I am afraid I'm stuck here. Seem to have finally found a good doc for my wife, and besides, if we move, she wants to move to Destin, Florida, or at least in that area. I could get behind that! Only I'd have to win the lottery, and that is hard to do when you don't buy tickets. ;)

I'm sitting here on the computer when I should be in the shop. Been tearing down the Smithy CB-1220XL 3-in-1 machine my brother bought and made me take. Literally! He brought it down from Grand Junction, where he's been living for the past several decades, and helped me move it into the house early this year. Guy he got it from got talked into buying it, and started unpacking it, then got distracted and never got back to it. In 1997. He'd started cleaning off the cosmoline, but didn't finish, and all that crud has dried up. Got the back half of the lathe spindle disassembled, and that was apparently where the crunchiness in the spindle was, since it now turns freely. I still need to get the rest of it out, and cleaned up. Also need to replace the power switch assembly. The Fwd/Rev switch got mangled a bit, and you had to be a bit heavy-handed to get it to switch from forward to reverse, Then I'm probably going to have to do the same thing for the milling spindle, at least cleaning it.

Got the Atlas and the HF lathes, and my 12" bandsaw running, all within the past couple of weeks. Still don't have much benchtop space, but I can get to all the machines. Started re-making the spindle for my Lewis Shaper again last night in class. I'd kind of like to do it on the Smithy just to see how much of a nuisance the all in one thing is. Got a bunch of little projects about to start up right now, and need the shop in shape.

I didn't see a self-centering milling vise or a shaper vise in that lot, or I'd be really tempted to burn some credit card on those folks. But I better be good for now. Bought about $200 of tools and shop stuff and metal yesterday. That doesn't count as being good. ;)

Bill in OKC

William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)


A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
LAZARUS LONG (Robert A. Heinlein)

Looking at the lots now, they have a bunch of machine vises listed individually instead of grouped together which is great for real bidders vs resellers.  Some bigger lots of tooling, some drills that none of us would ever have use for and some other smaller lots that might go cheap.  But the descriptions are weak and most cabinets look pretty old and rusty.  If I lived closer to go inspect...

Hell, I was thinking specifically of you when I posted it!  They have to have a ton of smaller stuff there.  The property would be great for someone living in the area although I'd prefer a LOT more land.

You RAT! Most of that stuff is too big for my shop, and even at the $5 opening bid, a bit too much for my wallet this month, darn it!

this is what I get for making the life choices I made back when it was the only logical thing to do... :)

Bill in OKC

William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)


A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
LAZARUS LONG (Robert A. Heinlein)