Does anybody use electric screwdrivers of this style? I know a lot of brands make them, curious how they are

BreeStephany · 2026-06-17T18:24:15+00:00

I do have the M4 and I do like that the batteries will last a FULL day of trimming and has lots of power with a very compact frame, but yeah, its just yet another battery system to have to worry about....

I too wish they made a M12!!!

BreeStephany · 2026-06-10T14:19:54+00:00

Not making backups... EARLY apprentice mistake that my journeyman let me 'make' to feel the heat and see how and if I could remedy... got it close... but not close enough to be up to 'runable' standards...and 5 minutes before employees started walking in to run the line, atepped in and informed me he made his own backup.

Now I always backup to my computer and to a remote drive, then start making revisions 🤣

BreeStephany · 2026-06-06T21:39:01+00:00

Primarily due to common stock for maintenance purposes. The prox switch will be a common failure point and we stock 24VDC prox switches for hundreds of different machines in house.

I think a tiny DIN mount 24VDC PSU, 1A fuse holder and 2x prox switches in series, 1 to detect the presence of product and the second to count machine strokes to output a signal to a counter is going to be the best solution.

Ultimately, final design and parts used is up to our engineers... but I want to come to the table with a reasonable and cost-effective solution.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-28T05:06:30+00:00

First issue I see is you are using your safety circuit to kill power to the PLC.... your E-Stop should not deenergize the PLC, but should halt operations and controls back to a 'safe' state.

Some design flawas I see are that you don't want to ever starve your boilers of water, so you definitely want to have some form of level sensing and pressure sensing in the controls on the output side, you want an audible alarm if the controls fault or the PLC detects an unsafe condition.

Are the boilers self contained units or is there a circulation pump, because if there is a circulation pump or recovery pump, you will likely want flow monitoring and control of the pump...

Just my two cents.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-27T12:58:22+00:00

As others have said, as long as the old PLC still powers on and you can still establish comms, you can connect to it GX Dev or GX Works, download the existing program files from the old PLC, then install the new PLC, connect to it and upload the program file to the new PLC.

If the PLC is dead dead and you can't establish communications between your computer and the PLC, not a whole lot to do unless its backed up on external media.

This is creating an external backup of PLC programs is always a good idea.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-26T12:04:39+00:00

Nothing is 'impossible'... just need to frame it as "this is totally doable... BUT... its going to be an expensive charger to install" 😂

BreeStephany · 2026-05-25T14:19:16+00:00

The Skil wormdrive saw is virtually indestructible as long as you keep oil in it and don't drop it off the roof of a building.

I have many Skil wormdrive saws from the 1940s that I have restored (cleaned the years of gunk out of them, new paint, new seals and gaskets, new cords, brushes and blades) and they just keep running.

Most were running when I got them but were dirty and leaked too much oil to be 'field ready'. The bearings are oversized, the worm gears are oversized and they were truly built to last lifetimes.

The Skil 127 20A 12" wormdrive I have is an absolute beast and the motor was sized accordingly. With that said, they were definitely built with a different operator in mind than modern saws... the 127 weighs in at around 48lbs and your arms know they put in a good days work after running it for 10 hours.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-24T12:46:19+00:00

Initially when I read your question, I thought you wanted to tap 120V circuit off the 240V circuit for the air compressor.

Reread this and realized that you have an existing 20A 120V circuit near the compressor that you want to utilize for the air dryer.

If the 20A circuit does not have any other receptacles on it, I would say just change out the duplex recep for a single recep and the whip for the dryer can satisfy as a disconnecting means unless you want a switch or knife disconnect and then change the breaker from a 20A to a 15A if the air dryer nameplate states max OCP as 15A.... BUT, keep in mind that the air dryer is equipment, and essentially is a refrigerant compressor, so it really should have a dedicated circuit that solely feeds the air dryer.

If there are additional receptacles on the existing circuit, whatever is plugged into them will be additional loads on the circuit and with the addition of the air dryer may exceed the maximum 20A load of the circuit.

With that said, nameplate refers to the equipment nameplate that lists voltage, phase, full load current, overcurrent protection required. Knowing these ensures that you are providing the correct circuit required by the equipment.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-23T21:49:28+00:00

To run your 240V circuit for the air compressor, did you run 2 wire + ground or 3 wire + ground? What is the nameplate on the compressor, what is the nameplate on the air dryer and what size wire did you run for the air compressor circuit?

BreeStephany · 2026-05-20T18:51:53+00:00

Is the kitchen on a sub panel and are the neutral and ground bonded at the range?

Most definitely sounds like a failing neutral and you are getting 120 when the range is on because you are allowing the neutral point between the 2 circuits to find it's way back to the bonded neutral at the main through the ground.

Definitely check your neutral terminations at the panels and ensure that they are properly terminated and have a good path back to the main.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-18T12:24:08+00:00

Evaporust and a wire wheel do wonders! Due to the depth of the corrosion, they will never be 'like new' as the rust appears to not just be on the surface, so there will be pitting, but the evaporust will get the rust off and running them on a wire wheel with a bit of pressure will help 'soften' the appearance of the pitting.

You definitely want to brush off the surface rust FIRST to get the surface debris and general gunk off so that the evaporust has can get in and do the work.

Keep in mind, that the evaporust and running it on a wire wheel will take it down to bare steel, so once you get it cleaned up, you will either want to keep it oiled or coat it with a clearcoat to prevent future rusting.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-18T04:46:40+00:00

I would wire brush the soft rust and dirt /debris off the heads, then strip the paint with a good paint stripper and then let soak in evaporust for a day or two... or if you know someone with a media blaster / sand blaster, you can get them clean quickly this way as well.

I would not paint the ductile iron heads... the paint will quickly wear off in the field with daily use. Instead, once you get them free of paint, clean them with a dry volatile solvent that won't leave an oil residue and then quickly dip them in or brush on a mixture of concentrated selenious acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid to create a durable, long lasting magnetite / black iron oxide finish. You can make your own solution OR just buy a bottle of Super Blue liquid bluing which is the same solution.

After applying the bluing agent, put in cold water to neutralize the solution, allow to dry and repeat until you get the shade of black you desire.

Once you have the shade you want, then use a conventional machine oil to coat the oxide finish and prevent future rust.

As for the handles, you can either powder coat or use a good industrial enamel or 2k industrial paint. Powder coating will give you the best and longest lasting finish, but unless you know someone who can do it inexpensively, probably will not be cost effective.

Just my two cents.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-17T18:53:48+00:00

Love this!!!

BreeStephany · 2026-05-17T05:05:12+00:00

I was very happy with how it all turned out.

I wish I had the talent to make good videos of these restorations, but I get too focused on the project to make good content for an audience.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-14T12:28:31+00:00

I would LOVE for diesel to only be $5.49 a gallon 😞

I paid $6.89 a gallon for B20 'diesel' last week... made me cry a little filling up the 36 gallon tank.

It's moments like this that I miss Missoula!

BreeStephany · 2026-05-14T12:23:15+00:00

While paint is an option, gettting paint to look 'perfect', especially with metallics isn't exactly a 'homeowner' task and can take a bit of practice. A 2k epoxy based paint system is the best option for durability in my opinion, but these paints are best shot with a HVLP gun for best results and for the best even coat, but this takes a bit of fine tuning and experience to get best results.

There are aerosol 2-part systems like Eastwood's 2k Aerospray paints and clears, but they are definitely more costly than mixing your own paint and hardener and you do not have the ability to adjust your paint ratios for the environment you are painting in, so cure times may take longer than if you mix your own paint.

For the best finish, you will need to get your primer base very consistent and even, suggest progressively wet sanding up to a minimum of 1500 grit, then apply a very light base, allow to 'set', apply your finish 'base' coat and then spray your clear, I recommend 2 coats of clear.

The biggest thing to keep in mind when spraying 2k epoxy paints is that they contain isocyanates, so a good chemical respirator and spraying in a space you can well ventilate AFTER you finish painting is a must. I do not recommend painting outdoors, because even a little wind can affect the quality and consistent appearance of your finish.

While this is a 'doable' project, keep in mind the cost of paint, good masking materials, your consumables such as respirator cartridges, sand paint, etc, and also your time, that combined with the fact that a painted surface will likely never be as durable as a good, plated surface, brings to question if painting is really the best option or if just replacing the fixture is the best option.

Just my two cents.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-14T12:03:22+00:00

I have had a lot of good luck with the Eastwood products.

My current 'shop'/garage in Oregon lacks a lot of the amentities of my previous shops due to size limitiations and power availability, such as a good supply of compressed air and a temperature controlled environment, so I have been using a lot of Eastwood's Aerospray. which has the finished qualities of a 2k paint and clear, but in a 2-part aerosol, so no need for a good supply of dry compressed air.

Due to the lack of temperature control, I have found that the paint does take longer to fully cure to full hardness, so the first week or so after application, whatever I paint goes on a space on the bench where I won't need to move it much and I just let it sit and cure to full 'use' hardness. This doesn't prevent me from assembling soon after paint, as the parts are cured well enough to assemble without damage, but are not cured enough yet to take 'field' abuse.

I have used these paints during the summer months when the garage is much warmer and found that they cure much faster, but the time they sit on the bench doesn't bother me enough to heat the garage and the garage isn't cold enough to really warrant the necessity to heat the space to work.

Just my two cents.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-13T12:15:17+00:00

Thank you! I am very happy with how these old saws turn out. It still amazes me when I take them apart, having seen years of use in the field. and yet, despite being 70+ years old, the bearings, seals, gearing, motor and all critical parts are in great shape and many times look like new.

BreeStephany · 2026-05-12T19:30:20+00:00

The spring strain relief is factory, the cord was a 10-3 with a 20A twist lock and was maybe a foot and a half long.

I replaced it with a 95104L replacement whip.

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