New Toy

[Downeaster]

Finally caught a 15% coupon at Horror Fright and sprung for an English Wheel. Assembled it this morning, seems quite well made for The Land of Almost Right.

Be a couple of days before I can get to the finger-pinching, we'll see how much perfectly good metal I can turn into scrap.

 

[GaryInVA]

Well, that looks fun. And pinchy.

 

[Raymond]

. . . seems quite well made for The Land of Almost Right . . .

Had to look that one up - might even start to use it.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

Nice! Did it come with different dies?

 

[Downeaster]

Nice! Did it come with different dies?

No, sadly, just the one. An assortment from Eastwood will work with it but cost almost as much as the machine. I'll play with what I have and if it looks useful (and I can figure out how to use it properly) I'll spring for the extras.

 

[Jim]

We had one of the H Freight english wheels where I used to teach. The thing actually worked surprisingly well for The Land of Almost Right stuff.

 

[jetmechmarty]

The Land of Almost Right

Is this a reference to Chinesium or other second rate junk?

 

[Jim]

Is this a reference to Chinesium or other second rate junk?

Well, DE used that term in his first comment, so I guess he's the final arbitrator. In context though, I assume he meant Chinese.

 

[Mailman]

I’ve got tons of Harbor Freight tools. What I’ve always said about them is, they are good affordable prices, for tools that you only use occasionally. If I made a living with tools, I would probably buy better stuff.

Having said that, a good majority of my basic hand tools are H.F.

 

[Downeaster]

Is this a reference to Chinesium or other second rate junk?

Exactlly.

 

[Notmyrealname]

Harbor Freight tools are fine..... As long a you don't buy the ones that will kill you when they fail.

 

[ckahleer]

If I walk into a shop and see Harbor Freight tools, I turn and run.

 

[kshansen]

And if all I see are boxes of Snap-On I might grab hold of my wallet!

 

[Downeaster]

First attempt at using the English Wheel. Aluminum flashing, very light. I'm reasonably pleased with the outcome, bearing in mind that it's a rough pattern for test purposes. Rolled the belly in it and then stuck the flanges in the brake and squeezed them back flat.

I expect rolling the final product out of 1/8 malleable aluminum will take quite a lot more work, and bending the flanges back flat probably won't go as well.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

I bet you know but just in case, warm it up to 350° first before you hit it in the brake, it'll be fine.
Oh and by the by I went to school with him. Justin Case. Truth.

 

[Downeaster]

I bet you know but just in case, warm it up to 350° first before you hit it in the brake, it'll be fine.
Oh and by the by I went to school with him. Justin Case. Truth.

I did know about annealing aluminum, but doubt I'd have remembered it in this case.

That Justin feller is a good guy...

 

[JOHNDADDY]

We have to do it with some of our harder stuff like T6 it's damn near peanut brittle,
2min in an oven bend it hot no cracks.

 

[toglhot]

Be careful annealing ally, it can't be hardened again easily. So,,the annealed ally will stay very soft and bend very easily. On the other hand aluminium work hardens, so putting it through an English wheel will have some work hardening effect.