The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Month: December 2021

  • Walker Leg Shortening

    Walker Leg Shortening

    While looking for something else, Mary came across a walker in the attic and mentioned that, if she ever had to use it, the shortest position of the adjustable legs would put the hand grips too high for comfort. Maybe they

    Well, I can fix that:

    Walker shortening - hole indexing
    Walker shortening – hole indexing

    The holes are an inch apart, so I clamped the V blocks parallel to the X axis on the drill press, zeroed the X axis knob, slid the leg to get the drill bit into the last hole, clamp in place, crank the table an inch, then use a step drill to start the hole:

    Walker shortening - hole drilling
    Walker shortening – hole drilling

    The holes are just slightly larger than the 1/4 inch step on the drill, so the twist drill cuts them to size.

    A tubing cutter sliced an inch off all four legs and all four frame tubes:

    Walker shortening - latch relocation
    Walker shortening – latch relocation

    The white plastic fitting in the frame tube prevents the legs from rattling, but I had to drill another hole to move the latch button, too.

    With a bit of luck, we’ll never need the thing.

  • Simple Pliers Rack

    Simple Pliers Rack

    A Round Tuit™ finished this trivial project:

    Long-handle pliers rack
    Long-handle pliers rack

    Yeah, it’s just seven pairs of holes drilled with a 5/8 inch Forstner bit in a scrap 2×4, which was then introduced to Mr Belt Sander to peel off the dust of ages.

    There’s a spare set of holes in front because I’m absolutely certain that, without them, another pair of pliers would suddenly pop into existence on the bench.