Enjoyed..super seagulling, I remember years ago you sent me a Clist ad with the comment look on the floor in the back of the photo, an item not in the ad, I seagulled it that day!..Thanks 😍for the shout out At the end of the video when everyone has left according to analytics 🤣🤣🤣, I am lucky/proud to have your friendship and mentoring
I see. You're one of those guys that if you give them a hundred dollar bill they complain and ask if you have twenties instead. I totally forgot about that CL ad you mentioned. First rule of Craigslist, "What else to you have?" Good to see you the other day. All the best, Tom
"It's for lighting candles." BIC ran an advertising campaign that featured the real life friends Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog playing off the fact that keeping your fingers away from the flame is just as useful for lighting candles as it is for other, heavily implied, Snoop Dog sort of things. I know I certainly would have purchased those lighters in my younger days!
The president of a company I used to work for told his employees that "There is NO job so important that we can't take the time to do it safely". This has stuck with me and I follow his advise to this day.
Hey Robert. Good words in practice. My experience is it is the little innocent routine things that get us into trouble. This keeps the band aid companies in business. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Words to keep your FINGERS by.. I've been working with machinery for 35 years. Woodworking and auto-shop type machinery, so basic metal working machinery and tools. I've had a few close calls in that time, but last month, it ALL caught up with me.. I got "comfortable" and complacent! I thought.. I've done this so many times, and then, WHAP, I'm holding my hand and thinking I can't believe that just happened, I can't believe I just did that.." They (the ER and the Ortho Surgeon called in) were able to stitch it back together, but I will require a bone graft surgery to make it whole, yet more time to make the finger "work" again, and yet WAY more time to see just how much "feeling" or sensitivity I MIGHT recover.. And this is just my pinky finger, albeit on my dominant hand, but I can tell you.. ANY loss of use to an appendage, no matter how "insignificant" that appendage will AND SHOULD shake you.. Just be SMART, .... STOP, .... THINK, .... PLAN.... and EXECUTE. That's all I got..
one thing I like about the wood pallet for the hoses is that you can create whatever channels you need to organize them, and if you need to get in there, you can just lift it up - you could even hinge the walking surface and make it a lid. Need more pace, just add more wood. Seems like a solid solution.
Tom, I am 100% behind your safety philosophy and agree that what looks unsafe to the untrained eye isn't as unsafe to the trained eye! Having spent 20 in the Navy, safety gets a bad rap because of the knee jerk reactions of a single incident. We always look and talk about Operational Risk Management (ORM) but then in the interest of time disregard what was briefed until there is an accident and then people loose their minds. Common sense pays a big part in safety. Unfortunately common sense isn't so common any more... Thanks for the video's and damn glad to see you back providing you astounding knowledge!
Chuck is a good guy . It was thru him and his channel that I found your channel , Gary Brown's "Old Iron Machine Works" channel and all the various other "California Connection" channels . Always something new on Chuck's channel !
Appreciate the safety message, Tom. Appreciate more how you went about it - it will have made a lot of people think seriously rather than just closing their minds off. I reckon you saved a few fingers out there, at least. Good work in my book.
Hey Russell. Yeah most folks really don't like being told they are doing it wrong, me included. I think the concept of protecting things you care about is a good position to come from. That could be your kids or your fingers. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
@@oxtoolco There is one adition to what you said about "what may look sketchy for an untrained eye may not look sketchy for an expert", which is absolutely true most of the time. But sometimes when it comes to routine stuff, when it does not look sketchy for you, but for an untrained eye, it might be. It should at least be a trigger to reconsider and reevaluate. Outcome still may be, "this is absolutely fine that way". Or it may safe one from a "damn, that went south fast" situation.
Good talk on the safety. I had a shop destroyed 35yrs ago from a neighbor that was sandblasting on a gas tank. Yeah, it was not fun seeing all your equipment melted and burnt to a crisp.
The safety thing rang pretty true. I mostly run a rolling mill (alongside press brake work, auto punches, turret punches etc) which are mostly fed from steel coils which are anywhere between 3-5 tonne. I thought I was pretty happy with it all until we stared hiring and I had to show newbies, mostly guys who had never worked with metal before how to run the machine. I found I was saying "okay this is how I do it because it is easier/quicker I do not expect you to do it this way at all" a couple times to each of them. You cannot work like this. It is not fair to anyone. So I had to get my shit together and try and run a tighter ship at the cost of a few minutes here and there and a few grumblings from them above. I do not want anyone to get hurt on my watch taking the same risks I would without thinking. I had a 4 tonne of 3mm x 300mm whip around and spring out of its guides today. Glad everyone knew where to stand and nobody was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I normally find myself having to go home and apologise to my wife when I get hurt out of my own stupidity at work - things that are a small risk for me would have a huge knock on effect for her if the worst case were to happen.
People get complacent around rolling mills. Especially a big, really slow moving one. They are exceptionally dangerous. I smashed my fingers so many times on a little bitty hand powered sheet metal roller when I first saw the big stuff I was prepared, but it was rather intimidating. And it would not take a particularly large one to roll your ass flat. Press brake machines used to be the machine everyone feared. I can see why, but now with light curtains and the thumb triggers and all the other stuff, unless you have someone helping they are kind of locked down. Even in an older shop I never really felt too concerned. Sheet metal tools I guess we're just familiar. Working in a lumber mill was a different story altogether. There were waaaaay too many people missing fingers, both old and young, conveyor feed saws everywhere, you almost had to wear gloves, and you could easily catch shrapnel from exploding saw blades or lumber just getting out of your car. Had to drive a half mile down the road to smoke. Dust explosions are more than a big deal. It was a nightmare factory for sure.
If you think about what you are doing it is a lot safer than just going through the motions like we tend to do. Shop is looking better organized all the time. Might be cool in there now but won’t be long till it’s the other way. Better get that insulation in.
We have Charmilles wire EDM's at work and had an alarm in the Z axis that we couldn't figure out what was causing it for weeks. Turns out the grease had hardened in one spot on the gear that controls the feed of the Z axis. We do a greasing cycle routinely (approx. every 2-3 months) and some how missed cleaning and regreasing the one spot on the gear for about 10yrs or so. Needless to say, lessons learned the hard way are not soon forgotten! 😉 We're hoping to get a Makino U6 Heat EDM to replace our 2007 submersible EDM sometime this year...finger are crossed!
Hey Joey. Great story. WEDM's are kind of fussy machines at best. I imagine that drove the operator nuts. Good luck on the new machine. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
You can buy the parts bins at HF for about $125 for a box of two dozen. I make mine to hang the bins by the wider part of the bin by putting some hardwood strips on the sides with the brad nailer. Mine orient the bins with the hinges to the back (wide side facing you) so they take up less depth in my tiny office.
Good Stuff Tom! Craigslist rocks, I met one of my best friends when I was selling a shaper on CL. I love and use the kit idea. I've spent 38 years in the Army and they are all about kits, they have a category of supplies referred to as SKO, sets, kits, and outfits. I have used this sort of system for years. Use the tackle boxes for your drill bits and your mini pallet tiedown hardware. If you put a little "file folder" tab on the masonite shelves they are easier to grab so you can pull them out when you need to. Your woodchuck skills are more than adequate, just need some wood filler and a little stain and you would be right uptown.
My wife found one of those lighters at the Dollar And A Quarter Tree. Nice of you to mention Tom from Hill Top. He has a long road ahead to get his health back. Thanks for the video.
talking of safety, it might be an idea to paint the step you made over the hoses, it looks just high enough to trip on. just something to make it stand out. i know id end up on my face at least once with that step 😄
Thanks for this, Tom! I've seen way too many people get complacent with safety, and I've been guilty of it myself far too many times. It's always helpful to see folks who I look up to, and who have been doing this way longer than I have, talking about that. I actually paused this video to buy two more pairs of safety glasses, for the places I know that I usually "forget" them...
We are all human and make mistakes. I am happy that Tom at Hilltop Machine Works got out with minimal injuries, and his dog made it out safely. Hopefully his GoFundMe will help ease some of the pain.
@@oxtoolco It certainly made me think twice about having a can of K-1 in the shop. It's outside, away from the building. But you're spot on with "would I let me loved one do that". I will think about it more often now.
That vigilance for the other guy resonated with me. I really started being more careful when my girls got old enough to start using my tools, just because I started thinking how upset they would be if I got hurt, especially doing something stupid, once I was lecturing them on being careful.
Thanks for another video packed as always with good stuff, wisdom and common sense. Like many others, I'm a bit averse to the extremes of health and safety, especially considering a life spent in often dangerous occupations before all this modern fuss. Nevertheless, nowadays, now I realise I'm not indestructible, I take a lot more care of myself and others. Looking forward to many more Meatloaves, and maybe even another book or two!
You seem to have so many great ideas. I still refer to your video about lubricants. I also like your term for your safety philosophy. Stay safe and warm.
Good one . I have an Italian lathe in my shop as well , can do 80mm pitch , 3/8 of a TPI while in the 8:1 feed . There would be alot of us that work in large workshops get the saftey thing drummed into us constantly , although a pain in the butt i have personally found over the years it has changed alot of the ways that i work . Your new shop is progressing well , a long road i am in the middle of ! Cheers . 👍
No permanent injuries. At Caterpillar, there is something they call Safety Awareness Walk - SAW. If you see someone doing anything unsafe, walk up to them and talk to the person. And others do the same for you. Sometimes someone else can see things you don’t see. You can also let someone know when you notice they’re being safe. “Be safe today. Be here tomorrow.” There are a couple old safety films on TH-cam: “Shake Hands With Danger”. And “The Color of Danger”.
Hey Michael. A good one I heard recently is. If you see something say something, If you hear something, say something, If you smell something, say something, If you feel something, say something. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Ive litterally put vegetable oil in my way lube tank for my sharp sv2412 VMC. Was completely out of way lube and there was a delay on my 5 gallon shipment. I had a job that had to get done. It worked fine for the time being, no problems. 😂
@@oxtoolco she was actually puzzled when I said it was for the machine, and that we needed to get more from the store 😂 seriously the viscosity wasn’t that far off, I don’t think it hurt anything. Cheers
Hey Dean I I ordered mine right away. I always thought they started at $500 and went up although here in Canada it was $72.00 with delivery. Still good to me. Right on Tom.🔧🔩⚒
On the storage cases I draw the separations transfered from the bottom dividers and then label it with marker. If you change a location or make it bigger or smaller just rub off the marker with WD40 and a towel.
I use an old Charmglow ventless space heater. It's LP Gas and it does a good job of cutting down the chill in my 40x50 shop in the winter. I keep it on low. i always enjoy your videos and I often copy your projects.
Hey Joe. I have a radiant propane heater I set up when it's cold like this. I won't heat the shop but it is a spot I can go to and get warm. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Shop organization for small stuff... Oh boy do I sorely need to do this "I know I have it somewhere"! I have seen one of those Clover lathes, at first I was like Meh... then I started to look it over a little closer and thought Hmmm this baby looks pretty capable and wished I could take it for a drive, It sure looked like a good one. I love the bridge over the EDM hoses. Safety... one those things that if you survive your own stupidity, you usually learn not to do it again. However what I want to know is how does that piece of grinding swarf find it's way under the face shield and behind my glasses and require a trip to the Dr to have the piece removed?.
Hey Warren. Somebody that ran that Clover lathe got in touch with me. I thought the interesting part was the huge leads it could handle. There have been times when I wanted something faster than a 1/4 lead. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
@@oxtoolco Yes, their driving test is amazing in its scope, the only place I know of where you have to take 2 practical tests at different times of the year or do a test on a skidpan. I'm hoping I can avoid having to do the tests now I have moved here!
OK you got me convinced to keep all my fingers. I did one time stand on the top of a step ladder, not my best moment and I did do the Humpty Dumpty. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.
I recommend you get a taller ladder and use adequate lubrication on the upper rungs. If you're going to do it do it right. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
I got a kick out of your grease trials and tribulations because I can relate. The 6 speed manual transmission that came in the modern Dodge Ram diesels get a bad wrap for being grenades, well Dodge/Ram recommends ATF+4 for fluid while the manufacture of the trans a little company you might have heard of Mercedes-Benz recommends 50w gear oil.
I like the bin storage idea Tom. Where I used to work I had similar bins with fixed dividers for screw hardware storage. I had one for each size of commonly used screw size. Very handy and better than the assortments that are out there because they were customized based on our needs. Good talk on safety having worked in student shops you really need to have that philosophy.
Sweet cabinet storage ideas. Thanks for sharing. I was going to try to find something but now I can make exactly what I need. I work off shore and the safety have grown in the workplace to a level I would let loved ones work in. It’s not perfect but safer then diving.
I use a butane lighter in the shop. On a second note on the safety aspect, i agree with you Tom. Take a step back and do the proper thing, with that said also own your mistakes, the truly lasting lessons are the ones that bite you in the arse.
Safety: I've done sketchy things "when I had to" ... but 99% of the time, I always have the thought "Is this how I would teach my 12 yr old grandchild to do this?" ... If the answer is No, I remind myself to re evaluate my procedures. Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦
Hey Greg. These are meant to sit on a shelf. The trays are easy to remove and bring to the job. Some of the crud I collect in the boxes would stretch your arm out of the socket. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
I 100% agree with your safety philosophy. When I was younger I did a lot of sketchy stuff. Now I worry about my wife and child and need to be there in as good of shape I can for them so I imagine what I would do if it were them. I have stopped what I was doing several times for their sake, and changed it up. I have even bought things to make it safer and put it off until that item arrived.
Tom, I had a bunch of either 18ga or 16ga laser cut with foldable sections that once you fold the sides down, they perfectly hold a similar plastic case that I have used for years. I actually have a couple of sizes of the cases, a medium very close to the ones you are using for small parts and a mini version that has been useful as a more mobile solution. The metal sections work well, and are easy to add onto, as I just tig braze them into stacks. They live on top of bolt bins, or drawer units and have a place to open them up, similar to your sliding shelves. Love any type of organization method, keep it up.
How are the dimensions of the battery compartment on that crane scale? The one I bought recently works fine with the included carbon-zinc batteries, but Amazon alkaline AA's will not fit. The battery compartment is just ever so slightly too short.
On the subject of safety I no longer split kindling with and axe. I built a splitter similar to yours with a couple minor differences. Turns out a Kia brake rotor fits the bottom of a 5 gal. bucket perfectly, no hole in the bottom needed, however I think I made the cutting edge to close to the top, half goes in and half shoots across the floor. Revision #1 coming soon. My digits thank you.
yes Tom a moments lapse and your in trouble , I lost the end of my little finger ( well I still have it because I took it with me to A&E and the stuck it back on ) fan motor with eve belts 50 hp drew the fuses , slacked off the the adjustment bolts but as it was a Bull. motor and they have sleeve bearing , anyway the out put dampers had failed to close completely and I put my hand on the motor pulley the fan rotated due the back draft good by pinky. so as you say its the unforeseen that gets you . spent many years doing live jointing but there the dangers or there and you take care get that shop insulated before you get frostbite in the nether regions H & S report would be interesting 😀
Had my eye on that clover lathe myself. Too bad I'm outta room and already have a lathe. Lots of nice table saws on craigslist right now. Get a delta unisaw if you can. Again like with machine tools, look for ones with extra tooling. Blades, jigs, throat inserts etc...
Hey Delta. I have my eye on a couple of Unisaws. I really would like to get a full size cabinet saw with a nice fence. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Another source for storage are obsolete laptop computer storage cabinets. You can get them at school auctions and the cubbies are about the same size as the plastic containers you are using. The tops make a sturdy bench top.
As for your handle interface, could you incorporate both locations into one piece? Having a long leg for your in line handle location would take a lot of the side load off your screws. Similarly with your side handle location. Would help keep everything locked in place and spread the pulling force over more fasteners. Less likely to break.
Lucas makes good grease and I also was going to say “some grease” is better than none. If you have any bearings that come in contact with coolant DO NOT USE grease that contains CLAY.
WRT lighters: look up the Dremel Versa Flame (or similar from other brands). They're bigger than a Bic, refillable, have a long end, and (at least for Dremel) come with some handy accessories. The soldering accessories are worthless for electronics, but the torch overall can be used for small silver soldering jobs.
Wasn’t that a movie… “Eternal vigilance of the spotless shop”? Agree 100%. My philosophy is to leave things better than I found them, and especially to fix things which are unnecessarily dangerous. Especially bolting down heavy or vibrating equipment, and anything electrical.
Hey Marc. Leaving things better than you found them is a great attitude. If everybody did that you would never have to clean anything. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Tom, I'm glad you're back and still bummed you didn't make the Kingway class in 2020 down in socal. I dunno why, but I've watched this video in its entirety but youtube keeps autoplaying it, repeatedly. You're driving me crazy, bud. 🤣
Hazard identification and working out who or what they pose risk to is always worthwhile. On my little Abene mill they specified an eye-wateringly expensive oil for the gearboxes- I took that data sheet to my local hydraulic shop and they matched the specs for a much cheaper alternative with equivalent performance. 20L of the “right” oil was more than I paid for the machine.
Wise words on safety Tom. It's just not worth taking risks in the workshop, especially if we work alone. It's the effect an accident has on our family as well. Keep well safe Tom. Regards from @nobbysworkshop
Oh, man. Love the new place. May I suggest a cast iron stove idea to hat up your shop? I have a small one car garage/shop and use a small cast iron stove I purchased from my local scrapyard at the price of iron at the time, basically equaling $5. If you have good scrapyards that also sell their wares (metal) you can pick up a cast iron stove in various sizes, I hope.
Hey Eddie. I have radiant heaters in the plan. Right now I have a small defrosting station for when it gets really cold. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
* Bic EZ Reach lighter! I would have thought it was for lighting a pipe. * That's the identical scale I have in my shop. It's awesome. BUT - make sure you take the batteries (at least one) out between uses or they die in a month or so. Stay safe - any day above ground is a good day. :)
I use Plano boxes to organize my "junk" and one trick I've figured out is to put some Dynaflex 230 into a syringe with a dispensing needle and inject that into the slot that holds the dividers.
Hey Tom, I’m not sure if you guys have them over in the states, but here in Australia we have these things called BBQ lighters. They are just like the little thing you have there except they are around 150mm long. Very handy for keeping your fingers cool in all sorts of situations.
Hey Minchy. Yes we have those also. The issue with the longer ones is the trigger is typically interlocked with safety devices making it a pain to use. I have a couple that I curse every time I use them. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Enjoyed..super seagulling, I remember years ago you sent me a Clist ad with the comment look on the floor in the back of the photo, an item not in the ad, I seagulled it that day!..Thanks 😍for the shout out At the end of the video when everyone has left according to analytics 🤣🤣🤣, I am lucky/proud to have your friendship and mentoring
I see. You're one of those guys that if you give them a hundred dollar bill they complain and ask if you have twenties instead. I totally forgot about that CL ad you mentioned. First rule of Craigslist, "What else to you have?" Good to see you the other day.
All the best,
Tom
Tom.....its so great to have you back making meatloaf.👍🏻👍🏻
Good stuff Tom! Thanks for the safety reminder. Good to see the shop coming together.
ATB, Robin
"It's for lighting candles." BIC ran an advertising campaign that featured the real life friends Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog playing off the fact that keeping your fingers away from the flame is just as useful for lighting candles as it is for other, heavily implied, Snoop Dog sort of things. I know I certainly would have purchased those lighters in my younger days!
I don’t know how I have avoided these. I have NEVER seen those types of lighters before!
The president of a company I used to work for told his employees that "There is NO job so important that we can't take the time to do it safely". This has stuck with me and I follow his advise to this day.
Hey Robert. Good words in practice. My experience is it is the little innocent routine things that get us into trouble. This keeps the band aid companies in business. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Words to keep your FINGERS by.. I've been working with machinery for 35 years. Woodworking and auto-shop type machinery, so basic metal working machinery and tools. I've had a few close calls in that time, but last month, it ALL caught up with me.. I got "comfortable" and complacent! I thought.. I've done this so many times, and then, WHAP, I'm holding my hand and thinking I can't believe that just happened, I can't believe I just did that.." They (the ER and the Ortho Surgeon called in) were able to stitch it back together, but I will require a bone graft surgery to make it whole, yet more time to make the finger "work" again, and yet WAY more time to see just how much "feeling" or sensitivity I MIGHT recover.. And this is just my pinky finger, albeit on my dominant hand, but I can tell you.. ANY loss of use to an appendage, no matter how "insignificant" that appendage will AND SHOULD shake you.. Just be SMART, .... STOP, .... THINK, .... PLAN.... and EXECUTE. That's all I got..
I've learned to stop when I'm thinking "I shouldn't do it this way..."
Thanks Tom, stay safe, healthy and happy.
Hey C. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
No more to say other than it's good to see you back on a regular basis, mate.
Hey Poop, Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco I didn't expect to laugh like this in the comments.
one thing I like about the wood pallet for the hoses is that you can create whatever channels you need to organize them, and if you need to get in there, you can just lift it up - you could even hinge the walking surface and make it a lid. Need more pace, just add more wood. Seems like a solid solution.
Tom, I am 100% behind your safety philosophy and agree that what looks unsafe to the untrained eye isn't as unsafe to the trained eye! Having spent 20 in the Navy, safety gets a bad rap because of the knee jerk reactions of a single incident. We always look and talk about Operational Risk Management (ORM) but then in the interest of time disregard what was briefed until there is an accident and then people loose their minds. Common sense pays a big part in safety. Unfortunately common sense isn't so common any more... Thanks for the video's and damn glad to see you back providing you astounding knowledge!
Chuck is a good guy . It was thru him and his channel that I found your channel , Gary Brown's "Old Iron Machine Works" channel and all the various other "California Connection" channels . Always something new on Chuck's channel !
Appreciate the safety message, Tom. Appreciate more how you went about it - it will have made a lot of people think seriously rather than just closing their minds off. I reckon you saved a few fingers out there, at least. Good work in my book.
Hey Russell. Yeah most folks really don't like being told they are doing it wrong, me included. I think the concept of protecting things you care about is a good position to come from. That could be your kids or your fingers. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco There is one adition to what you said about "what may look sketchy for an untrained eye may not look sketchy for an expert", which is absolutely true most of the time. But sometimes when it comes to routine stuff, when it does not look sketchy for you, but for an untrained eye, it might be. It should at least be a trigger to reconsider and reevaluate. Outcome still may be, "this is absolutely fine that way". Or it may safe one from a "damn, that went south fast" situation.
Thanks for the safety mention, Tom.
Hey Dudley. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Very cool video. Loved the safety viewpoint!
Thanks for your words of wisdom
34 degrees! It is 38 and pouring rain all day here in OH...almost as bad as sunny CA lol....great video Tom!
I'd take 38 and raining at this point. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Always great info and philosophy.
Great safety message, hope you get some warmer weather soon. I could see your breath fog when you started your program.
Hey Gary. Yeah it was pretty cold in there. Had my heater station going for periodic warmups. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Good talk on the safety. I had a shop destroyed 35yrs ago from a neighbor that was sandblasting on a gas tank. Yeah, it was not fun seeing all your equipment melted and burnt to a crisp.
That slip of the tongue at 18:46 was the laugh I needed today😅
You caught that. Nipped it in the bud. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Seen the lighters sold for lighting smoking pipes so that might also be a valid search term. But they are a good idea.
We have a few in the shop too.
I bought a cabinet table saw for little, from a friend. That circular saw-cut-storage box you made is better than many of my one-offs.
Thanks for the nice comment. It is not a good combination when a machinist type picks up a circular saw to try some cabinet work.
All the best,
Tom
The safety thing rang pretty true. I mostly run a rolling mill (alongside press brake work, auto punches, turret punches etc) which are mostly fed from steel coils which are anywhere between 3-5 tonne. I thought I was pretty happy with it all until we stared hiring and I had to show newbies, mostly guys who had never worked with metal before how to run the machine. I found I was saying "okay this is how I do it because it is easier/quicker I do not expect you to do it this way at all" a couple times to each of them. You cannot work like this. It is not fair to anyone. So I had to get my shit together and try and run a tighter ship at the cost of a few minutes here and there and a few grumblings from them above. I do not want anyone to get hurt on my watch taking the same risks I would without thinking.
I had a 4 tonne of 3mm x 300mm whip around and spring out of its guides today. Glad everyone knew where to stand and nobody was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I normally find myself having to go home and apologise to my wife when I get hurt out of my own stupidity at work - things that are a small risk for me would have a huge knock on effect for her if the worst case were to happen.
People get complacent around rolling mills. Especially a big, really slow moving one. They are exceptionally dangerous. I smashed my fingers so many times on a little bitty hand powered sheet metal roller when I first saw the big stuff I was prepared, but it was rather intimidating. And it would not take a particularly large one to roll your ass flat. Press brake machines used to be the machine everyone feared. I can see why, but now with light curtains and the thumb triggers and all the other stuff, unless you have someone helping they are kind of locked down. Even in an older shop I never really felt too concerned. Sheet metal tools I guess we're just familiar. Working in a lumber mill was a different story altogether. There were waaaaay too many people missing fingers, both old and young, conveyor feed saws everywhere, you almost had to wear gloves, and you could easily catch shrapnel from exploding saw blades or lumber just getting out of your car. Had to drive a half mile down the road to smoke. Dust explosions are more than a big deal. It was a nightmare factory for sure.
Good points. When other folks come into the picture you often have to rethink the procedure. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
If you think about what you are doing it is a lot safer than just going through the motions like we tend to do. Shop is looking better organized all the time. Might be cool in there now but won’t be long till it’s the other way. Better get that insulation in.
We have Charmilles wire EDM's at work and had an alarm in the Z axis that we couldn't figure out what was causing it for weeks. Turns out the grease had hardened in one spot on the gear that controls the feed of the Z axis. We do a greasing cycle routinely (approx. every 2-3 months) and some how missed cleaning and regreasing the one spot on the gear for about 10yrs or so. Needless to say, lessons learned the hard way are not soon forgotten! 😉
We're hoping to get a Makino U6 Heat EDM to replace our 2007 submersible EDM sometime this year...finger are crossed!
Hey Joey. Great story. WEDM's are kind of fussy machines at best. I imagine that drove the operator nuts. Good luck on the new machine. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
You can buy the parts bins at HF for about $125 for a box of two dozen. I make mine to hang the bins by the wider part of the bin by putting some hardwood strips on the sides with the brad nailer. Mine orient the bins with the hinges to the back (wide side facing you) so they take up less depth in my tiny office.
Good Stuff Tom! Craigslist rocks, I met one of my best friends when I was selling a shaper on CL. I love and use the kit idea. I've spent 38 years in the Army and they are all about kits, they have a category of supplies referred to as SKO, sets, kits, and outfits. I have used this sort of system for years. Use the tackle boxes for your drill bits and your mini pallet tiedown hardware. If you put a little "file folder" tab on the masonite shelves they are easier to grab so you can pull them out when you need to. Your woodchuck skills are more than adequate, just need some wood filler and a little stain and you would be right uptown.
Thanks Tom for the video take care of yourself and be Blessed ❤️❤️👍 it.
Hey Michael. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
My wife found one of those lighters at the Dollar And A Quarter Tree. Nice of you to mention Tom from Hill Top. He has a long road ahead to get his health back. Thanks for the video.
Hey Jim. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
talking of safety, it might be an idea to paint the step you made over the hoses, it looks just high enough to trip on. just something to make it stand out. i know id end up on my face at least once with that step 😄
hes alive! shop looks awesome!
Get a battery powered heated vest….I have one and they really make the cold tolerable!
Hey Splinky. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Thanks for this, Tom! I've seen way too many people get complacent with safety, and I've been guilty of it myself far too many times. It's always helpful to see folks who I look up to, and who have been doing this way longer than I have, talking about that. I actually paused this video to buy two more pairs of safety glasses, for the places I know that I usually "forget" them...
Thanks for sharing 👍
Hey Craig. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
We are all human and make mistakes. I am happy that Tom at Hilltop Machine Works got out with minimal injuries, and his dog made it out safely. Hopefully his GoFundMe will help ease some of the pain.
Hey Mule. Indeed. That could have been so much worse than it was. He is one lucky dude. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco It certainly made me think twice about having a can of K-1 in the shop. It's outside, away from the building. But you're spot on with "would I let me loved one do that". I will think about it more often now.
great safety philosophy.
I'm always up for a craigslist adventure.
Thanks for all the info, Tom. You're a gold mine!
Hey Patrick. And for my next trick..... Thanks for the nice comment.
Cheers,
Tom
That vigilance for the other guy resonated with me. I really started being more careful when my girls got old enough to start using my tools, just because I started thinking how upset they would be if I got hurt, especially doing something stupid, once I was lecturing them on being careful.
Thanks for another video packed as always with good stuff, wisdom and common sense. Like many others, I'm a bit averse to the extremes of health and safety, especially considering a life spent in often dangerous occupations before all this modern fuss. Nevertheless, nowadays, now I realise I'm not indestructible, I take a lot more care of myself and others. Looking forward to many more Meatloaves, and maybe even another book or two!
Great philosophy on safety. Perfectly delivered.
Hey Bruce. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
You seem to have so many great ideas. I still refer to your video about lubricants. I also like your term for your safety philosophy. Stay safe and warm.
Hey Robert. Thanks for the nice comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Good one . I have an Italian lathe in my shop as well , can do 80mm pitch , 3/8 of a TPI while in the 8:1 feed . There would be alot of us that work in large workshops get the saftey thing drummed into us constantly , although a pain in the butt i have personally found over the years it has changed alot of the ways that i work . Your new shop is progressing well , a long road i am in the middle of ! Cheers . 👍
Hey Max. Shoot me a picture of the lathe if you can. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco No worries . I will be over at my new shop next weekend .
No permanent injuries.
At Caterpillar, there is something they call Safety Awareness Walk - SAW. If you see someone doing anything unsafe, walk up to them and talk to the person. And others do the same for you. Sometimes someone else can see things you don’t see.
You can also let someone know when you notice they’re being safe.
“Be safe today. Be here tomorrow.”
There are a couple old safety films on TH-cam: “Shake Hands With Danger”. And “The Color of Danger”.
Hey Michael. A good one I heard recently is. If you see something say something, If you hear something, say something, If you smell something, say something, If you feel something, say something. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Excellent video on all points.
Thank you
Scott
Hey Scott. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Ive litterally put vegetable oil in my way lube tank for my sharp sv2412 VMC. Was completely out of way lube and there was a delay on my 5 gallon shipment. I had a job that had to get done. It worked fine for the time being, no problems. 😂
What did your wife say when you put it back? Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco she was actually puzzled when I said it was for the machine, and that we needed to get more from the store 😂 seriously the viscosity wasn’t that far off, I don’t think it hurt anything.
Cheers
Hell YEAH!! More meatloaf!! I miss you and OldTony!!Awesome Sauce and GRAVY! GottherDid!!
👍 enjoyed as always. Thanks for sharing.
Hey James. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
keep up the good work
Good one Tom. Ordering one of those scales today.. Very good viewpoint on safety...thank you! The Seagull is one of a kind...Lol
ATB....
Yes he is. Everybody should have a seagull for a friend. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hey Dean I I ordered mine right away. I always thought they started at $500 and went up although here in Canada it was $72.00 with delivery. Still good to me. Right on Tom.🔧🔩⚒
On the storage cases I draw the separations transfered from the bottom dividers and then label it with marker. If you change a location or make it bigger or smaller just rub off the marker with WD40 and a towel.
Hey Brandon. Good idea. Any organizational system need to be flexible and allow for change. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I use an old Charmglow ventless space heater. It's LP Gas and it does a good job of cutting down the chill in my 40x50 shop in the winter. I keep it on low. i always enjoy your videos and I often copy your projects.
Hey Joe. I have a radiant propane heater I set up when it's cold like this. I won't heat the shop but it is a spot I can go to and get warm. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Meatloaf makes me love Monday.
Hey West. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Shop organization for small stuff... Oh boy do I sorely need to do this "I know I have it somewhere"! I have seen one of those Clover lathes, at first I was like Meh... then I started to look it over a little closer and thought Hmmm this baby looks pretty capable and wished I could take it for a drive, It sure looked like a good one.
I love the bridge over the EDM hoses.
Safety... one those things that if you survive your own stupidity, you usually learn not to do it again. However what I want to know is how does that piece of grinding swarf find it's way under the face shield and behind my glasses and require a trip to the Dr to have the piece removed?.
Hey Warren. Somebody that ran that Clover lathe got in touch with me. I thought the interesting part was the huge leads it could handle. There have been times when I wanted something faster than a 1/4 lead. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Safety squints engaged!
Check! Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Good to see you back on a regular basis!
Hey Mike. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Those coveralls look like the old Chicago Stonecutter coveralls that I’ve got hanging in my shop.
Those are my under the house crawlspace overalls. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
That style of lighter is everywhere here in Finland
Everybody knows the Finn's are ahead of everybody else. Just look at their driving test if you want proof. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco Yes, their driving test is amazing in its scope, the only place I know of where you have to take 2 practical tests at different times of the year or do a test on a skidpan. I'm hoping I can avoid having to do the tests now I have moved here!
I like that term "sea gull"
OK you got me convinced to keep all my fingers. I did one time stand on the top of a step ladder, not my best moment and I did do the Humpty Dumpty. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.
I recommend you get a taller ladder and use adequate lubrication on the upper rungs. If you're going to do it do it right. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Thanks for the latest portion on Meatloaf! All the best! Chuck
Hey Chuck. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I got a kick out of your grease trials and tribulations because I can relate. The 6 speed manual transmission that came in the modern Dodge Ram diesels get a bad wrap for being grenades, well Dodge/Ram recommends ATF+4 for fluid while the manufacture of the trans a little company you might have heard of Mercedes-Benz recommends 50w gear oil.
I like the “Long wind resistant lighters”. It’s like having a MAPP torch just a click away to light birthday cake candles.
Hey James, I am happy to have discovered them. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Yes you are right about the safety thing. Whatever it is the attitude is a good approach. Thanks for the advise.
Hey Glenn. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Just a note, I believe those practical lighters are made for an entirely different culture... Still they look like a good idea.
Great safety advice.
Candle smokers....Hey Kate. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I like the bin storage idea Tom. Where I used to work I had similar bins with fixed dividers for screw hardware storage. I had one for each size of commonly used screw size. Very handy and better than the assortments that are out there because they were customized based on our needs. Good talk on safety having worked in student shops you really need to have that philosophy.
Hey Bill. With the small bin system you can take the tray to the job which is really handy sometimes. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Sho is looking good. Love the plastic bin organizer. I have 30 of those just in stack on a shelf. Will be making a few for my shop. Thanks.
Hey Rosser. They suck when they are stacked. The bin case makes it so easy to pull the one you want. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Sweet cabinet storage ideas. Thanks for sharing. I was going to try to find something but now I can make exactly what I need. I work off shore and the safety have grown in the workplace to a level I would let loved ones work in. It’s not perfect but safer then diving.
Hey Sam. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I like your approach to thinking about one's safety in the shop.
Hey Mitt. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Great talk about being safe.
Hey John. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I use a butane lighter in the shop. On a second note on the safety aspect, i agree with you Tom. Take a step back and do the proper thing, with that said also own your mistakes, the truly lasting lessons are the ones that bite you in the arse.
Our best learning is from mistakes. Just don't let them get out of hand. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Great to have you back Tom! another great batch of meatloaf!
Hey Spd. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I miss you uncle Tom ☺
So when I ratchet strap an extension ladder to a bannister to change a high light bulb I should think about that more.
Nah that sounds about right to me. Just don't ratchet strap two ladders together to get the length you need. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Safety: I've done sketchy things "when I had to" ... but 99% of the time, I always have the thought "Is this how I would teach my 12 yr old grandchild to do this?" ... If the answer is No, I remind myself to re evaluate my procedures.
Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦
Hey Paul. Sound like you have it down. Be careful in Sketchtown. Its a dangerous place. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Interesting as usual. Thanks. Consider a carrying handle on top of those cases you are building.
Hey Greg. These are meant to sit on a shelf. The trays are easy to remove and bring to the job. Some of the crud I collect in the boxes would stretch your arm out of the socket. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I 100% agree with your safety philosophy. When I was younger I did a lot of sketchy stuff. Now I worry about my wife and child and need to be there in as good of shape I can for them so I imagine what I would do if it were them. I have stopped what I was doing several times for their sake, and changed it up. I have even bought things to make it safer and put it off until that item arrived.
Hey Josepi, Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom, I had a bunch of either 18ga or 16ga laser cut with foldable sections that once you fold the sides down, they perfectly hold a similar plastic case that I have used for years. I actually have a couple of sizes of the cases, a medium very close to the ones you are using for small parts and a mini version that has been useful as a more mobile solution. The metal sections work well, and are easy to add onto, as I just tig braze them into stacks. They live on top of bolt bins, or drawer units and have a place to open them up, similar to your sliding shelves. Love any type of organization method, keep it up.
Hey Shad. Sounds great! Shoot me a picture if you can. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco Tom, I'll shoot some pics and send them thru instagram. Not a great way to attach in youtube
Nice to see the EDM again. I’ve always wanted one. I’ll live through yours at some point, I hope.
Hey Mel. I hope I can live up to your expectations. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco you always do.
How are the dimensions of the battery compartment on that crane scale? The one I bought recently works fine with the included carbon-zinc batteries, but Amazon alkaline AA's will not fit. The battery compartment is just ever so slightly too short.
Hey James. I know a guy with a machine shop that can probably help you....
All the best,
Tom
On the subject of safety I no longer split kindling with and axe. I built a splitter similar to yours with a couple minor differences. Turns out a Kia brake rotor fits the bottom of a 5 gal. bucket perfectly, no hole in the bottom needed, however I think I made the cutting edge to close to the top, half goes in and half shoots across the floor. Revision #1 coming soon. My digits thank you.
Hey Michael. Same here. The hatchet quickly remove your hand method seems dodgy. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I LOVE “ kitting “!!
Yes! Put like things together and keep them together. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
yes Tom a moments lapse and your in trouble , I lost the end of my little finger ( well I still have it because I took it with me to A&E and the stuck it back on ) fan motor with eve belts 50 hp drew the fuses , slacked off the the adjustment bolts but as it was a Bull. motor and they have sleeve bearing , anyway the out put dampers had failed to close completely and I put my hand on the motor pulley the fan rotated due the back draft good by pinky. so as you say its the unforeseen that gets you . spent many years doing live jointing but there the dangers or there and you take care
get that shop insulated before you get frostbite in the nether regions H & S report would be interesting 😀
Hey Stuart. There are so many ways to fail in this trade. Good thing you weren't sitting on that pulley....Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
ETCHING PRESS SPOTTED
Had my eye on that clover lathe myself. Too bad I'm outta room and already have a lathe. Lots of nice table saws on craigslist right now. Get a delta unisaw if you can. Again like with machine tools, look for ones with extra tooling. Blades, jigs, throat inserts etc...
Hey Delta. I have my eye on a couple of Unisaws. I really would like to get a full size cabinet saw with a nice fence. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@oxtoolco there is one in Berkeley with a bissemeyer fence for 400. It is 3 phase .
Another source for storage are obsolete laptop computer storage cabinets. You can get them at school auctions and the cubbies are about the same size as the plastic containers you are using. The tops make a sturdy bench top.
Hey Slausonm. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
good stuff, thanks for the video
Hey Richard. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
As for your handle interface, could you incorporate both locations into one piece? Having a long leg for your in line handle location would take a lot of the side load off your screws. Similarly with your side handle location. Would help keep everything locked in place and spread the pulling force over more fasteners. Less likely to break.
Hey Nathan. That is exactly where I'm headed. The best of both worlds. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Lucas makes good grease and I also was going to say “some grease” is better than none.
If you have any bearings that come in contact with coolant DO NOT USE grease that contains CLAY.
Hey Moms. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
WRT lighters: look up the Dremel Versa Flame (or similar from other brands). They're bigger than a Bic, refillable, have a long end, and (at least for Dremel) come with some handy accessories. The soldering accessories are worthless for electronics, but the torch overall can be used for small silver soldering jobs.
I'll check that Dremel out. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Wasn’t that a movie… “Eternal vigilance of the spotless shop”? Agree 100%. My philosophy is to leave things better than I found them, and especially to fix things which are unnecessarily dangerous. Especially bolting down heavy or vibrating equipment, and anything electrical.
Hey Marc. Leaving things better than you found them is a great attitude. If everybody did that you would never have to clean anything. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom, I'm glad you're back and still bummed you didn't make the Kingway class in 2020 down in socal.
I dunno why, but I've watched this video in its entirety but youtube keeps autoplaying it, repeatedly. You're driving me crazy, bud. 🤣
Hazard identification and working out who or what they pose risk to is always worthwhile.
On my little Abene mill they specified an eye-wateringly expensive oil for the gearboxes- I took that data sheet to my local hydraulic shop and they matched the specs for a much cheaper alternative with equivalent performance. 20L of the “right” oil was more than I paid for the machine.
Hey James. Sounds like you have a good hydraulic shop. Stick with them. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
On this week’s episode Tom discovers fire 😆
✌️💖&💡so happy to see the content! GB
For next week tricks we will do some flintknapping. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Wise words on safety Tom. It's just not worth taking risks in the workshop, especially if we work alone. It's the effect an accident has on our family as well. Keep well safe Tom. Regards from @nobbysworkshop
Hey Nobby. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
For me it's more important to not get someone else hurt, than to not hurt myself.
Agreed. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Oh, man. Love the new place. May I suggest a cast iron stove idea to hat up your shop? I have a small one car garage/shop and use a small cast iron stove I purchased from my local scrapyard at the price of iron at the time, basically equaling $5. If you have good scrapyards that also sell their wares (metal) you can pick up a cast iron stove in various sizes, I hope.
Hey Eddie. I have radiant heaters in the plan. Right now I have a small defrosting station for when it gets really cold. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
* Bic EZ Reach lighter! I would have thought it was for lighting a pipe.
* That's the identical scale I have in my shop. It's awesome. BUT - make sure you take the batteries (at least one) out between uses or they die in a month or so.
Stay safe - any day above ground is a good day. :)
Hey Dr. Good point about the batteries. I'll take them out next time I'm in the shop. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
@@oxtoolco - I figured it out the hard way. Oh well, was only 3 alkalines. At least they didn't leak on me! :)
I use Plano boxes to organize my "junk" and one trick I've figured out is to put some Dynaflex 230 into a syringe with a dispensing needle and inject that into the slot that holds the dividers.
Hey Drew. That sounds like a good solution for the really small parts that tend to migrate under the dividers. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hey Tom, I’m not sure if you guys have them over in the states, but here in Australia we have these things called BBQ lighters. They are just like the little thing you have there except they are around 150mm long. Very handy for keeping your fingers cool in all sorts of situations.
Hey Minchy. Yes we have those also. The issue with the longer ones is the trigger is typically interlocked with safety devices making it a pain to use. I have a couple that I curse every time I use them. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I believe we are not good judges of our own safety because we can't be "watching" while we are "doing".