PFG Live

PFG Live episodes:

• 05.05.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0505: Over-automation in the Small Shop

  Upgrade to Form 4 Printer? - We've been making the family of NOZ products on the @Formlabs Form 3+ printer. How do we react to the new Form 4? Productize 6-inch Lapping Plates? - As we build out...

  
• 04.28.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0428: The Joy Of Unnecessary Precision

  Lapping From Ra to Rz - I was challenged by @proteummachining to start looking at Rz rather than Ra for surface roughness. Let's see why. Wireless Devices In The Shop - In which I cross the streams....

  
• 04.21.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0421: The Expensive Stuff Is Cheaper

  3-inch ToolMakers Flat: First Lapping! - After all the preparation, I finally do the first lapping... and it rocks. Process improvements will, of course, ensue. The Expensive Stuff Is Cheaper... Again. - In which I buy a carbide tool which...

  
• 04.14.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0414: P1 is Life

  P1 is Life - Making the first prototype, and noting how long it lasts. It's a metaphor for ... everything. Making a Lapping Station - Fixin' to get ready to lap, specifically the ToolMakers Flat TMF-3 What's All The Fuss About...

  
• 04.07.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0407: Storms, Blackouts, Earthquakes, Eclipses!

  Storms, Blackouts, Earthquakes, Eclipses! - I wish we were kidding. All this happened in the last week, or will tomorrow. Success Hand-Tapping, Next Hand-Lapping - We got the 4142 Pre-hard part tapped, and the ToolMakers Flat is ready for hand...

  
• 03.31.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0331: ToolMakers Flat Followup

  Followup on the ToolMakers Flat in 52100 Steel... Quicken The Quench: Heat The Oil? - A casual question from Tom Lipton set me on a course... does heating the quenching oil quicken the quench. Does the Temper Negate The...

  
• 03.17.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0317: Of Clock Springs And Toolmakers Flats

  Of Clock Springs And Toolmakers Flats: Turning the 52100 steel produced some pretty evil chips. Some of them broke. 52100 Steel: Planning The Heat Treatment: We are ALMOST running the recipe recommended by the NBS (now NIST) many...

  
• 03.10.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0310: Crash Recovery: Just Breathe

  Rotary OD Lapping: Sine Rolls - We make a soft lap from scrap. We struggle with three different compound choices, and end up where we should have in the first place. Evaluating Round, Straight, Size - It's not trivial down...

  
• 03.03.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0303: I Didn't Expect The Backlash!

  Successful Sidewheeling - We learn about "forming" the wheel, and finally nailing the dimenensions. I Didn't Expect The Backlash! - Would have been fine in a mill, not so much in a surface grinder. But, we overcame. Sine Right Here: Charles...

  
• 02.18.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0218: Restoring and Using Tools

  Restoring and Using Tools: Getting old tools, especially shop-made tools, back to working order and using them productively. Tighten Your Hub: Staying concentric, stable, true and dressed. Oh, and also in your grinding... Helping Non-Machinists: There Is No Sketch:...

  
• 02.11.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0211: Decluttering with Mental Money

  Grinder Therapy: We discuss "grinding in" two cast iron instruments for our friend UnixCarbide Autocollimated Boring: Unix completes the supply chain by delivering bagels... and some goodies from across the planet Decluttering With Mental Money: How Two Bucks is...

  
• 02.04.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0204: The MIT LMP Shop: A Student's First Chips

  The MIT LMP Shop: A Student's First Chips Guest: Dan Gilbert, Instructor ! McMaster Drawing, Your Queries, and More... Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones®" is a registered trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 01.28.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0128: Chattering About Damping And Resonance

  McMaster Catalog Giveaway Visiting Two University Shops Chattering About Damping And Resonance We're giving away a McMaster-Carr Catalog!! 1) Be subscribed to the YouTube channel 2) Comment on the YouTube video as directed in this podcast! We will randomly draw a winner next week. ...

  
• 01.21.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0121: The Many Aluminum Alloys

  Euphamistics: Precision Hole Punching The Many Aluminum Alloys Restoration Of Others' Shop-Made Tools Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones®" is a registered trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 01.14.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0114: Tom Lipton

  Guest: Tom Lipton! Lessons From Moving Into A New Shop Attracting Talent To Our National Labs And, of course, more! Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones®" is a registered trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 01.07.2024

  PFG.Live 2024-0107: What Is The Ideal CNC Cycle Time?

  Happy New Year 2024! Pinch of Copper? What is the Ideal CNC Cycle Time? Tools, Food, Earthquakes, Oh My! Preparing resin-bonded diamond wheels... Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones®" is a registered trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 12.17.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1217: At Home With 460-Volt Machines

  USA to Canada Shipping: What's DDP?!... and why does it save a bunch of costs for send PFG Stones Northward? Preparing For SLicing Ruby Stone... Which blade? What procedure? At Home With 460-Volt Machines... What Adam ( @adamthemachinist ...

  
• 12.10.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1210: Self-Employment with Stefan Gotteswinter

  Guest: Stefan Gotteswinter Self-Employment: How and When What gear do you need first? Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones®" is a registered trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 12.03.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1203: Good First Effort

  Diamond Saw Blade On My Grinder: Crazy? - As the old "saw" goes: if it's crazy and it works, then it's not crazy. Spoiler: I ordered a blade for modifying. Machine Shop Tables and Workbenches - A hot topic in...

  
• 11.26.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1119: Undercomplicationalism

  Undercomplicationalism - How to get Mom's rotary blades sharpened in less time than it takes to justify buying new ones. Machinist Every-Day Carry - What's in your pockets? Data Wrangling - How I am learning to gather and deliver useful data from...

  
• 11.19.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1119: Tolerance is Money, Friend!

  Tolerance is Money, Friend! - Chasing tight tolerances which are not needed is a disservice to your client... and to you. The Tool Your Grinder's Hydraulic Table Needs - Have a grinder with an automatic hydraulic table? Here is a...

  
• 11.12.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1112: Very Flat ... Magnet?!

  Very Flat ... Magnet?! - I respond to a client request for a flat surface on a magnet. There were some surprises. Mandatory Grinding Tools - What tools should be within arm's length whilst working on your surface grinder. ...

  
• 11.05.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1105: Non-linear Rails

  Breaking News! -- a report from the New York City Marathon, LIVE! Instant Kiki Collab - A fast collaboration on 3D printing happened. It illustrates the power of the 'net. Linear Rails: $12 or $450? Yes. - An unexpectedly...

  
• 10.30.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1029: Make 'em Think

  Trebuchet Week: Make 'em Think - The kids design, build and test a trebuchet. The goal? Hit their Physics Teacher in the face with a water balloon at 35 meters. We are joined by that teacher,...

  
• 10.22.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1022: I Wood If I Must

  I Wood If I Must: I help a team of young'uns from the HS Physics class to build a trebuchet. Outside the shop. Learning From Pythonistas - The RH Sensor project hits new milestones, and is ready for polish...

  
• 10.15.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1015: The One Year Sensor

  RH/Temp Sensor Reports On-line For a Year On a Battery! - A software/hardware breakthrough and a hardware guy learns Python. Current measurements say we have arrived at the goal. Boring Tool Breakage Analysis - I broke...

  
• 10.08.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1008: Fixturing Weird Grinding Jobs

  Cardboard Aided Design (CAD) - Prototype #1 needs to be right now! Fixturing Weird Grinding Jobs - You want me to grind WHAT?!??! Sensor Update: More Betterer - We have smoothed out our software, and are getting great battery life. How...

  
• 10.01.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-1001: Surface Grinder Workflow with Adam Demuth

  Guest: Adam Demuth! - A magnificent Toolmaker and teacher, Adam brings his wisdom. Surface Grinder Workflow - By request by a watcher/listener... consumer? Feather/SHT4x Battery Life: Unlocked! - We lost some hair figuring this one out, but we may have achieved 60-day...

  
• 09.24.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-0924: Further Feather Fiddling

  Feather Development Stand - The STL files are in the links page. Super useful for desktop development. Sensing: Temp, RH, Battery - getting the most out of the SHT4x, and the onboard battery conditioning chip. Notifications, Network Time, more! -...

  
• 09.17.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-0917: Talking SHT4x: Secrets revealed!

  Talking SHT4x: Secrets revealed! - The Sensirion has a heater in it for a reason. We uncover the reasons as well as a total lack of suggestions as to how to use it. Hardware Guy Learns Software? - Adafruit endeavors...

  
• 09.10.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-0910: Out With The Old!

  New 1st Layer Graphics Hack - This is why we have a Discord server: Colaboration!! Thanks, Dylan at Proteum Machining. @proteummachining7039 Advanced Sensors Capability - We unlock the Adafruit cloud solution with no coding, and we...

  
• 09.03.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-0903: Adam Balogh - Crushing It In Precision Machining Education

  Adam Balogh - Crushing It In Precision Machining Education (98%) Relative Humidity Remote Data Collection Unlocked - Adafruit has some nice tech, and we are testing it. (2%) Yeah, we went down the rabbit hole with Adam Balogh of Laney Machine...

  
• 08.29.2023

  PFG.Live 2023-0827: Registered Trademark! Why?

  Improving the Products - we discuss small improvements which is a never-ending process Registered Trademark! Why? - over a year of waiting... why it's valuable. B-200 Production Wrap-up - lessons learned on batch number three. Links for products/designs mentioned are at pfg.gg/links Follow...

  
• 08.20.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0820: Twisted Concentricity

  Software is Hard? Where? - We take the dive into Adafruit Feathers and our favorite humidity sensor. Torque Your Gripper - Wrapping up the 2023 B-200 Balancing Ring production run - Lessons Learned Twisted Concentricity - We collect data on...

  
• 08.13.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0813: If it's crazy, and it works, then it's not crazy

  BS-8 3DP TIR... So Far, So Good If it's crazy, and it works, then it's not crazy. Finalizing Our RH Standard - $30 for 1.8% RH accuracy down to 0% SLA Printing a Haimer tip for Saunders Machine Works ( @nyccnc ) Links...

  
• 08.06.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0806: Calibrate The Elbow

  Balancing Stand Calibration - How do you know that it's as good as one costing 5X? We're gathering data. Hygrometer Calibration - How to get 2% accuracy for $30, and keep your filament dry. Bambu Calibration - They release new software...

  
• 07.30.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0730: Getting Balanced... Finally

  Getting Balanced... Finally. I release the KP Model BS-8 Balancing Stand, so you can stop yelling. Packaging is not Trivial - How you ship something is surprisingly important. Duh! Process Reliability Beats Speed - I learn something about turning off...

  
• 07.23.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0723: Does Anybody Really Know the RH?

  Does Anybody Really Know the RH? - A person with two watches never knows the time. We discuss the $3 hygrometer, and dealing with its inaccuracies. There's a possible product development in there. Downhole Deburring - some new tools...

  
• 07.16.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0716: The Required Epiphany

  Achieving Balance: The Required Epiphany! What is the WLPC and how does it apply to Balancing Stands? You're going to like the answer. Polymer Hydrolysis: perhaps harder than we thought, but still important. Calibrated Hygrometers? My fellow engineer...

  
• 07.09.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0709: Shipping, Drying and Heating

  Shipping: C'mon CANADA! Sheesh... Balancing Stand Update: I had the Required Epiphany! And it is good. Bambu PETG Basic: I get it, I try it, I have some things to say about it. Filament Drying Chemistry: It's...

  
• 06.26.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0625: A Tale of Two Lids

  A Tale of Two Lids: Should I change from PETG to PLA+ Minimize Inventory: Superb 3DP reliability means minimum inventory... with a good spreadsheet PVA: Release Stick, NOT Glue Stick RSI: Maximize Automation. Seriously, don't wear yourself out. NOTE:...

  
• 06.19.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0618: Of Damping and Dampness

  Two is One. One is None. - Redundancy is your friend Of Damping and Dampness - Most problems go away with dry filament and chicken soup. Desiccant? Yes We Can - An end-to-end system for repeatable, predictable 3DP results. NOTE: ...

  
• 06.11.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0611: Going Mobile! A Special Edition

  I can't be in the office, so this is a mobile edition of PFG Live. Same incisive analysis. Fewer snacks. Bambu update. 5000 Mile Lightning Report. Damping the Grinding. And more... Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones" is...

  
• 06.04.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0604: Does the Bambu X1C Solve a Problem?

  Special Guests: Robin Renzetti ( @ROBRENZ , IG: robinrenzetti), and Bill Schongar of MakeIt Labs, Nashua NH. Does the Bambu X1C Solve a Problem - well, it sorta does. But I have questions. Why I'm not selling my PRUSAs......

  
• 05.28.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0528: 3DP Abhors a Vacuum

  3DP Abhors a Vacuum: A PRUSA goes down for repair, and the territory is primed for change. Damping Followers: The Benelli Pin project raises some interesting questions. Why Verified?: Spencer goes Verified on Instagram - Why he did it,...

  
• 05.21.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0521: Are 3D Printers a Necessity Now?

  Special Guest: John Saunders of Saunders Machine Works and @nyccnc ! Are 3D Printers a Necessity Now?: We make the case. We go deeep on the Bambu printer, and John's recent experience with his. Does he...

  
• 05.07.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0507: Aaron's New Majestic Tool

  Spencer Grinding Benelli pins: How am I going to hold it? Aaron Walla's new Parker Majestic grinder and Adam Demuth's vast experience... together! Generally starting trouble and watching it unfold. Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones" is a trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 04.30.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0430: 3D Printing for Machinists

  3D Printing for Machinists: It's another tool you need. Really. Balancing: Important for your car tires... REALLY important for your grinding wheels. Heat-Treat Experiment: When the data sheets are approximate. Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones" is...

  
• 04.23.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0423: Contradictory Heat-Treating

  Unwanted Growth: Oxide, Martensite or Both? (Lathe operator runs and hides...) Holding Lasagna Noodles... for grinding. Contradictory Heat-Treating: The datasheets disagree with each other, and the research. Follow me on Instagram at "spencer_webb_nh". ("PFG Stones" is a trademark of Kinetic Precision)

  
• 04.17.2023

  PFG Live 2023-0416: Boring Tools Aren't

  Boring Tools Aren't. My pins are too strong? Plane, Line, Point. PRUSA Mk4 or Bambu? The audio portion of this video is published as a podcast! Search for "PFG Live" on your favorite podcatcher. Follow me on Instagram...