Lucas Horizontal Boring Mill Restoration: Scraping the Table Flat

[@russromito4903]

I worked at Lucas Machine from 1977 to 1990 as a Machine Tool Builder.

[@tnekkc]

Got a Christmas card from VintageMachinery. That is the ONLY Christmas card I got. Merry Christmas.

[@Revilo0o]

Exciting to hear a mention of the stoker engine!

[@mrcpu9999]

I think I was born too late. Love this.

[@LanceMcGrew]

I'm a retired machinist of 46+ years knowing these procedures existed but until now had never seen done. Thank you for documenting.

[@iTeerRex]

Lol and glad only once was enough.

[@oddwad6290]

We've lost so many old timers over each generation , and taking many hard won skills with them . Enjoy your videos showing how it was done starting long ago and for a very long time . Very valuable .

[@wesleymonske8103]

Knowledge is KING .

[@tomsing6384]

@@wesleymonske8103 Love is the THING.

[@garytotty3971]

I learned the black art from old Germans and Dutchmen. They would never be caught with a Bix or a carbide tipped scraper in their hands. Myself, I preferred carbide, but always finished out with a carbon steel scraper (usually the last four or five passes when we are splitting the dots). Most guys hated the job, but I loved to scrape and cut surface plates. It took me several years to just learn to read the dots (if done right will really save a lot of time). Those old men would have had a stroke watching me with an electric scraper. My chips were often smoking

[@kevinreardon2558]

Have a Joyous New Year!

[@bobthomas9525]

Merry Christmas.

[@fiorevitola880]

Keith: Your certainly a one-man show, be safe and good luck.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

The little gems that come out in casual talk, Windex by the barrel... Another informative video, thank you Keith

[@ronaldbollinger440]

Merry Christmas,

[@floridaflywheelersantiquee7578]

Thanks Keith hope you had a Happy Christmas

[@907jl]

Wow, the grinder did an amazing job on the table. That sucker is flat! I hope I don't offend, but I'd like to offer a bit of rigging safety advice. I really wish that you would stop the practice of passing the webbing of your endless slings through the shackle/hook on your chain fall. I know it's quick and convenient, but there is nothing there to prevent a shift in the COG of the load from causing the webbing to simply slide through the shackle/hook and upend the load in an instant. Best practice is have an eye at both ends of the lifting sling, so they are permanently trapped in the shackle so your load can't flip, no matter what. I know it's picking nits, and I know you've gotten away with it for years, but it's a really bad practice, and especially so if you are alone in the shop. I've been working with overhead loads all my life, and it just makes me cringe every time I see such things on youtube. That said, I really enjoy your channel, and hope this is received in the spirit it was given.

[@oddwad6290]

Nice smart comment . Well done .

[@samrodian919]

That sir is sound advice and not nit picking in the least. If that table goes south, east or west it's gonna hurt big time!

[@paulhunt598]

I value this comment too. I have rigged part time for 40 years and seldom considered your concern. I intend to heed your advice. I have a 3T gantry with chain fall set up very similar to Keith's in my hobby shop. I work mostly alone. The chain fall operator chain is prone to catch on the loads unlike a hoist that stores its surplus chain in a bag. I didn't expect that issue when I set up my hobby shop. That chain grab can happen suddenly. Doing his demonstrated operation could easily prompt the load shift that you warn about. Retired tradesman are still inexperienced enough to need additional training. I had a seemingly endless supply of one time use straps. A vendor shipped precut stock with a new strap on every piece delivery. The lathe operator collected them. I cleared out his matched inventory giving dozens of them to my boys. I assumed that I would stock up for myself, but suddenly decided to retire. I have a large inventory of mismatched straps and slings. I regret giving away those straps to the boys. Now I will have to buy my own!

[@wesleymonske8103]

Happy Holidays , best wishes and more blessings .

[@patrickcolahan7499]

The surface turned out extremely well. I have to admit, the scraped pattern has a great look to it. Thanks very much for sharing.

[@garytotty3971]

there is a gauge used to judge the quality of a scrape job (assuming that everything is flat and all angles are brought together well). It's really nothing but a piece of .03" or .06" gauge stock that is roughly 2 inch square. The center will have a one square cut out.. You lay it on the surface about count the dots. A machine way should be between 15 to 18 dots, but not all dots count. Your looking for foot ball shaped dots that are about 3/16" x .10". Round ones under .125" don't count, and anything bigger than .25" means you're not done. Holes in the pattern also say you are not done. When you start seeing a majority of small foot ball shaped dots, then it's time to start picking. This is also the time your reading skills jump out at you. You don't cut anything out, but you learn to split the dots and even then not every dot gets cut. That's also when that forged carbon scrapers jumps to the top of the list. Lastly; it's an unwritten rule that you never ever touch a scraped surface with your bare fingers. If someone does this, you'll see it on your next cut.

[@jeffreysmith8735]

Outstanding! I would look like a smurf for sure with all that ink around.

[@keithwelton]

As a retired U.K. Toolmaker I found alcohol to be the best Granite surface plate cleaner. It enables height gauges etc to glide across the surface friction free.

[@curtisowens7834]

Thanks for the videos, Keith. They are calm and relaxing and they remind of years ago watching Bob Vila with my dad. You and others inspired me to get my own machines. Not much, but a Clausing 8520 and a 14x42 Logan. I wouldn’t have been able to work with them hadn’t not been for your videos.

[@willybeeish]

Hi Keith Hope you all had a Happy Christmas and you escaped the storm. Can I mention a tip for cleaning surfaces. I have used towelling, cotton rag, paper towels etc and they all leave residue however slight. I use freshly home laundered MicroFibre cloths (a clean one for each job - wash and come again). The surface wiped is microscopically clear of debris or residue. The slight charge induced by wiping and rubbing attracts atmospheric dust to the microfibre and leaves surfaces pristine. Happy New Year - Bill B - from a dust free UK!!

[@iantaylor5579]

Bill, where do you buy your microfibre from in the U.K?

[@williamburrows2755]

@@iantaylor5579 Hi Ian. Amazon have a good selection here. Bill B

[@petegraham1458]

Wow ! I am impressed with the quality of the grinding on the table.

[@k4x4map46]

Yaaaay Jimmy back in the house!! Well soon; not sure why I'm so attached to that bandsaw!! lol best of health to ya!!

[@Dudleymiddleton]

Even with a power assisted scraping machine, that took some patience and concentration to achieve - as well as a bit of back-ache shouting it's way into the mix! Just imagine if it had to be hand scraped using the manual tools - back in the day! Nicely done, Keith, hope you and all are having a good Christmas so far!

[@tsmartin]

It makes one wonder if the initial process could be automated in some fashion.

[@hectorpascal]

@@tsmartin Exactly my thoughts, with laser scanning to identify the high spots and report back a map of the surface irregularities? 🤔 I guess such a system MUST exist nowadays?

[@garytotty3971]

there some tricks to scraping with a power scraper. First of all keep adjusting the hight till you get comfortable. Then measure that hight and write it down. Another guy will be different. The bad ones are the ones you have reach way out there, or scrape from an odd angle. Usually vertical. Dove tails can be a pain, and you always get busted knuckles. Forget the power scraper as it's too hard to control at angles. Gibs are easy once you figure out how to hold it in place. Most good men don't use a power scraper, and will not work with somebody using one. I can do either, but always finish with a hand scraper. The thing about a power scraper is you must learn to control the way you scrape first. You cut in a small circular pattern keeping the blade moving in one direction. I go right to left while reaching further out all the time. I practiced on an old 12" x 18" cast iron plate till I got the knack. Once you got it the rest is easy

[@homeryoung7436]

Good to see you. Hoping your health issues have been resolved and that you had a good Christmas

[@Tadesan]

What a massive job!!

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful work! Trust but verify.

[@kevinstallard7437]

I know it had to be done, but my heart sank when you made the first pass.

[@jimneely4527]

I wondered what happened with the Jimmy Diresta band saw. Now I know that it is waiting it's turn to get finished. Thanks for sharing.

[@kentuckytrapper780]

Excellent video Keith, keep'um coming..

[@bagherdaneshnessian]

Hi Keith, I'm one of your followers and fans, You are alone at your shop! I can be your help, if you want ;) Thanks for you great videos And merry Christmas

[@GeorgeWMays]

Wow, that turned out nicely. One of your Christmas presents to yourself.... 🙂

[@leeklemetti1887]

A great result! My only suggestion is: Hire a gorilla to move the table over the surface plate. Save your back.

[@cm5838]

I have been watching yours and others videos related to machining and repairing machining equipment for some time now. I have a need for a lathe and mill but my budget says I’m gonna be buying machines that need a lot of work. Granted I don’t need such a large mill but still this looks very intimidating trying to overhaul old precision machines. This coming from a guy that takes abandoned atv’s sometimes from swamps and puts them back into service. It still scares the hell out of me spending a couple thousand on a machine knowing I might ruin it with my inexperience.

[@kevinwayne7546]

Great job!

[@garthbutton699]

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year and speedy recovery,thanks for your efforts🤗😎🤗😎

[@chadgdry3938]

choosing flat is a rabbit hole

[@geoffhayes905]

Just a little suggestion. You could have turned your aframe 90° to the way you used it and only relied on your beam trolly to move plate to table. Less moving parts and easier to control. The eyebolts you used we are not allowed to use at that angle I would suggest swivel eyeballs. Safer and takes much steeper lifting angles without the possibility of shearing the shank at that angle. Love your videos.

[@catfishgray3696]

GET WELL SOON, GREAT JOB, GREAT VIDEO...

[@blacksiddha]

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and your family Keith. Thank you for a great entertaining and informative 2022. All the best for 2023 from New Zealand

[@paulkinzer7661]

Another video teaching me about something I didn't know a thing about. Thanks, Keith! And thanks for talking about using you hands for both cleaning and sensing how clean things are. Our bare hands are fantastic tools for both, and they clean up pretty easily, too! We can feel differences as small as 10 BILLIONTHS of a meter with our fingers! We don't usually need that kind of sensitivity, but what better place than with something like this?

[@CraigLYoung]

Watching you stone the table, all I could think of was "Wax on, Wax off." Merry Christmas 🎅

[@kitmaira]

I’d hate to have that monster fall on me. Stay safe, and I hope you had a great Christmas!

[@melshea2276]

Merry Christmas!👍✌️

[@WilliamTMusil]

Hiya Keith

[@Blazer02LS]

Love that windex story. I know of a few companies that do similar. Chicago Pneumatic used to take Marvel Mystery oil and repack it as air tool oil for themselves as well as the companies they made tools for, like Sears and Snap-On. When the plant in Utica was shutting down they were tossing out inventory like crazy. I got a full set of air tools and a few cases of oil in Sears tins.

[@oleran4569]

Good job Keith! Hope your holidays are great!

[@lecnac855]

Looks great and I would buy it.well done.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Merry Christmas Keith, Nice job .

[@clinto.dasecke3172]

Happy new year Keith love the videos

[@dingui875]

Joyeuses fêtes de fin d'année à toi!!!!

[@bernardwill7196]

Merry Christmas

[@aserta]

Scraping produces such pretty surfaces.

[@thefirstcalled]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

[@andrewhorsburgh2549]

Happy holidays from New Zealand 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@randyboldt603]

Hope you had Marry Christmas also that your New Year be better

[@geraldharkness8830]

well done keith great job that plate was sure heavy!

[@SgtCude59]

Great video

[@robertrousseau5264]

Keep I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I know you were saying you going to have surgery so I hope you get well soon and have some great videos this was a good one as always all right this is Bob from Vero Beach Florida God bless and have a great day

[@russb7432]

Always get the impression that scraping is done just because people like to do it and not because it's necessary in many cases.

[@wesbiglin4845]

did you check the tabletop to be parallel with the bottom ways after scraping? I know it was ground, but was the table checked to the bottom way after grinding?? It is critical that the top of the saddle is parallel to the bottom saddle ways and the same with the table, ways and table top must be parallel, if that was accomplished in grinding, no worries, great video, lots and lots of work!!!

[@pmsteamrailroading]

Enjoyable as ever.

[@tomrobertson3236]

As a widow cleaner windex is my last choice But for you , move your towel only one way Doing a circle motion picks up debris but the dumps it out on the back stroke. Glass plus is a better choice for windows

[@cyclebuster]

Good to see you up and about, cant wait for the next project. will you leave the lead on and try to get some orders? that isnt the only orphan out there needing gears

[@groopmmex]

Super!

[@SciPunk215]

You seem to get a similar binding effect between the two surfaces as you do with precision gage blocks.

[@6NBERLS]

Most excellent.

[@trebuchetsupportsquad7909]

Very cool!

[@carlbyington5185]

Very cool

[@bigun447]

Fantastic!

[@robertwilliamson8072]

Keith definitely likes scraping flats. I heard him say he needs the boring mill for the Diresta Band Saw restoration. I was thinking he might use it to spin the wheels for truing them up but now, with all this scraping, I'm not sure anymore. Oh well. I'll just exercise my patience. It could use a workout anyway.

[@edwinfriedl2446]

also a Merry Christmas to you. It does seem counterintuitive to scrape a ground surface. How do you know the scraped surface remains parallel to the other side?

[@russkepler]

Not Keith but 2 things help to keep the parallelism. First, you're scraping equally across the table, so the high points should remain to describe a plane parallel to the opposite surface. Secondly, scraping might remove .0001 in a pass so a single pass isn't going to change things a lot. You'd have to take a bunch of passes to change things across a table that size.

[@edwinfriedl2446]

@@russkepler Thank you, so the changes are negligible.

[@littleworkshopofhorrors2395]

Had you thought to check with blue before all that scraping?

[@russkepler]

I think the blue would make the table stick to the surface plate pretty good. I've done that with a little ground fitter's rule that was 18x4 and it stuck to the plate badly enough that it had to be slid sideways off the plate. When things are flat you can feel the air between surfaces until it squeezes out.

[@kindabluejazz]

I think he trusted that the grinding service did their job. Likely they have validation equipment of much higher precision than what Keith has, and likely they certified their work. And as mentioned, it would be very difficult to move or get the pieces apart due to stiction or 'wringing'.

[@JaapGrootveld]

@@kindabluejazz I agree.There was no need at al, to scrape that table.

[@kindabluejazz]

@@JaapGrootveld His reasons for scraping had nothing to do with making it flat - he explains why he did it in the video. You of course are free to do whatever you prefer for your own equipment.

[@dhamps10]

I have learned a lot about scraping from you. Is there a "working" time for the blueing compound, and how do clean off the blueing?

[@royreynolds108]

Go up to his name above the 224K number and click on this to go to his channel index. There look for the videos about scraping or any other subject of interest. This is the best way I can tell you how to find them.

[@robertpoulston8342]

Hello Keith, I love all your scraping Content . Where can I find a small hand scraper?

[@billmckillip1561]

Is that the heaviest blued piece so far?

[@zacgougeon6496]

My boss using hand sanitizer for surface plate cleaner boy I was surprised how good it works

[@Drottninggatan2017]

One can imagine that with such a large surface and being flat it was floating on top of the ink. What showed up was inconsistencies in the thickness of the ink layer.

[@polakis1975]

That spray mechanism is suffering..😂 Happy holidays!

[@Dan-wt7jx]

You need a powered hoist for your gantry to get that chain out of the way.

[@roberttolliver5430]

When are you going to start your new shop that place is looking kind of crowded 😂

[@charlesrjellison1265]

SEASON’S GREETINGS TO ALL! crj.

[@kindabluejazz]

I think this is the first confirmation that the Diresta saw is still a work in progress. I was concerned that it was deemed unfixable or Jimmy took in back.

[@RobertKohut]

Precision is as precision does... 🙂

[@broggyr]

I was gonna ask what happened to the bandsaw restoration :D

[@steptool1]

Nice!!!

[@priority2]

Wow! Excellent video Keith. Did I miss how much it weighed? Curious to know. Thanks for sharing your extensive knowledge❤

[@nevetslleksah]

0.255 lbs per cubic inch, I am going to guess 800 to 1000 pounds.

[@PG-ku9qd]

First! Love the channel, Keith!

[@charliemacrae1045]

Hard work!!

[@richardsurber8226]

yes that is a good illustration of the benefits of a scraped surface for purpose of a flat (bearing) surface

[@Sizukun1]

I'm sure it'd be a specialized piece of equipment, but for spreading that much ink across such a large surface, would a small "paint sprayer" be better than the paint roller? One of those hobby sized air brushes just to spread it thin and faster than a roller.

[@rlferv]

Man that was a lot on the one eye bolt when you were flipping it over. There are clinch marks on my couch cushion.

[@truckguy6666]

Where is Gorbel with a jib crane for this guy?? Really dropping the ball, gorbel.

[@W4BIN]

Please mount your MIC higher at the top of your apron to minimize brushing against it. Ron W4BIN

[@davekummer6587]

yes not good for headphone user

[@JFirn86Q]

he lowered the volume on purpose, because the scraper is loud

[@mjkaras]

Keith, The audio quality in this video was lower that the usual quality that you produce. It seems that your microphone was just not picking up much audio volume.

[@philliumo]

I couldn't really understand the explanation over the sound of the scraper, what is the purpose of this?

[@lakehunter48p55]

it would be interesting to look thru microscope for scraping metal in blueing. Looks like a time consuming job, but now you know for sure- its flat. Gonna put a electric wench on gantry??

[@perpetualmotion1]

I was about to call b.s. on the necessity of scraping it until you said it is a matter of personal preference near the end. Looks nice, serves no practical function even as a reference surface, the granite plate isn't scraped before use for bluing.

[@JaapGrootveld]

There is a difference between wanting to scrape your table and having to scrape your table.

[@tommyhartman]

That has to be task that you want to put off a long as possible.

[@curtisvonepp4335]

your over laying where you just went to many times peak out your scrapping a bit more the two slots in the table cut two hard wod boards to fit tight and flush with the top so your scrPer glides over smoothly. 🧐

[@edconway9072]

Great video. 🤠👌🤡👍🏻,Hoot