Abstract: An improved method and component design that makes for a more precise fit between steel studs and steel track, used in cold formed light gauge steel construction.

Abstract: An improved design for a featherboard. The featherboard exerts lateral pressure against a work piece, keeping it pressed against a guide fence of a power tool for improved accuracy of cut. The featherboard consists of a bracket, which can be fixed to and removed from the worktable without tools. It has one or more attachment posts. The bracket also has a guide that accepts a featherboard arm that can be locked in place with a locking knob when it is in the desired position. At the end of the featherboard arm is one or more flexible plates with guide marks. When the featherboard arm is properly positioned the flexible plate(s) is/are pressed into the work piece to hold the work piece against the guide fence and to prevent kick back of the work piece by the saw.

Abstract: A bending jack for straightening bent boards. The device has three main components: a spur assembly that has a spur head, a spur bar and a spur; a handle, secured to the spur bar by a pivot pin or bolt; and a push arm. At one end of the push arm is a shoe. The other end of the push arm is pivotably attached to the handle. The device is used by driving the spur into a joist near a bent board. The device is set so that the shoe is near the spur and abuts against the board. As the handle is then moved forward it pushes the shoe against the board. Because the spur is fixed in the joist, the board is moved in the direction of the handle movement. Once the board is secured, the device can be pulled from the joist, ready for the next operation.

Abstract: A glove box for establishing an inert gas working environment. The glove box has a housing defining a work chamber and a stovepipe section. Flexible glove sections are connected to the housing and can be inserted into the work chamber. A valve is connected to the stovepipe section for exiting gas from the work chamber and stovepipe section. The valve includes a rigid member with a seal connected thereto. The rigid member is biased by elastic members onto the stovepipe section with the seal therebetween.

Abstract: The system comprises a main casting unit and a glove box unit for reworking cast items. The main casting unit has a frame with a casting chamber, a heating element, a vacuum, a supply of inert gas and a rotatable casting arm for spin casting molten material into a mold. The arm is adapted to removably mount a crucible and mold at one end and, an adjustable counterweight at the other end. The heating element can be moved into and out of the path of the arm and is adapted to heat metallic material in the crucible. The main casting unit also has a driver that projects into the chamber for driving the casting arm with reduced wear on seals between the chamber wall and the driver. A safety bar is provided to prevent the arm from spinning except when desired. The main unit also has electrical and gas conduit connectors for connecting the glove box unit to the main unit.

Abstract: The bottom of a solid metal charge melts to fill a form below the charge. During melting, usually, the metal that enters the form remains continuous with an unused solid part of the charge. After cooling, the formed metal is removed together with the unused part of the charge--and usually with the form too. They are separated later or in a different operation, and another charge is positioned immediately for melting into another form, so the useful duty cycle is very high. A preferred form of the invention uses an upper melting chamber and a lower forming chamber, separated by a horizontal wall but communicating by an aperture through the wall. The charge and form are placed against the wall from below to block the aperture. The charge preferably extends up through the aperture into or toward the melting chamber, where an arc electrode or other heater melts the top of the charge, particularly near its center.