PFG Live

Upgrade to Form 4 Printer? - We've been making the family of NOZ products on the @Formlabs Form 3+ printer. How do we react to the new Form 4? Productize 6-inch Lapping Plates? - As we build out out hand-lapping system, requests for the 6-inch lapping plates are coming in. Do we add it to the KP product list? Over-automation in the Small Shop - Can you have too much automation? Yes

Lapping From Ra to Rz - I was challenged by @proteummachining to start looking at Rz rather than Ra for surface roughness. Let's see why. Wireless Devices In The Shop - In which I cross the streams. Inspired by @JohnGrimsmo having issues with his Bluetooth probe, I find it necessary to talk antennas. Again. The Joy Of Unnecessary Precision - We love to chase it, but at what cost? I

3-inch ToolMakers Flat: First Lapping! - After all the preparation, I finally do the first lapping... and it rocks. Process improvements will, of course, ensue. The Expensive Stuff Is Cheaper... Again. - In which I buy a carbide tool which was cheaper, and end up breaking it. Then buying what I should have bought in the first place. Buying Stuff To Take Apart And Learn - My son, Ja

P1 is Life - Making the first prototype, and noting how long it lasts. It's a metaphor for ... everything. Making a Lapping Station - Fixin' to get ready to lap, specifically the ToolMakers Flat TMF-3 What's All The Fuss About An Ellipse?? - A report from the Eclipse, and why Ellipses are interesting. And more... Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on

Storms, Blackouts, Earthquakes, Eclipses! - I wish we were kidding. All this happened in the last week, or will tomorrow. Success Hand-Tapping, Next Hand-Lapping - We got the 4142 Pre-hard part tapped, and the ToolMakers Flat is ready for hand lapping. What's the plans? Will A.I. Design and Machine Your Parts? - It's starting to be a question. And more... Links for products/designs

Followup on the ToolMakers Flat in 52100 Steel... Quicken The Quench: Heat The Oil? - A casual question from Tom Lipton set me on a course... does heating the quenching oil quicken the quench. Does the Temper Negate The Cryo? - Spoiler: No. They do different things. Crappy Tapping In 4142 Pre-Hard - I am not having fun with this operation. There are reasons. And more... Links for p

Of Clock Springs And Toolmakers Flats: Turning the 52100 steel produced some pretty evil chips. Some of them broke. 52100 Steel: Planning The Heat Treatment: We are ALMOST running the recipe recommended by the NBS (now NIST) many years ago. Will our minor deviations matter? We'll see. A Box Of Grinding Gems From Tom: Books and goodies from Tom Lipton. Very neat stuff, and the knowl

Rotary OD Lapping: Sine Rolls - We make a soft lap from scrap. We struggle with three different compound choices, and end up where we should have in the first place. Evaluating Round, Straight, Size - It's not trivial down in the Tenths. Crash Recovery: Just Breathe - It happened. Nobody died. Nothing broke. We'll do laundry later... And more... Links for products/designs mentioned

Successful Sidewheeling - We learn about "forming" the wheel, and finally nailing the dimenensions. I Didn't Expect The Backlash! - Would have been fine in a mill, not so much in a surface grinder. But, we overcame. Sine Right Here: Charles W. Sullivan - His signature is preserved, and we thank him for a cool tool. We went deep on side-wheeling with Robin Renzetti @ROBRENZ . And mo

Restoring and Using Tools: Getting old tools, especially shop-made tools, back to working order and using them productively. Tighten Your Hub: Staying concentric, stable, true and dressed. Oh, and also in your grinding... Helping Non-Machinists: There Is No Sketch: We make brackets. But, we need to become communicators with those that don't have the technical skills, but still have