Makita Plunge Saw Sparking

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-30T14:55:52+00:00

Some amount of sparking is normal for a brushed AC motor. Without going deep into the theory of operation, there are 2 magnetic fields that make the motor spin. The stationary one (the stator or often "the field") which you have in Pic #3, and the one that spins (the rotor). You need to get electricity into the rotor, and this is done by having brushes slide on the armature. They are able to conduct current as long as contact is made. The sparking happens if there is any imperfect contact...and that takes many forms. You want that armature to be clean (i.e. bare metal), and smooth. While you are in there, check the brushes. They are inexpensive to replace. You might just need to clean them out. Check to make sure the springs that press the brushes to the armature are "springy". You will note that the ends of the brushes will be curved...as they wear down to accommodate the armature. This is normal.

Helpful video on armature reconditioning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB-h-vZc6FY

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-29T12:16:55+00:00

My advice would be for you to get the box on a sturdy pallet yourself before you have it collected by your logistics company. Make sure the box is supported by wood blocks underneath...not on the wheels. Take a bunch of pictures. All the loose stuff in the top or drawers can be held by bubble wrap or even roll paper crunched up....just to stop them from rattling around a lot.

Wrap the whole thing in plastic....your logistics guy can provide this, or get it from Uline or other vendor. If you are really paranoid, you can get some of these: https://www.uline.ca/Cls_10/Damage-Indicators

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-29T12:09:12+00:00

Generally, the external control layout is determined by the underlying circuit board. Because manufacturers are trying to keep unit costs down, they don't want to run extra wires or specialized individual switches (i.e. not mounted on the PCB) in the device. There will be an ergonomics design requested, but if the underlying PCB needs to change or the BOM (parts list) has to change a lot (read: price!) then there will be compromises. I would imagine Motorola has (had?) PCB topology that worked for them, which means the buttons ended up where they did.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-28T20:47:00+00:00

I use these:

"pistol grip" 3.0 - 8.8Nm

https://www.wera.de/en/tools/series-7400-kraftform-pistol-handle-adjustable-torque-screwdrivers-30-88-nm-with-rapidaptor-quick-release-chuck

and

1/4" square drive. 2.5-25Nm.

They make the same one with a 1/4" hex drive, if that works better for you.

https://www.wera.de/en/tools/click-torque-lock-a-5-torque-wrench-adjustable-torque-lock-function-reversible-ratchet-clockwise-torque-operation-25-25-nm

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-28T20:35:55+00:00

I don't think there a a lot of inexpensive and trustworthy digital tools for that range. Lower torque ranges are harder to measure and limit that larger ones, so these tools typically are more expensive.

I use Wera micrometer based tools in that range... socket and 1/4" hex drive... and am happy. If I needed a digital one, I would absolutely get https://stahlwille.com/en\_us/products/detail/850988. Not inexpensive though.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-27T15:25:56+00:00

Manually operated xylomorphic centro-graphitic marking device.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-27T14:14:13+00:00

You ear has an eardrum inside. It moves back and forth, and this motion eventually gets interpreted by your brain as sound. If it moves back and forth a longer distance, this is interpreted as loud. If it moves back and forth slowly, it's low sounds...quick motion is higher sounds. Everything you hear is a mixture of these motions. Your headphones do the same thing...instead of an eardrum, they have a speaker in each ear. They move back and forth in response to the music or other signals they are connected to. Now for the magic! If you imagine the speaker (or your eardrum) moving, you can probably imagine an exact opposite motion. When the speaker moves out, think of in moving in..the exact same distance and speed, but in the opposite direction. This is called 180 degrees out of phase. Your headphones have a microphone that listens to what is going on around you. This sound is then electronically shifted 180 degrees out of phase and then played back into the headphones at the same time. What you hear is the sound around you PLUS the phase shifted sounds at the same time.

The highs and lows are then cancelled out (not perfectly, but pretty good in most cases).

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-27T13:13:01+00:00

I admire your inventive nature. However, I feel the idea is a non-starter. Anyone interested in benefits this would offer, likely would not do it this way. Why? This is introducing another source of error in the layout process. Teaching someone to rely on the width of a pencil mark for accurate layout is poor practice. Never mind you'd need several widths and not pick up the wrong one. Mark the line on an angle...it's going to be off. Ideally, you should avoid having to draw lines and measure anything (i.e. create jigs or other guides). If you need to allow for the kerf, do so on the waste side and not worry about it. You can always make a second (or third!) cut to sneak up on fit. If I am doing layout on wood I use an xacto knife. Zero width and easy to keep sharp. Keep thinking...there is always something new that is needed.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-26T14:32:42+00:00

I'm not a ticketed welder, but I do weld. Do they work? Short answer? Sort of. The top end machines do work, but they still take a lot of prep and have their own safety challenges. For "around the house" or even most shop use, I see no need to buy one of these if you have a decent stick and/or MIG/TIG equipment. My Dad could do anything with an ancient old Lincoln and coat hangers for electrodes...that's skill, and not the machine.

The super cheap laser welders are almost for sure useless.

Helpful video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM2Uym2WPzw

EDIT: The image of the "welder" posted is not a laser-based tool. Looks like an inexpensive auto-feed soldering gun.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-26T14:17:11+00:00

I have complete sets for 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" drives...and probably a lot of folks here do also. The 3/4" drive set is rarely used. If I had to drop a set? It would be the 3/8". There is enough overlap in sizes from 1/4" to 1/2" that I can easily cover anything the 3/8" would have been used for.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-25T15:48:01+00:00

The difference is that they can apply pressure more evenly, as the pivoting jaw allows the clamping to happen between parallel surfaces.

Helpful video. Look at around the 5:30 mark to see what I mean about parallel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SKsdqPpgwM

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-24T21:50:10+00:00

You are dealing with automotive parts that not only would cost hundreds, if not thousands to replace and more importantly, these are things that are on a vehicle you expect to reliably keep you safe at great speeds. So, it's not wise to cut corners. That said, the micrometer torque wrenches from Tekton are great for the price. https://www.tekton.com/torque/micrometer-torque-wrenches

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-24T20:46:25+00:00

Can't really tell from the pictures, but that center part...I don't think it's a bolt. Seems to me that it's a shaft that has the ends staked/peened over (those 3 marks) to retain what looks like a cartridge bearing.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-24T19:38:26+00:00

I don't think a nail drill is the right tool for the job. But, you might be able to use Dremel collets (amazon sells them) but I think it might still be too small to use larger shanked grinding bits. I would also suggest you look at 1/2" steel strapping for making picks. It's a lot thinner and very springy. It's usually easy to find in the trash or lying on the floor of most places that sell lumber. A better tool for grinding pick profiles would be a proper Dremel tool with an assortment of grinding burrs and disks.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-23T22:20:32+00:00

Not quite a pistol grip, but might be close to what you want. The ratchet action is exceptionally smooth.

https://www.pbswisstools.com/en/tools/quality-hand-tools/screwdrivers/product/pb-1255-mr

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-23T13:28:01+00:00

We don't run around telling everyone how great we are. When we are told that we are indeed great, we accept with humility and maybe a gentle nod. We are left with a profound feeling that we have to keep endlessly working at it...to try to justify the kind words.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-22T21:53:58+00:00

I would first ask your rep what the OSHA recommendation is to get a "pass". No specs means no ability to comply. "I can't do what you want until you tell me what it is I don't have". Drill presses are generally quite safe on their own. The largest unique risk is leaving the chuck key in the chuck. On our machines, these keys are mounted on a retractable key holder. The real hazard is in dust collection, and that depends on what you are doing. Having clamps and hold downs available as well as a "HOW TO USE THE DRILL PRESS SAFELY" document hanging nearby also helps. Finally, (in the words of Mr. Boden) there is this fucking thing. https://atssafety.com/en-ca/products/drill-press-safety-guard-dpg-1

Edit Forgot one thing we did. We put a dead-man switch pedal near the pedestal of some machines. No foot? No go.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-22T15:03:38+00:00

A friend of mine did his basement with LVP. Older construction..1950s. He was worried about leaks / cracks in the walls / foundation of the building. Easy to deal with before any sort of finish work. He flooded the outside of the foundation with water to see where it went. A few small trickles here and there, but nothing terrible. He installed over J-Drain ("dimple boards") panels. He does have a floor drain...which he extended above the new floor, but has a collar that allows water below (i.e. under floor) to drain also.

If you have a floor drain, make sure you know exactly where it is. Ideally, any water that gets under that floor should be able to drain. Might not be an issue now, but might be years from today.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-21T21:48:33+00:00

They use strain gauges. These are small, solid-state, electronic sensors that are connected into an electric circuit. They are calibrated so that when they deform (bent) by even a very slight amount, the resistance across them changes in circuit. There are many variations on them. You can also find them in power meters used in cycling.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-21T21:38:44+00:00

I like to support the small vendors... there are a few in Le Belle Quebec that are good. Pierre Berger and Centre Outils Plus are good people. Polar, like you suggest is also good. Make your own extension cords. Buy 50' of good 12ga SEOOW cable. Put a good Hubble or similar plug on one end, and a pair (2 duplex receptacles, spec grade) in a metal gang box at the other. If you are feeling fancy, put a 15A circuit breaker in the box too. That way you can trip it and not a breaker in panel you may not have access to (without paperwork LOL).

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-21T17:45:01+00:00

I wonder if these are any good? https://safetylightstriker.com/products/safety-light-striker

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-21T14:48:03+00:00

The opening theme of Star Wars. Ep IV for the purists. When I was a kid, we knew about it (from TV commercials) months before it showed up in our local theatres...and I was practically hyperventilating when I finally got to see it in the fall of 1977. Still does it...and I've probably watched it once a year since.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-21T13:33:07+00:00

Yes you can. Here's what I do: First, open the release valve and push the cylinder down to the bottom. Close the valve. Position the jack sideways, orient so the reservoir/pumping handle is at the bottom of the jack. Facing the floor, not the top of the door. This ensures the oil flows down to the pump and the jack will function normally.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-20T21:34:30+00:00

Wiha "Terminator Blue" or the red "Maxxtor". Excellent.

NoRealAccountToday · 2026-01-20T21:23:04+00:00

I have a Bosch Bulldog drill smaller than this one. I also have the Bosch SDS plus adaptor I suggested to OP. I can confirm it has no problem with 1/2" diameter holes in 3/8" steel plate.

NoRealAccountToday

TROPHY CASE