My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did

"Waynemak" wrote in message
...
My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and
see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it
would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to.
I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did

Killer good idea! Congrats on your good thinking.

Harold

My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



If you had room to slide a mirror in there to view the motor plate you
could have photographed the mirror and then 'flipped' the photo in a
photo software application.


--
Larry Green

Waynemak wrote:

My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



I had to do that too recently. Another trick is to take an impression of
the nameplate using modeling clay. If you're *really* looking you might
be able to get your data that way.

BTW the lathe I was looking at was a 2-speed lathe (2 motor speeds) and
it was 440 only.

GWE

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 16:55:25 -0500, Larry Green wrote:


My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did

If you had room to slide a mirror in there to view the motor plate you
could have photographed the mirror and then 'flipped' the photo in a
photo software application.

Ah, good point. I've also done the digital camera in a tight spot
thing, and may have a chance to try the mirror method this weekend
(removing an engine from a new-ish car, with the to be expected tight
engine compartment). Thanks for the idea.

Waynemak wrote:
My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



My digital camera has been handy for helping my declining short term
memory remember the way things where were before I disassemble the whole
shebang. G

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

That is a GREAT idea, as long as I can remember where I put the camera.
--
Fred R
________________
Drop TROU to email.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 18:20:22 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
calmly ranted:

Waynemak wrote:
My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



My digital camera has been handy for helping my declining short term
memory remember the way things where were before I disassemble the whole
shebang. G

That's an EXTREMELY good use for the camera, especially when something
may sit in pieces for months at a time. I wish I'd had one back when
I had to remove entire dashboards from Porsche 928s, etc., then wait
for parts to be made in large runs in Germany before taking a slow
boat over here.

I have a Nikon Coolpix 995 which can focus down to a few millimeters
and sure wish I'd had it back in '84. Upload the pics to the computer
and print them out for later use.

They're also fun to see the original condition and track the status of
refurbs for the machinery we rebuild.

--
Remember: Every silver lining has a cloud.
----
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

Yeah, I stored pics of my car's drum brakes, left & right so when I change
the shoes I can see where all the springs and cables go.

Tony
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
news
Waynemak wrote:
My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need
to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and
see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it
would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting
to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need.
I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out,
once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



My digital camera has been handy for helping my declining short term
memory remember the way things where were before I disassemble the whole
shebang. G

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Larry Jaques wrote:


My digital camera has been handy for helping my declining short term
memory remember the way things where were before I disassemble the whole
shebang. G


That's an EXTREMELY good use for the camera, especially when something
may sit in pieces for months at a time. I wish I'd had one back when
I had to remove entire dashboards from Porsche 928s, etc., then wait
for parts to be made in large runs in Germany before taking a slow
boat over here.

It isn't just the digital cameras .. way back in the early '70s I saw
the machinists in the shipyards, faced with tearing down a strange (huge)
ship engine, shooting rolls of film before they started. - GWE

On Fri, 07 Jan 2005 18:20:22 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

Waynemak wrote:
My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did



My digital camera has been handy for helping my declining short term
memory remember the way things where were before I disassemble the whole
shebang. G

Jeff
As a machine tool tech...mine has been essential when rebuilding
gearboxes.

Gunner


It's not unwise to remember that Mother Nature is essentially a
murderous, sneakly, promiscuous bitch who has been trying to kill you
since your conception.

Eventually she will succeed, perhaps with the help of your fellow man.

Life consists in putting off the inevitable as long as possible and
taking what good and joy you can before her success.

Whether you attribute that situation to evolutionary forces, a fallen
nature after Adam and Eve screwed the pooch, or whatever, it's no less true.

Be friendly, pleasant, unaggressive, and honest toward all and be
prepared to ignore, avoid, or even kill anyone who is otherwise toward
you. Being ready doesn't mean eager, just ready. What true friends are
found in life will undestand and accept that fundamental rule of human
interaction." John Husvar

Waynemak wrote:

My little digital camera just save me hours of work on my lathe. I need to
convert from 440 to 220volt, the only why to get at the motor plate and see
it is to remove the motor. Looking at the way this lathe is set up it would
take some time. I can get at the motor wires but not the ID plate. I was
able to put the camera into a spot my small hands had trouble getting to. I
snapped about 20 pictures and one is focused, and gives me what I need. I
had to keep the camera off until it was where it needed to be the lenses
comes out some when it is on and it wouldn't fit with the lenses out, once
in the area needed it and about 4" to focus and it did


Likewise, I did the take a picture at arms length - but it was a blind access
to the back of our TV. It has 6 sets of Digital and analog inputs. Don't you
just love stuff with options...

I had to patch in and the cables were only long enough with the TV in the final
position. The TV also requires 4 HE men to pick up, one to rotate it but the
camera did the trick. Knew from the picture and walked the hand down
the back and into the correct input.

Good input - and thought I would add another hint to the group.

Martin

--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

I took one of those tiny video cameras you can buy at places like
Marlin Jones for about fifty bucks. Soldered a white LED and a 330 ohm
resistor to its 5V supply. Use any TV with a LINE IN as a monitor.
What got me into this was a solder joint broke on my wife's
speedometer on the dashboard PC Board.
No way in hell am I taking that dash apart (Jaguar).
So...Prefocussing its little lens at a working distance of 6", I was
able to rest it on the cables, while taking a dab of conductive epoxy.
It worked great. Now I have a surplus"Periscope" left over from the
job. Sure, I had to go through some awful contortions to do the job,
but it only took 20 minutes, opposed to all day.
Then I was able to find a surplus automotive-type LCD monitor on ebay
for very little..they are the 12V ones that people use in RV's. Now I
have a complete setup for a hundred bucks, without stealing a TV to
use. The little cameras put out a composite video viewable on any
LINE IN device.
These things fit where a real digital camera cannot. and they display
realtime.

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 08:39:30 -0500, the renowned Grunty
wrote:

I took one of those tiny video cameras you can buy at places like
Marlin Jones for about fifty bucks. Soldered a white LED and a 330 ohm
resistor to its 5V supply. Use any TV with a LINE IN as a monitor.
What got me into this was a solder joint broke on my wife's
speedometer on the dashboard PC Board.
No way in hell am I taking that dash apart (Jaguar).
So...Prefocussing its little lens at a working distance of 6", I was
able to rest it on the cables, while taking a dab of conductive epoxy.
It worked great. Now I have a surplus"Periscope" left over from the
job. Sure, I had to go through some awful contortions to do the job,
but it only took 20 minutes, opposed to all day.

Sort of like arthroscopic surgery. Or maybe gynocology. ;-)

Then I was able to find a surplus automotive-type LCD monitor on ebay
for very little..they are the 12V ones that people use in RV's. Now I
have a complete setup for a hundred bucks, without stealing a TV to
use. The little cameras put out a composite video viewable on any
LINE IN device.
These things fit where a real digital camera cannot. and they display
realtime.

Most of the teeny-tiny digital cameras have video out (though NOT at
full x megapixel resolution). If you have one of those, all you may
need is the little LCD monitor. It would be nice to have a high
resolution (at least 1600 x 1200) video camera set up with a 10:1 lens
so I could use an LCD monitor instead of a microscope for little
circuits. Edmund Scientific would probably want $5K US for something
like that- I wonder if a high res camera is available for cheap?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 09:58:37 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
wrote:

No way in hell am I taking that dash apart (Jaguar).
So...Prefocussing its little lens at a working distance of 6", I was
able to rest it on the cables, while taking a dab of conductive epoxy.
It worked great. Now I have a surplus"Periscope" left over from the
job. Sure, I had to go through some awful contortions to do the job,
but it only took 20 minutes, opposed to all day.

Sort of like arthroscopic surgery. Or maybe gynocology. ;-)

Yesh, working under thta dash on that thing is very much like:

The young Obstetrics Resident, despite a wonderful talent, could not
stand the demands or residency, so he quit
.. At first, he was at a loss as to what to do, and happened to notice
an opening, working for a painting conrtractor. To his surprise, he
really enjoyed it!
One day, he was to go to a job to paint a living room. He phoned in
later in the day to tell the Boss the job was done.
"What do you mean??!!! You never picked up the KEY to the customer's
HOUSE!!! It is still hanging here in the office!!!

"I got here this morning and realized I had forgotten it, but rather
than drive all the way back, I did the job through the keyhole".