In the Chips meeting the following activities took place:

Vance Burns recorded the "History of Machine Tools" from the history channel. Contact him to borrow the video.

Dave Whittaker volunteered to produce the next newsletter.

Joe Williams introduced a list of topics that can be used to create newsletter articles.

Vance Burns presented an award to Keith Mitchell honoring his completion of a one-year term as club president.

It was noted that the "Tinkering Web Discussion Group" has 18 members. Go to the eGroups site at www.egroups.com/invite/tinkering and click the "JOIN" button.

Tom Moore asked all members to pay their yearly dues as soon as possible.

Alan May can reproduce the member handbook on CD. Ask him for a copy.

Allan May and Dennis Cranston will look into the feasibility of incorporating the club.

John Korman suggested advertising our club in various magazines. If you have advertising suggestions, send then to the club secretary.

Keith Mitchell noted that there is a place in the monthly newsletter available to members who wish to advertise "for sale" machine tool related items.

Vance Burns reviewed his London trip and described several historic English steam engines.

Dick Kostelnicek ran his triple expansion marine steam engine. The engine was made entirely from bar and plate stock (no castings) and should generate 5 hp. from 185 lb. of steam. Compressed air was, however, used for the demonstration.

Gary Robinson showed his repair of a lathe milling vice attachment. He replaced a large broken casting with a machined angle bracket.

Charlie Hilton showed a brass cannon he made as a teenager.

Billy Hobbs displayed a cast iron ingot that he poured from a melt in a gas fired crucible furnace. Yes, you can melt cast iron in a brass foundry.

Ed Gladkowski showed his recently constructed air diesel torch for black smithing
 

Joe described the manufacturing process that goes into producing sintered carbide inserts.

They are packed into molds as a powder, compressed, and finally fused by sintering at high heat. The carbide cutting chips are either mechanically held onto metal tool shanks or brazed in place with silver solder. A diamond bearing grinding wheel is best for final forming of the carbide cutting edges while green silicon carbide may be used for roughing cuts. Joe distributed some literature detailing the "feed-speed cutting windows" for various grades of carbide inserts.