Top Ten Secret Machine Shop Weapons

This episode on Blondihacks, I’m showing my favourite secret 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)

Other tools I like:

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[Dudley]

Hello Quinn - there will no doubt be interest in Eccentric Engineering tool holders, but your viewers may benefit from knowing that the popular 10mm size will be unavailable just now. I heard from Gary on July 19 that the usual foundry was closing, and a new supplier had to be found. There are few to pick from in Australia, and he prefers to keep production in-country.

I was further told that prices will take a considerable rise, and that availability of that size was anticipated for mid September if things progress well. Distribution will originate only from Australia, so purchasers should expect a jolt from shipping cost. Sorry 😞

[EngineerRaisedInKingston]

"Leaking steam engine fittings are either maddening or perfectly normal depending on how British you are" 🤣 That bit had me creasing
Brilliant video as always, Quinn. Very informative.

[craignevels]

I've worked in the machine tool industry for over 50 years, both as a machinist/tool and die maker and a mechanical designer. I'll have to say after watching your videos that I can't find much to disagree with. I had my own shop for 10 years and if I still had it, I'd hire you in a minute. Keep up the good videos!

[ytnjw]

If you have a set of ER collets then an ER-Morse taper holder will give you much more flexibility than the mill holder variety.

[steveboylan]

With thin parallels, stick a piece of plastic foam between them to keep them against the vise jaws.

[rrabbit]

For endmill holding in my tail stock I've found an ER32 collet chuck with a Morse taper works very well.
Love your channel-you've taught me many techniques that fit my style of machine shop.

[jimbennett]

I bought the diamond tool holder several years ago and at first I wasn't too crazy about it 😊 Now tho that I got used to it I would say it is in my lathe 90% of the time. It is just that versatile. My next task is to take the time to master grinding a cutter for threads.

[ronnyfurst]

My dearest Quinn... please please please DO many more videos like this! For every hobby machinist this is absolute gold! how often you get around a tool and you buy it with no particular reason...maybe even just because you like it or because the tool looks very well made. and then after a while you are not able to realise how you could life without this tool before. Or do you know this feeling when you are in a workshop or hobby shop from a friend and looking around with big eyes and see his/her solutions for storage or see some tools you did not know before... Or sometimes you are in a hobbyshop from somebody that makes something totally different as you do, maybe some woodworks or leather or cloths etc... and then see a tool that is the real solution for some problem which was a real pain in the a** for years??? that was always my way to find tools or solutions and mostly this is a hard or at least a time consuming way.
Long story short... Quinn your vids are great! Always very good infos, real well explained, never boring and its always nice to see you😊
When I'm home from work and maybe havin a beer and watch some blondihacks.... its like havin a beer with a friend. Well and I think this is the real goal when making videos like you Quinn, that people really lookin forward for the next video:-)

[UpLateGeek]

My favourite workshop tool is my Dad. If I can't figure out how to make something or get stuck on a project, I just tell my Dad about it and he usually has some suggestion that helps. Even if it doesn't work first time, just having that different perspective/approach is sometimes enough to break out of the rut and find the solution.

[TabletopMachineShop]

We had a Henkel rep come and visit the last company I worked at and he said a press fit between a pin and hole only has about 30% actual interference contact -- you can imagine if there are peaks and valleys on both surface finishes, only the peaks wedge together. By contrast, an adhesive with admittedly lower yield strength can achieve 100% contact and result in a stronger joint. He obviously had the incentive of selling Henkel Loctite products, but it was a fascinating talk (with a hands on "arts and crafts" session) that was extremely detrimental to the effort I put into press fits!

[theothertonydutch]

The leather hole punch thing is a GOAT. That thing helped me out in so many pinches.

[joergengeerds]

If you have an ER collet set already, you can buy a MT ER collet holder. Works great for endmill, reamers, or similar

[MadMax-bqpg]

Hi Quinn
Regarding some level of repeatability with holes: wad cutter punch. For harder/thicker material, just up the size of the thumb detector 😉

[VoidedWarranty]

Work around for the end mill in the tailstock? Hold it in the tool post instead. They work as boring bars if aligned with the end of the flute horizontal.

[caskwith]

Great thing about the "diamond" tool holder is that you can buy cheap 6mm square blanks, grind up a load of cutters (do both ends) in a matter of minutes and then never have to touch the grinder again for months because you have loads of sharp cutters on hand.

[mikefrachel]

I've made a couple of those sacrificial parallels totally on purpose.

[georgewolf]

Wow! I'm especially fond of the thin parallels and that "Diamond" tool holder (I wonder if they make those for the 8mm WW lathes)! Oh, and one thing my supervisor taught me about those Scotch Bright wheels is (after you dress them) grind on a scrap of (hard)wood! Not sure if it's the wood fibers or the resin, but it makes the wheel cut metal way more efficiently without getting as hot! ;)

[robertpearson]

I just purchased thin parallels on sale and already have a few of the other things but will add more. I suspect that your next list might include stub drills, I love mine.

[bubbleobill]

A sense of humor is my #1 tool for everything.

[julias-shed]

Try round hss in a diamond tool holder the finish is amazing 😀