New challange! Old problem!

Diver6106 · 05-26-2015, 01:46 PM

It is GREAT to watch a master machinist in his trade. I come from a family with Tool & Die makers and machinist in the past (Homestake Gold Mine, Nash Motors & Tool-Matic), but limited skills were passed on to me. And most sadly, they are under paid compared to our service economy. Not to mention the cost of tooling up for such home made products. It used to be such a high skilled trade that pay was good, but we have moved into CAD-CAMs and 3D printers which will only increase with robotics and disposable products, rather than repair. It is a delight to see such posts.

G.T. · 06-02-2015, 02:29 PM

Well, Rich, Rick and all were correct! There now, is blood!.....

.... happened on a repro drum when trying to get inside to have a look'e'see! It took about 3 free rotations on my left hand, No stitches, but just by the grace of God on that!

about two cuts per rotation... let me see?? Too many.... Anyway, once inside here is what we learned..... The Numrich repro drums are actually made pretty close to the original in almost all respects?... Now, to clarify, this is a current repro, not one of the first? I had inspected an early repro, and it had some issues that seem to have been paid a little attention, and as a result, a pretty good bit of kit! The mag. catch notch is better located, and the spring tension was considerably stronger... Now, as George Fortier found out right away, (his cat will never be the same!) some of the repros need an additional turn on the spring, not necessarily to make function, but to make it the same as the originals.... BTW, I think to be correct, the spring is wound as tight as possible with just a few degrees of rotation left prior to "solid" as in wind it as tight as possible, and the back it off until you can lock it??.....This is where the greatest potential for blood is, as you have to remove the inside arm to preload it?.... I am experimenting with my newly made springs to see if the same tension can be arrived at when fully compressed?

... That's all for now! BTW, if you want your repro drum re-tensioned, I will do it for you for a small fee??? Email me at, gctomeks@msn.cm.... best to all, til...lat'r.....GT

06-02-2015, 02:29 PM	#2
G.T. Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Chandler Arizona Posts: 3,550 Thanks: 1,361 Thanked 3,778 Times in 1,028 Posts	More on Drum! Old & New!!!! Well, Rich, Rick and all were correct! There now, is blood!......... happened on a repro drum when trying to get inside to have a look'e'see! It took about 3 free rotations on my left hand, No stitches, but just by the grace of God on that! about two cuts per rotation... let me see?? Too many.... Anyway, once inside here is what we learned..... The Numrich repro drums are actually made pretty close to the original in almost all respects?... Now, to clarify, this is a current repro, not one of the first? I had inspected an early repro, and it had some issues that seem to have been paid a little attention, and as a result, a pretty good bit of kit! The mag. catch notch is better located, and the spring tension was considerably stronger... Now, as George Fortier found out right away, (his cat will never be the same!) some of the repros need an additional turn on the spring, not necessarily to make function, but to make it the same as the originals.... BTW, I think to be correct, the spring is wound as tight as possible with just a few degrees of rotation left prior to "solid" as in wind it as tight as possible, and the back it off until you can lock it??.....This is where the greatest potential for blood is, as you have to remove the inside arm to preload it?.... I am experimenting with my newly made springs to see if the same tension can be arrived at when fully compressed? ... That's all for now! BTW, if you want your repro drum re-tensioned, I will do it for you for a small fee??? Email me at, gctomeks@msn.cm.... best to all, til...lat'r.....GT Last edited by G.T.; 06-02-2015 at 06:40 PM.

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05-26-2015, 01:46 PM	#1
Diver6106 User Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Mt. Vernon VA Posts: 246 Thanks: 1,435 Thanked 119 Times in 76 Posts	It is GREAT to watch a master machinist in his trade. I come from a family with Tool & Die makers and machinist in the past (Homestake Gold Mine, Nash Motors & Tool-Matic), but limited skills were passed on to me. And most sadly, they are under paid compared to our service economy. Not to mention the cost of tooling up for such home made products. It used to be such a high skilled trade that pay was good, but we have moved into CAD-CAMs and 3D printers which will only increase with robotics and disposable products, rather than repair. It is a delight to see such posts.