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Brandt Taylor

Custom Fixturing for a Harley

By: Brandt Taylor
Putting a 1" diameter axle in the rear wheel of a Harley motorcycle required a custom rear brake caliper bracket and custom fixturing to make the bracket.

Horsepower Considerations

By: Brandt Taylor
Over the years I have done a huge amount of custom machine work for custom Harley motorcycles. You see, I am an old motorhead and I understand the

Cutting Edge Fundamentals

By: Brandt Taylor
Machinist's Corner columnist Brandt Taylor discusses the parameters that determine the effectiveness of a cutting operation.

Machining Soft Jaws

By: Brandt Taylor
Learn the best practices for machining soft jaws to improve accuracy and efficiency when holding round and rectangular parts on a lathe.

Workholding for milling

By: Brandt Taylor
When holding parts for milling operations, the geometry of the part determines how best to clamp it.

Gauging threads a lost art

By: Brandt Taylor
Here's a handy, accurate and versatile way to measure pitch diameters on outside threads.

Custom indexable tools

By: Brandt Taylor
Cutting Tool Technologies solves problem with specialized cutting tool.

Tips for trouble-free tapping

By: Brandt Taylor
Make a quick, quality thread without breaking the tap.

Making a precision weldment

By: Brandt Taylor
Welding technique minimizes shrinkage and strain.

Machining phenolic

By: Brandt Taylor
Take care with this abrasive, rapidly wearing and toxic dust producing plastic material.

Art of the groove

By: Brandt Taylor
How to and tips for making grooves for V-belts on a lathe.

Shop floor career evolution

By: Brandt Taylor
Today’s machinists are more productive, and they must know more — therefore they are worth more.

Boring with a milling machine

By: Brandt Taylor
Techniques to make a bore to accept an SKF 6207 ball bearing unit

Case hardening do-it-yourself

By: Brandt Taylor
How to case-harden steel inexpensively and quickly using an acetylene torch.

Gauge block fixturing

By: Brandt Taylor
Setup this job quickly and effectively with no out-of-pocket costs.

A little math equals a lot of safety

By: Brandt Taylor
Machine economically and safely by estimating the forces involved with aggressive metal removal.

Fixture considerations for vise jaws

By: Brandt Taylor
Learn how to use a milling vise for easily made, trouble-free fixturing.

Protect your assets

By: Brandt Taylor
If you have assets—money, time, expertise, capability—there are people readying and willing to steal them.

Going deep into slotting

By: Brandt Taylor
It’s helpful to understand the cutting forces involved when machining slots.

Measuring with spring calipers

By: Brandt Taylor
Machinist's Corner columnist Brand Taylor provides a primer on what these measurement tools can do.

Using infrared thermometers

By: Brandt Taylor
A low-cost, accurate and convenient way to take the temperature of a workpiece.

Clamp tricks for milling

By: Brandt Taylor
T-slot clamps can be used for more than just clamping.

Hot-rolled versus cold-rolled steel

By: Brandt Taylor
What you need to know about hot- and cold-rolled steel mill products.

Milling shaft keyways

By: Brandt Taylor
Try this timesaving setup procedure for milling keyways, flats or other features on shafts.

Cutting long, tapered surfaces

By: Brandt Taylor
Save time with this setup method for cutting long, tapered surfaces on a three-axis milling machine

Measuring is a snap

By: Brandt Taylor
Measuring diameters is a fundamental machinist task. Here's a technique to ensure your measurements are correct.

Manufacturing opportunities knocking

By: Brandt Taylor
The time is ripe to expand domestic manufacturing.

Milling fixture tips

By: Brandt Taylor
Holding parts for machining on a milling machine can be challenging, especially long, skinny parts.

Chip control while turning

By: Brandt Taylor
Peck drilling is a way to form reasonably sized chips when drilling.

The chuck stops here

By: Brandt Taylor
Speed up z datum setting on your lathe with a Stop Jaw

Crash avoidance without simulation

By: Brandt Taylor
How to prevent crashes on a three-axis CNC milling machine.

Milling setup tricks

By: Brandt Taylor
Learn how to use a milling vise to clamp a casting with a curved-surface datum.