Well I had a problem with my Powermatic bandsaw adjustment this weekend. It stripped and became stuck. The nut that the adjustment shaft threads into stripped. Soft metal of the nut stripped and became a homemade die, cutting a new misshapen thread every rotation of the shaft. Spent half an hour disassembling the band saw to get the part out. Then spent more time getting the nut off the shaft. Considered just cutting the nut off the shaft and would have been faster but I like doing things the hard way. I managed to clean up the shaft threads with the proper die and managed to save the shaft. The nut it screws into was just about a total waste. It's metric by the way, which is my favorite except I only have basic taps and dies and no metric nuts and bolts in my scrap piles. Either I had to fine a metric nut or give up I thought.
So instead of admitting I was beat and going to my computer and ordering replacement parts I went to my metal lathe and started working. Half an hour later I had a new shaft turned and threaded to replace the semi ruined one. Then ten minutes later I had a new nut made and threaded. Trip to the drill press and a little minor polishing before assembly. Put all the new parts in and it works as well as or even better than before. And just to keep things simple I did everything in metric just like it was originally except in Stainless. 20 years ago I would have done everything in Standard but as I am getting mellow in my golden years I went back with metric. Thank goodness for a good high school metal shop class and a metal lathe in my shop. Mr. Geridonio, my metal shop instructor, would be proud of my parts and the fact he taught me something useful. Thanks Mr. G.
So instead of admitting I was beat and going to my computer and ordering replacement parts I went to my metal lathe and started working. Half an hour later I had a new shaft turned and threaded to replace the semi ruined one. Then ten minutes later I had a new nut made and threaded. Trip to the drill press and a little minor polishing before assembly. Put all the new parts in and it works as well as or even better than before. And just to keep things simple I did everything in metric just like it was originally except in Stainless. 20 years ago I would have done everything in Standard but as I am getting mellow in my golden years I went back with metric. Thank goodness for a good high school metal shop class and a metal lathe in my shop. Mr. Geridonio, my metal shop instructor, would be proud of my parts and the fact he taught me something useful. Thanks Mr. G.