Theatre safety rant

Use the right tool for the job. Lighting I am looking at you. (I love you sparkies but you know what I am talking about)

A crescent wrench is not a hammer and a screw driver is not a chisel or a pry bar. (Typically)

This is because not all tools are created equal. Certain tools are made for impact. Hammers and chisels are forged steel. Made by taking hot steel and pounding it into the shape needed. It is hardened and treated so that it can withstand impacts. Tools capable of taking impact or other extreme forces will be properly labeled as such.

Other tools that do not need to be capable of impact are typically poured or malleable steel tools and therefore can SHATTER in to shards upon impacts.

This is also why impact sockets are not the same as normal sockets. Normal sockets when used with a high torque impact wrench can shatter. Same for any bit used in an impact gun. If it’s not rated for impact it shouldn’t be used in an impact tools.

If you find yourself thinking “oh I don’t have enough time to go get the right tool” think about how much time you’ll waste picking up the broken pieces of the wrong tool.

This goes hand in hand with keeping tools sharp.

If you have questions you are always welcome to ask @themrthumper

I have a tendency to overtighten things, and the drawbar on my micro milling machine (MT2 spindle taper) is no exception. Unable to find an 8mm square socket with 1/4″ drive for the torque wrench, I opted to make my own by chopping the end off the drawbar wrench, and welded it to a regular old socket from the junk drawer. Turned on the lathe to clean up the weld and make it a uniform diameter, then blackened it with Caswell Black Oxide gel. The blackening process it pretty finicky and I had to do it over 3 times before I got an acceptable finish, but it’s good enough for now. Certainly won’t win any beauty contests, but it’s functional!

Incidentally, from now on I will tighten the drawbar to 60 in-lbs. Morse tapers don’t need a lot of drawbar pull, as the angle is so shallow.