Request by Readers
Proxxon TBM 115 Micro Drill Press
I ordered in a Proxxon TBM 115 for personal testing because a visitor asked my advise on small or micro size drilling. Not ultra small drilling but in the number drill range, about 1/64 and larger. I immediately thought of the TBM but never used one.
My Proxxon dealer status is still viable so I ordered one in for my evaluation and perhaps passing it on to my new friend. The truth is I may keep this one for myself.
I have published a full, first look review in The Hobbyist Machine Shop. I was a bit undecided whether to publish it there or in Ramblin’ Dan’s Workshop. THMS got the post as I have another one there about the Proxxon MBS/E Micro Bandsaw. They belong together.
I think the TBM will be very useful in the A3 project as well as my silver work. I am always drilling small holes.
Micro Machinist Association
I know there are a number of Taig Tool owners in the Dallas, “North Texas” area. I have been contacted by about a half dozen in the past few years. Some close to Dallas and all within what we would call the metro and suburb area.
I believe there is an existing hobby machinist group in the area and I assume the members are more into general machine shop work (as I am) and perhaps less involved with the small (Micro) machinery like Taig (or Sherline). I haven’t pursued more information or membership as my time until recently has been at a premium. But I do run a fair number of web sites.
So what I am wondering is if there is an interest by a few local folks for an online low profile member only (private) meeting room for micro machining? No travel involved. (Maybe later?) I am open to all suggestions, but I envision a local club type BBS group where members get to know and help each other. Not a wide open “my tool is bigger than yours” brag forum.
I believe many home machinists may not want to participate in a wide open public forum. However, a private group of like-minded local folks (an association) may be just what is desired. I have had a request many times on how to “join my club” when in fact I never had one. I don’t want to own one either. I don’t intend to be the “main voice”. Just provide a communication service if I can.
The design for this registered member site is wide open for discussion. My offer is to provide whatever online service the members’ desire. New members join by asking. It could be a simple Taig or Micro Tool owners list, a forum… Continue reading
Vertical Lathe
Maybe not true vertical, but the X tooling moves in that direction…
If this photo grabs your attention then follow this link for the whole story in The Hobbyist’s Machine Shop — Visitors tab. http://thehobbyistmachineshop.com/cms/visitors/george-moorehead
George Moorehead hails from Gig Harbor, Washington and is currently in the process of setting up a new workshop in his home for his retirement years. Sounds like we share a lot in common. This is a mod George made to two machines to create a CNC vertical X movement lathe. Interesting!
Thanks for sharing George.
TEDEX Forum Phoenix
UPDATE 4/26/14 Registration Fixed (see comments)
Here I go again… (enter TEDEX in the search key word box)
I like some forums. I like the ones that feel more like a club membership than a forum that wants to dominate my life. Well, actually being the administrator or a moderator of a forum can dominate one’s life, if you let it.
The forums I am attracted to are the ones that stand alone and are not associated with one of the big mega forum providers. The big boys fill their forums with advertising and sell my viewing habits to product vendors in order to pay and make a profit from providing the service. That’s bad Karma for me.
I don’t run any of my websites to make money from views. Maybe I am foolish but it is the way I like it.
Once again I have resurrected the (hobbyist) TEDEX forum from the ashes of cold storage. All the old files are still intact. I left the door open for 24 hours and almost immediately it was attacked by a swarm of Botflies pumping commercial spam into my forum in various forms, mostly pill pushers, with about 25 new posts.
I immediately tightened up the registration and it is still open, but registration now needs more effort. New members need Admin permission and must wait for it. Posts are limited for the newbie to prevent flooding. The latest update of the forum software added some nice tools for spam blocking. Unfortunately spam is a fact of life in today’s reality. If a request looks like spam, I won’t even open the door. Post spam in my house and I will knock you out. I have the can of RAID at the ready! Ha!
I am considering several options for adding… Continue reading
TEDEX Forum
This blog is only a few short of 1000 members as of this writing. I believe many signed in to exploit the BLOG. It is a dead end if that was the purpose.
I am the only author in this site, but members are permitted to comment as they see fit. The first comment is held for me to determine who you are and if the comment is on topic. The spam filters work very well and I delete a lot of known spam. If I let you through the first time, I don’t moderate after that. But I can shut down anyone who is not pure in heart (intent) at any time.
I also run a Bulletin Board called TEDEX. I shut it down from (open) new memberships about a year ago. Same reasons. It is a nasty world out there. I trimmed it down from hundreds to just 43 contributing members.
TEDEX has more user features. Lots of folks like the BBS format better than the BLOG. On TEDEX you can start your own threads, post pictures and have a whole lot more interaction.
I just did something with TEDEX I said I wasn’t going to do. I unlocked the registration again. I’ll see how it goes. If you have an ugly email address or ugly user name, don’t expect to get in. I respect real people with real names. Reasonable “handles” are OK but be sincere in who you are.
I am willing to host a blog with many author contributors. I am thinking about a new challenge R&D project I am looking into I call RoboBoat. There is a post in TEDEX about the subject. The blog would be a society or forum for developing this topic… or it could just live in… Continue reading