in a hunk of bronze. It was fun to see him work.
In the segment immediately after castle threads (called precision threads) he referred to Acme threads (45:48). That took me by surprise as I'd already assumed from the castle thread segment that Acme just wasn't a term they used.
@@jarkman Square thread! Castle must be a local name for it since it's not referenced anywhere I could find on a US-based search engine. Your saying that solved the mystery.
@@jarkman Yes, Acme threads are trapezoidal with 29° angle, while metric trapezoidal threads have a 30° angle. Trapezoidal threads are better suited for driving heavy axial loads than square threads, having a larger thread root than a comparably sized square thread. Square threads are more efficient and induce less friction, which is why they're used for lead screws, though manufacture of the square-thread profile is more difficult than cutting either trapezoidal or the standard 60° V-threads.
@@hughmac13 When I was at Carriage and Wagon (British Rail) in the early 80's we made 2 start square threads to pull and push the battery boxes out, they were about a meter long and we got 90 mins to make each item.
I have found that when using wd40 for cutting threads or drilling holes it is soo light it actually makes it harder to do, it almost sticks, the special cutting oils or machine oil make a huge difference. Great video BTW, learned some new things.
WD40 is fine if you use your tapes and dies by hand and every couple of turns, reverse the direction for a half turn that clears all the swarf and produces less heat while cutting the thread; also your taps and dies will last a LOT longer, but it takes a lot longer to do.
A case of suck it and see, some threading will be easier run dry whilst others may require coolant or even an tapping mix. Lots of power tapping, no need to back off just power in job done.
THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO. I subbed. A friend of mine started working at a major heavy equipment building company and they were breaking these big 1 1/2 inch taps, very readily. He turned them on to using CRISCO VEGETABLE SHORTENING instead of a tapping fluid. They could, then, power-tap without breaking the tap. He turned me on to it, as well. I stopped using cutting oils for threading and tapping, all together. There's you a dandy piece of advice from one old machinist to another. Bill, from Tn. 🇺🇸
It's interesting how the terminology is different across the atlantic. I've never heard of a "collar bolt", they're shoulder bolts. The clench nuts are rivnuts (self clenching nuts are something completely different, they get installed with a press), etc.. A "podger" is a spud wrench. I think I heard someone call a C-clamp a G-clamp maybe once.
And mole grips are vise-grips and so on. I used to share shop space with a retired British-trained engineer. I got quite used to his using British terminology.
@@meme2287 As a brit, living in the USA - the most confusing nomenclature between US and UK tools in in the realms of saws..."Skil" saws, and multiple, wildly different meanings of "Jigsaw". Wrench versus Spanner is at least unambiguous...not so with Jigsaws.
Sir, thank you for another interesting video. There's no substitute for experience. I offer some additional comments: 1 - I believe that camera mounts use American UNC threads. Whilst these are generally the same as Whitworth (BSW) threads, they have the triangular crest of the threads eased back onto a rounded shape. So UNC male threads will fit into BSW female threads, the reverse is not true. While one might "get away with" a BSW screw into a camera base, tripod mounts use ¼ UNC and not BSW threads. 2 - I have and use a rose countersink for small sizes, but for larger sizes I re-ground a 15mm twist drill to 90°. So I can countersink rapidly without the misfit which you demonstrated using a large standard drill. 3 - One quite often needs to tap a hole in a piece of material, or a situation, which can't be mounted into a lathe. I used my small lathe to make tapping guide blocks. These are drilled and tapped steel blocks. They can be clamped in place, or at a pinch hand-held, to ensure a perpendicular entry into the hole to be tapped. Using one of these blocks also prevents the tap from tearing out the top of a hole in soft material such as aluminium. 4 - I prefer to use 3-set taps, ie No 1 (taper), No 2 (mid) and No 3 (plug). These actually exist in 2 forms. The common ones are all of the same basic thread with each one having different cutting details at the end. I have some of the other type, in which No 1 actually has a thread a tiny bit smaller than No 2, and No 2 has a slightly smaller thread than No 3 which cuts the full size hole. That's precision tapping when used with the guide block. Also the second type requires less force and therefore lasts longer. For "jobbing" one can of course do everything with a No 2 of standard thread size, but they get very difficult to use at 10mm and above in steel of any thickness.
Tim you are brilliant and you always have been and you always will be, Much Much Respect, I have been watching and enjoying all your productions for decades, Exellent.
"and there's lots more I could have put in..." Bring it on:-) You have such an extraordinary ethic in terms of really fleshing out each particular category of components. I think the next step is to get comfortable with 15 minute little instructables based on whatever is challenging or entertaining you in your process. Doesn't always have to be invention. Can be things that have occurred to you as you maintain your clever machinations.
Tim, you're an engineering god! Fascinating, educational, friendly, reassuring, nostalgic... Peering over your shoulder is absolutely, bloody brilliant! Thanks mate, much appreciated! 😃☮️
When I started watching this my thinking was I know all of this but the presentation is so good It kept me watching. Even though yes most of it is basic fastener knowledge that I know about or have done I still found it an excellent and interesting watch. This would be absolutely brilliant for a school shop teacher to show to students over one or two classes. Also have to mention the creative genius this man is,the machines he and partners have built must be incredible to see up close.
Keep it up Tim! I still play Secret Life of Machines for people :) RIP Rex..so many of us driven mad by our own mind. The protection mechanisms of the human (and other) brains, truly mind bending (please pardon the awful play on words)..
I design gas turbines for a living. We often use helicoils in ‘soft’ castings for a higher strength and more wear resistant thread. Not just for repairs!
55:20 what i found a real fun version of this method is using a nut drilling it out then popping it over the round headed bolt head then weld it same can be done for studs or bolts where the heads are snapped off and there isn't enough thread for two bolts if you don't know the thread size or you don't have it handy and is a great reuse for old stripped out nuts ;)
As a French Canadian from Québec, we didn't get the chance to have such a remarkable TV Show as the secret of machine here. I discovered it way later when youtube era came to be. I watched em all and found it was the best technical TV show ever made ; Now that I stumbled on your new episodes, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to share your knowledge (and also attitude) with the world again! Like some said here, you're kinda a national treasure! Wish you well and health and such, keep going at it as long you can, there's such a big need for edutainment like what you're so good at doing these days... Merci.
"I don't often use my micrometer. It's more accurate than I can cope with"
Haha I feel you.
How do you feel about feelers?
It is just a threaded screw with division’s of 25 notches on its belt. The only match is addition. If the barrel stops between two numbers, then “SWAG” it. (Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess).
And feeler gauges fall into two classes; flat and stepped. While flat are common and obvious in description, the “Stepped” are my favorite for speed and accuracy. I bought my 3 sets from SnapOn but if setting cold valve lash to 0.010”, I have to find the one that is marked 0.090”-0.011”. This make a step that stops taking the feel out of feeler gauges, that’s how they got their name.
My only recent discovery in the world of accuracy was a documentary about an engineer before the turn of the century who tool steel and compound, rubbing each together for weeks or months. Each became standards so flat that when dry, the stuck together. Sold as a set and in very high demand, they sold for thousands of dollars. Millions in todays value. It was the beginning of machine making accuracy for firearms. This would allow interchangeable parts.
Smith & Wesson pulled a stunt at the worlds Fair in Paris in 1906 (Not sure as going by memory) but to show their firearm accuracy, he took 8 firearms hours was spent on by technicians & engineers who filed and fitted each part. Either Wesson or Smith was the salesman and put on a show for hundreds. He disassembled every part of all six guns, moved the parts at random, put them together and they fired accurately. It was a huge victory for sales. Even though years before “Machines” could reach that level of accuracy.
Tin is possibly confusing "accuracy" with "precision". Accuracy is adherence to a standard. Precision is how finely divided the measurement is. You can have something that is very precise, down to a hundredth of a millimeter, but it can be several millimeters off standard.
This bit got to me: "More than a lifetimes worth. I think these came from Rex's workshop." So much unsaid.
I also felt that comment.
Yeah right in the feels on that....
Yep, me too.
at 1:08
Yes, that gave me a twinge and memories of good times on camera. RIP Rex.
This is the sort of content that is worth preserving somewhere outside of RUclips - too valuable to risk losing.
Good idea guys
4K video downloader is very good. I paid £10 for a licence so I can download playlists but you can download individual vids without it costing anything.
Yup one wrong word about any of their favoured subjects and your whole set of videos is gone.
These videos make my week. I think Tims workshop should be made into a national monument.
Yeah - this is a PHENOMENALLY valuable resource! I love the mix of the formal explanation of why things are the way they are - along with the "Yeah - but I don't bother with all of that - this is better/cheaper/easier!"
Tim is a national treasure of Europe!
@@adrianhutu uhm, Brexit? He doesn't live in Europe, he lives in the United Kingdom.
World heritage site
@@1st1anarkissed The UK still is in Europe, just not part of the EU anymore. Huge difference.
Tim,
I’ve been meaning to message you for ages.
I’m a long time fan of your work.
Like you I have an interest in all things engineering, I’m a tinkerer, and I’m never happier than when I’m in my garage welding, soldering or generally making/breaking something.
I’ve been a fan of your work since the “secret life of” series. I watched them on video over and over and over as a child, seeing you and Rex talk about and demonstrate how things work really struck a chord with me. I’ve re-watched the shows many times since, and recently with my children who also loved them. It’s fair to say you inspired at least two generations of my family!
I did actually meet Rex back in about ‘97, as we were both competitors on robot wars series 2. He was a lovely guy, they say never meet your heroes, but Rex didn’t disappoint.
I’m emailing you today to say thanks for your recent RUclips series documenting your experiences over your long career in engineering. I find the new videos fascinating and it’s fantastic that you’ve taken the time to detail the practical things you’ve learned over the years. I love the level of detail you go into, and your passion is evident. I hate to think of this sort of practical hands-on real world knowledge being lost.
That’s all really, I’m a huge fan, love your work, thanks for everything you’ve contributed over the years. I for one really appreciate it. I’ve never actually made it over to Southwold pier to see your under the pier arcade, but hope to do so soon. I live in Bristol, so it’s a bit of a trek, but I will make the effort as I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
Thanks again Tim, I’m 45 now, and have been watching your stuff for 30+ years and will continue to do so. We need more Tim Hunkins in the world if you ask me! :-)
Just getting to see the different parts of your workshops is a treat.
Thanks
Dan
I fail to comprehend how this man does not have a million or more subscribers in 2022! Simply incredible content since before RUclips was a proverbial twinkle in the eye!
I totally agree this man is brilliant.
Reason is because there's not a million people out there with half a brain
🌎
English to American Translations:
Spanner = Wrench
Torch = Flashlight
Spudger = Drift
Pinch Nut/Clinch Nut = RivNut
Thread Repair Kit = Helicoil
Linisher = Belt Grinder
Castle Thread = Acme Thread
Great episode as always. I just wanted to leave a comment. My favorite part: "The micrometer is more accurate than I can cope with" I hear you there. Oh! The ball thread! I had no idea what was under there. That is so cool!
collar bolt = shoulder bolt, G clamp = C clamp
Wonderful video.
Piller drill = drill press
@@Idontwanttosignupist When he said G clamp I thought, "It does look more like a G" :-D
@@icusawme2 SAME=) Honestly, we should all form a commune together. We can captivate each other and yet another generation of creative nerds.
Thankyou so much for your videos. They are very interesting and informative. Today we are so technologically advanced but the basis of this technology is so little seen or understood.
You are an inspiration and a breath of fresh air after all these years. Your videos are like catnip for tinkerers. Thank you, sir.
I just arrived at your channel a few days ago and I am still trying to figure out WHY did RUclips not tell me about you LONG AGO! Your content is amazing! I am trying to soak up all I can and forcing my 5 yr old son to watch with me when ever possible! He loves this stuff just has a rather short attention span. Thank you for existing and helping me teach my boy!
Find the old videos, the remastered ones. Gold !!
You’ve probably been asked this before but….
Any chance of doing videos of you fair ground inventions.
One contraption per video starting from your oldest to latest.
I know some have had their own airing but, as someone who has followed you from childhood, (and given I live on the other side of the planet), I would love to see them ALL, sequentially, and in their finest glory.
With, of course, your cometary to their secrets and hidden Easter eggs.
Thanks for YEARS of entertainment.
I agree, I would enjoy that very much.
Also agree with watching you for years. I'm from the US and finding your SLOM series occasionally on broadcast TV was always a joy.
Thanks for years of info and enjoyment.
I second that.... 🙂
Tim is using this platform to the fullest of its potential. Truly brilliant
Yeah, in my experience attempts to extract screws/bolts using screw extractors 99.9% of the time end up exactly per the demonstration in this video ;)
and super that it was kept in the film, true to life real engineering, it is what makes Tims' style so truly engaging
It might have been more controllable using a Bit and Brace.
I don't have one so I have frequently drilled out the screw. Once the head is off the rest of the screws are usually mobile. Unfortunately, some nuts have been damaged. Obviously I was not careful enough every time.
PS. I now have a cutting bit which works when turning in the opposite direction to a normal drill bit - but have had no occasion to use it.
This takes me back to the 90s, the only 2 things missing are the late, great Rex Garrod (sleep well good sir) and the legendary sketches, I'd love to see some of those. Tim, I wish to thank you for bringing us these videos and the original secret life series. Since I emailed you many years back I've learned so much, mostly about electronics. You and Rex are a large part of the reason I love engineering today. Thank you.
This is the most interesting thing that RUclips has offered me in the last 10 years, thanks friend for sharing your knowledge
You just know it's going to be a better day in the workshop when Tim's made a new Secret Life video.
I could listen to Tim tell us about pretty much ANYTHING and it would make me happy. But to hear a man talk about his life's passion is definitely a treat!
"Tim's" what?
@@MichaelKingsfordGray it's the OTHER meaning of an apostrophe, as a contraction! "Tim's" meaning "Tim has". ◡̈
@@MichaelKingsfordGray Tim's 'what?!?' is the large, brass-looking nut and bolt that you see at 2:30 and elsewhere. That's a serious bit of hardware!
@@pixoariz Grammatical errors for nuts.
36:33 Helicoils are a godsend if you work with motorcycles or alloy block engines. Once inserted the thread is actually stronger Than it was before.
If you like Helicoils, check out Time-Serts. I find I prefer those, as they're a complete sleeve and not a wound coil.
Some companies I worked with required thread-inserts in all aluminium parts. Obviously their assembly crew and field-mechanics had no torque-wrenches in their toolboxes.
@@michaelhompus2475 Roll Royce use them in alloy in aero engines.
Being able to get tips like this from a craftsman with a lifetime of experience is gold.
I needed this, always confused by standards.
That's the great thing about standards, there are so many to choose from.
The problem with "standards" is the second "S"
A 56 minute video about screw threads. And I watched every damned second. Some twice. Says it all, really.
I was last at the Exploratorium over 6 years ago... and I *remember* your clock. It is quite the centerpiece attraction! It makes you stop and look for a while.
After seeing many of your "Secret Life" series videos over the last year, I'm delighted that I've actually seen your work in person. :)
My favorite show as a kid was mr. wizard. This channel is mr. Wizard for grown ups. Love it!
I wish that I could inherit this man’s memories, and consolidate them along with my own, and someday a successor could inherit our cumulative memories. That would be a valuable life lived indeed. Actually, in a way, Mr. Hunkin HAS passed along his memories - and to a great many more people than just myself! He did it through these most excellent films!!
You're a world class national treasure, Tim!
These videos really give me nostalgic feelings about growing up in the 90s and watching The Secret Life Of series on PBS.
Thanks for making RUclips a better place with your videos.
Tim you’re an inspiration to us all and you will never be replaced. Your knowledge is indispensable and your guides improve our own skills. Please keep them coming.
Tim I wish you lived next door to me.. I'd b there helping you daily and learning your skills.. Thx for taking us along on another informative adventure.. Take care my friend and God Bless...
Please don't stop making these videos. 🙏
Greetings from North America, specifically, Port Chester, NY. Port Chester was the home of Russell, Burdsall, and Ward. In the 19th century, stove manufacturers were using carriage bolts and Russell and Burdsall, two Quackers in New York City began making nuts and bolts. The village was known as the capital and nuts and bolts, and the company claims to be the first large scale producer. RBW left the village in 1973 leaving behind a contaminated property that is the site of a closed supermarket. Thank you for the very informative video.
I've enjoyed Tim's videos since the early 1990's.
There is just so much historic background in this video.
The source of so many of what we use.
Long may your expertise live. I was utterly transfixed by the presentations that you and Rex made being myself, a child of the mid seventies. Secret life filled my young mind with vast amounts of useful information and set me on the path to where I am now. I cannot thank you enough for educating me in my young years and for answering the call to continue to share your knowledge and experience. The theme music reminds me of days gone and days present, all equally important. Further gratitude, Doug.
The 'stickyness/softness' of stainless bolts is actually the material wanting to gall, unless you lubricate the threads. Stainless tends to be harder for strength, over regular steel.
You can choose between A2 (304) and A4 (316) quality. A4 is stronger, harder and more expensive. If you combine A2 with A4 the risk of galling is diminished. Otherwise grease the thread before mounting like you said. There are a few inconsistencies in the video like the smallest hex size bolts available. I have them e.g. in M3. (Hex heads are only advantageous when you can only reach the head from the side.) And some more. The chuck key standing in the chuck isn't a good example of shop safety either. But hey! He's my favorite granddad! Look at all the wonderful stuff he's done. A monument is a better praise. Thank you Tim!
When I was an apprentice, if you left the key in the chuck, you would then find it had "found" it's way into the bottom of the coolant tank !
@@graemewhite5029 Agreed! The chuck key that came with my drill press actually has a spring in it that automagically ejects the key from the chuck when you are finished tightening it. You literally CAN'T leave the key in the chuck!
My new favorite channel. I’m watching this entire episode too. I’m strangely obsessed with screw threaded fasteners. Must be something in my German DNA.
This is absolutely brilliant! The knowledge that you pass on to listener is markable. You are a true teacher.
Tim, you are a real treasure. They don’t make people like you anymore. Hopefully you have an apprentice
Brilliant. The antidote to endless cookery programmes. It’s little wonder television is in decline!
I'm retired. I'm still learning. Thank You, Tim, for explaining all this to us.
We really appreciate it. I like the fact you call them "G" clamps, while in the USA we call them "C" clamps.
And spanners. which we call a wrench.
G clamp really makes more sense, as they only look like a C when the turny part isn't installed.
@@JCWren Look carefully, there are C clamps and G clamps, they are subtly different
Holy shit, it's the "Secret Life of Machines" guy. Thanks! You've inspired me so much. It's 2022, and I'm showing my friends the Internal Combustion Engine episode.
Podger: A general philosophy, I think! It was good to see the clock in the Exploratorium. I went there as a child in the 60's and ended up designing exhibits at a similar science museum many decades later. Secret Life keeps me dialed into this wonderful world. Thanks again, Tim!
Thank you for educating and entertaining me for so much of my life. I just wish you were around when I was a kid. So many stripped threads!
my fascination with engineering began with acme lead screws for rotary to liner motion many years ago with window opening devices, sadly i don't have an impressive workshop such as Tim has, but
thanks to Tim and his excellent films hopefully new generations of engineers will be inspired
Secret Life of Machines was my favourite childhood show!
Tim, as a certified automotive ASE* Master tech in the states, I am tremendously pleased with the presentation, examples, history and the teaching you provide.
I was told that “Archimedes” invented the screw that was using to lift water. Also famous for levers and fulcrums but still as fascinating subject. I was riveted to my chair as I watched, as if to somehow bolt down unable to move. I have gravity but what would space travelers use to hold them with no gravity. Velcro I guess as their sleeping quarters are sleeping sacks held in place with the generic two part material we now call “Hook & Loop” fasteners. Another interesting screw extractor is made by Ridid Tool, but provides a shaft with fluted sides. A hole is drill, the fluted extractor is driven into the hole, then a nut slides over it with matching internal fluted or vertical raised areas and turned by hand to extract the broken bolt. The fluted extractors can be replaced but often kept by the technician like me, as a trophy or sorts. As you call it a “Poder”, in the states we call it a “Spud” wrench. Tapered on one end but fixed size “Spanner” commonly used in construction as I repaired TV and Telephone Relay towers from 100 feet to 1,375 feet. That was the tallest for me when much younger.
Thanks very much!
God bless the brain that never sleeps or gets tired of learning.
(*ASE= Automotive Service Excellence, 8 categories of questions on a test. Pass all 8, they award you a “Master Level” award.)
Tim!! Hope you’re doing really well Sir. Thanks for the new content ☺️
If you're interested in the origin and the 'natural history' of the screw thread, there's a nice wee book called 'One Good Turn' by Witold Rbyczynski. It's probably out of print now but it's worth searching for. And incidentally, thank you Tim for remarking on the Useful Podger - podger was one of my late father's favourite words, and tools. You'd have liked him - no tool was ever the wrong tool when the job had to be done. He really respected your ability and outlook. Keep the oily rag flying Mr. Hunkin.
Thank you . You CAN find it on the INTERNET ARCHIVE web site and you can read it online.
When I grow up, I want a workshop like Tim's. To be fair, I think I'm half way there. :)
Respectfully, I’ve never seen anyone use a nutsert or “pop rivet” thread gun. Frankly, I never knew they existed. That said, I’ve always installed nutserts by dropping the nutsert or “pop rivet” thread into the hole, running in a bolt and just keep thumb pressure down while tightening the bolt with an open end wrench. This method takes advantage of the inclined plane that makes screws and bolts as helpful as they are. It’s much easier than the rivet gun method, apparently as I’ve never grunted while installing a nutsert. ☺️👍🏼 Found your channel only today and I’ve enjoyed each of the videos I’ve seen so far! Bravo, Sir! 👏 👏👏👏👏
This is a great channel. In the US we call your “self tapping screws”, “sheet metal screws”. There is another class of screws in the US call self tapping but they have a drill bit tip that makes the hole in the metal followed by threads. If you want some, I will DHL you a box.
My new favorite channel. I searched for the answer to the question of "which holds better"? Coarse or Fine. Now I know
Really enjoyable to watch this material, should be compulsory for new apprentices. Tim is a national engineering treasure.
Great to find you on RUclips again after enjoying your "Secret Life Of..." TV series back in the 90s. Good health to you Tim! 🙏
Always happy to hear your voice, and learn.
That animated clock in the Exploratorium is a gem.
48:46 - hah! I've long admired that clock, and then I came across your channel some weeks ago, and... I think I've only just now made the connection between the two! Kudos on that wonder of a thing. Whenever I'm there with someone, I try to be near it around the hour, to be able to point it out right before it starts doing its thing. Nice work! On all of this, really, but on that one in particular just because I've admired it from so much nearer by. :)
I love seeing you use the mole grips to extract the screw head . Done it so many times. So enjoyable….
Using a grinder to cut a groove in the head of a screw to fix a chopped up head is something I can see myself using. Thanks for that one!
13:13...love that cold saw hiding in the back......one of my favorite tools.....
I was not expecting a video on threads to be SO INTERESTING! Thank you!
I've learned so much about threads at 1am on a Friday. Thanks Tim!
This is an absolute gem! And the reason I enjoy surfing RUclips. Thank you Tim.
I find reverse threaded screws and bolts VERY useful, particularly securing items to rotating shafts.
This video was perfectly timed. I am rebuilding a trailer and needed a less permanent fixture than rivets but had never heard of cinch/rivet nuts. They will be perfect, many thanks Tim.
my late grandpa taught me to make those - nice memories, thank you!
I have to say thanks, every single time! You always make me smile even when it's been a rough week! You are MOST appreciated!
On the subject of self-tappers, you can also get self-drilling ones that have a drill-bit shape on the end to drill the initial hole.
There are self-tappers that create a standard metric thread by cutting like proper tap. Don't forget "thread-form" self tappers, which have a triangular shaped beginning section that actually rolls or "forms" the thread - those tend to deform the metal into a bulge at the back, which makes a longer threaded part.
To make them grip much stronger in thin metals, you can start them using a roofing punch, which is kind of like a center punch but thinner. You belt that in instead of drilling, creating a divot that you then drive the self-trapper (of whatever form) into.
The fine thread Tek Screws are such a time saver when you have to drill something through an RSJ or steel with some thickness. And also good if you have rubbish drill bits and want to make a pilot hole.
I grew up watching his excellent programs on Television. Superb stuff.
Your videos are the most comprehensive review on a specific mechanical subject I have ever encountered. I have had four or five years of technical training and worked the "dead line" reparing all of the machines that the other technicians gave up on for a fair part of my career, so I spent a lot of time trying to learn all the tips and tricks to fix things and get everything back up and running, so I feel I have a fair perspective in saying your videos cover the subject wonderfully.
Thank you for all the hard work and dedication.
Additional thoughts:
The springs that are screwed into the tapped hole to fix the threads are called thread inserts for metals HELICOIL® and they were made by the devil to make mechanics sorry they ever encountered a Helicoil. After being loosened and re-tightened a few times like on an acces pannel they fail. Better to tap it to a larger size or to fill it with weld and re-drill and tap it again. Also the Helicoil only has about 40% of the original holding strength.
Another interesting related subject is Torque Seal and anti tamper indicator paist. Both can be applied in a small dab to the edge of the head of a tightened bolt or to a nut and if the bolt head moves the hardened paist will crack and you will know that it has moved and may be loose.
Thanks again for all of the amazing videos, they are a treasure for all who are dedicated to learning and designing machines.
Tim, ever considered replacing the wooden sides of cabinets with plexiglass? I absolutely *love* seeing the mechanisms of the arcade machines, and it makes them even more wonderful and mysterious and joyful!
When I was a kid I watched the secret life of machines on discovery chanel, it was one of my fav shows. Greetings from Argentina
Today’s self to yesterday’s self.. “make sure and set aside an hour for a video on working with screws”
Yesterday’s self. “Yeah right”
Today’s self. “It’s Tim Hulkin”
Yesterday’s self.
Fantastic video! I have, to my eternal shame, never thought of welding a rod to a stuck bolt….beautiful! Just a general safety thought: always weld zinc plated pieces in a well ventilated area…some really awful off gasses.
Tim, thank you so much for the time and effort your putting into your channel. Best viewing on the internet.
British English "G-clamp" = American English "C-clamp"
BrEng "Castle Threads" = AmEng "Acme Threads"
BrEng "Mole Grips" = AmEng "Vice-Grips" (trademark name for "locking pliers")
Thank you Tim.
Tim, you are always such an educator and an entertainer. I know Rex is very proud of you and enjoying all of your content and only wishing he could help out.
As usual, excellent. In the US, we often call castle threads "Acme" threads. (You say "Acme" at 45:50.) In boarding school, we had an excellent metal shop, and most of the machine tools were very old, so my teacher always did the repairs. The tail stock in our ancient Monarch lathe failed, and the teacher fixed it with a new threaded piece. He cut an internal, left-handed, acme thread in a hunk of bronze. It was fun to see him work.
In the segment immediately after castle threads (called precision threads) he referred to Acme threads (45:48). That took me by surprise as I'd already assumed from the castle thread segment that Acme just wasn't a term they used.
@@TheOtherBill Acme threads have a 29 degree angle on the sides, I think castle threads have vertical sides.
@@jarkman Square thread! Castle must be a local name for it since it's not referenced anywhere I could find on a US-based search engine. Your saying that solved the mystery.
@@jarkman Yes, Acme threads are trapezoidal with 29° angle, while metric trapezoidal threads have a 30° angle. Trapezoidal threads are better suited for driving heavy axial loads than square threads, having a larger thread root than a comparably sized square thread. Square threads are more efficient and induce less friction, which is why they're used for lead screws, though manufacture of the square-thread profile is more difficult than cutting either trapezoidal or the standard 60° V-threads.
@@hughmac13 When I was at Carriage and Wagon (British Rail) in the early 80's we made 2 start square threads to pull and push the battery boxes out, they were about a meter long and we got 90 mins to make each item.
That supercycle machine is beautiful.
The results of someone who has mastered their craft.
Tim, you are the best. Thankyou for all your videos; a great tribute to your life's work that will live on way beyond you!
I never cease to learn something new from these videos! Would love to see one on welding.
I still keep watching these series. The best!
I've often wondered how the first accurate screws were made. Very ingenious. Great video.
I have found that when using wd40 for cutting threads or drilling holes it is soo light it actually makes it harder to do, it almost sticks, the special cutting oils or machine oil make a huge difference.
Great video BTW, learned some new things.
WD40 is fine if you use your tapes and dies by hand and every couple of turns, reverse the direction for a half turn that clears all the swarf and produces less heat while cutting the thread; also your taps and dies will last a LOT longer, but it takes a lot longer to do.
A case of suck it and see, some threading will be easier run dry whilst others may require coolant or even an tapping mix.
Lots of power tapping, no need to back off just power in job done.
THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO. I subbed.
A friend of mine started working at a major heavy equipment building company and they were breaking these big 1 1/2 inch taps, very readily. He turned them on to using CRISCO VEGETABLE SHORTENING instead of a tapping fluid. They could, then, power-tap without breaking the tap. He turned me on to it, as well. I stopped using cutting oils for threading and tapping, all together. There's you a dandy piece of advice from one old machinist to another.
Bill, from Tn. 🇺🇸
Tim IS a national monument!
I never knew I could so entertained by nuts & bolts.
It's interesting how the terminology is different across the atlantic. I've never heard of a "collar bolt", they're shoulder bolts. The clench nuts are rivnuts (self clenching nuts are something completely different, they get installed with a press), etc.. A "podger" is a spud wrench.
I think I heard someone call a C-clamp a G-clamp maybe once.
And mole grips are vise-grips and so on. I used to share shop space with a retired British-trained engineer. I got quite used to his using British terminology.
And we call a wrench a spanner in the UK
@@meme2287 As a brit, living in the USA - the most confusing nomenclature between US and UK tools in in the realms of saws..."Skil" saws, and multiple, wildly different meanings of "Jigsaw". Wrench versus Spanner is at least unambiguous...not so with Jigsaws.
@@SteveBakerIsHere And a spanner can also be an idiot :)
@@SteveBakerIsHere Everything called a jigsaw is generally not a jigsaw, I have found.
Sir, thank you for another interesting video. There's no substitute for experience. I offer some additional comments:
1 - I believe that camera mounts use American UNC threads. Whilst these are generally the same as Whitworth (BSW) threads, they have the triangular crest of the threads eased back onto a rounded shape. So UNC male threads will fit into BSW female threads, the reverse is not true. While one might "get away with" a BSW screw into a camera base, tripod mounts use ¼ UNC and not BSW threads.
2 - I have and use a rose countersink for small sizes, but for larger sizes I re-ground a 15mm twist drill to 90°. So I can countersink rapidly without the misfit which you demonstrated using a large standard drill.
3 - One quite often needs to tap a hole in a piece of material, or a situation, which can't be mounted into a lathe. I used my small lathe to make tapping guide blocks. These are drilled and tapped steel blocks. They can be clamped in place, or at a pinch hand-held, to ensure a perpendicular entry into the hole to be tapped. Using one of these blocks also prevents the tap from tearing out the top of a hole in soft material such as aluminium.
4 - I prefer to use 3-set taps, ie No 1 (taper), No 2 (mid) and No 3 (plug). These actually exist in 2 forms. The common ones are all of the same basic thread with each one having different cutting details at the end. I have some of the other type, in which No 1 actually has a thread a tiny bit smaller than No 2, and No 2 has a slightly smaller thread than No 3 which cuts the full size hole. That's precision tapping when used with the guide block. Also the second type requires less force and therefore lasts longer. For "jobbing" one can of course do everything with a No 2 of standard thread size, but they get very difficult to use at 10mm and above in steel of any thickness.
I really enjoy these videos. I love making things and it brings back memories of my dear old dad who was a Rolls Royce tool maker.
Tim Hunkin is making wonderful videos again. Maybe the world is starting to make sense again, after all.
Tim you are brilliant and you always have been and you always will be, Much Much Respect, I have been watching and enjoying all your productions for decades, Exellent.
"and there's lots more I could have put in..."
Bring it on:-)
You have such an extraordinary ethic in terms of really fleshing out each particular category of components. I think the next step is to get comfortable with 15 minute little instructables based on whatever is challenging or entertaining you in your process. Doesn't always have to be invention. Can be things that have occurred to you as you maintain your clever machinations.
This is going to become an excellent reference work for future engineers, makers and students. Great stuff as always!
I love these episodes. I watch them over and over.
Tim, you're an engineering god! Fascinating, educational, friendly, reassuring, nostalgic... Peering over your shoulder is absolutely, bloody brilliant!
Thanks mate, much appreciated! 😃☮️
When I started watching this my thinking was I know all of this but the presentation is so good It kept me watching. Even though yes most of it is basic fastener knowledge that I know about or have done I still found it an excellent and interesting watch. This would be absolutely brilliant for a school shop teacher to show to students over one or two classes.
Also have to mention the creative genius this man is,the machines he and partners have built must be incredible to see up close.
These videos are a treasure trove of information, thank you Tim.
It really is nice to see you still knocking about.
Don't give up the bodge.
Keep it up Tim! I still play Secret Life of Machines for people :) RIP Rex..so many of us driven mad by our own mind. The protection mechanisms of the human (and other) brains, truly mind bending (please pardon the awful play on words)..
Tim, you are the king of the electro-mechanical contrivance. TSLoM was so important in my formative years. Thank you, sir.
I design gas turbines for a living. We often use helicoils in ‘soft’ castings for a higher strength and more wear resistant thread. Not just for repairs!
55:20 what i found a real fun version of this method is using a nut drilling it out then popping it over the round headed bolt head then weld it same can be done for studs or bolts where the heads are snapped off and there isn't enough thread for two bolts if you don't know the thread size or you don't have it handy and is a great reuse for old stripped out nuts ;)
As a French Canadian from Québec, we didn't get the chance to have such a remarkable TV Show as the secret of machine here. I discovered it way later when youtube era came to be. I watched em all and found it was the best technical TV show ever made ; Now that I stumbled on your new episodes, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to share your knowledge (and also attitude) with the world again! Like some said here, you're kinda a national treasure! Wish you well and health and such, keep going at it as long you can, there's such a big need for edutainment like what you're so good at doing these days... Merci.