Technical Having a lathe is a bad thing

Because…..you make stupid sh!t that nobody else on earth would consider.

After an unproductive search for a temperature sensor to work with my stock 50 Pontiac gauge and the small block heads…well, the lathe. So I turned down the stock sending unit and removed all threads to 16mm. The bored a 3/8 fnpt to 1/4 mnpt to 16.2mm. Faced it down to have 8mm of engagement to maximize the sensor protrustion. Turned the hex off the sensor and soldered it together. Pressure tested under water at 60 psi. Finally I have a gauge that works.

 

Yeah, that's what happens.

Good job.

 

Where there’s a will , there’s a lathe !!

 

Nice job! no disappointing trips to the store, just make it happen

 

I really need to get my Southbend set up! I keep seeing lathe related posts pop up and I just need to make it happen. Space is so tight in the garage I need to figure out how to fit it in…

 

When I had my shop in Queens, NY I but my First Electric
Welder Wow I was welding all kinds of thing's,
When I seen the Title of your Page it Reminded of my welder!
I made a who se what is it & it was about 3 Ft high I Spray flat
Black & put it in Front of my Shop which was on a Main Drag
and some guy made me a offer I could not Refuse!

Just my 3.5 cents


Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Golden!

 

I'm impressed. Never could do something like that with my lathe. Admittedly I have never had any training but too old for that now. All I can do with mine is make round stuff.

 

"You can't hardly get them kind no more" George Gobel

 

Nice job!

As valid in the hot rod world now as back in the day - "with a torch and a lathe everything fits"

Ed

 

Thanks all. The car has been off the road since 64. The gauge and sender are original. I was dissappointed its reading about 25 degrees low as compared to a thermal gun and temporary second gage. Oh well, 170f is 195f. Better than looking at a restored dash with a dead gauge!

 

I would be lost without a lathe. Especially for the stuff like this. Great job!

 

When I sold my Business the Lathe went with it
because I didn't need it any more so I thought.!

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Temperature readings can vary depending on where you are double checking your guage. You might be able to get one of the guage manufacturers to modify the face of your gauge so it looks original but reads correctly. Did you check the voltage going to the resistor? I'm wondering if you could emiminate some resistance maybe with a better or slightly larger wire if it might change the reading some. Or maybe it needs to go the other way and put a resistor in line ?

 

I like it!...that's the kind of thinking outside the box solution that makes me smile....and I imagine 25 years from now, when you no longer own the car, the sender fails, the new owner takes it out and trundles down to the local Amazon made in China parts store and says I need one of these! And is disgusted that nobody can get any of the old stuff anymore.

 

I mapped out the resistance up to 200f on the stove in water. 40 ohms at 200f and 10f/5 ohm between 160 - 200f. I dont know what it should be so i assumed that to be correct. I forgot to map it after the mod. Im going to bring it all back to temp and check resistance. Since its close and a low resistance sender i think i can correct it with minimal off point impact wth 150-200 parallel resister. Note the gauge read 170 at 200, based on my mapping thats 65-75 oym if its off. Otherwise the 70 year old copper gauge oxidation is a likely source of error?

 

Ok, I do think the extra resistance is in the gauge. I tried several different resistors from 100-500 ohms and they all acted like a DC offset. That is the value changed but the increment with temperature did not. I ended up with 330 ohms. This read against my temporary gage and thermal gun within 5 deg from 210-170f. Since it takes a long time to cool down, I wuit watching. Who cares below 170 anyway. But, in parallel a dc offset doesnt sound. So what it works!

 

I haven't used my lathe since about yesterday.
The mill, well..... I couldn't remember how to turn on the last time I needed it.

 

A lathe is one of those tools where after you have one, you wonder how you got along without one.

 

I agree. Its just an old south bend 9A benchtop (drive on the horizontal). In good shape though. Its neat making stuff on an 80 year old machine. Suspension bushings, why buy, made them from teflon bar. Need to polish, throw it in the lathe. Need a hole drilled throw it in the lathe. Cut a bolt…lathe. Wind a spool…lathe. Taper arrow shafts…lathe. So I guess when Im bored…lathe!

 

I see what ya did there…

 

Mine is a Flather....built around the turn of the last century....Through hole is big enough to do tube for radius rods ,tie rods ,etc....it's ancient....so am I. Got three and four jaw chucks, steady rest, live tailstock...and is tight enough for old crap I mess with. A fellow is better off with one than without one.

 

My lathe & tool cart will only be gotten rid of by my heirs after I'm ashes.

 

Yea. Stupid shit is made.
But, tell me Mr Malibu406, did you have fun doing it ?

Well then.

 

And then, there's the other people that dont have a lathe, and know that you do. I like to do little projects for friends and neighbors. I can, they can't, I get it. And usually its fun! a neighbor or friend you haven't seen for a while, or the ones you see every day, but also have something to contribute back occasionally. Good folks. But...then there's the ones that need something, your steel, your time, you will not see them again until the next "favor" is needed, not even a six pack for your efforts. sorry to be such a grouch, I'll go back and lay by my dish