How to Make an Epic Control Box! Vintage Machine gets even more Awesome?

[@PaskMakes]

My Pask Makes Hammer: paskmakes.com/the-pask-makes-... Many of you requested a video of a vintage style control box for my drill press, so here it is. it was a lot of work in both designing and making it. Probably a bit over the top but it was fun to make with a few cool elements to it. I'd love to know if you thought it was worth the effort or should I have made something more simple and moved on to another project? I also meant to say that it took 30 minutes to form the front panel, to give you a bit of an idea. Even though I worked out the rpm's for all four belt positions I doubt it will ever move off the second pulley as it gives me a wide range of 200-2100 rpm. :)

[@Stunthangar]

I build wooden model airplanes but the amount of talent you have amazes me. Good job!

[@mikepetersen2927]

Glad you made the effort; the payoff is huge. Your patience and diligence are inspiring. Most folks would've 3D-printed the knobs, or repurposed something off an old stereo, but no -- you set up the dividing head! 😁 That dial turned out

[@alskjflaksjdflakjdf]

It was totally worth the effort. Often when you do something that seems like too much work, you also learn new skills along the way. It feels like I am unlocking a new superpower when I do this. Even if I think to myself that I am never doing that again. :)

[@alaskankare]

awesome content as always. did you realize the flypress can be used in blacksmithing too?

[@Yackhammer75]

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one Neil. The attention to detail with the recessed dial and side door, the dial indicator and power switch. The over all look and seamless on top of it. Anyone who didn't know would never guess it wasn't a vintage box that was repurposed but rather a brand new construction. That screams success in what you were going for. Very, very well done mate.

[@klerulo]

Continually amazed at how far your skills have progressed in the last few years. This project used mill and lathe, fly press, hammer forming, brass etching, tig welding, silver soldering... and every step showed a lot of talent and diligence. Fantastic final result.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Richard - glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@islaywombats]

Completely agree. I've been watching this channel for years and years and I am continuously staggered by what Neil accomplishes! Normally this level of expertise and skill would make me feel insecure or not want to try new things, but Neil's humility and explanations of his thought processes and learnings does the exact opposite. He makes me want to build more stuff!

[@plainnpretty]

I agree

[@Lenny65]

Spot on and the attention to the smallest details in every project this man makes . He should and will test his skills for many more years too brush up on tight welding 😅

[@tungsten_carbide]

@@islaywombats Well said!

[@JaredAF]

Wow, that's awesome. It really does look like an original part. Great job nailing that vintage design/look.

[@corinkayaker]

The footage of you forming the corners in high speed is totally unreal. What a fantastic addition to this machine! It truly looks like it came out of the factory that way! I mean yes for a normal human it’s totally overkill, but somewhat understated for a guy that has a drive train of massive wooden cogs driving a full scale propeller on the wall. So pleased to see this project done.

[@PaskMakes]

I thought that shot was pretty interesting too, you can really see the steel getting pushed around. Glad you liked it and thanks for your help! :)

[@davidduffy9806]

Ive generously offered to provide some tuition so Neil doesn't make so many mistakes. It's OK there's no need to thank me

[@paulbutchart5450]

You asked at the top of the video to tell you if this was over the top. My answer oh hell yes! Is it awesome oh hell yes! People don't build things with style very often. Those who do should be celebrated.

[@IanSmithKSP]

This is truly old world stuff here. The quality is phenomenal. You’re becoming the ultimate craftsperson as all the mediums and tricks of the trades are conforming onto objects that no one has ever seen before. Amazing as always

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Ian - just having fun and trying to keep learning! :)

[@dannyberg4294]

As someone who is a tig welder, I can say you really didn’t do too bad of a job! Thinner material is no easy task and sheet metal especially is tricky at the best of times. Great job, love the project as usual!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Danny - I was pretty happy with the welding. I understand it could be better but certainly better than I expected it to turn out. :)

[@liamobrien9451]

@@PaskMakes for the welds that are not too cramped, you can clamp a block of aluminium to the back side to prevent blowout and warping

[@dogsarebest7107]

@@PaskMakes A thing that helps for this Pask, is laywire. Don't try to dab the filler in, on real thin stuff, the rod can just push the molten steel through the sheet, making a blow-hole. Lay the wire flat along the joint, and run the bead on top of the wire. The wire will have the same if not more thermal mass than the sheet, making it easier to control the heat input and not blow through. Then just run the arc over that! Also, mild steel really doesn't like being autogeneously welded, it needs filler :) Only grades of stainless steel are fine to be autogeneously welded

[@p__jay]

just use a laser welder and ever kid can get perfect welds!

[@guyverderosa]

Silicon bronze rod. Tig brazing. You don’t have to melt the base metal. Easier to not blow trough.

[@DanteYewToob]

What I love most about your channel is your “what the hell, why not?” attitude towards trying new things. Almost every project/video includes some skill that you say you’ve either never tried, or barely ever done and yet you just go for it. You’re not afraid to share failures and flaws, and you share the fact that those failures taught you something along the way. I find that very inspirational because I sometimes have a fear of trying a new technique or skill on a project because I’m afraid of wasting money, time, effort.. etc. part of me knows I can just try again, or fix the mistake but it definitely holds me back more than I’d like. I’ve been learning basic crappy welding recently and I’ve been afraid to actually make something… but I think I’m going to go for it. I’ll start small and just accept the flaws, let the project and process be my teacher.

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

I am beyond impressed. In fact I’m speechless 😮

[@boryscholewinski4370]

Lost for words. Been shaking my head in disbelief throughout the whole video. You are a gem Neil, thank you.

[@PaskMakes]

Glad you enjoyed it Boris! :)

[@davidduffy9806]

I've gracefully offer Neil some free tuition, you'll see some real improvement in his work asap

[@ChuckThree]

That top down time lapse (at 3:51 ) of the metal deforming while shaping the corner was great!!!!

[@alanmuddypaws3865]

Very impressive! I'm beginning to think that you could make just about anything if you put your mind to it. Having the patience of a saint is a big help too!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Alan! I reckon that goes for all of us! :)

[@bobermai]

Wow, that really look as it was there forever! And that old hammer-forming tecnique is simple, but gave a great result!

[@paulforster4133]

The box forming is so informative and shows techniques useful in many applications plus the brass dial is gorgeous. The whole control box fits perfectly with the drill

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks Paul - glad you like it! I'm very keen to do some more hammer forming. :)

[@rickeymh]

Painstaking details resulting in a project I would never have the patience to undertake. Kudos to you!

[@jimmoore4838]

What a fantastic upgrade! You did an outstanding job!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Jim - glad you like it! :)

[@21bCreations]

I’m lazy so I would have 3d printed the knobs and indicator. Apart from that I have to say your patience is amazing and the end product beautiful.

[@mouritsen2]

I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed watching this video. The combination of skills required to make this project is just incredible and you do each one with great ability. I love the design as well. This project really speaks to me. Well done!

[@EldeNova]

Yep well said!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much - glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@andrewzanto8591]

What incredible dedication and craftsmanship. Truly a new level Neil.

[@brandonlotz8275]

Ive been watching for years, and to have done something with less effort, would not make this the amazing video we have come to expect from Pask Makes. Its amazing to see your dedication to every project. Keep them coming. Love it

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Brandon and thanks for keep coming back! :)

[@JamieBainbridge]

Dude, wow! The box was good but the etching and dials are next level. This looks like a professional commercial product, from back when things were made to a quality and not to a cost. Totally awesome and very inspiring.

[@robdonaldson4837]

Great job, well done. I’m actually contemplating making a similar box myself now that you’ve shown how it can be done with basic workshop tools. Thanks.

[@BarryGordon58]

It's a BOBBY DAZZLER! Every PASK MAKES video is worth everyone's time. You are the BEST mate! ❤️

[@MrButton27]

I never comment on any video but this was the best thing I have seen on the internet in a long while! Great work!

[@mtozzy11]

Every video your skill set increases and across a range of disciplines. WOW . Turned out awesome and it does look like it original equipment.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Michael! :)

[@eric-eklund]

You Sir is amazingly good at making things look good! Please find the time, and make more things, we all want to watch this!

[@charlesxix]

As a retired engineer, all I can say is that it's absolutely brilliant.

[@johncolgan4687]

Absolutely love the amount of time and care you invested in this. A work of art.

[@pauldehaan3574]

Absolutely fantastic addition. I really like the round corners on the box. Your talents are amazing. Great video.

[@chasdave-c1t]

It's so rewarding when you see those corners take shape!

[@douglidz2944]

Great video Neil the drill press looks fantastic and the speed control box looks like part of the original kit. I learned a lot watching this one, thanks.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Doug! I'm pleased you say that, as that's what I was aiming for. Glad the video was helpful! :)

[@donaldfrederick6814]

I love watching your videos. The level of patience, is that the right word, that you display during some of your projects is legendary. I would never be able to do what you've done here because I would rush and have a good enough mentally

[@notfeedynotlazy]

4:39: "I reckon it's pretty crazy what you can do with metal with just a few basic tools. I love it and the possibilities are endless" Armourer here: Can confirm. It's basically what my craft is all about. One of the better things ever is showing the stuff to a bunch of little kids and watch the amazement in their eyes when they say aloud, "look! the steel _does_ move like clay".

[@Vickie-Bligh]

Do I think the work you did is worth it? To achieve the look you wanted, yes. I also love it when you say you're gonna give something a go. 1 It will be entertaining, 2 It will be educational, 3 I will be in awe of your skills and abilities once again. I love it when you post because I know I'm going to see something good. Thanks, Neil for this build. This was fun.

[@TheHuizenre]

You totally amazed me again. It's almost impossible to believe this isn't a factory assembly. Good job Master Pask

[@glenhay5843]

Absolute craftsman in so many disciplines, fantastic result

[@maierhof]

You used the word Epic in your description and you did not miss. Nicely Done. Thank you for all that you have done these years. You have taken me to school almost every time I watch a video.

[@Ferruccio001]

You're a wizard! I'm absolutely amazed.

[@android01978]

Another fantastic addition. I love how you’ve matched the style with the drill press so well

[@PaskMakes]

That's great to hear as that was my number one goal! :)

[@BaconbuttywithCheese]

When things were made to a certain quality and a reasonable profit was made, your result reflects that time exactly.

[@nickm8494]

Fantastic piece of work - you've outdone yourself there, mate. Total respect for the awesome workshop and machinery you've built up over the years. I'm a carpenter in the UK but, coming from a family of engineers and smiths, I can turn my hand to most things like yourself. Must be a Midlands thing! Best wishes to you and the family bud👍

[@davidgagnon2849]

Okay. Now I believe you can make ANYTHING, Neil. This is just awesome. I am so glad I was introduced to your channel by Jay Bates' "Interesting sites from around the web".

[@sureshot311]

This was amazing to watch. You should be immensely proud of this. It looks incredible and matches perfect. I enjoy in most if not all of your projects you do something to challenge yourself. I'll watch it every time. Thank you for making this.

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much! I'm usually proud of what I make and I think that goes for all makers but I am especially pleased with this one. :)

[@johnmay3266]

Thanks Neal. As a lifetime woodworker, I get great pleasure from watching you work with metal. Greetings from Baltimore, Maryland, USA

[@Max_Marz]

Trick I picked up over the years as a quick-turn machinist: Next time you need to turn the OD of a disk on the lathe, just use your tail stock to hold the disk against the face of your chuck jaws or a turned face. If you don’t want a center hole, or the plate is thin like later in the video, use a second disk as a clamping plate, the disk you’re turning can “float” in-between. The screw in your tailstock is much bigger than the screw you used to hold it in this video, if you’re worried about clamping pressure :) This has been my go-to technique my entire career, I’ve never thrown a part doing it. Woo superglue technique! Nice! And the little mini pallet too!

[@rantruett]

Filler and paint makes the welder what he ain't. Beautiful result

[@garyhodder2784]

Pask your skills and patience on these projects are amazing and makes for very interesting video's!

[@PaskMakes]

Glad you're enjoying them Gary! :)

[@JirForce]

I could never tell that box isn't factory made :O Excellent job! The most valuable tool in your shop is you patience

[@jasonatkin6787]

Your level of, and attention to detail are a thing to behold. I aspire to better mine, and will keep watching for inspiration. It's also worth mentioning, that not only do you do amazing work, but you spend multiples more of your time recording it, editing and assembling it beautifully for our viewing pleasure and education. Well done!

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Jason! Glad you enjoy the videos and that you appreciate everything that goes into it! :)

[@diras2010]

Jesus... that looks like it was made at the same time as the drill press were made, absolutely fitting the aesthetics, superb job, amazing skills, c'est magnifiqué

[@RobActiveShooterEngh]

By far my favorite video/project of yours. It has everything, electrical, lathe, mill, hammering, ALL OF IT! I though the dials were just going to be props, not actual functioning dials, so even more impressed. Also, you need to do a collab with either Clickspring or Cutting Edge Engineering, I think you and Kurtis could make magic, and with Chris too!

[@wagneralencar]

Nowadays everyone uses cnc and 3D printers, their work is excellent, there are no words for such quality. Congratulations

[@CraigsWorkshop]

You consistently exceed any and all expectations I might have. Amazing job Neil, I love it! (And to think... You weren't sure if we wanted to see this? 😆)

[@PaskMakes]

Thanks very much Craig - glad you like it! I'm always very unsure what anyone would like to see. :)

[@scooteroo]

Dude can do anything! He's frigging Superman!

[@samanthadean1083]

Fantastic job, Neil!!! This is incredible!!! ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@edsmachine93]

Very nice, outstanding job. Definitely came out retro styled. Thanks for sharing the process. Take care, EM.

[@fluffycritter]

I love how the work you do is the exact opposite of minimum effort. Using premade plastic almost felt like a cheat compared to the rest of it - I was half expecting you to make those knobs out of homemade Bakelite!

[@MaxGiganteum]

-- Allow me to encourage folks to experiment around with making their own plastic rod by recycling the plastic caps from various odd bottles such as 2 litre soda bottles. You can experiment around with using the bottles themselves but the clear soda bottle plastic ends up quite brittle compared to the caps so keep that in mind. My advice is to stay away from the clear plastic at first and use the non-clear varieties. Yes, the various odd plastic bottles you use are of different grades of plastic so your results can vary. I encourage folks to keep their plastics separated based on the recycling number that is cast into the plastic itself or just stick with one variety of plastic from the same source. That's why I mentioned the caps from soda bottles - the caps are all made of the same plastic as far as I know and that plastic is useful for its durability and ductility. No, the different colors of the caps doesn't make any difference structure-wise if you mix them up though mixing different colors does effect what you end up with for a color! Anyway, you'll need a mould and a ram which you can easily make out of a threaded steel pipe, a cap for one end of the pipe plus the ram which you can make out of wood. Get your mold together, some safety gear including safety glasses and thick/heavy leather gloves, a good supply of plastic that fits easily into your mold, an oven that the mold fits into which will maintain a temperature of around 350° F plus a way to force the ram down inside the mold to compress the plastic. An arbor press or a hydraulic press is very useful here but some folks will use clamps such as a bar clamp or a very large C-clamp to do the job of compressing the plastic inside your mould. If you have to, you can even use your own strength to push the wooden ram into the pipe for plastic compression - just be very careful so that you don't burn yourself. For a release agent you can use Pam cooking spray... though there are a few other things that you can use to prevent the plastic from sticking to the pipe. The trick here is to make sure that whatever you use doesn't contaminate the plastic and make it unusable. Even if you don't use a release agent, don't worry too much because if need be, you can remove the cap from the end of your mould and push the plastic rod out if it gets stuck. This is often not a problem due to shrinkage when the mould cools to room temperature. As far as it goes, a lot of folks around the world have found a recycling plastic into other forms is a very easy thing to do. You can also start out on a very small scale - it isn't unusual for folks to use nothing more than a 1-in diameter x 6-in length piece of water pipe with a cap on the end for their first mold. Here in the states, you can find items like those off the shelf at your normal home improvement center such as Home Depot, Ace Hardware or Lowe's. One final thing... never forget that molten plastic is sticky and hot and it will burn you badly so take precautions! It will also burn inside your mould or inside the oven if it gets too hot so have patience as it melts into a molten mass. Remember that I mentioned 350° F? In my experience that's a good temperature to max out at but if you're a beginner, you might choose to start out at 300° F. Adjust your temp in small increments upwards based on your success over time when you go to cast a new plastic shapes out of the recycled plastic of your choosing. Also be forewarned about the off-gassing - melting plastics may give off fumes even if they're not burning so remember that as well. Do it in a well-ventilated spot. At the end of the day, getting the hang of it isn't difficult but your success will depend entirely on your ability to control the heat as well as compress the molten plastic fully into your mould. Voids and defects will ruin your efforts. Be safe and happy plastic casting! - Max Giganteum

[@branislavmitter7520]

Slow clap Sir! I have been watching your channel for 3 years or so and i can see that you have become a true master craftsman. Thank you for sharing this one with us Neil.

[@rickfazzini22]

Great video Pask!! Another option for the hinge attachment would have been solder bernzomatic makes a great solder simply called metal solder look into it when you get time

[@CatGPT_]

The quality of your work is immense man. Much love

[@tcurdt]

Wow - fantastic project. Did they go through all those lengths back in the days? Or did they use different techniques to build boxes like that?

[@petermichaelgreen]

You certainly wouldn't do what he did in mass production. I'm pretty sure they used dies and presses, whether they were able to form something like that in a single step or whether they had to use a series of dies to gradually form the shape I do not know.

[@_J.F_]

Absolutely fantastic craftsmanship and also such a treat to follow your channel and not least your development of new skills along with implementation of new tools and machinery. So inspiring to watch even if I will never get anywhere near those skills myself.

[@Rouverius]

I'm a week late and I'm not sure if you'll see this but I'm compelled to comment. This is such a wonderful build and a piece of industrial art. I feel like I learned so much watching this one. Thanks!

[@TheDivasoprano]

Truly fun to watch. I enjoy how detailed everything is. Your voice over is also fun. Very matter-of-fact. Thanks!

[@eCitizen1]

Excellent vintage looking control box. Great job.

[@roncooper6302]

At 82 yoa I think I can boast about my father. Archie Cooper was a metal worker, a legend in his own lifetime in the Woolwich and Crayford Kent areas of England. He would have been proud of the work you do and amazed, as am I, at the diversity of your skills. Regards.

[@wezm]

Absolutely fabulous result. That etched brass label came out super well, as did the hammer-formed rounded edges.

[@JoshuaRilliet]

Another great job, nice restoration of this drill press that will still be able to work for you for many years. Thanks for sharing these restoration videos 👍

[@cpowerdesign]

As always, your work is top notch! Very impressed with the precision.

[@robertobecerrasanchis]

Wow, fantastic job. Every day I like your channel more, congratulations. Greetings from Barcelona, Spain.

[@zTribalstylerz]

Looks amazing! blends right into the rest of the piece. Very smooth and satisfying as usual!

[@FireAngelOfLondon]

Just remember the saying “a grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain’t”. Your work is always amazing even with the imperfections in the process.

[@mathewmolk2089]

Looks like something that was designed and built 60+ years ago. True work of art without an LED in sight, Love it.

[@AlannaStarcrossed]

True quality. You can really feel the love of the craft put into this. It doesn't need to be this nice to work well, but going the extra distance for beauty is wonderful

[@groobus]

Using a washer to trace a perfect outline with the marker is so simple and SO GENIUS!

[@michaelritchie7703]

I love how when you come across a problem you just make a slight modification to you design and drive on. Your attention to the end goal is inspiring. In any video when you make mistakes I've never seen you just give up or shut down because the project isn't going the way you intended. Thanks for your videos. They inspire me in even the smallest tasks I have to complete.

[@Twin_Flyer]

Beautiful work as always! I remember watching when it was just scrapwood challenge projects.! Your skills have come a long way!

[@theseconddarrin3788]

I am ADD and rarely watch any video without skipping through the talky parts and slow editing but I did not miss one second of this project. Your patience and attention to detail are impeccable. Craftsmen like you are why I love KZbin.

[@antonwhittle415]

I love this vid Neil. I put it on the TV when friends were over, and we all enjoyed it. Inspirational.

[@tomim7187]

That was an epic build! So many different processes! This was a really journey and enjoyed every minute of it! Cheers, Neil!

[@kamalkhadra8838]

You made great efforts 👍👏 and got a very nice and unique product.. good and hard working man.. greetings from Syria 👋🍊🇸🇾

[@matthewmccalister5594]

It absolutely blows my mind seeing steel hammered into a new shape. Especially such a smooth, curved surface. I really love your channel and the various projects you do. I love the common theme of "simple" small steps that add up to creating massively complex shapes/ patterns/ objects/ tools. (Simple being in quotes because it does require a LOT of skill to do these "simple" things and you are a freakin' master of creating!)

[@mikegleaden5096]

Outrageous! "I've never tried this before but it looks like fun, so I'll give it a go". Then absolutely nails it. Yet again. Brilliant. I don't know how many hours went into this project - loads, I'm sure - but not a minute of it was wasted.

[@KurtMcScotsman]

That looks professional as heck! Tons of work, but it looks like it came from the factory that way, phenomenal!

[@Xtian982]

Probably an instant favourite from your videos. Keep up the content mate. So inspiring

[@ronallman6055]

I think what I like most about this video was that sometimes it is more fun albeit labor intensive to make a part you could always buy. This makes the project exclusively yours. Thank you for sharing this.👍

[@peterhaskew]

Imagine the world we'd live in if everyone had Neil's patience. The end result is fantastic, and absolutely worth it as a personal project. Obviously it wouldn't be a viable commercial endeavour, but the most interesting projects rarely are!

[@Mike-vn7ys]

Try using a 1/8”-1/4” thick backer bar of copper or brass clamped behind your weld. Your weld will not stick to the copper/brass and will leave a smooth seam. Works fantastic especially on thin metals. Also if you blow through it will make easier to fill and sand hole. I am a metal fabricator and this has saved me many times. You can also fill plug or drill holes with ease. PS: I like the box, well done. Write back if you need more tips.

[@joshuadelisle]

That's it. Well done 👍. Cheers J

[@tomspooner3436]

Bravo pask. You did an amazing job with the entire project. From the drill stand to the control box. I love how well-rounded and methodical your channel is!

[@Eagleheardt]

that brass etching hit me hard man, it was SO good. Then the red background made it pop. looks amazing

[@Codebreakerblue]

This is the prettiest addon to a vintage drill press I think I've ever seen, it looks gorgeous and fits in perfectly!

[@coreyhiggins621]

I've got to say, you don't do anything halfway. I watched the drill press restoration, the stand build and now this. Some of the projects you tackle are amazing, and your finished products are always immaculate. You are an artist and renascence man my friend! Thank you for all your hard work and for sharing it with people like me.

[@joestenzel142]

The edged part looked amazing. Great video

[@allannielsen4752]

Quite amazing, subbed many many moons ago for the woodwork, not a fan of the metal, but credit where credit is due, that looks like it was part of the unit.

[@Sawtooth70]

Absolutely beautiful work. The video was a pleasure to watch.

[@corncobjohnsonreal]

I didn't even need to watch the whole video to know it's great content. I made it seven minutes in before tapping out

[@Starie78]

Brilliant! Your level of patience and attention to detail astound me. Your metal working skills have come on in leaps and bounds.

[@georgecunningham9175]

I am continually amazed at all of the design and construction, not to mention the time expended, of the templates, jigs, etc. you create. They seem to take almost as much time, planning and materials as the created piece itself. I am fascinated by your processes and results..................

[@mduvigneaud]

Really fantastic build. I especially like that you made your own knobs instead of just buying 'em because what's the fun in that? So much more satisfying being able to make them yourself.