Although the chain & sprocket reduction worked well, it still necessitated changing belts when speed changes were desired. Since making the original reducer, I learned about Variable Frequency Drives that permitted ordinary 3-phase motors to be used as variable speed power sources. I equipped the drill-press with a 6-pole 3-phase motor and removed the OEM start switch (shown beneath the chuck) with a Toshiba VFD. Speed can now be varied by merely adjusting the small knob on the front of the VFD. Drill also has a vortex cooling gun mounted. The device has no moving parts and is fed with compressed air. It delivers a stream of air that is up to 100 degrees colder than the compressed air that feeds it. It eliminates the need for messy cutting fluids.
Here is the vortex gun on the milling machine.
Much of today's machinery is a hodge-podge of both fractional inch and metric bolt sizes. Shown here is my collection of larger sized metric combination wrenches.
The forklift in action, moving steel sheets from temp storage location to a more open area where they can be cut to size and formed for use as side panels.
The lift being used to position the welder so inside of trailer panels can be welded.
Here the lift is removing the threshing/seperation cylinder from the combine so modifications can be made to it and the cage inside the machine.
Lift with drum lifting attachment being used to load a drum full of waste oil.
A penny Shopper find! The old 3-phase Lincoln DC machine is a very nice welder.
The control panel for the old Lincoln.
My collection of welders and the Plasma cutter.
If you have a Concord Air Seeder you need a tire changer! I can remove the floor-drain grate in my machine shed and fasten the changer to the angle-iron that frames the drain. The cheap tool works very well.
My small finger brake. It is rated for 16 Ga. up to 4 feet wide.
This attachment for my shop press is useful for bending heavier steel.
I built this hoist from 12" I-Beam and 4" square tubing. The hoist trolley is shop built also and the cables shown slightly below the beam are used to power the trolley for more precise positioning of loads.
This winch is used to position the hoist trolley. It will also "free-wheel" if the hoist hook is pulled to position the trolley.
