Beware American DIY Videos

[Sean KZN]

When I watch some of those videos, often there is a crunch, you will need 1 of these which is supplied by the video sponsor.
There is a lot of useful stuff but sometimes you really need to sift through pages and pages before finding something appealing to your wavelength.

A few weeks ago I needed an odd sized drill bit for whatever I was doing, probably tapping a thread.
So I phoned my machinist mate. 'Oh you can make 1 in 30 minutes' he says, just get a bit of silver steel, turn it to require diameter and a tapered point, then cut it length ways leaving enough for the chuck to hold it in, make sure you cut it perfectly center, polish it, then heat it to x number of degrees and cool it.
Well, for starters, I just don't happen to have any silver steel lying around, the chances of me sawing it length wise perfectly center are slim and there is no way it will take me 30 minutes, more like a day or so.
But he did make me a drill a few years back, to drill bullet seater plugs to a profile I found acceptable, the concept is because of the modern bullet designs are long and sleek, sometimes the tip becomes the pressure point which I find undesirable, so cured that issue and he did make it using the above principle.
Being a fiddler like me, he's also made taps for odd sized nuts which fishing reel manufacturers seem to find applicable to reels, but way off anything mainstream.

[atunguyd]

Didn't mean to shoot at him particularly - he just provided a good example of what I meant. But there's something else. The "real" Tubal Cain is the guy who wrote for Model Engineer for decades and whose text books are still published by Tee Publishing I think. The American Tubal Cain must have taken that nom-de-plume knowing that the British Tubal Cain existed. And if he didn't he should have. It reminds me of the US gun writer (I forget whom) published in a book about Glocks that cast bullets are not fired anywhere outside the US.

That's a massive assumption on your part. Mr Pete had explained to where he got the name from before. It is from the Bible. Apparently tubal cain was a blacksmith in genesis

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[pblaauw]

Perhaps the worst example I’ve seen is that drilling and tapping through the primer pocket of a cartridge case to make a simple COL gauge, by a guy calling himself the “Ultimate Reloader.” He did the job on a big lathe that would cost at least R250K in SA, but not content with that he held the work in a very expensive collet rather than a simple chuck. Then, to complete the nonsense, he tapped with a 36TPI tap that’s not standard even in the US.

Aaah yes Gavin from Ultimate Reloader.. showing us how to build guns we won't ever be able to afford, on equipment none of us can afford, using components none of us can afford, or reviewing shit we can't hope of getting in to SA, and ever afford.

[oafpatroll]

That's a massive assumption on your part. Mr Pete had explained to where he got the name from before. It is from the Bible. Apparently tubal cain was a blacksmith in genesis

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Given what he was doing and when he was doing it I think it's unlikely that he was unaware of the original Tubal Cain.

[Dick]

a good Youtube channel on small machines is Blondihacks, Her Mill isnt exactly cheap, but its pretty small :P

I've watched most of her videos. Pretty good. In particular, at the right level for hobbyists who want to improve their machining skills.

[Dick]

That's a massive assumption on your part. Mr Pete had explained to where he got the name from before. It is from the Bible. Apparently tubal cain was a blacksmith in genesis

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I know its from the bible. Its not a massive assumption on my part that the original Tubal Cain was British, published for decades in Model Engineer and wrote several text books that are still in print, it's a fact. As he died many years ago his use of the pen name Tubal Cain predates the American writer's use of it. My point was that if he didn't know that he should have known and should have figured out another pen name.

[harm]

I think that the problem stems from the fact that youtubers are about the likes and follows,so have to portray an image.
Most professionals will disseminate enough info to keep viewers interested,not to teach their tricks of the trade

[oafpatroll]

I think that the problem stems from the fact that youtubers are about the likes and follows,so have to portray an image.
Most professionals will disseminate enough info to keep viewers interested,not to teach their tricks of the trade

Absolutely. For professional yoochoobers the video watch numbers and product placements are the target as that's what brings in the cash. It must be very difficult to remain completely 'honest' in the face of those incentives.

That's true across the board and isn't specific to 'workshop' content. As with anything in the internet the 'buyer' really must beware.