Fabricated rear PTO guard

[dcyrilc]

Man I wish my eyes were still that good; but progressive bi-focals can make for some distorted images now and then.

I find it interesting how much of this type of stuff that I've done for years is done as much by feel as it is by sight. When trying to tap a small hole, it just won't feel right when it's crooked. Having done traffic signals for so long, you get a feel for it. We had to do a lot of 1/4" and 1/2" tapped holes in 1/2" rolled plate steel which the pole shafts are made from. After tapping 1,000+ 1/4" holes in 1/2" plate by hand, you can tell pretty quick if the tap is crooked.:laughing:

Stopping and actually thinking of numbers over the years, I'm thinking that number may be low. There are 8 1/4" holes per pole and most intersections have 4 poles. Thats 32 holes per intersection and I'm sure I've built somewhere over 1,000 intersections in my career. Hmmm......:confused2::confused2::confused2:

 

[handirifle]

Really good question. I don't know why there needed as well especially on the Kubota Grand L. In these tractors if the PTO is engaged and you get up off the seat the machine shuts down. I do know now that every machine on the lot with rear PTO's got the guards in place. Might be a legal thingy.
Thanks for posting. Glad you like the guard.

If that's the case, then how would you run something like a pto driven log splitter? You sit and watch someone else split? Maybe catch up pn a good book...:laughing:

 

[4shorts]

Seeing we're on the topic of tapping now I figured I'd show you something I use a good bit and find it great and it's called a tapping guide.

I use them in the mill and lathe. They are spring loaded and if you were tapping in the lathe you would chuck this in the tail stock and put it up against the tap and where it's spring loaded it keeps a constant pressure on the tap and you don't have to keep moving the tail stock.
There are a couple of different ends on a tap and as you can see the two types in the photo.
I got two of them but you would only need one because you can take the Alan nut out on the end and flip the double sided shank over and use the end you need. I got two of them so I don't have to do the flip.

 

[varmint]

Paul- would you be so kind as to post a photo or two of your tap guide in use- in other words, the tap in use on your lathe? I am guessing the work piece is turning, the tap is stationary, and the tap guide is pressing to advance it? How's that work??

 

[4shorts]

Paul- would you be so kind as to post a photo or two of your tap guide in use- in other words, the tap in use on your lathe? I am guessing the work piece is turning, the tap is stationary, and the tap guide is pressing to advance it? How's that work??

You got it right. All the tapping guide does is keep a constant pressure on the tap while you manually turn the tap. If you never had this tool and you had the tap in the tail stock of the lathe you would not only have to turn the tap but also have to keep moving the tail stock to keep pressure on the tap. Thanks to the spring in the tapping guide this is done for you with the tapping guide. I'll post a few photos for you in the morning.

 

[tlbuser]

Seeing we're on the topic of tapping now I figured I'd show you something I use a good bit and find it great and it's called a tapping guide.

Darn it. Ill raise you a handy dandy printable wall chart
http://www.goodwrench.com/_res/pdf/Inch Tap Drill Sizes and Decimal Equivalents.pdf

 

[mjncad]

Ya and when you get it right you pat yourself on the back and say "Gee I'm glad I didn't have to do that the 11th time" :laughing:

I'm so used to patting myself on the back, that I'm double jointed.

Darn it. Ill raise you a handy dandy printable wall chart
http://www.goodwrench.com/_res/pdf/Inch Tap Drill Sizes and Decimal Equivalents.pdf

That's handy, thanks for posting.

 

[4shorts]

Paul- would you be so kind as to post a photo or two of your tap guide in use- in other words, the tap in use on your lathe? I am guessing the work piece is turning, the tap is stationary, and the tap guide is pressing to advance it? How's that work??

Here you go buddy. I also scanned the packaging for you and got a close up of that tank you mentioned.

 

[4shorts]

Darn it. Ill raise you a handy dandy printable wall chart
http://www.goodwrench.com/_res/pdf/Inch Tap Drill Sizes and Decimal Equivalents.pdf

Those charts are an essential tool for tapping. If you want to do it right, use the chart!:thumbsup:

 

[varmint]

Thanks, Paul. I should have realized how you use the tap aid. I used to use lathes a bit, back in the 60's mostly, when my dad ran an aircraft maintenaince facility that had a nicely equipped, although WWII era, machine shop. Got to go in on evenings and weekends and play with stuff. Had some fun with making stuff out of aluminum sheet, also.
I'd like to have a lathe, but don't really need one, and various tooling bits and pieces would bankrupt me. Oh, and a milling machine, while I'm at it.