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Practical references for the trades we build calculator apps for - machining, electrical, welding, construction - plus the operations stuff every shop owner runs into. Written by people who do the work.
Skim, save, send to a teammate. Each post stands alone - no pre-reading required.
Glass Eye 2000 is Windows-only. Here is the honest state of stained-glass pattern software on Mac and iPad, from virtual machines and general drawing apps to GlassPattern.
Cone layout formula for full cones and frustums: R2, R1, and sector angle θ from diameter and height. Worked 24-to-6 hopper example, hand layout checklist, rolling technique, and the FabCalc 1:1 DXF export.
Preheat ranges for A36, A572, A514, 4140, and 4340 by thickness, the IIW carbon equivalent bands, and the canonical answer to the 4140 preheat question: 400–600°F, low-hydrogen rod, slow cool.
Every word of the Fanuc two-line and Haas G76 decoded: thread height 0.6134 × pitch, the D×√n pass rule, RPM guidance, and a complete ready-to-run 1/2-13 UNC program.
45 bags of 80 lb (or 60 of 60 lb) make a cubic yard, a 10×10 slab at 4 in takes 56 bags of 80 lb, and a 4×4 fence post takes 3 — counts for every bag size plus waste and yield rules.
The riser-count formula (total rise / 7.75, round up), a full 58-inch deck example (8 risers at 7-1/4, 7 treads at 10-1/2), the bottom-riser drop most first-timers miss, and framing-square gauge settings.
Deck footings must go below the local frost depth (0–48+ inches depending on region). How to calculate footing diameter from tributary load and soil bearing, frost heave mechanics, why posts must never touch concrete, and the cylinder formula for concrete volume.
The four-category method for framing takeoffs: plates (3 LF per LF of wall), studs (wall length divided by spacing plus 1, then add corners and intersections), headers sized by opening width through LVL at 16 ft, and 15–20% waste. Full worked example: 10×20 room addition.
Rafter length equals run times the pitch multiplier: 6:12 is 1.118, so a 19.25 ft run gives 21.5 ft. How to find the run (subtract half the ridge board), bird’s mouth depth limit (one-third of rafter depth), ridge board vs ridge beam, and rafter tie vs collar tie placement.
Platform framing step by step: stud count formula (wall length divided by spacing plus 1, plus corners and openings), three-plate rule, rough opening sizing for doors and windows, header sizing by span, load path from roof to footing, and the tall-wall safety rule.
Quick-reference header sizing table by opening width (doubled 2x6 under 4 ft through LVL over 12 ft), what “doubled” means in 2x4 vs 2x6 walls, king stud vs jack stud anatomy, when to use LVL, non-load-bearing wall exceptions, and the most common installation mistakes.
Surface feet per minute (SFM) to RPM calculator, chip load to IPM, and starting SFM ranges by material for milling and turning. Complete formulas with worked examples — same math as ShopCalc, offline on your phone.
Tap drill sizes for UNC, UNF, NPT, and M-series threads at 75% and 60% engagement — including 3/8 UNC, 1/2-13, and common bolt sizes. The formula, when to drop to 60% on stainless, and number/letter drill decoder.
Pick the right copper or aluminum wire size with NEC 310.16, derate for ambient and conductor count, and check voltage drop on long runs.
Starting points for amperage, voltage, wire feed speed, and gas selection by material thickness - plus how to read the puddle when you're outside the chart.
The three formulas, overage rules of thumb, mix design and rebar references, and how to avoid the most common short-load and over-order mistakes.
AWC DCA 6 + IRC R507 spans for SPF and SYP, when composite forces 12" oc, the modern structural-screw replacement for ledger lags, and the joist-tape that adds a decade of life for $30.
Sheet-count formula, screw spacing, mud-and-tape estimating, and the brand-specific picks (USG green-lid vs blue-lid, Easy Sand 90, FibaFuse) - plus the IRC R302.6 5/8" Type X spec for garage ceilings.
Coverage formula with realistic numbers, the one-coat tier (Aura, Emerald, Marquee), the primer decision tree, and the additive + brush picks (Floetrol, Wooster Shortcut, Purdy XL Glide) that decide whether the wall looks DIY or pro.
How uncoupling membrane and rigid backer solve different problems, the substrate decision tree, ANSI A108.5 95% mortar coverage, the modified-vs-unmodified thinset rule, and where backer board still beats Ditra.
Real-world load ratings for plastic, threaded, molly, and toggle anchors. When to use what, the SnapToggle install step everyone gets wrong, and why a TV mount never goes into drywall alone.
Starting recipe: 280 SFM, 4,280 RPM, ~26 IPM, 0.0015 in/tooth - plus the SFM ranges for annealed/prehard/hardened 4140, the slot/profile/trochoidal adjustments, and what the spindle is telling you when it complains.
Calculated tap drill is 0.4251". Closest commercial drill is 27/64" (~78% engagement). Drop to 7/16" for 60% on stainless and titanium. Full chart, formula, and the cutting-vs-roll-tap drill rule.
Complete paste-able program for facing 0.030" off a 2.5" diameter bar in 4140 prehard, plus the math behind G50/G96, feed/speed, and the safe-retract sequence that keeps the insert away from the chuck.
168 sq ft floor + 10% waste = 185 sq ft to order. In 12×24 tile that's 93 tiles or 12 boxes. Plus the tile-setter waste-factor rules, grout coverage, bullnose math, and why dye-lot mismatch ruins the floor.
100 ft³ / 3.7 cu yd. That's ~225 60-lb bags or ~167 80-lb bags - but at this size you should call a ready-mix truck. Full math, bag-vs-truck threshold, and rebar/mesh recommendations.
600 sq ft net area. 17 sheets of 4×9 (best fit), 19 of 4×8, 13 of 4×12. Why 9 ft ceilings change the math, plus screws, tape, mud, and the hang sequence that kills horizontal seams.
165–185 A at 19–21 V, ~290 IPM wire feed, 14–18 IPM travel, C25 gas at 35–45 CFH. The math behind those numbers, the puddle-reading symptoms, and when to switch from short-circuit to spray.
GTAW root: 10–25 kJ/in. SMAW root: 12–35 kJ/in. The real limit is the qualified WPS - ASME Section IX QW-409.1 makes heat input an essential variable. How HI affects HAZ toughness on notch-critical pressure-vessel steel.
3/32" (2.4 mm) tungsten, 2% lanthanated or ceriated (skip the thoriated). Sharp 30° point with 0.005" flat. Plus the cup size, gas flow, filler rod, and color-check guide for clean stainless TIG.
Ampacity says #8 Cu, voltage drop forces #6 Cu. Aluminum equivalent: #2. Full NEC 310.16 + 210.19 calculation, the EV-charger case (where this comes up most), and the conduit-fill check.
NEC Chapter 9 conduit fill calculator: 4x #10 AWG + 1x #6 THHN in 3/4" EMT = 25.3% fill (pass). Full conductor area table, EMT vs RMC vs PVC comparison, step-down/step-up scenarios, and the 360-degree bend rule.
The 3% / 5% rule is in an Informational Note - recommendation, not enforceable code. Where it stops being optional, the formula, the math at the most-common run lengths, and how loads degrade with VD.
A practical structure plus a copy/paste template you can ship today. Get approvals faster without sounding stiff.
What to include, when to use it, and a clean template for high-ticket items, equipment, and Marketplace deals.
Bill of sale template for Marketplace, how to sell safely in person, safest payment (cash, Zelle, ACH), scam red flags, and a clean handover checklist for tools, vehicles, and higher-ticket items.