Easy Improvements For Your Lathe And Mill!

This episode on Blondihacks, I'm sharing a few of the things I've done to improve life with my hobby machine tools! Exclusive videos, drawings, models & plans available on Patreon!

Here are links for many of the tools that you see me using:
(I earn small commissions on these links)

Want more content like this? Try these places:

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

[fredschmidt]

Aside from your tech expertise, I appreciate your articulate speech and complete sentence structure.

[kevinmcenhill]

Quinn: "Quinn, you're crazy."
Also Quinn: "True, but that doesn't make me wrong."
Love that!

[moehoward]

We'd love to see you make a new Tappy-tapper, Quinn.

[SethKotta]

Also, if the rpm on either your lathe or mill is too slow, you can speed it up by simply painting it red.

[boostie]

To protect work from lathe chuck jaws try aluminium self adhesive tape also called purging tape, available from welding suppliers, it is very accurate on thickness so should not cause any more trouble than usual in a 3 jaw. I first used this when machining some parts for a camera lens. Set up, now use it on everything couple of layers is sufficient.

[Colonel_Overkill]

In addition to the brass, aluminum, and nylon hammer ends I use oak and pine glued to a simple hex bolt. the wooden ones are a great alternative as they have more mass than nylon and yet arent as likely to damage the surface as brass on finished pieces. Im a gunsmith so it may be a very specialist tool but Im throwing it out there for any who may find it useful.

[longcaster]

Sneeze guards on the mill, perfect timing.

[TimeWasted]

"This drives me crazy" - probably the beginning of most human endeavors, starting with cave peoples "ugg me burn finger in fire"... and thus BBQ tongs were invented.

[davidjohnson]

I know most of your tips were mechanical in nature. A good thing to do with a lathe is have a designated place for T handle. Wire a limit switch so the lathe can not be powered up while T handle is not in its safe location. Then tether a cable so the t handle can be used but not leave the machine. I've done this for machines at work as well for machine s at home. Just added safety and organization.

[justandy]

One thing I noticed on your Lathe that happened on mine too was the Spindle guard disappeared! Even more strangely the fixing screws were left untouched.
One of those unsolvable mysteries I guess.
On a more serious note, one of the first things I did on my Lathe was to install an emergency kick switch. I had to get an electrician friend of mine to wire it in, but its one of those just in case mods. If I did have a lapse of concentration and my Lathe did try and have my hand off, I'd need to reach over the spindle to hit the kill switch. Not ideal.
Some might say its over kill but since Im alone in my machine shop, you gotta have your own back.

[Clough]

Loved the reference to change gear alchemy.

[Gronicle]

When I was young and stupid (as opposed too old and stupid now) I messed with Triumps, MGs, and the odd Cooper. So, the "...built like a British car..." was right in my wheel house. Never forget that Lucas electronics were the heart-of-darkness also...

[ADBBuild]

Man that wrench is ugly. Someone should really make fun of you.


That recipe box used as sand paper storage is brilliant! I'm going to have to get one.

[keyganversfeld]

One tip that i learnt when doing my apprenticship on Mills and Lathes. One for the Lathe, this depends on your own machine, is to remove any levers next to the half nut lever. It was a common problem when concentrating on the work and need to engage one of the levers you could accidently go for the wrong one. So when setting up your turning operations keep in mind what out of the two or three levers you will need, then remove the other(s). In time with experiance with the machine you could always put the levers back on all the time.

[vaderdudenator]

I have modded many tools but I’m not sure I’ve ever done it to make things safer 😛

[douglascampbell]

The Victorian engineer in me expected to see more brass.
I heartily approve of The One Wrench to rule them all.
Companies should design things with this concept.

[MrMccurley]

"...this thing's built like a British car..."
Oh yeah. Weird just scratches the surface of how those things are built. Try finding a socket that can fit a Whitworth nut or bolt, like the nut that affixes the steering wheel on a '57 Triumph TR 3.

[brianhaygood]

Magnets: We have some decent sized magnets in the shop. I throw a towel or plastic bag over them and use them to magnetically "vacuum" up chips. Pull the towel off over the trashcan and the chips drop off.

[ZaaaZ]

After watching a few Adam Booth Abom76 uploads I discovered having interest in machining.. Now I did discover your channel a few days ago and do really appreciate the way you teach and how creative you are to solve practical...and theoretical problems. Very clear and professional uploads..Thx Quinn.

[thisstuffido]

I have good results using a stainless wire brush and/or compressed air to clean metal chips off magnets in my shop. Stuff like my magnetic coolant thingies, magnetic enclosure door stickies, and magnetic welding squares. I don't suppose a stainless brush would be great on acrylic but compressed air may suffice.