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We made a few quick change tool posts and holders in my night class years ago . some of the older guys in class had bought lathes so we started making tooling for them .  We also converted a horizontal mill to a vertical . the overarm was the dovetail style rather than the 2 big bars so we milled one end flat and machined up an adapter to mount a vertical head on it . The guy ended up with 3 axis feed on the table , plus rapid traverse as well as power quill feed , tilt and nod  . The original horizontal mill was in nice shape and was bought for a few hundred dollars as nobody wants a horizontal mill .

KB do you have a quick change tool post ?

   

I drove a 96 silverado with a 5.7 vortec onto the car trailer using insect repellant sprayed into the throttle body to fuel it when I determined the fuel pump was toast .       If it runs on bug spray/carb cleaner/brake cleen you found your problem .

The underfunding of our schools has caused divisions to cut programs and load up classes in order to reduce the number of paid staff. I have had 32 kids ,in 2 grade levels ,in one machining class . I have had to water down the class in order to give each kid the chance to complete their projects . I have 11 lathes ,each at least 58 years old to teach machining to 32 kids at a time . I do not see a rosy future for trade classes due to the costs required to provide them . Since covid my budget has dropped from $3000/year down to $750. I got a new milling machine 2 years ago right before the budgets were slashed . It replaced one from the 60's that went out for scrap metal . Kids take shop classes because they want to do hands on learning , class sizes are turning them away from enrolling as they will likely spend half of their class time waiting to use a machine . It is a shame as there are jobs for my grads available right out of high school . I have had former students return 3 years after graduating to tell me of the kind of income they are earning . It exceeds a 5 year experienced university degreed teachers wage .After this summer , one of those jobs will be mine . I half wonder if they will permanently close my machine shop when I leave in June .

I walked the picket line in -50 windchill today . Teachers on strike . 1 day strike with 5 days warning to parents. Underfunded system is making it near impossible to do our jobs .

Its funny how you really start to look out for your older neighbors . I guess its for payback of all the years they kept an eye on things as your kids grew up . About a month or so ago my neighbor who is about 80 yrs was laying face down in the grass when I pulled in front of my house after work . I run over wondering if he is having a stroke only to find out he is making minor adjustments to his xmas display . We had a chuckle about it and a short visit . Yesterday as I pull in from work there is a firetruck in front of his house and I notice his driveway half shoveled . I am worriedly thinking heart attack as I step in the house and quiz my wife . She lets me know that the fire men have been there for some time and walked into the place . Lights were not on , on the truck . Seems like they were just there for a visit . I am going to have to tell Birney that he is beginning to scare the crap out of me !

       mustang .

we are getting snow  6" of it 

crosley I got good at replacing those belts when we had a cleaning business . used to keep a few in stock and a spare vacuum at the ready.

      

Crosley , our winter is so mild here that I have seen bikes on the road this week . That is a first in my life time .We spent new years with our son in Calgary and then loaded up the Uhaul and brought him home to live with us . We will be going back to pick up his son , my grandson , and both will be living with us from now on . The situation he was living in was not manageable nor acceptable so he took a transfer and is coming home .We are grateful to be able to have them home with us where we can be of help .

you sir are an artist

Environment #7 lovers lane . You could just fog up all the glass to keep it PG rated . 

crushed floor dry?