Shop Talk

You're not alone if you've been flummoxed or frustrated when trying to decode technical drawings or blueprints. They seem to use a language all their own, one that many of us are not privy to. Fear not. Author Bob Fritz will give you the tools you need to visualize the item being described, and hell make such documents intelligible to the uninitiated.

Columnist Jim Weir reminds us that its good to laugh at ourselves once in a while, and, to that end, he acts as an unofficial translator between pilots and the FAA, construing what they mean by what they say, and what they mean by what they don't say. He also details the latest contributions to Murphys Law from the world of aviation.

If parts that don't quite fit are grinding you down, author Bob Fritz has a solution: Use a lathe to create a smooth finish on a precisely proportioned piece. While hes at it, hell demonstrate two ways to use the machines calipers to measure necessary offsets.

Columnist Jim Weir offers his annual awards for the best products or services seen at Oshkosh/AirVenture 2007.

In his continuing series, author Bob Fritz discusses the ins and outs of threads including how to avoid seizing, types of threads, sizing, drilling holes, using a tap-drill chart, and matching fastener dimensions.

In an ongoing attempt to update his shop and make it more energy efficient, Jim Weir puts together a winning compressor-generator combo to run the lights and whatever else needs juice.

This milling project offers home machinists a great way to get the feel of their equipment and gives them a plug protector for their in-cockpit iPaq as well; by Bob Fritz.

This article covers what you should have learned in your high school shop class, but didn't, and more. It discusses safety glasses, proper treatment of chisels, gloves, jewelry, shop coats, hand tools, urban myths, safe shoes, hardware, biomechanics, capturing wayward chips, machinery placement in the shop, air-powered tools, cleanup, pneumatic cutting tools, and other common sense advice; by Bob Fritz.

Author Jim Weir explains his preparation for the installation of an energy-efficient power system for a hangar or building shed-all on a shoestring budget. He explains how to choose equipment, calculate power needs, the right light fixtures, power generation, equipment suppliers and prices, and the basic legality of such systems;

Paying attention to the working environment and maintaining machining tools in tip-top shape can yield a more polished finished product, while also making the fabrication process easier.