pepi
Well-known member
twice 
This is a neat thread, is taking off nicely
This is a neat thread, is taking off nicely
Show us your machining projects.
- Thread starter kazlx
- Start date
Graham08
Well-known member
Wow! Very nice work! I take it you haven't spent your entire career as an internet marketer.
KMScott
Well-known member
No, I have been a machinist since 1975, and in 1980 I finished my apprenticeship as a Tool and Model maker. Last year I realized I have to change, the Toolmakers wages are dropping to the point that I had to do something else. I have been building websites in stead of injection molds, fixtures and tooling for the last year. At nights I have to build something so I keep busy building Wilton Jaws and tools. I used to own a Mold making shop at home but that went away in the late 90's but still kept a CNC and surface grinder. I have been helping the developers at Lexmark since they eliminated their Tool room personnel in the last 5 years. You know the stuff still has to be figured out and built. Does the upper management really think everything must be built in Mexico or China..
Gary Anderson
Active member
More stuff that my oldest son did, younger brother works at the same place oldest son does, he is in the Graphics department and does the art work stuff.
Your Pal, Gary
Your Pal, Gary
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OccupantRJ
Well-known member
You need to set up a Brownie in the back corner for that!
Nah, you need a Davenport 5 spindle.......Loud as hell, but we pump out a part every second and a half.
383 240z
Well-known member
Was going to post. Not now. I'm just happy to get a press fit on the first try. Keith
NASTYZEN
Well-known member
Dimple Die sets for GJ members.
Matched with hole saw and knockout punch sizes.
I still have some in stock.
Matched with hole saw and knockout punch sizes.
I still have some in stock.
Kevin - great stuff!! How did you fixture the reflector to do the walls that thin? And, do you have a pic of the tube bending die? I'm having trouble visualizing how that works?
Now these are my projects. The first one is a pair of Rotor Hats. One set for a member on here and another set for a friend of his. 7075 aluminum, which I really like the machining properties of.
This is just one of the many reflectors that we made at work. I made the tooling, then had to prove out the reflector. This ine hasn't been chem polished or anodized yet
This is another reflector prototype that I made. When it went into production it was made of of a cast aluminum. That was one good thing about working in the Toolroom and Model Shop......we got to work on the parts first.
This was some stainless steel latches I made for some light on a Boeing aircraft.
This is a quick adjusting riser block. You pull the "C" clip out, slide the inner part up or down, slip the "C" clip back in, then the screw adjustment is on top
This is an aluminum handle, or the start of an aluminum handle. It goes on a searchlight for a helicopter. The handle eventually gets knurled and welded on. If anyone has ever bent aluminum tubing in a bender, you will know that the pipe will deform some in the bend and become egg shaped. This pipe had to maintain it roundness within .005 throughout the length of the tube. This tube has already been cut to length on the short end. When I made the tooling, then formed the tube, the tube was within .002 throughout the entire length. How I did it was by using two blocks of O-1 Tool steel. In each half of the blocks, I made a groove through the blocks at .500 deep x .500 radius. The tube diameter is 1.000". The two halves were doweled together and clamped. Using some grease for lubrication purposes, I then use a hydraulic press and pushed the tube down through the blocks. The size of the grooves through the block kept the diameter of the tube in check, and the result was a wrinkle free, non egg-shaped tube, bent at the correct angle each and every time.
The last picture, you guys can take a guess on it. Every single surface is machined on a compound angle. The tolerances on the part were +/-.002 everywhere, and is dead nuts on.
I've made so many precision tools for work as I showed above in my previous post, such as the angle plates, Sine plates, vises, and so on. I've made thousands of rivet punches for Universal head rivets. My wife has some of those still. Then a lot of smaller personal tools like boring bars, fly cutters, saw arbors, vise stops, and the list goes on and on. Eventually, I hope to get some equipment for home so that I can make a few things when I feel up to it. I got a lead on a 2 axis CNC mill, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Steve......I don't have a pic of the tube bender but I'll put up a quick sketch to show you how I did it.
As far as the reflectors, they are formed in an aluminum punch and die down into rubber. I'll also put up a sketch but it won't have all of the proper dimensions.
Here is a quick pic of the tooling to make a reflector. To make the punch with facets, it is put into an indexing head. The amount of facets and the shape of the reflector was determined by the engineers. They have programs that figure the light outputs and the patterns the light produces. In the aircraft industry, something as simple as a reading light has to be made with all people in mind, so that if one person turns on a reading light, it will not bother the person beside them. Lights on the outside of the aircraft also have to fall into a certain light pattern spectrum. But to make the punch, it is put into a Haas indexer, and the facets are cut with the side of an end mill. Normally there are 40 segments at 9 degrees each rotational move to give you a total of 360 degrees. The amount of facets in the "X" / "Y" moves varies. And some reflectors may not have facets at all, but may be some sort of odd radius and those would be cut in a lathe.
You drop your blank into the nest in the bottom block, bolt the top bloch to it, lube things up and press it down into the rubber plug. That is hit and miss until you get the right length of rubber, or you may have to cut a slight pocket into the rubber plug as it wants to come up around the material when it starts forming. Too much and it will rip the material. Too little and it won't form the material to the punch.
If it doesn't make sense, let me know and I can explain it a little differently.
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
As far as the tubing and keeping it from elongating the tube, I took a 1" ball nose end mill and cut grooves .500 deep in each half of the blocks. When the blocks were pinned together they made a 1" diameter round hole. I put the tube in the top and shoved it down through the fixture. I stopped when the top of the tube was even with the top of the block. I didn't need to bolt the blocks together but I held them together with two dowels for fixture alignment, and clamped them together with a 6" Kant Twist clamp.
With the tube going through a perfectly round hole, there was no deflection in the tube because the hole diameter held it in place. Before doing it this way, we tried sand, we tried freezing water, and just about everything. I made a tube bender just for these, similar to what you would buy, but everything let the tube go elongated in the bend, until I thought of trying this. A 1" tube in a 1" hole cannot go elongated if there is no place for it to deform to.
My apologies. I thought I posted up a sketch of how the tube was formed. Here it is:
With the tube going through a perfectly round hole, there was no deflection in the tube because the hole diameter held it in place. Before doing it this way, we tried sand, we tried freezing water, and just about everything. I made a tube bender just for these, similar to what you would buy, but everything let the tube go elongated in the bend, until I thought of trying this. A 1" tube in a 1" hole cannot go elongated if there is no place for it to deform to.
My apologies. I thought I posted up a sketch of how the tube was formed. Here it is:
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Graham08
Well-known member
Thanks for posting that stuff, Kevin. You tool & die guys have my respect. 
NASTYZEN
Well-known member
Thanks for posting that stuff, Kevin. You tool & die guys have my respect.
Yep! They can do math a lot.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Yep! They can do math a lot.
Nasty.....it's funny that you say that. In school I barely squeeked by in math. I hated it, didn't understand Algebra or the formulas at all. And right before I graduated, I got a job as a Tool Designer, but only being 17 at the time, I could only work for a few hours after school until school was out. For the next few years after that, I had three different jobs as a Tool Designer.
I hated working behind a desk though. I excelled as a Designer, but I wanted to work with my hands running machines. I did get one job running a large Carlton Radial drill press, then went to a lathe, but it was all production work. I ended up getting a job working in the Model Shop making prototypes at the place I finally retired from. ANd going back to where I barely made it through school because of math, there is a very huge difference between running a machine for production to making prototypes. In school I didn't understand Algebra at all, now I had to know Trigonometry
So I bought my first Machinist Handbook and at night, I would sit and go through the Trig section until I understood it. Even to this day, although I have a 2D CAD program, I still like to sit down with a scale and a pencil and figure the problem out in my head just to stay sharp.Now, all I need is some more machines to do what I would like to do. I'm looking at a 2 axis retrofitted Bridgeport. Once I get it, then I'll keep my eye out for a 3 axis that I can either put on it, or get a different mill completely.
I also have to buy some replacement tooling that was stolen out of my box when it was at the shop. It's going to take a little at a time to get there.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
No one going to take a guess as to what this is?
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Refueling light housing for a F117.
Kevin, thanks for the drawing and explanation!! I really like seeing the parts and understanding the thought process in machining and fixturing. The first thing I start to think about when I start a new project is how I am going to hold it instead of what tool paths I'm going to run.
I never thought about the number of facets and light direction, but after I read it the "light" bulb went on.
Great stuff!
I never thought about the number of facets and light direction, but after I read it the "light" bulb went on.
Great stuff!
Steve......I don't have a pic of the tube bender but I'll put up a quick sketch to show you how I did it.
As far as the reflectors, they are formed in an aluminum punch and die down into rubber. I'll also put up a sketch but it won't have all of the proper dimensions.
Here is a quick pic of the tooling to make a reflector. To make the punch with facets, it is put into an indexing head. The amount of facets and the shape of the reflector was determined by the engineers. They have programs that figure the light outputs and the patterns the light produces. In the aircraft industry, something as simple as a reading light has to be made with all people in mind, so that if one person turns on a reading light, it will not bother the person beside them. Lights on the outside of the aircraft also have to fall into a certain light pattern spectrum. But to make the punch, it is put into a Haas indexer, and the facets are cut with the side of an end mill. Normally there are 40 segments at 9 degrees each rotational move to give you a total of 360 degrees. The amount of facets in the "X" / "Y" moves varies. And some reflectors may not have facets at all, but may be some sort of odd radius and those would be cut in a lathe.
You drop your blank into the nest in the bottom block, bolt the top bloch to it, lube things up and press it down into the rubber plug. That is hit and miss until you get the right length of rubber, or you may have to cut a slight pocket into the rubber plug as it wants to come up around the material when it starts forming. Too much and it will rip the material. Too little and it won't form the material to the punch.
If it doesn't make sense, let me know and I can explain it a little differently.
I thought F117, but then thought "No can't be". It is pretty amazing that you made that piece for such a legendary aircraft. Kudos to you! What was the material?
I also have an appreciation for your machine tools. Nice work!
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NASTYZEN
Well-known member
No one going to take a guess as to what this is?
What impresses me the most with your machining is that it's all done on conventional machines! You are a true tool and die guy.
I cheat and use Mastercam and a calculator. I am a mathematical dyslectic or something. Algebra, logarithmics, square roots....**** that. Was,is my worst subject. The numbers just dance and bounce around in my heat.
Now you know my secret. I can't even play cards, because I can't count properly.
But I manage and compensate with calculators and computers.
Zen ,I think we're related!
Always struggled with numbers.Dropped out of ME school because of it and got into machining instead.
I was in heaven when I got on a prototrak and was able to use all the math functions. Now I really rely on MC and my P-trak.
Always struggled with numbers.Dropped out of ME school because of it and got into machining instead.
I was in heaven when I got on a prototrak and was able to use all the math functions. Now I really rely on MC and my P-trak.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
the material is cast aluminum. Once it was all machined I black anodized this one.
What impresses me the most with your machining is that it's all done on conventional machines! You are a true tool and die guy.
I cheat and use Mastercam and a calculator. I am a mathematical dyslectic or something. Algebra, logarithmics, square roots....**** that. Was,is my worst subject. The numbers just dance and bounce around in my heat.
Now you know my secret. I can't even play cards, because I can't count properly.
But I manage and compensate with calculators and computers.
Nasty....The older I get the worse I get with numbers. I know I'm dyslexic. I don't know whether my hands are faster than my mind or my mind is faster than my hands. I really have to watch because if I jot numbers down, almost every time, I will swap the order of them. I've really noticed it more in the last couple of years. It's the same way with typing on the keyboard. I've never had any typing, but I can get it done by looking at the keyboard and I spell the words out in my head while typing. But then I look at the screen and a lot of words have the letters out of order. I also take care of balancing the checkbook, and it's amazing that when I swap the numbers around, it is never to the good.
Back a few years I was a federally licensed manufacturer for firearms.
Now I sort of do free lance work for the .GOV and other entities...
The Final Product prior to testing (to include destructive testing)
second production model... Disolved the company before bringing product to market. Then started working for the .GOV exclusively.
Now I sort of do free lance work for the .GOV and other entities...
The Final Product prior to testing (to include destructive testing)
second production model... Disolved the company before bringing product to market. Then started working for the .GOV exclusively.
Nothing mysterious, a 60 degree K Baffle Stack, a 304 Stainless blast baffle.
Each Baffle has two scoops and a reversion cut. they lock together puzzle style.
The Tubing for the envelope is 7075T6 and the Baffles are T651 Rod, the mount and the blast baffle are 304 Stainless Steel
There were several prototypes. They were all tested to destruction.
Sadly none remain. I'll hunt around and see if I have any photos of the baffle stack.
Here's a marking gauge that will scribe a line parallel to an edge either on wood or metal, etc.
image hosting
Came from a 1945 book.
image hosting 10mb limit
image hosting
Came from a 1945 book.
image hosting 10mb limit
I went through several of that style jig (plinker's) years back, so I went to using Aviation rivet squeezers...
Works great then I had Curtis make me a special jig for the long rivets.
Works great then I had Curtis make me a special jig for the long rivets.
Did this today with/for a friend. Jig for pressing in rivets for building AKs:
Here is one i did a few months ago.
Wanted a steady for my 10 ee. I kept missing out on buying on and price was always high when I did see them so decided to make one.
The start
Didnt take pics of all steps.I made bronze sleeve bushings for the legs to ride against and of course the legs and knobs.Bought the bearings.
Looks right at home on the old girl.
. Cheers, Jim
Wanted a steady for my 10 ee. I kept missing out on buying on and price was always high when I did see them so decided to make one.
The start
Didnt take pics of all steps.I made bronze sleeve bushings for the legs to ride against and of course the legs and knobs.Bought the bearings.
Looks right at home on the old girl.
. Cheers, JimHere are a couple.dont want to get thread off topic.
The knobs were simple.turn head to desired shape.set on mill with top up.and calculate the amount of notches and size.Move off center the radius of part and plunge cut around diameter.Just a little math to do however course you want the knob to be. Simple.
The knobs were simple.turn head to desired shape.set on mill with top up.and calculate the amount of notches and size.Move off center the radius of part and plunge cut around diameter.Just a little math to do however course you want the knob to be. Simple.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Is that a factory color for the Monarch? I don't think I ever saw a machine in that color of green, but I think it looks great.