I Refuse to Buy Your $@#! I Make My Own.

Don't you love it when you buy something and find that the company rigged it so you need to buy something else? Here's my response. I used Prestige Oro plaster for this, but I think UltraCal would have worked great too.
Prestige Oro Investment Plaster: amzn.to/3hdGqhn
UltraCal Investment Plaster: amzn.to/3w1RhQQ
Flask: amzn.to/2U8QLmS
Flask base: amzn.to/3hbfEq4
Sprue wax: amzn.to/3dkWAEo
I wish I could edit videos after I see many of the comments! I should have mentioned:
The shaft is 5/8", so a 1/2" chuck will not fit. Even my heavy duty drill isn't even close to being able to fit on that shaft.
-I wanted to maintain the option to use the handle in the future if needed, so changing the shaft to a hex with a grinder was not an option.
-There are many, MANY ways to overcome this problem. I have been experimenting with lost PLA casting, and wanted to try that method because it is reproducing a specific part from scratch, and it's fun. The idea is, when I come across a part in the future that is no longer available for sale, or is truly too expensive, then I could hopefully make it myself. I could have fabricated some other solution, but that method wouldn't be as versatile (or as easy to use once completed).
-In looking at the comments, I think people think this took me much longer than it actually did. After printing the part, all I had to do was attach the sprue, mix and pour the plaster, do the burnout, and then pour the metal. Since I did this in parallel with many other castings, I estimate 1 hour of labor.
-Regarding the electricity cost, I estimated as if I had fired this mold alone. In reality I fired many molds together, so the real electricity cost was maybe $1.
-Many think this is not a proprietary design, stating that this tapered fitting has been used on antique grinders. I wasn't aware of that. But either way, it is a poor design, as this isn't an antique. In modern times it's obvious that many people will want to motorize this. People seem to think without the taper it will wobble. It should be done the same way as a bicycle crank. They don't wobble, and could easily be adapted to a socket drive.
In the end, I did this because it was fun, and fit into the lost PLA casting technique that I have been learning. It is certainly not the quickest, cheapest, or most efficient way to overcome this problem!
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[@rjserra5535]

As one of the previous comments stated the tapered three flat end of the drive shaft is not proprietary to keep you from connecting to it without buying the company's expensive adapter. The crank handle is a cast part. To keep the cost of the crank handle down, a non locking three flat tapered socket is used to connect the handle to the drive shaft. The taper allows for a less precise socket in the crank handle so it can be used in the "as cast" condition. (Dimensions vary quite a bit from part to part in cast parts. This is generally why you see critical surfaces machined after casing.) With a straight socket the dimensions need to be carefully controlled to get a good fit from shaft to socket. With a non locking taper the socket in the crank handle can slide onto the end of the shaft until it fits snugly when the tapers make contact.

[@ZAPATTUBE]

You mean it is a cheap-a_ss way for the company to make it.

[@FarmCraft101]

All that to save $25? It's the principle of it all! And practicing so that I can make something else in the future that may not be available to purchase. Self reliance is extremely valuable to me. Have a great weekend everybody! This build only took me at most 1 hour of labor. Many people seem to think that it took many hours. How long does it take to print a part (5 minutes), attach it to some wax (10 minutes), mix and pour some plaster (10 minutes), put it in the burnout kiln (2 minutes), and pour in metal? I did it in parallel with many other castings which made it more time and energy efficient than if I had done it as a solo project. There are many, MANY ways to work around this problem, some faster and even better. I've been experimenting with lost PLA casting lately, and this was an obvious application of that technique, so that's why I chose this method. With this technique, I can make a part in about 24 hours, faster than I could get it if I ordered it online. There are lots of advantages to having this ability to make custom parts quickly and easily on my farm. Sometimes I need a part that isn't available for sale at all. To address some frequent comments: The shaft is 5/8", so a 1/2" drill will not fit. I wanted to preserve the ability to use the hand crank, so didn't want to butcher the shaft grinding it into a hex. Forging a socket onto it would have worked too. Putting a pipe over the shaft with set screws against the flats would have worked too. I don't have a universal socket, but that probably would work too. A bigger drill chuck, using the lathe chuck, using a grade 8 bolt, welding on a nut...the list goes on. Lots of ways to skin this cat. People have pointed out that this is not a proprietary design, and has been used in the past on antique cranks. I wasn't aware of that, so perhaps the company isn't intentionally trying to gouge the customer, but in that case it's just a poor design. This is not an antique, and motorizing it is obviously going to be a common mod. So why not make a design that facilitates this without money and hassle? Some comment that the handle would wobble without the taper. I disagree. Bicycle cranks don't wobble, are square and would easily accept a socket. So the company either thought this through and decided to keep the antique design so they could sell adapters (as I suspect, they sell them on their website), or they didn't think it through, which makes it a poor design choice for modern times. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the video!

[@Zpajro]

I really like your title and the thumbnail text ^^

[@matt_1984_]

Honestly, i thought you were going to disassemble it, and make a new shaft on the Lathe or Mill. But that works too.

[@jimbarbwe1985]

You should sell them on amazon and under cut the buggers that are over charging.

[@bobpiggy3756]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that will spend a few days, more money than is needed, and generally make a mountain out of a molehill to prove a point by sticking it to "unethical" companies. And it is nice when the results come out as needed and you don't have still buy their product.....and listen to your wife's snickering.

[@benjaminbrewer2154]

Could you have engaged the roll pin or replace it with a shaft to engage a fork?

[@Mojavestalker]

its never about the money , its about the freedom. hate companies that do this

[@anthonymarino4260]

so true

[@JC-11111]

Freedom ain't got anything to do with it.

[@IJChan223]

It is always about money, the company saved money to build it with a taper because they don't have pay for the extra labor for tighter tolerances

[@egorleontev9970]

Thats what commies says. If anybody could provide better solution for the problem it would be on his 'Merican table. I bet this guy will not sell a single one of those for less then 30, so he just basically trashtalking.

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

@@egorleontev9970 , American.

[@clist9406]

I just take the shaft off and put it in the lathe

[@phillipparker8947]

There's a few different other easier methods. I say a drill fits, a drill has 3 jaws evenly spaced.

[@AVATARComander]

Just chuck the whole thing in the lathe and run it with the lathe

[@silverdrillpickle7596]

Thank you for stating what clearly needed to said.

[@kazykamakaze131]

There is this innate problem among youtubers to unnecessarily overcomplicate everything. Often times the simplest option is the best, and using the tools around you for multiple tasks is the best value for the owner. If he was going to regularly use this mill I'd avoid having to use the lathe to drive the crank, i'd rather just have put a keyway in with a key and pulley and drive it with small motors I have, this would have been extremely simple and quick to do.

[@mtorngren15]

😂😂😂😂

[@itsjustcam247]

The company might say "well why would you do more than $30 of work when you could buy the thing?" well, company, that's because we don't want YOU to have that $30, you don't deserve it.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

Well said.

[@jaytalbot1146]

But they got the $299 for the mill in the first place, so I doubt they are too upset on missing out on the additional $30

[@Guppypants]

Because if I make it myself, I am giving less money to the Chinese Communist Party, which is working toward America's annihilation.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

@@Guppypants lmfao

[@markgriz]

@@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart LMFAO indeed, considering that mill is made in India

[@Dr_Mauser]

Next step, install a pulley on the shaft and permanently mount an AC motor on the table next to it.

[@K3PO]

Exactly my thoughts! Too much time wasted holding the drill. Push a button and walk away!

[@eformance]

I saw the cross pin and figured that was how they powered it with a motor drive. I would have just taken a 5/8 socket and used a cutoff wheel to grind 2 slots in it and used a 1/4" socket drive adapter to power this.

[@lukerediger8431]

I think that's a retaining pin that rides up against the washer there... if you put a socket on it you might mar the washer and chowder it all up making it run with too much play.

[@gorkyd7912]

I wouldn't use the cross pin but couldn't you just take the handle off but replace the bolt and drive the bolt to spin the shaft? Add a few washers so it doesn't bind...

[@lukerediger8431]

@@gorkyd7912 I'd use a bolt with a nut threaded onto it already, then when it bottoms out, spin it back a turn, then tighten the nut to lock it in place so that if it ever sheared off the rest of the bolt would come out easy.

[@alan-sk7ky]

He's standing in front of a lathe, what machine do you think he might use to produce the drive adapter?

[@BlueGeckoLaser]

Like I said, he’s not too bright.

[@mrrustygray]

gator grip socket. been around for decades. Also, sheet metal 1/8" drill 3 holes, file to fit, cut legs, fold back and thread a bolt. Boom

[@skachor]

But that's a pretty boring video

[@clayz1]

That definitely qualifies as “go to a LOT of trouble and expense to not pay them 30 bucks”. But it was the right thing to do. Ive never seen investment casting in the home (or barn) before. I used to build molds for lost wax. It was a fun job. Thanks.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

I agree its annoying when companies rig when you buy 1 thing and then realize you have to buy somthing else to make the item functional

[@mackdog3270]

Or use a drill with a large chuck :)

[@Springfield-1903]

My thoughts exactly

[@Scott_C]

Yeah and it's always nice to have a spare chuck around.

[@akawireguy1197]

Won't work. The cuts are tapered and a drill chuck will have no holding area. A brace's chuck is tapered but that is 4 sided not 3 sided. They made it the one size and shape that there is no standard driver out there that would fit it.

[@snap4ward]

Existing Crosspins could have used instead. Drill hole in tube, cut in half, done.

[@Springfield-1903]

@@akawireguy1197 Large drill chuck's have 3 jaws and would definitely be able to grip that 3 sided shaft perfectly. But I do like the fact that he made an adapter of his own!

[@DracoOmnia]

Besides planned obsolescence this is one of the most infuriating practices of modern manufacturing. Not even just creating "proprietary" parts or hardware, but the intentional engineering towards making everything more difficult to work on. The amount of time and effort put into unstandardizing everything, which creates even more time and effort necessary for someone else later (usually the customer) is simply anethema to the human condition. Everything should be getting easier, more standardized, less complicated and requiring less resources

[@goodnightmr5892]

They never plan on the ‘plan’ going wrong. Must be a Military thing! Stay Frosty Brother.

[@2adamast]

What about freedom of engineering? I can understand they used a three sided axle because it must fit a cast part with no sharp angles, so it doesn't crack. Four sided is often used, but it concerns machined parts.

[@ramrod132]

Hopefully as 3D printing continues to advance and achieve widespread consumer adoption, the ability for companies to make parts like this proprietary will diminish. Then again, that may also result in companies charging more for the original product if they don't have the continued income of selling comparable products.

[@Beregorn88]

If you knew anything about engineering or fitting design, you would know that a taper is the shape of choice whenever you want a good fit between two parts without spending a tons of money to machine said parts to an unnecessary degree of precision. The way this spindle is designed will make it last a long time under heavy loads without loosing its good fit with the handle; if you want a cheap adapter, just use a grub screw in the hole and grab that with the drill

[@JacksonKnives]

What if I told you this "proprietary" part is actually designed that way because it's easier to engineer and assemble compatible parts for? Tapered shafts are very, very good for constant-speed long-term-use applications like this, they're much easier to take apart after a decade than any other fitting.

[@2LateIWon]

We are just alike. I'll spend way more time making something myself just so I don't have to buy it.

[@roseblite6449]

I have repaired 3 wheelbarrows for less than $100 total including paint, missing parts (wheel brackets on one wheelbarrow), washers (since I don't know how to weld), drill wire brushes (which can be used for other projects in future), metal filling paste (very rusted bucket on one of them), and sanding pads for electric sander. It would have cost me over $300 for a single new wheelbarrow, saving me roughly $800. I also have a barn find 1950's wheelbarrow (my grandmother's garden one) that needs repairing but I can reuse everything on it and mainly needs wire brushing, sanding, hammering rim back onto wheel, and new paint. Had a John Deere front tire go flat while mowing (one section of land, 1 square mile). My 84 yr old mom and I used front bucket as a jack, pulled tire, used a Mahindra tractor's bucket to load tire in truck to take in, needed to be replaced ($1,100), had them load it onto truck and take home. Then we unloaded tire (used tamping bar to lift one end, pulled with chain, rotated it out of truck), rolled it over to John Deere, used bucket to lift tractor, I slipped tire on while mom was controlling bucket, tightened bolts again once I drove it back to barn. Then we cleaned off the mowing deck (fold out type), running off a rat who decided to make a home in it, so it is ready for greasing the Zerk fittings in the morning sometime (raining right now at 2:55 am. Yeah, lot of people are like y'all and would rather do things ourselves than pay someone to do it. Sure, we could have had the people who replaced the tire come out and remove tire and haul it in, then once replaced have them put tire back on, but what fun is that? Not to mention probably anywhere from an additional $100 to probably close to $500 to have them do it.

[@mikusoxlongius]

If you can't make your own tools, you ain't black! - Joey Bribes

[@ilikewaffles3689]

@@roseblite6449 ok

[@AnthonyHandcock]

Same here. My dad used to say that he had four sons and the last one got all four's share of his awkward bugger gene. That's me :-D I'll spend inordinate amounts of time and even money doing something the most complicated way possible if it means not buying the "official" part or the over-hyped thing that does the thing. It's a hobby and an attitude that led to a living. Bodging might not sound much of a skill but when you make your living maintaining hopelessly obsolete, but very specialised, equipment it's a positive boon. Parts? I don't need no steenking parts... I can make something that will do the job from this potato, this tube of epoxy and this picture of a seagull... Or something like that anyway. Oh... And you also learn a lot. I'm currently learning all about plant nutrients and re-learning a lot of the chemistry I did at school (Thanks NileRed / Doug's Lab / NurdRage) because I refuse to pay £10/litre for hydroponic nutrients that are 97% water. I bet I can get that down to £10 per 1000 litres.

[@PolumbiusTheThird]

@@roseblite6449 meth rant

[@philliplopez8745]

Considering the load , a quality bolt and a socket would do fine .

[@phillipparker8947]

That's what I thought, as long as he doesn't bottom it he should never have a problem with removing a broken bolt, and like you said, a quality bolt.

[@freemab222]

I would make this part differently: By forging it. The basic idea is this: You can forge a pipe into a hex socket very easily, just by choosing an appropriate sized pipe, heating it to red, then forging it down over a bolt head of the size you want for the socket. This trick also works for any shape socket, such as those annoying penta sockets used on water meter covers. To apply this trick, you could forge a pipe down over the mill shaft, but if you didn't want to risk the mill, them copy the mill shaft by grinding three tapered flats on a steel shaft of the right diameter. Once you have the pipe socket, you need to adapt this to a drill. This can be done either by forging down the other end of the pipe or by welding on an appropriate stem -- you can figure that out.

[@davewolf8869]

Materials:$5 Time and expertise, equipment:$7,000 Satisfaction:immeasurable

[@trollforge]

Not exactly a "proprietary" fitting... Every coal stove I've ever worked on uses it for the shaker. Lots of antique small farm machinery uses it too. If you keep an eye out at farm auctions you will probably find a pulley made in 1908 that will slip right on, for a buck, because no millennials know what it is for...

[@firstmkb]

It may have been due to coat of manufacturing - adding some bevels to a machined shaft would be cheap. But I like the idea of a 1908 handle on a Chinese (presumably) mill in 2020!

[@themanhimself3]

Boomers like yourself don't understand half of what a computer is made of, but computers are making money and the 1908 pulley isn't.

[@trollforge]

@@themanhimself3 Son, my grade 13 Advanced Electronics project was designing an XT, from scratch, the year they released the 286... And I've custom built every desktop I've owned since... I run 3 screens for video editing on my Linux Laptop...

[@stevebabiak6997]

Cost of tools … you’ve got to include that if like me you don’t own any of them other than the cordless drill. 3D printer, forge, lathe, etc.

[@johnnyhellfire6]

Wasn't it boomer's that perpetuated planned obsolescence and the like? As a millennial, I'm finding myself having to learn and fix everything older then 10 years. Computer or mechanical. What happen to all this unbreakable equipment!? I know where, rusting away in land fills. And who put it there... hmmmmm could it be....SATAN! lol no, the previous generation (boomers). Hey thanks for the mess...

[@johnbennett4521]

The thought process, ingenuity, commitment here is amazing. Yep I would just pay the $30

[@winstonsmith478]

Why not make the hex portion of the 3D print the OD of the forward portion of the adapter so that it's much stronger and just use a larger socket driver? Also, from the remains after the hex portion of the 3D print broke off, it looks like the fill setting was very low. Change it to 100%.

[@MrPendell]

I think some of the commenters may have missed the point of the exercise. Waaaaaay more than $30 in time, materials, energy, and capital cost allowance on equipment spent here, even if he just reworked the 3D printed version to try to get it to function. Near as I can tell, the whole point of the exercise was to have a chance to try his printer as a pattern maker for lost wax casting, and the experiment looks mostly successful to me.

[@Nevir202]

Ah, yea that would have probably been the easiest solution..

[@Adamsadventures83]

A plastic part wouldn't hold up period, notice him using his metal cast piece in the drill on 1st gear and him having to hold the drill with both hands. That's far too much torque for crappy pla

[@littlejackalo5326]

Even at 100% fill, there's not a chance inn the world that it would hold up. Even if he offset it to print on the bias or milled it out of solid plastic, and added a fillet/radius at the transition between the hex drive and the body, it wouldn't hold up.

[@ytbandit1951]

@@MrPendell No sir. The point of the exercise was to make a monetised youtube video that gets 50k views in a week.

[@mattsan70]

True cost is the satisfaction of not being ripped off - PRICELESS!

[@Beltonius]

While I agree its a 'proprietary' interface and it was a cool project, I see a lot of benefits to the mill manufacturer from a purely technical standpoint. 1. It looks faster and cheaper to machine than either a hex or a square drive 2. Since it removes less material you can have a bigger and stronger internal thread 3. if they test these at the factory, as an automation engineer, I would rather make the machine to attach to their shaft feature than either a hex or a square 4. when the bolt draws the crank handle tight against the end of the drive shaft all play is eliminated because of the taper. This is much more secure-feeling to someone hand cranking than either of the options you proposed.

[@ricktherecorder4416]

I agree. I really don’t think the manufacturer deserves so much opprobrium. It’s (well) designed as a hand-crank. The adaptor is an afterthought, and one wonders whether the construction, bearings etc are up to the task of being thrashed by an electric motor of unspecified power.

[@recyclebills]

I've got antique grain mills and meat grinders that use that same shaft,

[@PWARHOLM]

Mechanical engineer here: My Thoughts exactly... the manufacturer is driven by the cost of the basic appliance, the adaptor is an extra, which will only be sold to a few. also, why make that tiny hex drive for the 3D print? why not make a large hex. on the outside of the main cylinder to be driven by a large socket? that way the PLA is basically as gasket between the hex socket, and the 3 sided taper...

[@PWARHOLM]

But this is still a great projekt :-)

[@Beltonius]

@@PWARHOLM Oh, most certainly

[@Z_question]

I understand the frustration when having to fabricate things to get a job done. I also understand time and cost of fabricating. I think the manufacturers price point had that in mind too. Simple solution to this one I think would be to use a Motor Arbor slide it over the shaft and lock it in place. You could even put a pully on it and add an electric motor. Belt driven grinder.

[@RaspyOB174]

I always prefer a non destructive way to accomplish a task or modification to an existing system. You always want the ability to resell or use the old handle. Plus I'm a casting junkie and this is exactly why I want to start casting. To make Perfect tools. Awesome

[@glenpaul3606]

Great to see you make the part instead of buying one. Good job

[@royfrank7101]

I have seen meat grinders use that same type of setup, it is so you can hold the handle tight with just a screwand not tighten it real tight

[@KaosArbitrium]

Quite an interesting solution. I figured you'd just take a file to both sides of the fitting and turn them into hexes what you could put a socket on.

[@pauloreyfigueiredo]

Dont Buy, Craft! my wife gets crazy when i say it but loves me when i do it. Great video, subscribed =)

[@Stetofire]

Don't buy, DIY!

[@MikeZMonroe]

- You got some casting background. Nice casting project with brass alloy. Retired from aero-engine manufacturer. I work with aero investment casting companies for 35 years. In that technology it’s all wax with ceramics shells. You did a great job! - I recently found your channel and I’ve enjoyed “every” video you’ve made. Your explanations are very easy to follow and logical. I look forward to channel

[@deltacx1059]

I want to see a harbor freight engine hooked up to that thing.

[@normanbuchanan9710]

just like most stores now sell electric hand tools separate from batteries and charger, one thing I know those people hate your guts 😂, good on you for turning the table on them I hope they watch this video and weep.😂.

[@CathyInBlue]

OR! Or, and just follow me here. That tapered triangular shaft is ALMOST a hex as is. Just disassemble the machine, truss it up in a vertical mill, and take the last 10 mm of the taper down to the same face width on six sides, leaving plenty of meat for the stock handle to grip, while allowing a properly sized hex socket to also be able to grip the last 10 mm, entirely enough for running a power drill on.

[@MLFranklin]

Or take your trusty angle grinder and a dial caliper and quick grind it into a hex. If it looks good, it is good.

[@CathyInBlue]

@@MLFranklin No. If it looks STRAIGHT, it IS straight. Unless it's that cute girl at the end of the bar you've been eyeing for a half hour, `cuz she gay. Good or not good is all in the eye of the GO-NO GO gauge.

[@lukerediger8431]

I'd just thread a bolt with a nut onto it, using the nut to lock the bolt into the threads before bottoming out. Then if the bolt ever sheared off, it's not tight in the threads, you could get it out easily with CCW drill bit. I'd probably add a pulley and belt drive to make it run really quiet... a fly wheel to help cut down vibration... and be 200 dollars into a project to save 30...

[@carlwood8498]

I have the same grain mill. I adapted a DC shunt motor to it. It was the wire feed motor from an industrial MIG welder. It has great speed regulation. With rectified 120V power the no load speed is about 100 rpm and with a high load such as grinding corn in the mill the RPMs only drop about 10 or less. You mentioned in the video that putting all the torque through a bolt is risky because it could snap off in the shaft and be a pain to get out. I agree, but that's how I did it. I drilled and tapped the output shaft of the DC motor for the same thread as the grain mill shaft and just attached the two with a stud that was much higher grade than all-thread. I've never had trouble with it. It is extremely handy to be able to just fill the hopper on the grain mill, plug it in, and walk away. Anyway, I like your solution and I agree that 30 dollar adapter is a bit of an insult.

[@cptrikester2671]

Nicely done. 👍 Many ways that this could have been done and offering any alternative methods is moot at this point. Ability to make it, is The Point.

[@WobblycogsUk]

A man after my own heart. The only thing I'd have done different is to make that hex shaft a bit larger. It looks small compared to the fitting it's attached too.

[@ronfrantzen9085]

Just cut off the end of the handle with a grinder and welded on a straight bar

[@harpitap]

Or........just buy flour

[@memyname1771]

That was my first thought. The quickest and easiest way to solve the problem, and a lot faster than modeling and 3D printing it, and then casting it in metal.

[@ramrod132]

@@harpitap That is an option, but then you lose some of the ability to control your ingredient (wheat variety, grind size, etc.) and to store it long term (flour has lots of surface area and expires).

[@godfreyjones4428]

But sometimes you do things just to do them. It also helps build skills you may need in the future.

[@fkyew]

@@godfreyjones4428 Very true indeed. I will almost always repair or make a needed part over buying new because that was how I was taught. If you can fix it, do so. The satisfaction of repair or make far outweigh replacing. There is no greater feeling than to step back and say "I made that!"

[@Vince-m2m]

Great work John, I really enjoy the casting videos

[@farmboy4189]

I love when the average person gives big corporations the middle finger.

[@farmboy4189]

@@wwbit files, sandpaper and a drill will do the same thing.

[@j.d.wilson7134]

I like the video, cool project. For anyone who is looking at buying a wheat grinder, this is why I bought the Nazco Nugget. It has a round, keyed shaft that will accept a v-belt pulley, so you can add a motor.

[@dallinhmic]

Nice job on the part. I personally think I would have put 3 bolts in a short piece of pipe equally spaced from each other(or 120 degrees) and then had a shaft welded onto the pipe itself on the center then you can just tighten the screws down to your desired diameter. I hope that makes sense.

[@stanleykeith6969]

Great Job. Could you have made a pulley to mount on the back with a set screw and use a small motor and belt set up. I know you could do it. This project was a good deal. Thanks for sharing this.

[@GunBunnyUTX]

Honestly, I think the configuration of the shaft is that way because it's cheaper to do three milling operations rather than six. Unfortunate, but not outright nefarious.

[@kazykamakaze131]

Cheaper to put a keyway in and have no extra machining needed. There's a reason nearly all motors pulley are with keyways and keys.

[@paperburn]

They copied a 1900 design and back in the day that was the high tech universal fitting

[@joshuadelisle]

This Is why I love welding. Can just tack weld a nut on. If needed can just break the tack and sand it back to normal.

[@ilikewaffles3689]

Agreed. Almost like 3d printing cuz ur adding stuff to stuff.

[@junkredo2518]

I really thought the brass was just going to sheer off like the PLA. Nice job.

[@hmtrimworks7148]

Pulley, belt & motor

[@Wrench421]

Alot if work. I've had a similar experience, just welded nut on the end of the shaft, took maybe 2 minutes

[@officer_baitlyn]

u could just make a hexagonal sleeve to go over instead of using that tiny bit at the end to transfer the torque to clarify what i mean, u could just keep the inner dimensions of the white plastic part and add an hexagonal profile on the outside u just need a large socket and there is ur problem solved at least as far as i can tell over video

[@wayneparris3439]

Or simply cut a hex on the shaft behind the handle mounting.

[@mrrberger]

I was thinking the same on viewing then considered just filling a hex socket with fibreglass filled epoxyand bolting it on once the shaft and threads are greased. Instand negative mold, no waiting for printing or melting and a now has myriad of drivers can attach to. When the machine wears it's plain bearings out, due to the high heat load from high rpm, he can remove the drive coupler, clean off the grease prior to returning it to the store for a replacement.

[@allensandven0]

This is a perfect example of wife dodging, time warping , Misappropriation of date night(s) …. Genius , absolutely the best covert man cave training I’ve found on KZbin . Love it , only watched once and will wait until 0600 to enlist training and abstract code extraction . Off line opt corn mill*

[@MrRagequitnow]

Corsair uses that tactic. Ended up with a really nice looking pc, but spent 300 USD more on Corsair crap than I planned to.

[@TnT_F0X]

I just got a universal socket that would work with that, one of those 100 spring pin things.

[@stanleydenning]

I have a 3/4" 3 jaw chuck drill that would grab right onto that shaft. No fabrication required.

[@cornrichard]

I would weld a nut to the shaft.

[@bobroberts2371]

@@cornrichard And never be able to change the auger.

[@redhawk449]

Interesting and educational approach to solving the problem. Thanks for sharing. At 1:50 there is a clear view of the shaft showing a retaining pin. A pipe that fit over the shaft with notches on one end to fit the pin and a hex bolt welded to the other may work. A lock screw could be added to secure the pipe to the shaft. Of course I don’t have access to a foundry.

[@scandalon]

Satisfaction of not succumbing to corporate greed: Priceless.

[@eclecticneophyte2581]

Nicely done, great video. I'm always interested in ways to be self sufficient (as much as possible), building rather than buying. Adapting this idea further into a drive pulley to attach to a fixed electric motor (not a cordless drill) seems a logical next step... :)

[@Jiggledance]

"I'll do an awful lot of work to not have to." I can't stop laughing.

[@hardrock1826]

There is a socket that you can buy. It has steel pins in it that collapse and it conforms to different shapes, allowing you to tighten or loosen a fastener. You can have a socket extension and can fit a drill to that. It may work. When I bought my tool that does that, it came with the socket wrench but that you won't need. It works and is designed to accommodate damaged heads on bolts, etc.

[@Pwn3dbyth3n00b]

"I'm not going to tell you the brand but you can figure it out if you really wanted to" *Literally 1 minute later* *Pulls up Amazon page for a Wondermill Wonder Junior Drill Bit adapter* Lol the subtle avoiding lawsuits while still calling out the company.

[@harmonic5107]

@@elypowell6797 I think you misunderstood what they were saying. They were commenting about how much trouble youtubers have to go through to be able to call out companies like this without having their videos taken down. We're all on the same side for this one, hate it when companies do this crap. Apple being particularly bad. Can't wait for them to come up with their own bluetooth standard so people are forced to buy airpods.

[@littlejackalo5326]

There's nothing sue worthy. It's just purple with little law knowledge that think they would get sued, that causes this perpetuation of the "I'm not saying the company name because I don't want to get sued" myth. They may have lawyers send lets, but there would never be an actual court case. They send those letters because they know people will fold and comply.

[@labrat7357]

That is a great result. I would like to have seen the cast hex bar at 1/2" size., that will still fit in a drill and help stand up to that big load.

[@marcusjenkins]

I would like to see a modified 3D model that, instead of having a little hex shaft, put a big hex on the large O/D. That would fit into a large, steel, hex socket and, with adaptors that I'm sure you have, you could then drive it with your drill.

[@pellabandgeek]

His was hollow too. What was he thinking? Of course it will break!

[@Scott_C]

Salvaged motor and an old bike chain, with a salvaged cog would have worked too. But I love lost PLA casting especially when the results are so satisfying. Bravo.

[@alexparadi522]

Why wouldn't you just grind the shaft into a different shape? Or could you have modified the handle so that it was just a collar where the outside was a hex/square?

[@ats440you]

You are right. He has a lathe, and the shaft or another crank could easily be modified with a lot less work .

[@MrTarfu]

@@ats440you how much work was this really? He is already set up for this type of casting. It takes some time but not much work. The part was already modeled for him so its just waiting for it to print, playing with a little wax then waiting for the plaster to cure, waiting for the plastic and wax to burn out while waiting for the metal to heat up. Really the only "work" is at the end cleaning up the part. The rest is just wait time where you can do other stuff.

[@alexparadi522]

@@MrTarfu A lot more than taking that shaft to a grinder and making it a hex I'd wager :) Though his solutions means the hand crank is still usable should he want. His solution is also more fun to do :)

[@johnm840]

It works, so well done. I was thinking just a bore to fit shaft and a couple cross holes with set screws to engage flats.

[@AlexDeGruven]

I feel like this has Right to Repair implications, as well. They make a proprietary setup, fine. The part isn't that expensive. But what happens if/when that company decides to stop making that part, for whatever reason. Under current laws, without R2R, they could sue someone for making that part for others.

[@FarmCraft101]

I hadn't thought of that. That's ridiculous.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

Yep.

[@bobroberts2371]

Oh, here we go, sue everyone because I don't understand the engineering behind this shaft / crank. This isn't even remotely a right to repair issue. I'm betting some would cry that since a CPU fan maker won't sell me bearings they need to be sued because they are restricting my right to repair.

[@AlexDeGruven]

@@bobroberts2371 try actually reading my comment? I in no way suggested consumers sue the manufacturer. I said a manufacturer could sue someone for making the part for others after they have stopped.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

@@bobroberts2371 Here, sir, the dumbass certificate you requested.

[@richardclifton4120]

I read your extended explanation in the description at the top and agree with it. You can't satisfy everyone, but you can get satisfaction out of beating them out of an intentional design failure just to make you buy their adapter. You know, I don't have all the machinery you have but have managed over the years to make adapters that fix manufacturers' flaws in the design with some basic hand and power tools. I do enjoy watching channels like yours, so keep it up. What bothers me more than anything else is that most people do not think it can be done better. It must be good when it comes in a nice package, right? Failure in design only makes more profit, but it doesn't make for long-term return customers, at least in my case. I have bought coffee pots that didn't last 2 days, and guess what, I don't buy their brand any longer. If it doesn't work or breaks, I can just throw it away and buy another, right? There appears to be no incentive left to be self-sufficient anymore or do repairs on anything. I actually enjoy coming up with solutions to make broken things work as designed or better. I'll take analog over digital any day because it can be fixed easily. I still have two old analog TVs, just in case of an EMP attack fries all circuit boards in modern equipment, and only analog broadcasts are made available in this country. If that never happens, then I have two antiques to sell to a collector in my old age. I also think Japanese-made products are heads and tails above anything made in China, Mexico, Bangladesh, or Korea so I am not against importing well-made products but avoid communist-made products as much as possible. We all know who they are but some just don't let it register. I have a Toyota that is 26 years old and has almost 200,000 miles on it and has yet to give me a mechanical issue. I also have a Chevy and Ford that give me nothing but problems and have half the mileage, but I try to buy American too. I am just not in a hurry to buy the same name brand that gives me trouble again as a replacement. I'm not bitter towards those who can't see solutions or even consider there may be alternatives. I do worry about our future as a country when so many rely on China to do it all for them. China does know how to steal intellectual property though and sell it back to us and make a profit. So good for them, bad for us.

[@americanschweitzer45]

I absolutely love watching the Things you building! The knowledge but yet experimentation that you use and have are awesome!

[@james_robnett]

Nicely done. Unless I have something else I have to do I consider my time my own and therefore free. If I actually enjoy what I'm doing I figure I'm getting paid so making something in the shop rather than buying it is both cheaper and more fun, regardless of how long it takes. I had to raise some beams ( 3 beams each 22' long, 8" x 8", still a bit wet so just under 400lbs each) and due to the joinery I had to have them suspended and then join them in air and lower them in place. 6 block and tackle capable of carrying them was going to cost over $1000. Glued up some 3/4:" baltic birch to make wheels, then cut steel housings and made 6 sets of double sheave block and tackle with 4:1 advantage. Fun to do, cheap to make and very satisfying. Majority of the cost was the rope.

[@YoutubeAccountName]

Uses copper -> Metal: Free Only in "people give me metal for free and I don't know what to do with it" world.

[@watcherofwatchers]

Or, you know, if you save, collect, and recycle metal like he does. I also have a pile of trash metal that would have been more than enough for this project.

[@kurtspann442]

I love how you did this. I would be the exact same way. Just 5 bucks is not what you truly had in it. I mean how much was the lathe, the furnace, the belt sander. These all have a cost. Excellent work on the final piece

[@spud4ever290]

Actually , I'm kind of surprised and somwwhat disappointed that you didn't connect a electric motor via a step-down 10/1 gear transmission (and cast and machine the gears and transmission housing yourself - not really that much harder).

[@FarmCraft101]

Hahaha! And I thought I over-did it!

[@cvabds]

@@FarmCraft101 overengineering is always th solution

[@spud4ever290]

@@FarmCraft101 But of course (learned that from your videos - who else would make a 10,000 piece wooden donut ?)!!! 😉👍🇺🇸 Have a Happy 4th , my friend !!!

[@vtkruza4733]

My mother told me a saying she learned during the depression when she was a child, Make it work, wear it out, make it do , or do without. Good for you beating them at there on game

[@HorochovPL]

6:30 Nice, was this scale recommended to You by This Old Tony?

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

LOL. Different model :-)

[@OldManShorty]

I applaud the efforts I think it is a great way to incorporate multiple hobbies into a practical and functional use. I have just started 3d printing to make molds for sand castings. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing

[@watcherofwatchers]

And now the reason for the videos about casting from PLA comes into sharp focus. Lol

[@FarmCraft101]

;-) 1 idea of many. More to come!

[@DuckyHunter812]

Plenty of room for a pulley. Another option would have been to turn the shaft to half inch to go directly in the drill chuck. But i get it, casting is fun! Great video.

[@sagopalm279]

Pee pee poo poo

[@onionhead5780]

My message would be to not purchase their product.

[@purplehayes5718]

To me, you are sending the wrong message, a message of "this is hard to do".

[@purplehayes5718]

@@elypowell6797 Actually I'm 74 years old have 3 patents in my name, owned my own business have worked for other companies as a mechanical engineering consultant (now retired). And my mother lived with me until she passed away one month before her 102 birthday. I have never drink any alcohol, I never smoked and have never taken any drugs unless they were subscribed by my Dr. And you are wrong I think fixing the problem was simple, he just made it 100 times harder than it needed to be. And if you would have been smart enough to read down to my next post instead of making a stupid comment you would have known that. By the way, my condolences to your mother, I'm sure it's not her fault.

[@bobroberts2371]

What sort of shaft / handle do any of you propose that does not increase the cost of manufacture for a hand crank mill? And don't say " something different " , that is like saying " re imagine the police "

[@purplehayes5718]

@@bobroberts2371 Bob I already explained how to make a shaft for this grinder in minutes using a bolt nut and a lathe or grinder. What is your big malfunction? Do you really not get it?

[@222packrat]

If your design for the 3D printed adapter had a 1" hexagon on the back which would then be driven by a 1" 6 point socket then I bet it would have been strong enough. Another design the outside of your adapter could have a hex shape and then the entire adapter would fit into and be turned by a large 6 point socket. Also there are stronger plastics which some 3d printer can print.. Might be enough here for a follow up video.

[@comradezoned]

You probably have been told this a few times, but that PLA part would have survived much more torque if it weren't hollow. In addition, increasing the diameter of the hex shaft would also have a great effect on rigidity. Regardless, anisotropy played the biggest part in the failure of the printed component, indicated by the fracture being coplanar with the printed layers. You could have considered printing at an angle, making it where the torsional stress is perpendicular to the printed layers. (I'm not dissing your work - Just pointing it out for anyone with less tools on hand that could benefit with the information)

[@wisnoskij]

I did something similar for my flour mill. But instead of all the casting work I just heated up a steel nut of about the right size to bright red and then hammered that shaft into the hole. Then I wanted it connected to an electric motor, so I connected the nut to a pulley, and the oridinal bold backing that held the handle on holdes the pulley on now.

[@pmonk1487]

Not that it's much cheaper, but would a "universal" socket work?

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

I filed a hardwood spindle on my self-made apple cider press recently. All that's needed to make that spindle accept a socket is a decent file. Just be slow at the final filing and keep checking the socket fit. 4 sides are plenty. Your eyes see straight and 90°. Make a small, smooth radius around each edge. Done. One hand tool required, and care and a few hours time. That's a nice adapter too tho.

[@johnclarke6647]

That odd shaped shaft was probably the dream child of marketing and accounting. I think the scheme is called horizontal sales or something like that. I believe my DeWalt drill would fit on it, as it is, because the chuck should grab on the flat side without slipping to much. I am sure not going to melt copper just to make an arbor for that grain grinder.

[@darinwilton9122]

absolutely awesome. i can't stand when companies do that either. i just wish more of us had the knowledge and tools to do that too

[@reneemills-mistretta790]

LOL Great hack!! I too am sick of their greedy rip offs!! We have a small farm, I've since learned to blacksmith and I now can fabricate quite a lot of parts and repairs. Anything beyond that i made a homemade foundry to pour steel or aluminum into a sand mold I make then just pour it, grind it to shape and polish it to a brand new appearance in which it is. Salute to the DIY hackers!!

[@tapantera]

"I'll do an awful lot of work to not have to" :D Respect! Tapers do have nice fit and wear characteristics...

[@n-steam]

Learning to make something is far better than buying it. Even if your first ones are crap. You can use this until it breaks, and then you make a better one. You could also use this method to make a fitting chain/belt wheel adapter (secured by bolting it onto the thread), and fitting a "permanent" motor to drive it. That drill seemed to barely provide enough torque.

[@MARKE911]

Find someone throwing out an old treadmill take it apart. Due the variable speed controller and the 90 volt DC Motor get a pulley and 💥 you got a motorized grain mill. The greatest part is the DC motor stays consistent with resistance. I did exactly the same thing for making corn flower and crushed corn for animal feed.

[@althomas6496]

It made that way for strength and tapered for ease of removal, I collect and sell antique versions of your grinder for extra money, they all have that system of holding on the handle or something similar, many of them are over 100 years old.

[@benjaminshropshire2900]

I have a hand crank meat grinder that is likely older than I am that uses the same class of attachment for it's handle. I don't know if there are standards for that, but it's not an idea unique to that brand. I think the reason that format is used is that it removes the slop without needing to be finely machined. A straight sided hex would wobble if it has any clearance at all and a tapered hex (which could interface with a socket) would probably not work as well (too many points of contact so who knows which ones will actually touch).

[@johnanthony2545]

We all don’t have smelting equipment but I can make this work with stainless steel and a welder to produce the same adaptor. Many ways to get around BS that confronts you. Good vid.

[@chrisbraid2907]

Bore a piece of steel 3x the shaft diameter, twice the length of the exposed shaft, turn one end down to fit your chuck, bore the other end to a sliding fit on the shaft and drill a hole through the steel and shaft to take another small roll pin and there you have it, quick and no casting and when you remove the pin then you can still refit the handle … you could also file a hex on the turned down end for secure chucking …

[@garyhead1561]

What you do is get a socket big enough to fit around the shaft with a little bit of room, coat the shaft in vaseline or silicone, plug the threaded part of the shaft, fill the socket with jb weld or the like and make an impression of the the shaft in the epoxy. Now you have a socket that can be chucked in a drill.

[@natemaia9237]

The triangle milling into the shaft is standard with most (if not all) hand crank mills. I've got a completely different mill and it's the same profile. If you have a 3/4 drill it will be able to bite it as all chucks are 3-point.

[@zdcyclops1lickley190]

Change the shaft with a rotary tool and a grinding bit. Use a drill with a chuck big enough to fit the shaft. Fa pully to the shaft that you modified, Mount any size and speed motor, Mill your grain at 2 tons per second. You could make a lot of bread selling custom adapters for this POC grain mill.

[@thesawdustfactory]

Great solution and a wonderful chance to improve your (already impressive) casting skills. Thanks for sharing!

[@mnoxman]

That tri-lobe on a taper is very old. I remember grinding meat as a kid on my aunts farm in the 70s. That was the crank handle back then. I think the grinder was from the 50s. I think it might be more 'tradition' than malice. Keep in mind that the wholesale cost of that is probably around 6-7 if it is made in the usa and 0.6-0.7 if made by slave labor some place else. You could have put all rod in, put a nut down then a coupler down on that threaded piece. With the all-rod and the nut if it snapped off at the coupler you'd still have chance of getting the rod out.

[@turtlebro4498]

That seems like a great solution. I was thinking you were going to use a flywheel, cut out the groove onto it so that you can secure it and mount a motor and belt to the side of it so that you can press a button and it starts grinding.

[@Varietech-AU]

You are not only saving $30 but you're are making a product worth over $50 made of the quality of metal plus you able to pass the message to the company who are taking advantage of its proprietary adaptor price gouging. That's why I subscribed to your channel because of your ability to demonstrate how to cast metal out of 3D print and make metal parts out of it. Well done! VARIETECH

[@joewoodchuck3824]

The plastic piece was still good when the shaft broke off. Make an aluminum bar to allow two screws, one on each end to anchor the bar. They could be long enough to pass through and attach nuts, or just deep enough to thread the plastic. I'd like to see 10-32 or M5, but smaller if you had to. The center of the bar would have a hole in the center for a bolt that will fit your chuck. Keep the bolt really tight with washers and double nuts so it won't spin in the bar.

[@brentbosworth8845]

Just another thought. If you never intend to crank it by hand ever again, you could have put a bolt into the end of the shaft to use as a guide then just carefully grind back that hex ( using the 3 flats already there) from the bolt enough to use a drill directly on the shaft. Then just remove the bolt if you want to and attach the drill. OR take the taper out of the 3 flats ( making it parallel with the shaft) and attach the drill.

[@swedishpsychopath8795]

It won't work. Trust me, I'm an engineer.

[@brentbosworth8845]

@@swedishpsychopath8795 HA most engineers are a joke to me.

[@swedishpsychopath8795]

@@brentbosworth8845 No need to feel intimidated just because I have the formal education to know stuff and be able to tell you how stuff works. I'm sure you know some useful stuff too, even though you have no education. Heck, I'll let you paint my house the next time it needs painting just so you can experience the feeling of contributing to society, probably for the first time in your life?

[@dwayneburbridge3283]

Nice project with many applications across other specialties. Thanks!

[@benhowe5506]

You had me at "working on my Johnson" I'm now a subscriber and love your content and attitude sir. Cheers

[@michaelmolter8828]

Credit to the engineer that designed it, the trilobe keeps the handle from slipping, and the taper can be snugged up to make the handle feel rigidly attached to the shaft. Kind of nice for the intended application.