Dumb Things I do to Save a Buck/Minute

I routinely grab aluminum TIG wire to drop between stock and the moving jaw to help get a better grip. ...

Put a small squirt of cutting oil on top of the vise and apply to stock with a cheap acid brush when I am using the manual mill to prep stock. I have used an oil cup, but dipping a brush in liquid oil gets way more oil than I actually need. ...

I rarely "need" to vises on the manual mill, but the main vise I keep in the table lined up and bolted down is one of a pair. ... Feel free to add the silly little thing you do to save a buck and/or a minute. Bob La Londe

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I machine brass, mild or stainless steel more often than aluminum, on old low speed manual machine tools. The vise padding is scrap countertop or wood for irregular items, thin cardboard for polished or bearing surfaces.

The "HSS" end mills in blue tubes I bought from Enco stay sharp longer in steel at the old pre-HSS cutting speed.

I bought Spillmasters back when they were cheaper. A needle oiler bottle puts only enough in the parting groove or small drilled hole. Milling RPMs are low enough to brush more oil onto the tool shank when the smoking stops and let it feed down slowly. There isn't really much difference between a little and no oil at lower speed, except for parting. I see hot blue chips only when turning hard steel such as slimming down hex shank driver bits for recessed screws. Kerosine from a needle bottle has been good enough for me on aluminum, even for hogging out custom microwave circuit enclosures.

The current project is made from oak firewood, a functional copy of the spare tire stem and backup camera mount on a Bronco, for the external spare tire on my CRV. I might copy it in metal or just waterproof the oak by dipping in molten wax, which sliding the tire on won't remove like paint. The backup camera is the only feature I like on new cars.

The backup cam I bought has two cameras that can show adjacent lanes or shopping carts on both sides beyond 180 degrees split-screen if mounted on the ends of a removable bar behind the spare. I think 3M outdoor Command stickies should secure my LCD screen mounting plate to the dash without drilling.

In my defense.

1. The post was about being cheap.
2. The amount of oil I use when wetting an acid brush is adequate for similar cuts in steel. I rarely cut brass, since it is so expensive. If I need bearing material I just buy bronze bushings near net size. While more expensive per ounce than brass its cheaper than buying a piece of brass large enough to make the inferior brass plane bearing.
3. I get adequate oil for milling steel with the acid brush wet in a puddle on the top of the vise. For corroboration, as long as there is smoke there is oil.
4. Turning is a far different application and skill set. One that for which I have mastered very few operations.

Aside: For steel oil seems to help with the actual cut, but in aluminum it helps reduce or prevent chip welding. In heavy cuts to the tool, and in light finish cuts when thrown back on the work piece. I'm not sure if its done by reducing heat from cutting forces, or by simply making the surface nonstick like a good skillet for cooking eggs.

A common cut I make is a heavy climb cut in one direction, and then a spring pass in conventional back the way I came. I can produce accurate repeatable cuts this way when taking saw cut blanks to final size. In the heavy cut the light oil keeps the chips from sticking to the tool. In the spring pass the oil keeps the chips flung around from sticking to the stock.

You don't need any defense, I pointed out that my use is different, more applicable to a casual hobbyist with small or old manual machinery. I'm usually concerned with what can I get away with rather than maximizing efficiency.

But the post was about being cheap (and efficient).

But the post was about being cheap (and efficient).

I can only dream of efficiency and cheap is fading fast, I just paid $5.48 for a single 12mm bolt and nut.

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I've found that being cheap usually ends up costing me more in the end than if I'd spent a little more .

I've found that being cheap usually ends up costing me more in the end than if I'd spent a little more .

-- Snag I appreciated foreign cultures more when they stayed foreign ...

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I consider that to be an educational expense, also $200 for 1 and then 2 ton hanging scales as medical accident insurance.

I found a 2.5" OD exhaust pipe coupler that fits the wheel hub hole and can sleeve over the wood plug, which is still needed for alignment and support. More money, stronger part. The spare tire is included in 5 tire rotation and comes off and on yearly, when I check the brakes.

This is the Bronco part I'm imitating:

They are available for older Jeeps.