Western Tool Company

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Friday, June 29, 2018

STARRETT HAND TOOLS from Western Tool Company

Using The Different Starrett Hand Tools

Guest Post By Ariel Norton
It is difficult to find a good set of tools, organized the right way, and specifically tailored for your purposes. Each professional has different needs, thus needing different tools. A contractor may not need a micrometer where an electrician probably doesn't need a jack-hammer. One of the best set of tools that applies specifically to certain professions is Starrett hand tools.
The best feature of these tools is their organization. They design these tool systems to specifically offer library sets of the three-wire thread measuring system and other tools for fast and right thread measurement on a variety of measuring instruments. They organize them in a way that the professional will barely even have to look to find the right tool for his/her needs, making their day as efficient as possible.

For our complete line of Starrett products, visit Westerntoolco.com (search "Starrett") 


https://westerntoolco.com/search#/catalogue/group/1
Starrett Products at Westerntoolco.com, click here
One of the most popular Starrrett hand tools it the Starrett micrometer. A micrometer is a tool that uses a thread and screw system to measure very small distances with great precision. The gimlet point
is the actual point of the screw. Through a twisting motion of the screw, the gimlet point moves and creates some sort of marker for measurement. A certain amount of turns of the gimlet point measures the minuscule distance allowing you to see it. A Starrett micrometer is one of the most popular hand tool's among this company's arsenal.
Another very popular product is the library holder. Although they were briefly mentioned above, they have always been one of the most popular Starrett hand tools. They come in many forms. Just in the case of thread measuring tools, they come in plenty of combinations. One can find a holder for their standard tools by itself, or also in some sort of combination. For example, some professionals might consider buying the acme holders and wires and not just the acme holders. This feature will be helpful for different professionals depending on the situation they are in.
Different professionals have different needs, which lead to the demand for a variety of products. There are a lot of companies that attempt to specialize and only have one target market. The tool companies that do best are the ones who do not take part in this specialization and offer a range of tools for all kinds of professionals. This way, their massive sets are bought by one person because they know they will have everything they need. Without one of these sets, a professional would probably have to mix and match to get every tool he/she needed.
________________________
Thread Check, Inc. is a full service gage company offering a complete line of precision thread plug and ring gages, cutting dies, custom gauges, Starrett hand tools, software and free technical support. Contact Thread Check, Inc. today for all of your gage needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ariel_Norton/975691
http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-The-Different-Starrett-Hand-Tools&id=7243101

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

CHOOSING AN ORBITAL SANDER from Western Tool Company

Choosing an Orbital Sander

Guest Post By Trevor Kinnick
Most homeowners nowadays appreciate the importance of owning solid power tools. An orbital sander is a power tool that is used to smooth out rough edges and uneven surfaces of wood, plastic or metal materials. Most of the orbital sander tools that are used on wood are electrically operated. Due to the advancement of technology, various types of sanders have been developed and are now available in your local hardware stores. But most of these sanders can only be used for a specific type of job. So, before purchasing a sander, you need to make sure that you are buying the right type that will best suit your needs.
Random orbit sanders are a type of power tool which contain pads that move in a circular manner with a random pattern. Being able to move in a random pattern can allow this tool to work on surfaces in any direction without the risk of scratching the surface of the material that you are working on. The random orbit sander is the easiest tool to use among the wide variety of sanders that are available. And since it can be used on multiple surfaces, this type of tool is an excellent choice for an ordinary home owner.

 For our selection of orbital sanders, click here (Westerntoolco.com)

In purchasing sandpaper, you need to determine the right grade that you will need depending on what you are working on. The grade of the sandpaper is determined by the amount of sand granules available on every square inch of the sandpaper. A sandpaper with a lower grade means that it is courser, while the sandpaper that has a higher grade has finer sand granules. In order to save your time while working on your project, it is recommended that you start with courser sandpaper. As you complete the project, you can switch to a finer sandpaper to give your material a smooth finish. Sandpapers are not cheap, so it is better to ensure that you are working with the right type and grade in order to avoid wasting your money as well as your time.
Due to the vast types of sanders to choose from, it is wise to have your own research as to what type will best suit your needs before making the actual purchase. You can do this either by visiting your local hardware stores in order to have a look at the different sanders, or you can log on the internet and visit the different websites that offer reviews and comments from people who have experience in working with a sander. In one of the reviews available online, the ryobi orbital sander has been cited as one of the cost-friendly sanders that can be purchased, without risking the quality and amount of work that you can do.
In working with an orbital sander, it is important to practice precautions in order to maintain the cleanliness of your workplace and to ensure your safety as well as other people near you. In operating an orbital sander, it is recommended that you wear face masks and goggles to protect your face and eyes from the dust particles that will be produced from your sander. In addition, you should never force a sander. The sander's weight is enough to provide the necessary pressure on your material. Forcing a sander can cause overheating, kickback or burning of your work piece.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Trevor_Kinnick/449090
http://EzineArticles.com/?Choosing-an-Orbital-Sander&id=5765006

Monday, June 25, 2018

SINGLE HEAD WIDE BELT SANDING from Western Tool Company

The Ultimate Primer on Single Head Wide Belt Sanding from Adam West

https://westerntoolco.com/search#/catalogue/group/225/nameblock/Sanding%20Discs/family/Aluminum%20Oxide
Surfprep Products From Westerntoolco.com, click here
I will attempt to keep this as short as possible, but there is a lot to learn to really make these machines shine. I am not going to go into trouble shooting the entire machine. Just solid processes for the best quality result possible. For the purposes of this article I am going to assume your single head machine has a combi-head, which is a drum/platen combination in the same head. This is the most common machine in this category. If you just have a single drum the rules all still apply.

Rules for single head machine sanding

 1. Know what you want to achieve.

For most cabinet and furniture shops, you need to sand parts flat, but you also need them to accept stain. This means you need to fracture and tear open the wood with your rougher belts and sand to a very fine scratch pattern with your finer belts, leaving the parts open to accept stain. If you are doing
cross grain you want the sharpest, softest scratch possible, so it will melt away in seconds with your hand sander, instead of taking minutes per door to grind the surface scratches away. You want the least amount of heat and compression of the wood fibers possible.

For our complete line of abrasives and finishing products, visit Westerntoolco.com 


2. Know your sander is working right.

I won’t go into setting up hold down rollers and such, but there is a very easy way to check the level of your machine and get it right. I use two boards a few feet long. I prefer maple around 1.5” to 3” wide and 3⁄4” thick. I will look closely for warp and set them on a table with the warp in the middle of the part up. I use a coarser belt and just my drum to take a light sanding pass on the boards run through the machine together in the center of the machine somewhere, just enough to hit both parts and true up the surface a bit. I then mark one part for left and the other right. Flip them over and take another .010” off, but run them on their perspective sides about 2” off the edge of the conveyor.

Measure only in the center of the boards as this will be the only truly accurate spot due to the warpage. If it matches, your machine is accurate. If not, almost every machine has a way to level the head to get the machine absolutely dead on side to side. Most have that adjustment on the block you remove to change belts.

3. Multiple passes

It will most likely take more than one pass to level out a part and give you the scratch you desire. I could write a book about this part of the process. Running multiple passes on the same grit is a very bad idea. If you use a 150 grit belt to remove a 100 grit scratch, you have to remove .005” to get to the bottom of the valleys in the original scratch. 50% of what you just sanded away was air. The rest was the little mountains of the scratch pattern. This is no problem.

If you sand with a 150 grit, you leave a scratch that only requires about .002” of stock removal to touch the bottom of those valleys. If you then take another .005” pass, you remove that .002” scratch pattern and .003” of solid wood under that pattern. This means you removed 100% to 150% more actual wood from the surface, than if you followed a 100 grit belt, and only removed the scratch pattern alone.

The issue is heat and pressure. The more of both the less consistency in your stain and the greater amount of hand sanding will be required to grind off that closed surface. You are better off taking 2 or 3 passes with the right removal rates than forcing one belt to do it alone. You will see huge advantages to doing it right at the sanding table and in finishing.

How do we do this right? There is a maximum for each grit when it comes to stock removal. This is well known. What is not well known is that there is a minimum to remove a scratch and that is the really important number. This is not the actual depth of scratch, but the amount that must be removed from the top of the mountain to touch the bottom of the valleys without going further into solid material.

Grit       Maximum    Minimum to Remove

60              .035″                        .015″

80              .024″                        .008″

100            .017″                        .005″

120            .010″                        .004″

150            .006″                       .002″

180            .004″                       .001″


4. Drums are for cutting and platens are for the finishing pass only.

A properly set up platen will be just barely lower than the drum it follows. I like to set it up by sanding a part with just the drum head. Then I will stop the machine and run the part back under the head without moving anything. I then drop the platen as I either roll the belt on the head or push the belt side to side with the tension roller released. Once you feel drag on the belt you have your platen set.

This relationship means the platen will never be the primary cutting tool, but will only leave the final scratch pattern. Because this relationship takes effort to master, I don’t like to change the adjustment for the platen when I am not using it. I just remove the platen altogether while I am running just the drum. Some machines have the ability to turn the platen off, but it is only on bladder platen machines or machines set up for veneer. In most machines you can just pull it out quickly and easily.

5. Know your stock removal.

If you use an 80 grit to knock down the surface of a cabinet door (my personal favorite starting grit), make sure all the doors go through the same height setting so they are all the same thickness. This is important to the next step. If you refer to the chart above, you need to remove .008” off the tops of the mountain peaks to touch the valley floor below without removing more solid material. If you put in a 100 or 120 grit belt, all you need to remove is .008” and no more. I would choose 120 grit.

Run your first part on the 120 grit and measure the stock removal. Once you took off .008”, run the entire load on the backside. Then drop the machine .008” more and run the whole load on the face. This is very light work for the machine so you can run the feed speed pretty fast. 25 to 30 fpm is usually no problem.

Once your entire load is at 120 grit and the same size, put your platen back in and put the 150 or 180 grit belt in. Don’t move the height of the machine. Run your first part and see how much comes off. If you look at our chart above, you need to remove about .004” to get rid of the 120 grit. Adjust if necessary, and run the load on the back, then drop the machine .004” and run the faces.

Faster feed speed is your friend for keeping the parts and belts cool. This is easy work for a sanding machine. 25 to 30 fpm is no problem.

6.   Understanding your scratch pattern
Your parts may look rougher than you are used to, but this where the magic happens with your hand sander. That scratch will be long and very shallow. The fact that it looks sharp is because the wood has no polish on it at all. That is the softest scratch pattern you will ever try to sand. It melts away under your random orbital sander. I usually follow with either a 150 or 180 grit disk.Only sand until the scratches are gone. The point at which the scratches are gone and the surface is level is the point at which the sander will start to dig into the now flat surface and try to peel up new wood. This is where orbital marks come from. If you stop sanding at the moment the scratches are gone you will see almost no orbital marks at all.

7.    Two pass process
If you only have a small amount of stock removal you might be able to get away with a two pass process, but this is where most operators lie to themselves. If you measure the stile or rail of your product and only sand off .010”, a 120 grit will handle that okay. The problem lies in the joints that may be .010” to .030” thicker than the rest of the door. You can pretend you are only taking off .010”, but you aren’t fooling the sanding belts or the hand sanders who have to fix your damaged, compressed wood.On planed solid wood it is easy to just remove .005” or .010” of material. This is when it is acceptable to just do a single pass or double pass. You can keep the sander moving quickly so you don’t need to take much time doing it. Use the platen for your final pass for anything where hand sanding is required or going right into stain. Most of the time, when good finish is required, multiple passes are better than one.I hope this article helps you better understand the capabilities of your single head machine. Using these techniques will yield results that can match any machine out there for quality of result. Patience is required, but this is not meant to be a slow process. You can run stacks of material very quickly using this process. You just need to understand the steps to get through it quickly without fighting the final product. You will soon forget what a burned up belt looks like and your abrasive life will skyrocket.-Adam West

excerpted from surfprep.com

Sunday, June 24, 2018

WESTERN TOOL COMPANY: PROUD DISTRIBUTORS OF MAJOR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY BRANDS, Arvada Colorado

Western Tool Company proudly distributes the following brands (and many more in our catalog!) click here to view our entire line of industrial supply and MRO products.  
Brands include:Chemetall, Flexovit, Sev-Cal,Kyocera,Highland Carbide, Radiac, Buffalo Abrasives, Waterloo, Dormer Pramet, Gemini Industrial Coatings, Morse, Hermes, Dayton Lamina, Danly, Micro 100, Reiff and Nestor, Ultra Dex, Fowler, Camel Grinding Wheels, Supply Pro, Tool Flo, Surf Prep, Abrasive Technology, Dorian, Parlec Amada, Fullerton, Mitutoyo, Pferd, Lindeman, Starrett, SuperAbrasives.  We have many more items in our catalog and we ship all over the US!
http://westerntoolco.com/
Western Tool Distributes Major Industrial Supply Brands, click here for more

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKSTATION, TASK AND MACHINE LIGHTING from Western Tool Company

Putting Light Where It's Needed: The Benefits of Task Lighting

by Mark Hogrebe, PhD(this article appeared in the National Assoc. of Independent Lighting Distributors, Inc. News)
There is a renewed interest in task lighting. "Renewed" because task lighting was all the world had known before our dependence on high-output overhead fixtures. Prior to electrically powered lighting fixtures, seeing at night was accomplished through the use of "task lights" such as candles and oil and kerosene lamps. When the power of electricity was first harnessed, it was applied to crude incandescent "task lights."
For many years, task lighting continued to be the best option for seeing indoors. It was a long time before overhead fixtures would make a significant impact on how work areas were lighted.
First, the technology had to be developed so that overhead fixtures could produce adequate amounts of quality light. For buildings that had been built prior to the application of electricity, it was difficult to integrate overhead lighting into the old structures. Finally, architects had to discover how to efficiently incorporate overhead lighting into new buildings.
Despite obstacles to subduing our need for task lighting, America was convinced that task lights were not necessary in the presence of powerful overhead fixtures. We were shown that adequate foot-candles on the desk top could be produced from overhead lighting - but at what cost? In recent years we have begun to discover some of the costs of total reliance on overhead lighting to illuminate the work surface. The key is total reliance. The best approach for designing an energy-efficient and visually comfortable lighting installation is effective integration of overhead and task lighting.

Some of the major impacts of rediscovering task lighting for our work environment are discussed below.

Benefits for individuals.

Task lighting and productivity. Much research has been conducted on the relationship between lighting conditions and worker productivity. Surveys continue to find that poor lighting and eyestrain are frequent worker complaints. Although it may be difficult to demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship between lighting and performance in real world settings, we can make some common sense observations.
First, we must be comfortable to maintain productivity over the course of a day. There are enough demands and distractions that compete for our energy and concentration. Straining to see should not be one of them.
Seeing should be effortless and automatic. We spend a great deal of time and money trying to make ourselves comfortable so that we can be more efficient and productive. Yet frequently, proper lighting is neglected. If lighting is so poor as to make workers uncomfortable, then efficiency is going to decrease over the long term.
However, once lighting reaches a "critical comfort level," better lighting above and beyond that level will probably not increase productivity. Once lighting surpasses the critical comfort level, many other environmental factors interact to influence productivity.

SEE OUR LINE OF WORKSTATION, MACHINE AND WORK LIGHTING AT WESTERNTOOLCO.COM  

Task lighting and vision differences.

Our ability to see differs from person to person, and within ourselves, on different occasions. When we are tired or sick, we may see less well than when we are healthy and fresh.
The visual capabilities of individuals of the same age can vary greatly. Older people need substantially more light to see than younger people. Research indicates that the visual performance of those in their 20s is about eight times better than those in their 60s, and almost four times better than those in their 50s.
This increased need for light is due to a number of biological facts in the aging process. For example, the muscle in our eye called the iris, expands and contracts to control the amount of light entering our eye. As with all our muscles, the iris loses some of its flexibility in the aging process, and doesn't open as wide. More light is needed to compensate for the reduced ability of the iris to open wide.
Not only are there obvious vision differences between people, but different tasks have unique lighting requirements. Lighting demands for a video display terminal (VDT) operator are different from a proof reader, which are different from a graphic artist working at a large table where accurate color perception is critical.

Task lighting gives user control.

The major advantage of an adjustable-arm task light is that the user controls the lighting of his or her immediate work environment.
The key is "adjustable-arm" task lighting to give the user maximum control of the light level for optimal comfort. Our posture changes during the day. Our tasks vary to some degree. If we have windows, light in the room changes from morning to evening.
In response to these changing conditions, we need to adjust the lighting levels directed on our work in order to reduce eyestrain and fatigue. By raising, lowering, and tilting an adjustable-arm task light, the user determines how much light is needed, and the best angle required, to avoid direct glare and reflections.
A task light permits an individual to compensate for fluctuations within one's visual acuity from time to time, as well as for variations in ambient lighting.
Further control is provided by task lights that use a parabolic louver to direct light onto the work surface. The louver light control system is ideal for use around computers where you want to eliminate light "spill" onto the screen. The parabolic louver directs light output onto the source document and prevents "wash-out" on the computer screen.
A major advantage of a louver light control system versus the asymmetric method (directing light from the reflector at one angle) is the elimination of direct glare. With the louver system, you cannot see the bright bulb when the lamp head reaches eye level.

Task lighting mounting systems.

There are a variety of options for mounting task lighting in the work setting. Popular methods include a clamp base that attaches to the edge of a desk/table, and the weighted base that sits on top of a desk. Task lights can be mounted on stationary pedestal floor stands or movable caster floor stands.
The newest mounting systems attach task lights to the vertically slotted channels in workstation wall partition panels. Wall partition mounting frees-up valuable desktop space and eliminates the problem of "lack of edges" encountered by clamp-on versions. One option is a single-mount holder which the user places in the channel closest to the work area to be illuminated.
Another mounting option is a track-mount which provides greater illumination coverage for the work surface. The track spans the width of a wall panel and mounts in the slotted channels on both sides. A movable pivot holder for the task light slides along the track length to the desired position. The key factors in selecting a wall partition mounting system are ability to fit the many styles of standards and deep partitions; ease of installation; firm and sturdy mount; versatility to mount more than one specific task light model; a cord management system; and compatibility with standard track accessory items such as hanging paper trays and file folders.

Task lighting and magnification.

Do we need a task light if we have magnification? The answer is yes, because magnification is only half the solution for achieving good vision. Proper lighting is of equal importance. Take an extreme example. How much good would magnification do in the dark? The benefits derived from visual aids such as magnifiers and prescription glasses are entirely dependent upon the lighting conditions in which they are used.
Proper task lighting allows us to get the maximum benefit from a visual aid, and may even allow for reduced magnification. Increasing the amount of light (brightness) directed onto a task will help compensate for small print size or poor contrast. Examples of poor contrast include faded print on white paper, dark print on a dark background, or dim characters on a computer screen.

Bottom-line benefits for business.

The use of a lighting system which integrates task and overhead lighting can have a direct impact on the bottom line by lowering utility dollars.
Instead of trying to maintain proper lighting levels on desktops from overhead fixtures, task lights can do a better job in providing adequate foot-candles. A task light using an 18-watt compact fluorescent will consume far less energy than a typical overhead lighting fixture.
A work environment can maintain lower levels of overhead light by illuminating desktops with energy-efficient task lights. For examples consider an office with 16 workstations illuminated by 16 overhead fixtures each with four T8 32-watt fluorescents. The total wattage when all fixtures are operating is 2,048. If each fixture used two T8 instead of four, and each workstation was equipped with an 18-watt task light, energy consumption would be reduced by 36 percent!
A recent example demonstrates the energy waste that occurs all too frequently. An office manager remarked that, "we don't need those (task lights) to control glare on our computer screens. We installed these filters on the screens to block out glare." This makes no sense in terms of cost reduction and energy conservation. First flood the room with light and then block it out with filters. It is like turning the heat up to 90 degrees in the winter and then opening the window to maintain the right temperature.
Other ways in which the use of task lighting can help control costs are by reducing maintenance costs. Task lights are easy to install, keep clean, and change bulbs. When offices made from wall partition furniture systems are rearranged, task lights are easily moved. Proper lighting is achieved without much worry about the location of overhead fixtures.

Environmental benefits.

Finally, task lighting can have a significant environmental impact by reducing energy consumption of a building's lighting system.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Green Lights" program has brought the need for energy-efficient lighting into public awareness. The EPA estimates that lighting accounts for 20 to 25 percent of the electricity used annually in the United States. Lighting for industry, offices, stores, and warehouses represents from 80 to 90 percent of the total lighting electricity use. If energy-efficient lighting were used everywhere it was profitable, the electricity required for lighting would be cut by 50 percent, and aggregate national electricity demand would be reduced by 10 percent. This reduction in demand would significantly reduce power plant emissions, pollutants, and wastes.  Many past issues of NAILD NEWS have devoted articles to the environmental impact of lighting and specifically, how to calculate savings in environmental pollutants (NAILD NEWS, December 1990).
In summary, a system that integrates overhead and adjustable-arm task lighting makes good dollar sense for business and the environment.
Task lighting makes good psychological sense by giving individuals control over their own workspace lighting.
If you have any questions about the task/ambient lighting approach, please call the Green Lights Technical Hotline at 202-862-1145.
About the Author:Mark Hogrebe is the former president of Dazor Manufacturing Corp., a leading manufacturer of task lighting. His primary interest areas include the psychological impact of lighting in the workplace, especially as it relates to individual differences in visual acuity and comfort, and worker productivity. Other interest areas include the role of task lighting as a significant component in energy-efficient lighting installations. Hogrebe holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Georgia, a master of arts degree from the University of Akron, and a bachelor of arts degree from Quincy College.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

TYPES OF DRILL PRESSES AND SAFETY INFORMATION from Western Tool Company

Different Types of Drill Press and Safety Tips Using the Drill Press

Guest Post By David Urmann
A drill press is a permanent style of drill that can be bolted onto the floor or mounted on a stand or workbench. It helps drill holes in wood, metal and a variety of other materials. The drill press produces accurate holes. Repetitive holes can be drilled in the same spot and at the same depth accurately and quickly.
Speed can be adjusted via changing pulleys and belts. Drilling big holes usually requires a slower speed.
A floor-standing drill press is more powerful and can be used with many kinds of materials. Bench-top drill press is a lot more compact. These two types of drill presses are the best for lighter and easier jobs.
Besides drilling holes, there are also different types of bits and attachments you may get to add versatility to the machine. This includes mortise bits, planer heads and standing drums.
Listed below are some types of drill press:
- Floor Model Drill Press - This drill press is the most loved type of drill that can be found in professional wood shops. It is equipped with longer columns and higher power motors. The column length of this floor drill presses are commonly 66'' to 72'' high. The advantage of this type of press is it allows you to handle larger work pieces because the table can actually run the full length of the column. The average price of this drill press ranges from 400 to 1,000 US dollars.
- Ryobi DP121l Drill Press - This is a type of 12-in bench top with multi-features. It has a dual laser type of guide, a 500-3000 RPM capability, a L.E.D work light, and speed readout. Speed can be changed just by moving a lever from the left housing, or adjusting the pulleys and belts. Average price 120 US dollars.
- 5 Speed Bench Drill Press - This is easy to use and can drill faster. The 5 spindle speed of this drill press is for drilling steel, wood, plastic or aluminum. It has a fully adjustable table with an angle indicator. The average amount of this drill press is 130 US dollars.
- Radial Drill Press - This drill press has an adjustable movable spindle. It is ideal on heavy work, where many holes are drilled.

For our line of drill presses, click here (Westerntoolco.com) 


Safety tips when using drill press:

 
- Always be alert or aware where you are putting your fingers to avoid accidents.
- Do not use bits that are bent, damaged or dull.
- Ensure the bit is centered in the chuck and tightened before operating the drill.
- Use a clamp when drilling metal to avoid the material spinning to your hand or body.
- Never turn on the drill press before clearing the table.
- Never use drill bits that have a screw tip.
- Do not turn on the drill press with the drill bit is in contact with your work piece.
- Avoid awkward hand positions.
- Avoid drilling materials that do not have a flat surface.
- Avoid wearing neckties or gloves when operating the drill press.
For more information on Types of Drill Press [http://cordless-drills.net/Drill-Press-Information/Drill-Press-Types.htm] and Best Drill Bits [http://cordless-drills.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=19] please visit our website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Urmann/39183
http://EzineArticles.com/?Different-Types-of-Drill-Press-and-Safety-Tips-Using-the-Drill-Press&id=1709857

Monday, June 18, 2018

MATERIALS USED TO MAKE INDUSTRIAL FASTENERS from Western Tool Company

A Variety Of Fastening Materials Used In Manufacturing Industrial Fasteners

Guest Post By Meenakshi Singh
The fastener applications are the important factor to consider and the users are choosy when it comes to the material being used for the given applications. While choosing the material, there are several factors to consider as each project has different requirement and these are dependent on the environmental condition, corrosion resisting power, strength, vibration, and various other things. These qualities of any material help to get the better performance throughout its life. It is not safe to choose the fasteners with the estimation of the price. Different materials play a vital role in the application and ones should need to choose from the wide range wisely.

For Our Complete Line of Fasteners, Visit Westerntoolco.com 


Different Types Of Materials Being Used In Manufacturing Range Of Industrial Fasteners:-

  • Stainless Steel - The great luster and robust features of the material make it suitable for a number of application uses. The high degree feature of resisting corrosion better and it has low carbon content, which can never be hardened through the heat treatments. This makes the fasteners stronger and provides them better tensile strength than the products made with hardened steel. The variations of stainless steel used in manufacturing fasteners include Austenitic, Stainless 316, Martensitic, Stainless 410, etc.
  • Bronze & Brass - The electrically conductive copper alloys are non magnetic and have superior resistance to the corrosion and other damages. The properties of the materials make them an ideal choice for marine applications such as shipbuilding. While high cost of bronze is a constraint, the brass is the better alternative for good price. It has great corrosion resistance properties but is bit softer than the bronze material. Yet it is widely used for its sleek looks than its strength for the projects.
  • Aluminum - The lightweight material is alloyed with different materials to provide high strength to the fasteners and create a low cost solution for the industries. The weight of aluminum alloyed fasteners is one third of typical steel products and they can survive better in the hot as well as cold temperatures. The non magnetic material is soft and doesn't provide great resistance to the damages or corrosion.
  • Non-Metallic - Apart from the metal fasteners, the various industrial applications demand for non metal ones as they are lightweight and are made with non conductive insulating materials like Wood, PVC, Nylon, Polycarbonate, etc. They are aesthetic in looks but they are meant for light applications only and are not adapted to survive in extreme environments, as they are generally lower in strength than the metallic fasteners.
  • _________________________

Looking for Hex Bolt Manufacturers In Ludhiana then Swarna Fasteners is the right choice. A well known Plain Washer Manufacturers In Ludhiana and suppliers from India.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Meenakshi_Singh/2355411 http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Variety-Of-Fastening-Materials-Used-In-Manufacturing-Industrial-Fasteners&id=9764748

Friday, June 15, 2018

WELDING METAL: WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW from Western Tool Company

How to Weld Metal

Guest Post By Joe Belding
The average person's impression of how metal is welded is that you simply fire-up a blow torch and run it along the edge of a metal seam to weld it together. Or they probably think you can just run that same torch across any kind of metal and cut through it, like in the safe-cracker movies. But the reality is that professional welding actually involves some fairly extensive knowledge, and is somewhat of an art form that takes many years of experience to master. Even so, if you are wanting to learn, you can start with a few simple techniques. Once you've mastered the basics and have a beginner's idea, you can then move on to the more complicated skills that take longer to master.
Safety Precautions 
Before you ever start any project, always think about safety precautions first. Equipment and supplies can be replaced; you cannot be replaced. You may think that getting burned is the worst thing that can happen in a welding accident. However, damage to your eyes can occur from the intense light that comes from the process. Some metal welding techniques make use of high voltage electricity to create a weld, which always raises the possibility of electrocution or death if the you are careless. As you start any welding project, be sure to wear a proper helmet to protect your eyes, head and hair. And don't forget protective gloves and clothing. Lastly, be sure to read and follow all safety precautions written by the manufacturer of the particular metal welding equipment you are using.
Oxy-Acetylene Welding (also known as Oxyfuel Welding)
This is the type of welding that the average person is most familiar with, and which is often casually described as a "blow torch". However, even though oxy-acetylene welding is the most commonly-known type, it is actually the least used technique among professionals. On the upside, it is less complicated and less expensive than other types of welding. However, oxy-acetylene is less common nowadays because it is less accurate, doesn't produce a weld bead as cleanly as other methods and can result in weaker weld joints due to the slower cooling time it involves compared to other welding techniques. Even so, if you are interested in learning how to weld metal, you may want to practice oxy-acetylene welding in addition to other types of welding. It will be a handy skill to have because it's the best type to use on certain common welding projects, such as pipes or tubes, and when you have to use welding equipment to do repairing, bending and cutting.

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Arc Welding
The most common technique used these days is "Arc Welding". If you're learning how to weld metal, you will definitely need to practice arc welding. Rather than using a gas torch, arc welding involves using high voltage electricity passing into the piece of metal. In Arc Welding, a spark (or "arc") jumping across from one piece of metal to the other causes enough heat to melt metal and form a weld. This process is more desirable in most cases because it is more accurate and produces a cleaner, stronger weld. Within the category of "Arc Welding" there are actually several different methods to choose from, depending on the type of metal welding work you need to do.
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) may be best when you have large welds or metal welding in unusual positions, where a rough weld is acceptable. With this method, the electricity runs through an electrode rod (or "stick") which actually melts, producing the welded joint. On the other hand, MIG Welding, also know as Metal Inert Gas Welding, or Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), may be better if you are involved in a metal welding project that requires more speed. With this welding technique you don't use rods that you have to keep replacing as they melt. Instead, you use equipment that sends the electricity through a metal tip that doesn't melt, and a separate piece of continuous wire is fed to the tip which melts and forms the weld. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) Welding is somewhat similar to MIG welding, but is better when working with thin materials where you need a high-quality weld and speed is not important. As you learn you will also hear of other methods, such as Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), Submerged Arc Welding (SAW), Plasma Welding, etc. But don't worry too much about remembering all of the various techniques. Just focus on one method at a time and get to the point where you are comfortable that you know how to weld with that method before you learn something new.
Other Welding Methods
Although you will primarily be concerned with Arc Welding and Oxy-Acetylene Welding as you learn how to weld, you might hear about other types and wonder what they are, such as Resistance Welding, Energy Beam Welding and Solid-State Welding. Don't let that overwhelm you right now. Many of those welding methods are primarily useful in large, specialized industrial applications and don't really affect you as you learn how to weld.
Conclusion
Hopefully you now know a little more about the basic concepts that will be important to you as you learn how to weld. As you can see, although there are numerous methods, each with it's own unique set of equipment, procedures and purposes, there are actually only a couple of basic methods you need to remember and practice. To get started learning, start practicing with an inexpensive arc welding setup. Get yourself a machine and just start experimenting with it on some scrap pieces of metal (after reading all instructions and taking all safety precautions, or course). Figure out what works, and what doesn't. You will soon begin to develop a style that is most comfortable for you. Also, get yourself some oxy-acetylene equipment and try that type, too. With a lot of practice, you will become a good novice fairly quickly and will be able to master just about any common project you may encounter.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joe_Belding/267573
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Weld-Metal&id=1486100

Thursday, June 14, 2018

ABRASIVE DISCS: HOW THEY ARE MADE from Western Tool Company

Abrasive Discs - Learning About Backing and Grains For These Industrial Products

Guest Post By Richard C. Milton
Abrasive discs operate with the use of the so-called abrasive grains. The grains are usually applied to backing materials produced from different types of cloth, film, paper, fiber and even non-woven materials. Abrasive grains are somewhat responsible in removing metal, glass, paint, plastics and ceramics.
Abrasive discs are used in a lot of industries most especially those that require surface preparation. Processes include sanding, cleaning, polishing and dry and wet grinding. The industries that these products serve are metal and woodworking, semiconductor production and ceramic manufacture. Depending on the grain, grit size, mounting and backing, the discs may be applied to other industries.
Types of abrasive disc backing
These discs are produced out of different backing types. First on the list are cloth discs produced out of woven fabrics like cotton. These are utilized in industries where abrasive planing is required. A second type of disc backing comes from fiber. These ones are said to be thicker than cloth. They operate through the use of chemically treated fibers of cotton and cellulose. The main drawback of this abrasive disc backing type is it curls in humid weather conditions.

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A film abrasive disc is the third type of backing for abrasive discs. In such a type, abrasive grains are found on a plastic film. The likes of sponge discs on the other hand are those whose abrasive grains are bonded to a layer of foam or sponge or any other soft materials such as felt paper. Metal discs - a fifth type - are those with abrasive grains usually bonded to metals including brass and aluminum. Among the list of abrasive backing types are other forms like non-woven, paper and screen.
Types of abrasive grains
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Aside from learning about the different abrasive disc backing types, it pays to gain knowledge about
the various abrasive grains used in order to fulfill the applications of an abrasive disc. To come up with abrasive ceramic grains, aluminum oxide may be used solely or in combination with other components such as crocus and emery. Other materials used in order to come up with abrasive disc grains are tungsten carbine, silicon carbide, aluminum-zirconia and garnet.
There are also super-abrasive grains or diamond pastes. These are relatively important in industries that depend upon lapping and ferrous polishing. One of the materials used in order to come up with a super-abrasive grain for abrasive discs is cubic boron nitride. This is a component that is favored for its hardness and its capacity to provide superior grinding for both alloy steel and carbon.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Richard_C._Milton/324720
http://EzineArticles.com/?Abrasive-Discs---Learning-About-Backing-and-Grains-For-These-Industrial-Products&id=2609432

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

MARKING AND MEASURING TOOLS FOR WOODWORKERS

The Marking and Measuring Tools Every Woodworker Needs

Guest Post By David Savage
I have spoken elsewhere about overcomplicated marking and cutting gauges and marking knives that don't work as well as others. I now want to look at a very important area of squares and other measuring tools. Firstly I would like to council against buying all those lovely brass gauges that tool catalogues tell us we need. We don't need them usually, and if we do need them, you will find out and buy them.
Please don't follow "the tool catalogue guide to woodworking" that would suggest that you need every brass and ebony whim wham in the book in order to call yourself a woodworker. Most professional woodworkers are reducing the amount of tools immediately to hand rather than adding to their collections. This isn't a popular statement amongst the tool collecting class but it's the truth. Professional makers gain speed by using the tool to hand not searching for some special side rebate whatsit. Sure you do need special gauges and special planes for different jobs, but the job will tell you that when you get there. Buy the special tool ONLY when you need it.
 Squares however are personal bench tools. Get a bad square and it can act as a traitor in your camp. Accuracy of squares is one of the key things to maintaining accuracy in the cabinetmaking workshop. We have one square that all others are checked against and we make sure that that square is not used or dropped. Engineers squares are the norm in our workshop, all metal with a guaranteed performance. A 6 inch square is common to most of our students, some will also have a small 2 inch square that will sit in the apron pocket and go everywhere with them. In this way when you go out to the machine shop you have a square with you to check the job and the setup of the machine. Don't allow any of your squares to have wooden stocks even if these are faced with brass they inevitably become inaccurate.

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Straight edges are another important tool for measuring accuracy. If the surface is not straight or flat it can be difficult to fit another surface to it. To measure that you need a straight edge. These tools can be extremely expensive. Starrett the American manufacturer has been a reliable supplier of expensive straight edges for as long as I been a woodworker. Most others have a straightedge about 2 feet in length and that does a good job. A 3 foot or metre straightedge would be even better. We have got around the cost issue by buying much cheaper straight edges from a local tool supplier, Axminster Power tools, that inevitably are not straight. We then set about straightening them. We do this very carefully by attaching 180 grit abrasive to a sheet of dead flat heavy glass with spray adhesive. Because you will only be rubbing the absolute fine edge of the straightedge you will not need to remove a lot of metal so one setup can be used to 3 students straight edges. Be warned it is the setup that takes the time get that wrong and you are in the pooh.
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If you are a woodworker at heart or if you would like to gain woodworking skills within a busy workshop atmosphere, view our Woodworking Course of fine furniture designing and making?
Alternatively you can purchase our Woodworking DVDs for those woodworkers who want to learn in their own time within their own workshop.
David Savage is an Internationally recognized professional Furniture Maker and Designer with over 30 years experience. David runs a furniture making workshop in Shebbear in the beautiful county of Devon, England.
___________________ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Savage/212294
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Marking-and-Measuring-Tools-Every-Woodworker-Needs&id=3868662

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Monday, June 11, 2018