Sky Top Shop

NEW TOOL ALERT! 4-axis CNC mill

I have dreamed about owning one of these machines for a LONG time and I am super excited about future projects incorporating its capabilities. The STEEP learning curve begins now but I am looking forward to the process. This machine greatly extends our current 3D printing and scanning capabilities.

Tormach 1100MX CNC mill installed! Tormach MX1100 CNC mill installed and operational! Now the STEEP l...

See you in Las Vegas this November 😜

Tasty 😜

Chris Harris on Cars: Ford Mustang GTD on road and track Yes, it's a year late, but then the best things come to those who wait! A HUGE thank you to Neil Carey and Grip for helping here.

NEW TOOL ALERT redux. Mag (magnetic) drill and a set of annular cutters. I put the replacement drill from Amazon to the test today. Everything worked as it should. The cutter drilled perfectly round 9/16” holes in both single and double layers of 3/8” thick steel.

The vise now has a new mounting location on the recently shortened work bench.

My only complaint about the drill is the placement of the switches. It is VERY easy to accidentally press the switch to reverse the motor rotation instead of the power switch. I believe this is what may have damaged the first drill. I will have to be extra careful in the future to not press the wrong switch. 🤦🏻‍♂️

NEW TOOL ALERT - I have been looking for a better band saw for the shop for a long time. One of my saved searches paid off recently and I was able to buy a used saw with all the features I wanted for a fraction of the price of new saw.
This saw has two speeds, has a coolant system and also makes miter cuts without having to relocate the stock.
- It was filthy dirty and needed a few repairs. With a ton of elbow grease it’s looking much better now.
- I removed about 10 pounds of metal shavings from the coolant tank.
- I added casters / levelers to the stand.
- I was able to fix everything with one exception. It’s a cast part. I am still deliberating if I should attempt to weld a repair.

The sample cuts I have made justify everything…
- It’s quick.
- It cuts very accurately & repeatably.
- It doesn’t heat up the stock.