CHUCK SUPPORT I made this simple chuck support to help make changing chucks on my lathe & crank grinder much easier. Made from PVC pipe, a farm gate post bolt (or all-thread rod), and hardware, this adjustable chuck support lets the chuck slide off and on the spindle...

DON'T FAKE IT, MAKE IT The only way to make money in your shop is to be able to do the job quickly and efficiently. This means having the right good equipment and tooling. But when you get caught needing a special tool and there's no time to wait, just look for...

QUICK EASY STRAP WRENCH The diameter of a diesel engine oil filter was larger than my biggest filter wrench, so I made this strap wrench from an old spark plug socket, worn-out poly-V serpentine belt, and a short length of PVC 1/2" schedule 40 pipe. I used an angle...

TRAVEL DIAL For lathes without a DRO, a 2" travel dial indicator to measure carriage travel is handy. I quickly made this simple compact indicator mount clamp from two pieces of scrap aluminum. To eliminate the need for a wrench to tighten or loosen it when...

MAGNETIC INDICATOR On my surfacer, I use a simple popular universal magnetic base with a dial indicator to tram my work piece or index fixture. This dials the actual head in dead-on and works great for machines without an indicator rail. It also allows you to tram...

1-2-3 BLOCKING BUILDING Using 1-2-3 blocks to fixture manifolds or heads on a Bridgeport Mill may sometimes require joining a pair of 1-2-3 Blocks. While some 1-2-3 Blocks have a few threaded holes, these thread holes don't always line up where needed.  These simple...