And NOW... a Little Jackleg Machinistry...!
Dammitt. This Juki is just kicking my ass. Thought I was all done fix'er-uppering, so went through the user manual rereading the setup and usage instructions so I can take her on her new "maiden flight"... and I find that there's a second lift lever for the presser foot... and it's broken.
Of course there are replacements available, for like $12. Evidently, ONLY from China. And I'm moving right NOW.
Murphy... your timing, as usual, is impeccable.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033924;image)
So After some deliberation over whether to make the part in Fusion and print it, I decided to look at other solutions based on what I had in my junk drawer. I found a nice-looking hex standoff that had had the stud broken off; a little Dremel work to square up the fugly end and I was ready to drill & tap. Normally I'd do the boring part with a drill press; but I pretty much still have no more shop than what can be fit in a couple toolbags, so gonna have to get shadetree on its ass.
A little Sharpie as ersatz Dykem Blue and scribe center with a knife; then prickpunch and drill. But to keep me from drilling dangerously crooked, I'm going to do it bass-ackwards; the bit will follow the center of rotation as much as possible provided I keep the drill straight enough not to break it.
Thankfully I have oodles of leftover mineral oil from filling the machine; drilling and tapping both cut smooth and painless.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif.pagespeed.ce._JElyJQqdB.gif)
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033928;image)
Looks like the drill still managed to walk a few thou even being center-punched...
![Confused :-//](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/confused0024.gif.pagespeed.ce.5xOqKkq0Co.gif)
Eh, still good enough for this application.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033932;image)
A younger me would've just ground the face of that hex with a curve to match the shaft and have done with it, or put the shaft in a vise and ground/filed a flat on it; I was sorely tempted to do the latter, but I knew it would look like a scabbed-together POS on a otherwise decent condition machine I was looking to sell. So I decided to do it the hard way...
![Evil >:D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xevil.gif.pagespeed.ic.tdrs7Uj5gu.png)
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033936;image)
So first I drilled out the bleeping bastard child M3.5 thread in the shaft to 4mm (using my $4 set of metric drill bits from Dollarama-yo mama...!
![Tongue :P](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xtongue.gif.pagespeed.ic.J5mTe0A2NA.png)
) and screwed the hex to the shaft. Then a little more scribing with a knife to lay out the work.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033940;image)
This kind of project is like whittling; first you start with bigger cutters and work your way down. Got a good start roughing it out with a 25mm cutoff wheel...
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033944;image)
... and now move onto a almost used-up wheel saved for just such purposes.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033948;image)
After that it's just "a little here, a little there" trial & error fettling for 30-40 min with various cutters and diamond bits.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif.pagespeed.ce._JElyJQqdB.gif)
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033952;image)
And the first screwed-down test-fit is GO!
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif.pagespeed.ce._JElyJQqdB.gif)
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033956;image)
Here it is installed on the machine... much better than the broken nylon piece that came on it. While not the original lever, appearance is in keeping with the manufacturing tech of the machine; it looks like it belongs there.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif.pagespeed.ce._JElyJQqdB.gif)
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1033960;image)
I knew that being a big hamfisted old tinkerdwagon, my estimate of actuation force and feel was not reasonable; I could pinch the bare shaft and turn the thing if I had to.
![Roll Eyes ::)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif.pagespeed.ce.XcUK202Yqt.gif)
As a final test, I had my wife sit at the machine to test the lever action and feel of the hex in the hand.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=998555;image)
Mrs "The Dragon" gave two thumbs up for both ease of use and tactile feel, but politely declined a photo op. This will have to do.
![Wink ;)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xwink.gif.pagespeed.ic.cldandycH0.png)
mnem
*tinker-ily* ![Evil >:D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xevil.gif.pagespeed.ic.tdrs7Uj5gu.png)