FIXING A 1900's STEAM HAMMER! Pt. 8

Рет қаралды 297,250

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 716

@adrianburmester1159 6 ай бұрын

Nothing screams "this needs a precision level" quite like an outdoor session with the angle grinder and soft wood under over a ton of steel

@jakeoshay 6 ай бұрын

Indeed, the precision angle grinder. Done by hand. 😂

@whoshotashleybabbitt4924 6 ай бұрын

@@jakeoshay nothing more precise than the “eye-crometer”

@Spookydude3 6 ай бұрын

@@TheDimsml hand scraping is painfully slow, with how out of flat that was it wouldn't be too unreasonable to use an angle grinder to at least get it close-ish if it was going to be hand scraped.

@beanieweenie9543 6 ай бұрын

@@TheDimsmlit would take 2 years to hand scrape that anvil.

@starbomber 6 ай бұрын

In the rain too!

@bennymorris6107 6 ай бұрын

Gets out a machinery handbook in previous video. Proceeds to be an absolute menace with machinery 😂😂

@eaoden8654 6 ай бұрын

A menace *to* machinery as well

@RobertGracie 6 ай бұрын

Alec previous video, does it by the book, this episode, the book is gone burned to ashes while Alec dances on its remains!

@SnyperMK2000JclL 6 ай бұрын

To be fair I'm pretty sure that's his default lol... gets a good idea of what to do then tries to do it from memory... its like a game of telephone that usually goes off the rails a tad.

@AnthonyBowman 6 ай бұрын

@@SnyperMK2000JclL And now you know a little bit more about how to make compelling content on a highly successful KZbin channel: Do things well enough to work and satisfy the essential needs of the thing and satisfy the people watching, but also do it just screwball/weird/wrong enough to give the complainers/haters/knowitalls/compulsive commenters something to comment about repeatedly. Add 1 part merch/sponsor plug, 2 parts charm, a dash of luck, and a whole lot of grinding (figurative and literal), and boom!

@larshoneytoast722 6 ай бұрын

The vise on the lathe chip pan sent me flying 😅

@tekkno.logist 6 ай бұрын

That setup impressed and horrified me in equal parts. Well done!

@FullSendPrecision 6 ай бұрын

I expected it to tip over.

@taitano12 6 ай бұрын

He and Will... They have the tendency to do that.😂

@TiredPotato413 6 ай бұрын

This is hands-down the craziest thing I've ever seen done with a Bridgeport. And I love every second of it. Absolutely amazed with the solutions Alec comes up with sometimes.

@drinkmorecocacola 6 ай бұрын

he couldve put two metal rods through the plastic housing on the circular saw. could even drop the tool down more than the plate it has installed.

@saltgunz_0064 6 ай бұрын

and with that jank set-up, ending up 0.15mm out of parallel beggars belief. i was raised in a household with a machinist/fabricator. i know how hard that small of a variance is to achieve with a good set up. i'm astonished.

@TiredPotato413 6 ай бұрын

@@saltgunz_0064 Yep, pretty impressive. I went to school for machining for a year or two, so I know a little, but not a ton. But enough to know how much of a pain in the ass it must have been to get that setup right lol

@michac3796 6 ай бұрын

Install a laserpointer on the head of the bridgeport, so see if the dot on the wall sags as well... then you know, that the table sags bc of the head being too heavy.

@AlecSteele 6 ай бұрын

Great idea!

@brettfontaine4681 6 ай бұрын

I thought this was going to be some bullshit answer but that sounds so simple and effective.

@pacificcoastpiper3949 5 ай бұрын

@@AlecSteeleya definitely gone mad mate😂😂😂

@JCisHere778 6 ай бұрын

Maybe two suggestions: Firstly put the prcision level on the Bridgeport table to confirm that the table is not twisting and possibly tighten the gibs/ add more counterweights accordingly. Secondly, try to use a three-point contact for the anvil. This will get rid of the wobble you observed and makes leveling much easier. (That is just hammer in three wedges :) )

@Mike-po2dv 6 ай бұрын

This is the very definition of "STUNT MACHINING". Glorious!!!

@Sokar12345 6 ай бұрын

Id say we are watching his slow descent into madness but we are picking up quite some speed now.

@whoshotashleybabbitt4924 6 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@patrickleslie9932 6 ай бұрын

I’ve been watching Alec for YEARS now, and never have I ever been more nervous for him than when he started taking the mill apart haha

@StefanGotteswinter 6 ай бұрын

I love the approach you took. That tickles all my "i will not send these parts out to another shop"-senses. Also appreciate your crocs. Best shop shoes.

@StefanGotteswinter 6 ай бұрын

Addition: Would use two chain come-alongs and four concrete anchors to clamp the anvil base down, if i had to do this and could not talk myself out of it

@googleuser859 6 ай бұрын

I just came from your rotary table video to this abomination of a setup. I lt just shows there's different ways to do something 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

@njoshua3265 6 ай бұрын

@@StefanGotteswinter I agree, we've come too far too give up at the finish line

@AlecSteele 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Stefan!

@nanotyrannus5435 6 ай бұрын

This setup is exactly the correct amount of insanity. I think with leveling stuff there is a direct relation between how complex the leveling process is to how twisted you have to think to achive it.

@Gimshooter 6 ай бұрын

12:48 - *flashback to Will's darkest hour*

@_Agent_86 6 ай бұрын

I thought this was the flashback to his darkest hour @9:12 😂

@FACTBOT_5000 6 ай бұрын

The 9-11 of blacksmithing.

@needamuffin 6 ай бұрын

I've never heard the term "eyecrometer" before. I like it a lot, I'll have to start using that.

@travisbrown4187 6 ай бұрын

Don’t quit you can do this. I’ve seen you pull off the impossible before, you’ve come this far and I’m sure we would all love to see this lovely behemoth back in action once more. I would also like to add thank you so much for your content I always look forward to your videos 😊

@philthethrill7767 6 ай бұрын

Couldn't have said it better :) don't give up Alec!!!!

@AlecSteele 6 ай бұрын

Thank you 💪🏻💪🏻

@Tvngsten 6 ай бұрын

I wasn't so focused on this episode until I saw you beheading the Bridgeport. Then I was absolutely hooked!

@daveevans8355 6 ай бұрын

I’ve been watching since barker street and I think this is one of my favourite series in years! So fun to watch you guys brainstorming and coming up with crazy solutions.

@machineshopatthebottomofth3213 6 ай бұрын

Usually when Alex touches a machine tool I cringe, this time is no different, however I am impressed with the lateral thinking here and I can see this working with some tweaks. A good start would be to scale the cutter down to a 20mm end mill. If he replaced the wood blocks with concrete and used the forklift to press the work down to the floor I think it would stiffen it up. Looking forward to the next episode!

@schwuzi 6 ай бұрын

At 10:40 I knew exactly what it was. Had the same thing with my ancient drill press. Disassembled the whole thing thinking the motor bearings were shot. It ended up just being the motor cover rubbing on the cooling fan. Ended up replacing all the bearings because I had teared it down anyway lol.

@brunol.5975 6 ай бұрын

You can check if your cutting head dives down by elongating that table full length and checking with your précision level if the other end of the table is still level. For tremendously heavy operations on huge castings some companies create a sandbox, filling the hollow parts and around a huge casted part to reduce chatter whilst machining. I saw that in aerospace for huge parts like spaceships

@pizza6447 6 ай бұрын

i love this series so much for some reason

@robertsmith4681 6 ай бұрын

Yeah taking apart old timey machinery is always interesting, we have much "better" stuff today but these old timers were still a lot more clever than we tend to give credit for.

@NeMoC53 6 ай бұрын

My grandfather used to say “anybody can do it with the right tools…. How do we get it done with the tools that we’ve got?” Hats off to you bud. This is what he was talking about 😎👍

@geneticdisorder1900 6 ай бұрын

Yep, make use of what you have at hand. 🖐️

@Grandwigg 6 ай бұрын

@@geneticdisorder1900and hopefully having both hands intact at the end.

@marc-andrecharlebois5312 6 ай бұрын

I've been watching you for years and I'm glad you gotten back to these types of multi episodes long series. Working on your machines is as fun and educational as the forging videos. Keep up the good work. Love your content

@BreakingTaps 6 ай бұрын

This is the best and most correct use of a Bridgeport. A++ would hang milling head off table again. 👌

@ADRIAAN1007 6 ай бұрын

The world needs more people like alec who think outside the box and follow through.

@robm.4512 6 ай бұрын

I didn’t realise he’d followed through as well, didn’t even notice him fart. For myself, when I saw the Bridgeport rearranged with all of the mass of the head assembly overhung off the end of the table like that, I very nearly filled my own shreddies.😂

@MrWadeant 6 ай бұрын

Sitting here on a Monday Morning Down in NZ, drinking my coffee from my Alec Steele mug, and very happy that nothing I am going to do today is this insane! Love your stuff guys, keep it up!!!

@elliotthefner9340 6 ай бұрын

Been watching since the start and loved every second of it. You're the reason I got into blacksmithing 8 years ago (with an sledge hammer as an anvil and a carpenters hammer, forging nails and rebar in a campfire). Now I'm out here forging with the 140 Steele anvil and proper blacksmithing equipment improving the skills you taught me and making things I never thought would be possible. So thank you for all the laughs, knowledge, and content over the years. Keep it up, I'll be here til the end. Much love from across the pond, Elliott H. (from San Diego, CA, USA.) Ps, I'll never forget the "man I feel like a woman" bit a couple years ago, when you moved back to the UK (video : my German Friends Bottom Components at 0:40, favorite moment in Alec Steele History.

@markfergerson2145 6 ай бұрын

A couple videos ago I asked if you felt crazy enough to bolt the uppy-downy part of the mill to the anvil. You’re getting there.

@JuicyCubes 6 ай бұрын

Literally the best mill set up I've seen. Had me chuckling the whole last 7 minutes of the video. Hope it works out for you!

@89sirmonk 6 ай бұрын

Knee mills, aka Bridgeports, are amazing machines. The shop i currently am in, i am told, once mounted the head a Bridgeport on the spindle of a large horizontal mill to cut a keyway that nothing else they had would fit into the bore to do. What happened here isn't that crazy, and when properly set up is quite ingenious and adaptive. It's got potential. For such a safety Sally Alec can be sometimes, here he is moving heavy metal things and machines in crocs.

@nokbeen3654 6 ай бұрын

Immaculate timing. Wife off on a work trip for the night. Which means it’s steam hammer on the living room tv whilst eating 😂👍

@takumi2023 6 ай бұрын

can't she appreciate a 20 minutes video? its not that long...

@MichaelFrankNZ 6 ай бұрын

@@takumi2023 Could be a steam hammer marathon perhaps? The artful descent into madness would make for a decent night of telly to me.

@nokbeen3654 6 ай бұрын

@@MichaelFrankNZ I remember the previous videos far too well. Instead it’s been a star Trek the animated series marathon on the bedroom tv. And don’t tell her this, but I ate in bed whilst watching 😈

@takumi2023 6 ай бұрын

@@nokbeen3654 lol dude if you like. i wouldn't eat in bed though too messy.

@vopenacattleco 6 ай бұрын

Nice alibi 😂

@justinbanks2380 2 ай бұрын

The various levels of precision (or lack there of) in all the tools and uses of them in this project are just astounding, lol

@preston2078 6 ай бұрын

no clue if youll see this, but i used to watch every one of your videos year(s) before you moved from Barker Street. Its been a while since i made anything with my forge, or seen your content but had inspired me to get into blacksmithing, which unfolded into a plethora or hobbies that really make me proud of who i am. I finished forging a japanese petty knife recently, and am onto grinding now. You and Grant Thompson are on par with my father when it comes to creating inspiration for me to take on projects and challenges and do anything i want. I appreciate you, and am happy to see your channel growing and thriving and inspiring so many more people.

@Deesdessessesder 6 ай бұрын

I am quite glad you went with this option. I hoped in a previous episode you'd come up with it and take the plunge. Nice job using what you've got on hand. I hope it's enough to do the whole operation. See ya at open sauce!

@davelangford2439 6 ай бұрын

I love this series so, so much. There's nothing like it on KZbin.

@theGolde 6 ай бұрын

Heya Alec! This is my favorite series you've done in years. Nothing against your other projects, but something about the absurdity of restoring such a neglected piece of history is very compelling. Keep it up brother

@thalanoth 6 ай бұрын

I've held off from watching you for months in hopes this would be done... just got from part 1 to part 8... suppose I'll have to wait another few months =p the project is definitely worth it for me, I truly enjoy putting myself in the place of 1900-1920 machinists' mentalities and resource availability. Great history, rock on man

@America_Yea 6 ай бұрын

I love the bridgeport hack. Remember that most of this stuff uses wedges originally because the casting and machining could not be very precise back then thus the graphite rope and gaskets with generous usage of boronze materials. wedge on 2 points of contact to wedge against one precision surface. All of these are originally hacks to improve tollerances and remove need for precision on the machine in many areas

@America_Yea 6 ай бұрын

My point is that beyond using say an actual anvil for counter weight and a more solidly constructed base this likely isn't much different from the original precision level used on the machine.

@IanZainea1990 6 ай бұрын

9:48 the most apt use of silly billy

@Cahuette98 6 ай бұрын

at the start of my apprenticeship, i've made 3 continous months of filing metal parts. This vid is the first time since then that this earned skill seams usefull....

@tonytebbs2429 6 ай бұрын

Dang the Bridgeport.... Looks like a perfect excuse to get yourself a second hand shaper.... Perfect job for a shaper.

@artemisargent8623 6 ай бұрын

I would anchor the milling machine down, as well as the anvil. You can install d shackles into the concrete with concrete bolts, then either chain or strap the anvil down to the floor to keep it from wobbling. Also, when you get the milling machine back in position, research leveling feet for the milling machine. Its a more permanent and easier way to level the machine while also keeping it mobile.

@DaBuild 6 ай бұрын

This project is complete madness! (And I love it!🎉)

@jaredpalko3015 6 ай бұрын

Taking "Need a tool, Make a tool" to a whole new level. Love it!

@tommiller4490 6 ай бұрын

Just keep rebuilding old power hammers. Love it!

@Tristan-mr3pk 5 ай бұрын

Alec! One day, I’ll have a shop, and it will be because you got me excited about it. Thanks a ton! I love your stuff!

@zawadafly 6 ай бұрын

One of the best series on my feed right now

@patchvonbraun 6 ай бұрын

We have a two-axis machine level that was used during the installation of our large former-NATO satellite dish. That level has been sitting attached to the structure since 1971 :) One of our team are restoring it -- cleaning the rust up a bit, etc. We used it to confirm that the structure was still perfectly level (I'd be shocked if it wasn't) as part of the restoration process. Not exactly a 100-year-old steam hammer, but....

@cashsharpe9270 6 ай бұрын

Watching you learn how to do this as you go along is so incredibly satisfying

@loganvetsch8979 6 ай бұрын

As a hobby blacksmith learning machining as a profession, I am enjoying this series so much

@duncanhalliday3655 6 ай бұрын

Loving the setup so far, very original use of a bridgeport and level

@patrickdorton6549 6 ай бұрын

I am loving the new machining focused content, I do miss some good ol' heating and beating of metal

@Crentonius 6 ай бұрын

We definitely find it entertaining. Always go down the unknown path my friend, it’s the best viewing

@opendstudio7141 6 ай бұрын

I do enjoy watching you two explorer and attempt to wholistically resolve problems. 👍

@wofulbadger978 6 ай бұрын

If you’d have told me at 15 years old, I’d be getting excited for a new video of a man fixing 100 year old equipment I’d have never believed you yet here I am at 26 excitedly clicking on this newest upload 🤣

@EVLS10 6 ай бұрын

Alec.... You need to mount the bridgeport head swivel base directly to the anvil... then you can slide back and forth and rotate the head to make all your cuts....

@BenArcher 6 ай бұрын

I'm loving this series. This eventually leads to a von Neumann machine and I'm hear for it.

@DigitalPetrol 6 ай бұрын

You inspire me with your tenacity and silliness.

@MrKaremoller 6 ай бұрын

Please continue in this direction! How to mcGyver a Bridgeport!! What good content! Love these multi part series!!

@ericwalp 6 ай бұрын

Now the fun part of putting that Bridgeport back together!

@seangerst6561 6 ай бұрын

Soooo, for real, this is by far the most hilarious video series i have ever seen from any creator on KZbin, its so well documented and it just has this experimental and childish kind of vibe but with heavy machinery and a proper community on your side 😂💪🏼😎 let's gooo

@marcericdavis 6 ай бұрын

Add some attachment braces from the mill base directly to the anvil? Use the bolt holes in the top of the anvil as an additional alignment reference, should be better than the rough casting.

@chicosodio 6 ай бұрын

Mate, I'm tremendously invested in this project! Needed to say that out loud

@richard_builds_it 6 ай бұрын

My motto is ‘there’s always a solution’ and this episode is literally right there 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

@johnodonnell2206 6 ай бұрын

This is so cool. I work in a school machine shop and I wish our lab manager let us execute brilliant ideas like this. This is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. I love problem solving with the tooling that we have at our disposal.

@PrometheanBlade 6 ай бұрын

Damn Alec, I enjoyed that a lot. I was thinking you need a big shaper to throw it on, but your unorthodox mill rig is just fun. And, maybe it'll work!

@robert.brokaw3829 6 ай бұрын

Having fun watching the process. Stay safe.

@arthaskins 6 ай бұрын

It is very impressive how much effort you put into being precise as possible. Could you please explain how a very, very small margin would be magnified when taken to the final product?

@jamesmorgan9554 6 ай бұрын

A&J, when you triumphantly finish repairing this power hammer. If you decide to do a short video montage of all the steps taken to restore it. I would love to see it include a photomontage of all the comments and advice you've received from your community that helped guide you along the way. Great content as always.🙂

@ronkluwe4875 6 ай бұрын

The comment about adding a counterweight is a good one. Try to balance the weight of the head with counterweight material on the other end of the table. That will somewhat ensure the table is not sagging against the gib play at the amount of extension you are putting it under. Nothing to be done about any sag in the table itself due to the amount of weight of the head. Also, temporarily tighten the gib on the X axis so that the table is very tight to move and lock the Y axis down while making a cutting pass in the X direction. Remember to reset the X axis gib to normal after you finish the job.

@dan725 6 ай бұрын

So I usually watch videos at 1.5x. The part where Alec gets giddy with his giggles and laughs in fast playback speed is HILARIOUS and also makes Alec looks mad with that crazy Bridgeport setup LOL. My god that looks so sketchy as hell, but I can’t believe it worked LOL.

@MechatronCNC-HVM 6 ай бұрын

You could bolt the bridge port head onto the PH base using the PH column holes. It would be way more rigid. Use the head traverse make the cuts.

@ronniepochatko7835 6 ай бұрын

Alec. You need to make a pallet jack that can withstand over 1.5 tons. Specifically for heavy heavy stuff like this.

@wilmiester1299 6 ай бұрын

Loving the out of the box thinking. I have an idea for a build. A forged dead blow sword.

@chaintheguardien 6 ай бұрын

Alec its cast iron. you can file that square. reference where you want to use as a datum, and take all your measurements from there. mark it off with your marking fluid of choice then file up to the line. you dont need to get it micron perfect, its the die holder for a power hammer. file to the line and call it good.

@justaguywhoplaysfalloutsom1104 6 ай бұрын

Rotate the head 90 degrees so its parallel with y and put it in the center of travel on the table. If you keep it close to the center of the saddle you can tram the heads tilt onto a know surface on the part in y. You can also level the machines base to tram in x. Then your best bet would be to get a metal base with leveling bolts that you can put the part on. Level the part before you tram it, then take two very heavy objects on either side 1000-1500lbs+ and chain it down using those on either side of the part. Or install some threaded bushings in the cement pad and use i bolts and straps to hold it down. As a machinist that is what i would try. Assuming I couldn’t find a shop with a big enough mill to do it at a reasonable price. Also don’t put it on wood, that will just reverberate the vibration. And the more force you use to hold it down the more it will flex and shift your part. Some thick steel pads with push bolts set underneath the four corners should be enough to get it level.

@BenKDesigns 6 ай бұрын

Please don't give up on milling the Anvil. This is one of the coolest things you've done, and I want to see it finished. :D

@DaroffApFire 6 ай бұрын

This is becoming the most chaotic series you've ever done, and I'm all for it!

@JiryStark 6 ай бұрын

See Alec going full mad scientist with this project is too much fun

@TreeCutterDoug 6 ай бұрын

Your silly, creative, git-r-dun nature, is my favorite part of your videos! Keep it up!!!

@briggtrue4160 6 ай бұрын

The round part of the Bridgeport you unbolted is meant to swivel. You could loosen the bolts and swing it around 180 and mill off the back. Just lifting the anvil higher.

@bullseyek 6 ай бұрын

Level - my Kingdom for a level. Floor, base. anvil. Love it!

@roBLINDhood 6 ай бұрын

This has to be one of your most crazy creative solutions ever

@Jusdin057 6 ай бұрын

Love your unorthodox approach to solutions Alec. This is series is epic 👌

@ArthurB2023 6 ай бұрын

please don't give up and give it to a professional.... these have been endlessly entertaining videos

@darius_sanguna 6 ай бұрын

the sheer level of jank is borderline unbelievable

@the_chicken_lord_ 6 ай бұрын

Honestly this project is amazing and I'm glad Alec is learning how to use new tools and do new things

@Merennulli 6 ай бұрын

Alec hearted the bot that stole your comment 🤦‍♂

@the_chicken_lord_ 6 ай бұрын

@@Merennulli bruh

@sys2 6 ай бұрын

Love it! =) thinking outside the box .. built my cnc machine by hand using grinder and jigs etc to grind ballscrew mounting pads and table mounting pads .. was a bit of thinking but it worked nicley in the end =) finnished it off by hand scraping everything the last couple of thousands =)

@hammerth1421 6 ай бұрын

This project is amazing. Exactly because it is very difficult and only progressing slowly.

@opieshomeshop 6 ай бұрын

*_That shell mill is applying a lot of force to the part. You should use instead an end mill at half the diameter of the shell. You will get the cut without a lot of the force being applied to the part._* 👣👣👣

@onsecondthought4174 6 ай бұрын

Yep. I was thinking the same exact thing.

@vinceka637 6 ай бұрын

Option B. Machine the dove tail as best you can. Then use that surface as your reference. There is only 1 single freshly machined super-flat surface on that anvil, and you just made it. Make everything square to that.

@alexandern8hgeg5e9 6 ай бұрын

Just clamp a few things under the thing to stiffen it. Maybe steel wedges to adjust it. Perhaps it will stop vibrating if you go another speed. To find out whether the table moves straight without bending, you could mill a piece of steel clamped on top of the steam hammer thing and then measure it with the precision level. If something goes wrong, the cast iron can be brazed to fill holes.