Random Thread #1

[mormanman]

I was using ingots but I mainly did it for fun and to say I've done it. If it works then great but if not then it was fun and I can make MgAl out of it.

[jacob]

I know this is old but I was just review and thought, who are the pros at milling metal?

 

 

Depending on my pay check today, I'm getting a new fixture. I'll be looking for the best deal though.

 

The only ones I know of off hand are Alcoa (Aluminum) and Hart metals (Magnesium), not sure about Titanium and Magnalium.

[tentacles]

Flying fish: that's what I had in mind when I upgraded from my 30 year old dremel.. So I bought the dremel Advantage set - it's a 4A rotary saw with plunge router base and flex shaft.. You get all the 30,000 RPM benefits and tons of power. I do things with it that a regular dremel couldn't dream of, and it only cost like $65 for the set at costco.. Not sure if they make this kit anymore though.. They're all about selling those stupid XPR models for like $200 a pop (and only 2A).

[WarezWally]

I remember buying one of the dermel knock offs for $15 once, that thing took a massive amount of abuse before giving up the fight.

 

I remember using it on a 35c day for a few hours straight, the thing got so hot it burned my hands and I ended up wearing a pair of gloves - even then it was uncomfortable to hold. In the end a few poles went bad, you had to turn the shaft by hand with the power on for it to start up.

Edited November 16, 2008 by WarezWally

[flying fish]

I might have had my hand a little too close to the vent holes, or maybe I was putting too much pressure on it. Based on the awful smell of it, I'm almost suspecting that maybe it was just the inside of the rubber grip that was smoking. But I am surprised how quickly it heats up - just a couple minutes of dremmeling and I have to let it cool off. We have the same model at work (I think) and it also heats up relatively fast. Maybe I ain't using it right! It is also a relatively new dremmel - my parents got it for me last Christmas, and I haven't used it that much. I can't remember the model number off hand, but it is just a 10,000 RPM model without any fancy stuff.

 

Also, SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I want to get some optics set up for photographing snow flakes. I think this is going to be my new hobby! People will think I'm insane, but that doesn't mean that things have changed...

[Richtee]

I might have had my hand a little too close to the vent holes, or maybe I was putting too much pressure on it. Based on the awful smell of it, I'm almost suspecting that maybe it was just the inside of the rubber grip that was smoking. But I am surprised how quickly it heats up - just a couple minutes of dremmeling and I have to let it cool off. We have the same model at work (I think) and it also heats up relatively fast. Maybe I ain't using it right! It is also a relatively new dremmel - my parents got it for me last Christmas, and I haven't used it that much. I can't remember the model number off hand, but it is just a 10,000 RPM model without any fancy stuff.

 

Also, SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I want to get some optics set up for photographing snow flakes. I think this is going to be my new hobby! People will think I'm insane, but that doesn't mean that things have changed...

 

Come to my place and collect all the specimens ya want PLEASE! Crap..it's even slick out tonight.

[flying fish]

Come to my place and collect all the specimens ya want PLEASE! Crap..it's even slick out tonight.

 

Lol...Are you asking me to shovel your driveway?

[Richtee]

Lol...Are you asking me to shovel your driveway?

Well, just offering to support your new endeavor! Actually, in order to save these beautiful creations you should do that. I, in my evilness, drive over then with chains on my John Deere, and smash their little bodies into mass grave piles along the edges of the drive!

Edited November 17, 2008 by Richtee

[flying fish]

Mass grave piles...that puts shoveling snow into a whole new perspective!

 

I did try to get some snow flake picture the other night. I used reflected light from an LED headlamp (aimed at the snow), a magnifying glass, and a cell phone camera. Pictures came out blurry. I will probably need some more serious optics...If all else fails, we have a phase contrast microscope at work, which is connected to a camera... but I'd need a way to keep them cold until I get them focused in.

Edited November 19, 2008 by flying fish

[Richtee]

Mass grave piles...that puts shoveling snow into a whole new perspective!

 

I did try to get some snow flake picture the other night. I used reflected light from an LED headlamp (aimed at the snow), a magnifying glass, and a cell phone camera. Pictures came out blurry. I will probably need some more serious optics...If all else fails, we have a phase contrast microscope at work, which is connected to a camera... but I'd need a way to keep them cold until I get them focused in.

Don't remember who, but some dude in the early part of the last century I think was fairly famous for snowflake photography. A Google search would prolly turn it up for you.

 

On edit Oh hell..I'm bored...here! snowflakebentley.com

Edited November 19, 2008 by Richtee

[50AE]

Ah, I see you use dremels too.

 

I have a question. I bought a dremel 300 for my PC modding hobby 3 years ago. Since a month, it makes a strange low clipping noise, when I rotate the shaft manually. I don't hear it when I power the dremel. It seems coming from the brushes. So I though the brushes start to get loose. There are some kind of plastic blue screws outside facing against the brushes to tight them with time, when they start to wear out ? But I don't want to touch them yet, because I don't know if that's the problem. What do you think ?

 

Of course, the noise doesn't annoy me, but I though that something can be wrong.

[FrankRizzo]

Don't remember who, but some dude in the early part of the last century I think was fairly famous for snowflake photography. A Google search would prolly turn it up for you.

 

On edit Oh hell..I'm bored...here! snowflakebentley.com

 

Yeah, that guy's photos are just awesome. I believe he uses cyanoacrylate to preserve the form of the snowflake before photographing. That eliminates the hassles of the snowflake melting.

 

EDIT:Never mind, Bentley actually endured the cold to shoot his snowflakes. A guy named Emilsson (a huge fan of Bentley's work) was responsible for the cyanoacrylate technique. There's a PopSci article on the technique somewhere.

 

LOL..found the article. It was on Theodore Gray's Site

Edited November 20, 2008 by FrankRizzo

[Richtee]

Yeah, that guy's photos are just awesome. I believe he uses cyanoacrylate to preserve the form of the snowflake before photographing. That eliminates the hassles of the snowflake melting.

 

EDIT:Never mind, Bentley actually endured the cold to shoot his snowflakes. A guy named Emilsson (a huge fan of Bentley's work) was responsible for the cyanoacrylate technique. There's a PopSci article on the technique somewhere.

 

LOL..found the article. It was on Theodore Gray's Site

Woah...what an idea! Thanks Frank... from a fan of the weird and arcane heh!

[Miech]

Ah, I see you use dremels too.

 

I have a question. I bought a dremel 300 for my PC modding hobby 3 years ago. Since a month, it makes a strange low clipping noise, when I rotate the shaft manually. I don't hear it when I power the dremel. It seems coming from the brushes. So I though the brushes start to get loose. There are some kind of plastic blue screws outside facing against the brushes to tight them with time, when they start to wear out ? But I don't want to touch them yet, because I don't know if that's the problem. What do you think ?

 

Of course, the noise doesn't annoy me, but I though that something can be wrong.

Most likely the are weared to a degree they will soon need replacement. It is just as easy as ordering new ones, unscrewing the blue screws, replacing the things and replace the screws. There usually is a spring between the brushes and screws, so the screws will pop out when loosened enough.

 

If I am correct, your manual will tell you which order number these tings have, and your dealer is likely to be able to order them for you too.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Miech

[flying fish]

So something good has come out of a bad economy! Well, for me anyway.

 

That's right, the company next door just went out of business, and they let me raid their chemical stash.

 

Among the goods are:

 

A mortar and pestle

A bunch of Lithium compounds (Carbonate, Chloride, Hydroxide)

Copper (II) carbonate

Barium and Strontium Chloride

KNO3

Lead Nitrate (what the hell do I do with that?)

PEG 8000 and PVA (I'm guessing those can be used for binders)

 

They had some really nasty chemicals there too...like Potassium Cyanide. Lots of interesting stuff that I didn't take because I had no clue what to do with. After all, I'm not a chemist. I probably should have taken more...since the guy said he was trying to get it off of his hands, and it might have made for some fun experiments. I also didn't really want a bunch of potentially toxic stuff sitting around my garage either.

 

They had loads of glassware but said that it was already spoken for.

 

The only downside is that my internet connection is out where I am living. So I won't be on to hear your cries of jealousy! Well, unless the internet decides to work. Which it just may (however unlikely).

Edited November 21, 2008 by flying fish

[tentacles]

fish: The lead nitrate is useful for making lead dioxide anodes, if you so choose. I bet they had some interesting stuff there. No acids?

[hst45]

I remember buying one of the dermel knock offs for $15 once, that thing took a massive amount of abuse before giving up the fight.

 

I remember using it on a 35c day for a few hours straight, the thing got so hot it burned my hands and I ended up wearing a pair of gloves - even then it was uncomfortable to hold. In the end a few poles went bad, you had to turn the shaft by hand with the power on for it to start up.

 

Once a few years ago I was using the same sort of knock-off device with a 4-foot long flex-shaft attached with a cutting wheel to trim off some excess wood in an excessively tight space. Imagine working in what amounted to a stand-up coffin and trimming off a small amount of wood along the top. I had the tool hung on my belt and I'd slipped my skinny ass into a space that had, no shit, about 10 inches of clearance. I was busily trimming away, with sawdust flying everywhere, when my vision seem to cloud up. I figured that my glassed had fogged up so I took them off, but the cloudiness continued....and it seemed to smell like burning wire. Looking down through the bluish haze I noticed that the power unit, hanging on my belt, had flames extending several inches out the sides. As the unit melted, I made my way out of the enclosure at a high rate of speed, batting at the offending petard hanging on my waist which was rather hot, as in the temperature of molten plastic. I managed to yank the unit off my belt and unplug it before molten mass burned too far into my hip.

 

The joys of carpentry

Edited November 21, 2008 by hst45

[Richtee]

Once a few years ago

Somewhere in there is a country song.

[WarezWally]

so drunk, just purchased a blur ray laser sled fra laser

 

 

fark

[Swede]

Dude! No Pyro or driving for you!!

 

In all seriousness, I'm liking my afternoon beers a bit too much. I drank like a fish in my twenties, backed off in my thirties, because my situation changed, I was no longer in a party-like environment all the time. Lately though, too many beers, every day. I need to cut back a bit. My gut says so, too.

[flying fish]

fish: The lead nitrate is useful for making lead dioxide anodes, if you so choose. I bet they had some interesting stuff there. No acids?

 

I saw a few exotic acids, but none that I had any direct use for. Knowing the company, they probably did have some more useful acids. But I didn't ask, I only took from table full of sigma bottles that the guy said he was trying to get rid of.

 

Actually that was 4 different lithium compounds I got out of this, including Lithium sulfate! I don't know if it Lithium reds are really practical but it wouldn't hurt to try I guess.

[Richtee]

I saw a few exotic acids, but none that I had any direct use for. Knowing the company, they probably did have some more useful acids. But I didn't ask, I only took from table full of sigma bottles that the guy said he was trying to get rid of.

 

Actually that was 4 different lithium compounds I got out of this, including Lithium sulfate! I don't know if it Lithium reds are really practical but it wouldn't hurt to try I guess.

I guess you could snort a line if ya got to feeling down? ;{)

[flying fish]

Lol...I completely forgot that Lithium compounds were antidepressants. I must have enough to start my own underground anti-deppresant drug ring! Umm...Is all this lithium legal to own? I bet this jar of Lithium Carbonate weighs several pounds at least...

 

Edit: I just looked on ebay. I guess lithium carbonate ain't that special. They sell it for 10 bucks a pound as a ceramic chemical.

 

THAT's what I can do with the Lead Nitrate! Lead Chloride is insoluable in water, but Barium Chloride is. So I have some Barium Chloride and Lead Nitrate...I mix them together and should get Barium Nitrate in the solution, with Lead Chloride precipitating out, right?

 

Sounds like a real...Toxic Heavy metal fest. If my posts start to get even more incoherent, you guys better tell me to stop working with lead and barium....

Edited November 22, 2008 by flying fish

[WarezWally]

Nothing like working with heavy metal salts

 

I have fond memories of my electrolysis experiments involving lead anodes and cathodes, acidified electrolyte and the resulting toxic sludge which I had to dispose of

 

 

Picked up some very nice high speed steel today

[flying fish]

Of course I dropped the pestle and it broke in two. It was just so obvious that I would do such a thing! I glued it back together with loctite 5 minute epoxy. Lots of surface area; I have my hopes that it will bond firmly. Although I'm not really sure whether epoxy is appropriate for ceramic or not...

 

I also tried the Lithium Chloride dissolved in alchohol (no, I did not drink it...I lit it on fire). GREAT red flame! A while back I started messing around with organic fueled AP stars, and I think I will start trying the lithium salts as the colorants. And if all that fails, I can take Richtee's suggestion and start snorting lines of the stuff!

Edited November 23, 2008 by flying fish