Machinist Kalc Programs

Can you imagine a world without threaded  nuts and bolts? When you think about it, almost everything in the world is held together by nuts and bolts - vehicles, homes, bridges, chairs just to name a few. You could say that our lives are literally hanging by a thread.  Of course, threads are used in other materials as well such as pipes. And threads come in different pitches; some are standard and some are metric; some are internal and some are external. And it's a machinist's job to make sure these threads are precise for the jobs they must perform. So, as a veteran machinist with over 40 years of experience, I have posted a few thread tips and created some GrafnCalc83 programs to help you double check your calculations for external pipe threads , internal pipe threads , and for diameter calculation  over three-wires of 60 degree threads. Image courtesy of  Dan Cristian Pădureț via Unsplash I'm so glad you visited www.MachinistKalc today. Be sure to sign up for my month

A hexagon, as mentioned in a previous post , is often used in nature due to its amazing strength. One of the earliest hexagonal written thoughts dates back to 36 BC when Roman polymath, Marcus Terentius Varro, reported that the hexagonal shape makes the most efficient use of space and building material. (Source: Wikipedia ) From that point, builders and manufacturers have been busy as bees using the hexagon to build their man made creations.  Image courtesy of   Meggyn Pomerleau With that being said, a machinist often uses two of history's genius hexagon inventions - hex nuts and bolts with hex heads. These handy fasteners allow for an excellent grip without slippage when tightening. As machinists, we also make plenty of hexagons in our career. That's why I decided to revisit my hexagon tips  and GrafNCalc83 programs I created to calculate a  hex angle , hex point 1 , hex point 2 , and  diameter calculation for hex and square. My coworkers and I use these programs on a near-d

Threads on nuts, bolts, pipes, and other hardware and equipment hold our world together. And a machinist makes sure those threads are correct so everything will stay together longer. Threads make the use of our lathes, micrometers, as well as other machines and machinist tools possible. External male threads need internal female threads to mate or fasten objects together. The screw is made of two simple machines – the inclined plane and the wedge - so that it can move forward while also holding objects together so that the threads are unable to slip from their position. Image courtesy of FLYD The varied uses of threads, thread angles, ridge pitch, coarse and fine threads, thread depth and diameter, and other variations make each thread unique for its use. Each of these variations plays a major role in how the threads can be used without stripping. So, you can see how important it is to get your measurements correct when making these types of parts that require threads. Of course, I

Nature uses hexagons because of the strength it provides. Also, of squares, equilateral triangles, and hexagons, the hexagon packs together more cells in one plane, using less space, than the other two do. In nature, the hexagon shape is found in tortoise shells, snowflakes, honeycombs, and bees’ nests. You’ll find many more examples if you care to inspect this further. If hexagons are good enough for nature, it’s good enough for manmade products as well. Engineers have been using the hexagon for their creations for hundreds of years. Some, like bridges, houses, and other buildings use this concept because of the strength and use of less space. Using hexagon shaped floor and wall tiles are other ways to not only use less space but also as an eye-appealing way to decorate. A soccer ball, made from hexagon and pentagon shapes, helps the ball maintain its shape as it’s being kicked around, improves the ball’s aerodynamics, and helps players maintain control (Source: https://soccerwhizz.

GrafNCalc83 iPhone App I already have a bit of information on my site about the GrafNCalc83 iPhone App, but I wanted to elaborate on it a bit more in this post. As a machinist, I purchased this app to use on my iPhone, because I need to double-check my math and trigonometry fast when I’m working on a job. And my phone is always with me. It’s very similar to the TI83/TI84 calculator that I’m familiar with but cannot carry around with me. The developer, Earnest Brock, is always helpful if you have any questions. I found this to be a pleasant surprise. The program is available for a one-time fee of $5.99 in the iTunes App store, which is an amazing price for everything this calculator offers. This fee is well worth it as it is very handy for the numerous occasions that I need to use a calculator in my life. Watch on YouTube I provide videos about how to use this app for the Machinist programs I have created for use in the GrafNCalc83. However, you can find a few other videos on Yo

Machinist Tools Calculators A machinist is only as good as his tools and his precise measurements. Yes, gages, calipers, micrometers, and all of the other tools in your toolbox are necessary. However, other machinist tools are often overlooked. For instance, we have all heard the old English proverb "Measure twice and cut once." An older Russian proverb, by the way, states, "Measure seven times and cut once." So, after you - and possibly a few of your co-workers - have confirmed the measurements for a job, it's also a good idea to run the numbers through a machinist calculator. The calculator programs I create for the GrafNCalc83 App are great for that final check. These take a few days to program and a few days to test before I upload them for sale. The app is downloaded on my own iPhone so it is immediately available when I need to check my calculated measurements for a job.  I invite you to look through my site to find a calculator program you can use for the