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I repowered my old Atlas 10" lathe about 6 years ago with a treadmill motor and it is still running great. My only expense was a $10 pot to control the variable speed. and a few more dollars for an E-Stop switch. Here is a link to my conversion thread treadmill repower Mark T

I just looked at what they are selling for. Remarkable how well they have maintained their value. Whatever you spend on electronics you lose the first day. Motors depreciate rapidly but the C-Dory boat has incredible staying power. They were built to last and the design looks good even if the...

Update: Good Bad and Ugly I have been keeping busy working out what size element works best in my homemade kiln. And getting a proper size vacuum pump and vacuum chamber setup. During this time the patterns I had printed with castable resin sat on a shelf and warped. So lesson learned, print...

I would just replace the controller and go back to work. And order an extra controller to have on hand. If you use it so much $160 a year is not so bad. The treadmill motor should cost next to nothing. Just ask around, someone has a treadmill they would like to just get rid of. Mark T

Sorry for the confusion Richard, I'm not the word smith you are. My main purpose in building this kiln is for use in lost wax / resin investment casting. First step is to pour (should have said fill the flask with plaster). Then let stand for a few hours to set . Then into the kiln for about 14...

It is now around 1500 degrees F. My original element got it up to 2000 degrees but the coils of wire were to closely spaced and the wire got too hot. Using a smaller diameter wire and/or having more groves to house the element would fix that. For my use I need to hold 1350 degrees for 4 to 5...

Update 2: I installed a new 240 volt element that draws 13 Amps with a resistance of 18 ohms, yielding 3100 Watts. I used 20 gauge wire wrapped around a .42" rod to create the coils. It can take the furnace up to 1400 degrees F quickly. I don't think it has much power to spare but it reaches the...

Well that sucks. But in a good way. 20 years ago I bought a portable compressor at an auction for $20. I never really needed it and it had a problem in that it pumped slowly after getting to about 60 PSI. So now I need a vacuum pump for the lost resin casting project. This morning I bundled up...

In my shops attic. I have a lot of old stuff up there. It is a compressor now but could be used as a vacuum pump. Mark T

Update I have determined that my old vacuum pump has about 1.5 CFM of flow and I think twice that is needed. The vacuum chamber I ordered finally arrived but the way they mounted the manifold to the pot is crappy. It allows the manifold to wiggle around and it does not seal. So before I can...

UPDATE After struggling for days trying to figure out how to use the no-brand PID controller. I bought a new one. The first controller came with the most pathetic manual I have encountered. Before buying a new one I went to the companies web sight and downloaded their manual. Complicated yes...

I have used one and it could maintain very strong vacuum but with low volume of air movement. I would use a large piston pump to draw out the majority of the air and establish a vacuum and then switch to the venturi pump to sustain the vacuum for a long period of time. I don't know if there are...

I have been looking at this one on Amazon Pump Not certain I really need it so will wait till I have a little more experience using the one I have. My vacuum chamber arrives today and I have been told if I can boil a cup of water in a minute my pump will do the job. We will see. Mark T

A lot to chew on there Abby. I need to organize my equipment into a smaller well organized area. I am wasting time walking about. Like everything else practice, practice, practice. I am using an old vacuum pump I have been using for vacuum bagging composites for 20 years. I think it is to slow...

Do tell, I used cold water hoping it would extend the time I had to work. I just completed construction of a vibration table. I am a little hesitant to use it on the flask as I worry about dislodging the part from the tree. I have a long way to go figuring out what works and what doesn't.

Good news bad news. I added a small aquarium air pump that feeds air into the bottom of the furnace and I enlarged the hole in the top a little. The hood did a great job of removing the steam and then the smoke and there was very little smell in the shop. The burn out was very clean, I saw no...

Mark's Lost Resin Casting or Old fart learns new tricks. I have been doing sand casting and lost foam casting for awhile and that works out well for larger parts. But for smaller parts lost wax or plastic works better. I could only do the sand casting when the weather permitted as it needed to...

I am skeptical that case hardening is a good idea. The temperature required may well distort your part. Mark T

I do not know. Perhaps someone will test both and tell us. The citric acid comes in a powder so it would be easy to play around with the concentration. I like to use the vinegar because I have a use for it after its used. Mark T

Soak the rusty parts in vinegar and the rust will be removed to the bone. Easy and cheap. Save the dirty vinegar to age wood. Mark T