The Machine Work Thread

[Jim Johnstone]

Yes that's at work (my old work actually) the part on the boring mill is the core half of a front bumper mold for I believe the Honda pilot. I wish I had taken a picture of the other side being machine on the 3+2 axis machine. The huge plate on the vertical machine was a clamping plate for another Honda mold that Honda subbed to us, we weren't building the whole mold. My boss never checked the dimensions of the plate when he quoted it, and it ended up taking 8 setups to finish. No way they made any money on that job.

 

[Hephaestus29]

I have a chance to buy a Milling Machine and I was wondering who can tell me the ups & downs of Square ways v/s dovetail ways on milling machines. Anybody ???

 

[zkling]

I have a chance to buy a Milling Machine and I was wondering who can tell me the ups & downs of Square ways v/s dovetail ways on milling machines. Anybody ???

Box ways are typically found on heavier built machines. They (by design) have the potential to not be quite as accurate as a high end dovetail, but substantially more rigid. What is the machine in question?

 

[macgyver37]

I think it will matter more the lineage and condition of the particular machine than whether box or dovetail are better for a person in a non commercial setting.

The only vertical mill I can think of that has box ways off the top of my head is Tree, at least in the smaller(ish) machines. My Cincy #2 horizontal does as well and if I recall the K&T I had did. My Index is dovetail.

 

[dr_clyde]

My cincinnati universal #2 has box ways, and I know my friend's cinci vertical does as well.

 

[zmotorsports]

I think it will matter more the lineage and condition of the particular machine than whether box or dovetail are better for a person in a non commercial setting.

The only vertical mill I can think of that has box ways off the top of my head is Tree, at least in the smaller(ish) machines. My Cincy #2 horizontal does as well and if I recall the K&T I had did. My Index is dovetail.

I think most of the larger Bridgeport and BP clones use boxed ways. The 9x49's and smaller usually have dovetail ways and the 10x54 and larger will have the boxed ways.

I think the import BP clones of the same sizes will follow suit as well, but someone can correct me if I am wrong.

Mike.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Box ways are typically found on heavier built machines. They (by design) have the potential to not be quite as accurate as a high end dovetail, but substantially more rigid. What is the machine in question?

It's a Comet with a Bridgeport Head. 10x50 table

 

[Jim Johnstone]

A set of temporary wheel spacers to get my snow tires mounted in a hurry while I buy a new set of rims for the new car.

 

[Radio Ron w4ron]

I wish I could get my friend Jim to post photos of his stuff here.
He makes perfect unobtainium parts for Enigma cypher machines.
I've worked with him to help restore several machines for the NSA
National Cryptologic Museum and the Bletchley Park museum.
It's amazing to take a 80 year old Enigma machine and put one of
his rotors in it and it work perfectly. He does amazing work. I feel
honored to be able to sit with him and work on these increadable
machines.
If you'd like to see some pix of his shop and some of the Enigma
machines we've worked on, you can visit my "Visit to Enigma Heave"
web page here, be sure to go to page 2 for more photos;
http://radioheaven.homestead.com/Enigma_visit.html

 

[zmotorsports]

New Year's Eve I made a new mount for my new NOGA indicator holder that I got for Christmas.

I received two NOGA indicator holders, the larger one is for general use and I had a new Starrett 1" travel dial indicator kicking around that didn't have a base, the smaller NOGA, NF61003 will be used for my new mill spindle mount and I will not be using the magnetic base.

I started the adapter with a 30-degree taper which will reside in the Indicol spindle mount.

I then tapped 6mmx1.0 threads into the adapter and threaded a rod to be used with a knurled thumbnut.

Threading the stud.

Stud threaded.

Adapter, stud, small taper and knurled thumbnut shown.

I then moved over to the milling machine and installed the adapter into a collet block to machine the flat on the adapter and to drill/tap the 5mmx.8 hole.

Adapter completed and installed into the Indicol spindle mount bracket.

NOGA NF61003 removed from the magnetic base and threaded onto the adapter and Indicol mount.

Installed on spindle and tested.

Works perfect and is rock solid. Much more rigid than the Indicol mount/arm ever was. This allows me to indicate on a part or in a hole without having to remove the tooling from the spindle. NOGA does manufacture a smaller arm like this one that has a 3/8" stem but you have to remove whatever tooling you are using and install either a 3/8" collet or drill chuck to accept the stem. This way there is no need to remove whatever tooling you have installed in the spindle.

Mike.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Those noga mag base arms are the greatest thing I've ever used. I will be retiring my mitutoyo mag base to backup use and buying a noga soon.

 

[darkzero]

Very nice Mike! Great job!

Those noga mag base arms are the greatest thing I've ever used. I will be retiring my mitutoyo mag base to backup use and buying a noga soon.

Yup, I love every single one of my Nogas! Can't ever have too many, still a couple more on my wish list.

 

[fnieto]

Nice work.
Noga's are very nice.I really enjoy using mine.

 

[zmotorsports]

Very nice Mike! Great job!



Yup, I love every single one of my Nogas! Can't ever have too many, still a couple more on my wish list.

Awesome Will.

I had a couple of "knockoffs" of the NOGA's and liked them but there IS a difference between the knockoffs and the original no doubt. I will ONLY buy NOGA from here on out. Very nice quality.

Mike.

 

[wyo george]

Just a medium sized job in the oil patch. The vertical has a 120" swing and max speed of 24.6 RPM. The piece in it is a Hydril GK annual blowout preventer body I am machining so that it can be welded up, heat treated and then finish machined. The bare body weighs about 5,000 lbs give or take a little.

 

[ez-duzit]

Quite a machine and project.

 

[spv]

I think most of the larger Bridgeport and BP clones use boxed ways. The 9x49's and smaller usually have dovetail ways and the 10x54 and larger will have the boxed ways.

I think the import BP clones of the same sizes will follow suit as well, but someone can correct me if I am wrong.

Mike.

My Deckel FP2 has boxed ways for the Z. Renown for being a highly accurate toolroom mill. Not sure I would put stock into boxed ways being inaccurate as another poster mentioned.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

My Deckel FP2 has boxed ways for the Z. Renown for being a highly accurate toolroom mill. Not sure I would put stock into boxed ways being inaccurate as another poster mentioned.

I have to agree, a lot of very precise mills are built using box ways. They are more rigid so tend to be used on large heavy machines.

 

[NASTYZEN]

I have a Mighty Comet with box ways and its quite sturdy and precise. I guess dove tail ones are more forgiving if you forget to adjust the way tensioners.
I have to keep them tight on this machine.

My contribution to this thread. Nothing fancy.
Uhmw plastic 6''dia. for mounting carbon fiber mat rolls on a dispenser.

It is a real ***** to turn unless you use a shop vac. Dangerous even!
The stringy expansion of the material is surprising and could easily pull the operator in.



2 or 3 cuts and total clog..



e x p a n s i o n.



All done.

 

[sped3540]

Hi
This is a good site.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com

very friendly & lots of info, highly recommended.

ps, the site is down at the moment

I second Hobbyist Machinist!

 

[Kevin54]

Here are a few photos of some recent work:

6061 Aluminum:

304 stainless. The ring-shaped parts are ground and lapped to a thickness of +- .0001

M-42 High Speed Steel:

Medium carbon steel shafting:

More 304 stainless steel:

I was going back through this thread just to get caught up and A_P....I must say...those are some beautiful parts. Just from the looks of the parts their self ( not taking into consideration the dimensions) tells that you are a person that takes very much pride in what you do. I was reading another thread about kids not taking pride (you know which ne that is), but you can tell a lot about a person just by looking at what they do and what their work looks like, and yours looks fantastic. I wouldn't be one bit afraid to have you do work for me all because of the pride you take in your work. And Pride in a persons work accounts for 50% of what that says about the person.

Please post up some more of what you make as I, myself am very interested in seeing what all you make.

 

[Xicaque]

NastyZen,

what are they? Some sort of plug?

 

[OccupantRJ]

A lantern style tool post I made for a Clausing lathe.

 

[Gemp]

Zmotor........Nice,I'm stealing that one. I have been using indicols for 20years now. I use different length rods to get out on bigger mold bases. It gets a little shaky on that .250 rod.

 

[NASTYZEN]

NastyZen,

what are they? Some sort of plug?

Uhmw plastic 6''dia. for mounting carbon fiber mat rolls on a dispenser.

 

[buildyourown]

The only vertical mill I can think of that has box ways off the top of my head is Tree, at least in the smaller(ish) machines. My Cincy #2 horizontal does as well and if I recall the K&T I had did. My Index is dovetail.

I had an older cnc knee mill with Shizuoka casting. 15" y travel IIRC.
It had box ways and a 5" travel quill. Like a Bridgeport on steroids. That machine was amazingly stiff for its size.
I have a lot of time running brand new Bridgeport EZ-tracks. Nice machines but not stiff at all. The box ways and a 40 taper spindle are the biggest things you can do for stability. If material removal rate isn't a concern, then dovetail ways will serve you fine.

 

[darkzero]

Zmotor........Nice,I'm stealing that one. I have been using indicols for 20years now. I use different length rods to get out on bigger mold bases. It gets a little shaky on that .250 rod.

I bought an Indicol & didn't like it for the same reason, I never could get it to tighten up firmly, it was always too shaky so I returned it back to Enco. Not sure if the older black ones were made better, I had the newer red & blue ones.

I got the idea from one of Tom Lipton's videos. He just removed the original arm & simply tapped a hole for the Noga arm to screw into. A Noga and Indicol marriage


I decided to complicate things as always & made a mount for it.

I also have the Noga that mounts in the spindle.

 

[macgyver37]

I know a lot of people have had fun trying to keep the strings in check when using a lathe to turn plastic. You need to break the chip, which is almost impossible to do on a lathe. I will almost always use my cnc router even to mill round parts because the tool is turning vs the part and everytime the cutting edge leaves the cut, it breaks the chip. It makes the chips very manageable and I don't have to worry about them getting caught in anything.

I have thought about doing the same thing with a hand router on the lathe as a live tool so that it makes chips vs strings. It would be hard to use for anything other than OD or facing cuts. It may not be worth messing with if you don't do much of it, but if you do turn alot of plastic, it could help alot.

 

[zmotorsports]

I bought an Indicol & didn't like it for the same reason, I never could get it to tighten up firmly, it was always too shaky so I returned it back to Enco. Not sure if the older black ones were made better, I had the newer red & blue ones.

I got the idea from one of Tom Lipton's videos. He just removed the original arm & simply tapped a hole for the Noga arm to screw into. A Noga and Indicol marriage


I decided to complicate things as always & made a mount for it.

I also have the Noga that mounts in the spindle.

Will, did you heat treat your adapter or paint it? I was going to heat mine up and dip it in oil to heat treat it but figured I would wait until I had more than one little part to do.

Mike.

 

[darkzero]

I know a lot of people have had fun trying to keep the strings in check when using a lathe to turn plastic. You need to break the chip, which is almost impossible to do on a lathe.

I learned a trick to the break the stringy chips on materials that don't like to break. When the carriage is feeding, I bump the carriage handle wheel, this breaks the chip. Of course this affects the surface finish so I only do this on roughing cuts.

 

[darkzero]

Will, did you heat treat your adapter or paint it? I was going to heat mine up and dip it in oil to heat treat it but figured I would wait until I had more than one little part to do.

Mike.

I just cold blue'd it. Heating & dunking in oil works great too but for small parts I just use gun blue.

 

[zmotorsports]

I just cold blue'd it. Heating & dunking in oil works great too but for small parts I just use gun blue.

Thanks Will.

Mike.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last night I finished up my new power drawbar for my milling machine. I fabricated one when I first got my new mill but I saw one that a guy (Collin @ Comp Edge X) fabricated and really liked his design, so I copied it somewhat. I liked his design because it was so much more compact as he used the air cylinder in the "pull" fashion rather than "push" so I was able to keep the overall height much less. I also went and machined some of the brass fittings rather than used over the counter ones purchased from my local hardware store.

Here are my preliminary drawings for the base plate and top plate along with all of the ports and screw holes for the butterfly air gun.

Top plate roughly layed out. I will get exact once I put it on my mill table and indicate off measurements exactly using the DRO.

Top plate machined to size and drilled/tapped for the butterfly air ratchet.

Bottom plate machined to size and drilled for the mounting location as well as the holes drilled and countersunk for the vertical guide rods. Also pictured are the guide rods.

Guide rods mocked into position. Bronze and brass in the background to be used for the bushings and the "tees" for the fittings.

Completed unit and bolted on the mill. Looks and works awesome.

 

[kazlx]

Built a gimbal for a camera stabilizer.

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10352881_10153039749239168_656265369226502310_n.jpg?oh=08be5c2e75f569555883f2d825c6e751&oe=5568DDB1

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10933799_10153043122974168_4259751027356171993_n.jpg?oh=1713d761c7dd8eb33bb6083744b7af09&oe=55234E6A

 

[wyo george]

Built a gimbal for a camera stabilizer.

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10352881_10153039749239168_656265369226502310_n.jpg?oh=08be5c2e75f569555883f2d825c6e751&oe=5568DDB1

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10933799_10153043122974168_4259751027356171993_n.jpg?oh=1713d761c7dd8eb33bb6083744b7af09&oe=55234E6A

Very cool!!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kevin54]

Just finished up this tubing straightener. it will do five sizes from 3/16" to 1/2". A lot of them are made with a square cut to run different sizes through, but I made up some special tools to cut a radius into the Delrin so that it will fit the tube. The bottom three rollers are stationary, and the top two are adjustable to allow varying pressure. All rollers have roller bearings in them in both the front and back to keep them straight while rolling the tubing through along with stripper bolts that has only .002 clearance between the rollers and bolt itself.

 

[Kevin54]

Built a gimbal for a camera stabilizer.

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10352881_10153039749239168_656265369226502310_n.jpg?oh=08be5c2e75f569555883f2d825c6e751&oe=5568DDB1

https://scontent-a-atl.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10933799_10153043122974168_4259751027356171993_n.jpg?oh=1713d761c7dd8eb33bb6083744b7af09&oe=55234E6A

Explanation needed here. Is your left hand holding onto a handle and your right hand allows you to rotate the camera around?

 

[Kevin54]

Last night I finished up my new power drawbar for my milling machine. I fabricated one when I first got my new mill but I saw one that a guy (Collin @ Comp Edge X) fabricated and really liked his design, so I copied it somewhat. I liked his design because it was so much more compact as he used the air cylinder in the "pull" fashion rather than "push" so I was able to keep the overall height much less. I also went and machined some of the brass fittings rather than used over the counter ones purchased from my local hardware store.

Here are my preliminary drawings for the base plate and top plate along with all of the ports and screw holes for the butterfly air gun.

Top plate roughly layed out. I will get exact once I put it on my mill table and indicate off measurements exactly using the DRO.

Top plate machined to size and drilled/tapped for the butterfly air ratchet.

Bottom plate machined to size and drilled for the mounting location as well as the holes drilled and countersunk for the vertical guide rods. Also pictured are the guide rods.

Guide rods mocked into position. Bronze and brass in the background to be used for the bushings and the "tees" for the fittings.

Completed unit and bolted on the mill. Looks and works awesome.

Are you interested in selling the plans to build one? If so, I would be interested in a set of plans.

 

[zmotorsports]

Are you interested in selling the plans to build one? If so, I would be interested in a set of plans.

I'll scan the drawings and shoot them to you. Sorry they are not CAD drawings and just hand written. Do you want part numbers for the check/needle valves, air cylinder, etc as well?

Mike.

 

[kazlx]

Explanation needed here. Is your left hand holding onto a handle and your right hand allows you to rotate the camera around?

Still working on some details. This was before weighting the bottom and adding the camera. The rings pivot on .125 dowel pins with the hole reamed under on the outside and over on the inside so each part rotates freely. Just adding a dab of oil to each one. The center is a 6902 bearing so the camera can be pivoted about it's axis.

Thinking of launching a kickstarter aimed at GoPro/iPhone users. This whole stupid thing started with my brother wanting me to modify a cheap one that he bought, so I started just building the gimbal part. Ended up building a whole unit. Going to refine the design a bit, make it a bit more compact and better looking. Just wanted to see if it would work first. All built from scrap I had laying around.

Easier explanation:

https://vimeo.com/117300347