The Machine Work Thread

[ez-duzit]

Good job on the tramming head. I picked up a couple Starrett indicators to build one for myself.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Good job on the tramming head. I picked up a couple Starrett indicators to build one for myself.

Thanks, it's not quite finished. I considered the cost of the USA made indicators and by the time I spent the money for those I could just buy an edge unit.
So as mine sits now I'll only have half or less in it than an edge unit, unless I have it anodized or something.
One of the reasons I used the shars brand was because of the magnetic back and plate that came with them. I'll have to post up some more pictures when it's done, but the back has a threaded stud on it and it goes all the way through the back of the tram body and I put a nut on it to hold the indicators in place. Their a snug fit anyway but I wanted them to be secure.
The stud is 8.00x1.0 mm
The Shaft I made is 3/4. Edge makes them with either a 3/8ths or 1/2 shaft.

I used my boring head for the first time on this project and it worked out very nice. The indicators are on 5" centers.
Remember to Post some pics of yours.

 

[ez-duzit]

29--these are the ones I bought, new, off eBay, for $56/each. Starrett jeweled dial indicator #81-145J, .125 range 1-11/16" dial.

http://www.starrett.com/metrology/p...-Hand-Tools/Precision-Measuring-Tools/81-145j

 

[Hephaestus29]

Almost done with my Head Tram, I made a mistake but there's enough material left to fix it. Here's a few pics.
That's my home made shop press in the last picture.

 

[A_Pmech]

That looks really good, Howard!

 

[Hephaestus29]

That looks really good, Howard!

Thanks John, I guess it will be another weekend before it's totally finished though.

I may need to press the shaft back out, I'm not quite sure how i'm going to do that yet. LOL I had the body in boiling water and the shaft in the ice box but
temps changed so quick I only got it half way on before it was stuck. I had to drill a 1" hole in a block of wood for a make shift press.

It seems to work ok as is but I want it perfect so... I checked the tram and like the indicator I used before it's only off by .0005

That Kurt Vise makes all the difference in the world. It's sooo much better than the chinese junk I used from wholesale tool for all those years.
I guess now I have a reason to go buy a shop press too.

 

[Hephaestus29]

I had to make some revisions to my Tram. I had each indicator 2.5 from center, but if you look at it from the side they weren't centered. Thankfully I had enough material left to correct the problem.
I had to re-indicate the big holes, then bore deeper, mill off the face where the indicators mount, and also changed how they're mounted, I went from one big nut to the 4 small screws that came with the indicator back.
Here's a couple more pics. I had plenty of room in the cigar box for all the spare parts that came with the indicators.
I tested and played around with it tonight after I finished up. When I only got it trammed in to about .0005 with a single indicator on a noga arm mounted in a collet, It's now Dead Nuts left to right and about 2-3 tenths on the nod. It was WAAAAAAYYY faster using this tool than a single indicator.

 

[IHmachinery]

A small project this weekend ... A bronze roller for my son (for leather work)




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[Hephaestus29]

Nice work on the leather working tool.

 

[Hephaestus29]

What's the best way to balance out
your chuck/work if you want to do
some off center turning ?
I have a 2.5" dia piece of round stock
and I want about a 1/2" ****** on one
side of it.
The lathe shakes pretty good at a
certain speed, I can go faster and it
smooths out some but I don't really
want to spin it that fast.
Should I just tape on some weight on
the opposite side ?

 

[kazlx]

Just weight the opposite side or make a fixture plate you can weight and just clamp the whole thing in there. Or just slow down Finish might not be the best but you can touch it up with emery cloth.

 

[macgyver37]

If your 4 jaw chuck has t slots in it, use those to bolt some weight on opposite your part.

 

[Hephaestus29]

If your 4 jaw chuck has t slots in it, use those to bolt some weight on opposite your part.

Sounds like a plan, thanks.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Well my early 17th birthday present well more of my uncle ran out of room and asked if I wanted it before he sold it, which is why I normally don't get something in November from him, is a metal lathe.
Only picture I have until I get back to moms house Wednesday. Took that pic to show off the bench I made but there's the lathe. Stepdad is Working on getting a phase inverter for it and then we have to balance the legs. What are some good first projects


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[IHmachinery]

Well my early 17th birthday present well more of my uncle ran out of room and asked if I wanted it before he sold it, which is why I normally don't get something in November from him, is a metal lathe.
Only picture I have until I get back to moms house Wednesday. Took that pic to show off the bench I made but there's the lathe. Stepdad is Working on getting a phase inverter for it and then we have to balance the legs. What are some good first projects


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Congratulations! I'm sure you will have lots of fun with that.

I would recommend going to 'thatlazymachinist.com' and you will find lots of excellent instructional videos and projects. He also has a YouTube channel. It is really helpful to learn from someone like him - he explains things very clearly and has great beginner projects that help you develop good technique and machining skills.


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[bucktruck]

Well my early 17th birthday present well more of my uncle ran out of room and asked if I wanted it before he sold it, which is why I normally don't get something in November from him, is a metal lathe.

You're 17 and excited about a lathe? I couldn't be prouder of you. And heck, if you were in my area I'd probably hire you.

First lathe project? How about a plumb bob? I made one over 25 years ago and still use it. Plus, there is nothing like using tools you made yourself.

Keep the faith; our industry needs more young folk who would rather work with their hands and brain rather than sit in front of a computer all day.

 

[crazylunker]

You're 17 and excited about a lathe? I couldn't be prouder of you. And heck, if you were in my area I'd probably hire you.

First lathe project? How about a plumb bob? I made one over 25 years ago and still use it. Plus, there is nothing like using tools you made yourself.

Keep the faith; our industry needs more young folk who would rather work with their hands and brain rather than sit in front of a computer all day.

I could not agree more

 

[Teenager with old tools]

I want to learn now, I'm getting the small wood lathe from harbor freight would love to learn wood turning as well. Then I plan next summer I join the navy do twenty years come out and live off my hobby of making things.
Back on topic. Plumb bob so I just turn the handle to make the tool go right and the other one for in correct. What are some good YouTube videos for me to watch


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[bimmer1980]

Check out some of Keith Fenner's videos as well. He goes into some detail....

Just be sure to be cautious and understand how the lathe works and especially how to get it shut off in a hurry.

Regardless, good for you! Looks like a nice size of lathe to get started on.

In high school metal we turned an aluminum hammer handle in the lathe. It had various diameters and a knurled handle.

 

[IHmachinery]

I want to learn now, I'm getting the small wood lathe from harbor freight would love to learn wood turning as well. Then I plan next summer I join the navy do twenty years come out and live off my hobby of making things.
Back on topic. Plumb bob so I just turn the handle to make the tool go right and the other one for in correct. What are some good YouTube videos for me to watch


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It is also worth downloading and reading 'how to run a lathe' -- a very old book produced by the south bend company who made a lot of classic machine tools. If you like old stuff, this book is great. It is a bit outdated, but certainly provides a good introduction to the basic principles and operation of a lathe. If you can't find it, let me know.


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[Hephaestus29]

Mrpete222 on youtube has instructive
videos on how to run lathes, mills, etc.

 

[J king]

What's the best way to balance out
your chuck/work if you want to do
some off center turning ?
I have a 2.5" dia piece of round stock
and I want about a 1/2" ****** on one
side of it.
The lathe shakes pretty good at a
certain speed, I can go faster and it
smooths out some but I don't really
want to spin it that fast.
Should I just tape on some weight on
the opposite side ?

Here's a pic of a counter weight at work.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Looks like a big one.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Re: The Machine Work Thread Z Azis Scale installation

I finally got my Z axis scale installed on my head, it hasn't quite been a year since I bought it, so I guess I'm not that slow after all. lol

I used two,1/2 x 1&1/4 pieces of flat bar stock for the stand offs, one is bolted to the head, and that other one is just screwed to the other piece.

The connection between/to the Ring and the Reader, started out as a piece of round stock. I turned a ****** on it slightly over sized to go in the Ring hole. Then I milled it to the shape I needed, stuck it in a cup of Ice and while it was shrinking I heated up the ring with a lighter. I then tapped it in with a rubber mallet and when the temps normalized it stayed put without any other hardware.
After doing that 3 or 4 times I finally got it right. I had to stick the cup of Ice
back up around it to get it back off.

Anyway here's a few pics:

 

[bullnerd]

Very nice!

Nice quick stop on the quill and nice quill handle. Quality stuff that saves a lot of time.

If you get a chance try my method (its my island) of setting depth.
Put a small block under that bottom quill nut, and thread into it a bit. Makes the stop much more solid. No flex form the snap ring.
Touch your tool on your work. Slide the quick stop up against the quill with the appropriate size spacer in between. I use cheap gauge blocks.
Drop the table slightly. Turn on spindle, use knee crank to touch off on work and remove the spacer.
Now you have a very accurate depth set. Quicker and more accurate than looking at a DRO.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Very nice!

Nice quick stop on the quill and nice quill handle. Quality stuff that saves a lot of time.

If you get a chance try my method (its my island) of setting depth.
Put a small block under that bottom quill nut, and thread into it a bit. Makes the stop much more solid. No flex form the snap ring.
Touch your tool on your work. Slide the quick stop up against the quill with the appropriate size spacer in between. I use cheap gauge blocks.
Drop the table slightly. Turn on spindle, use knee crank to touch off on work and remove the spacer.
Now you have a very accurate depth set. Quicker and more accurate than looking at a DRO.

The handle knob was made by the guy I bought the mill from, and I was thinking the adjustable stop was a standard Bridgeport feature ?

I'm not sure I follow you on the rest.

 

[bullnerd]

The handle knob was made by the guy I bought the mill from, and I was thinking the adjustable stop was a standard Bridgeport feature ?

I'm not sure I follow you on the rest.

He might have made the knob, but I'm pretty sure that's an aftermarket handle. Doesn't matter, its still quicker than the stock one.

The quick adjust nut is not stock as far as I know. The stock one looks like the smaller one that's on there, just thicker.

Yeah, it sounds complicated, but its not. I wish I could make a video. But my machine and shop is too embarrassing right now.

Read it real slow and go step by step. I can edit it to make it clearer.

 

[ODIS]

Wonderful thread! So much to learn.... So little time.

Beautiful work.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Re: The Machine Work Thread "Kurt Screw cover option"

I picked up some .030 Nylon and cut it to replace the metal piece that came with the Kurt Vise. It's just the right thickness and the corners aren't as sharp as the metal.

I cut several pieces, so I can cover the screw without the nylon hanging over
the ends. The extra pieces store right inside the vise for easy access.

 

[E.rodz]

never in a million years would I have guessed my shop would be this tooled up to do some unlimited machining and fabrication! I just picked up my last piece of the puzzle to officially make my shop Full! was searching high and low for a small tool room lathe and ended up running into this 15x41 beast of a lathe it needs a lot of love and attention but the price was so right it will be worth the extra time to make it right again. a couple of weeks from now hopefully firing this beast up! now it is time to rearrange the entire shop to make room for this thing!

 

[bullnerd]

Congrats! That's a Big-un !

 

[IHmachinery]

never in a million years would I have guessed my shop would be this tooled up to do some unlimited machining and fabrication! I just picked up my last piece of the puzzle to officially make my shop Full! was searching high and low for a small tool room lathe and ended up running into this 15x41 beast of a lathe it needs a lot of love and attention but the price was so right it will be worth the extra time to make it right again. a couple of weeks from now hopefully firing this beast up! now it is time to rearrange the entire shop to make room for this thing!

Looks very nice! I hope you have it up and running with no problems.


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[E.rodz]

anyone know where I can find a Gib for the compound rest on this beast? I have about 20 precision gillman slide bases at work and everyone is a little different the thing is trapezoidal shaped,precision ground and hardened and it is missing from the machine along with the clamping screw and handle I can make everything else but it would be nice to buy a gib from somewhere if possible. any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[longlivepunk]

Today was frustrating.

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[macgyver37]

Erodz, my lathes are older than yours, but none of them have ground gibs, they are all milled finish. I wouldn't be afraid to make one on a mill, may have to do some guess and check to get the fit you want, but it will be worth it if you can't find one easily. The compound typically doesn't get alot of travel miles, so you just need it to hold it well enough to be predictable and still be able to move it when needed.

 

[Hephaestus29]

What was frustrating ?

 

[longlivepunk]

What was frustrating ?

Sorry, details would help. That was an 80mm boring bar, the insert added about 1/2", it's going 32" down a 3.5" hole. It only fits because of the material that it cuts away. Was my first time boring a deep hole like that. If things go wrong, it can happen in a hurry. It went OK, but was nerve-racking. (Doesn't help that I'm also at a new job learning a new control)

Today was a dram of scotch after work kind of day.

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[Jim Johnstone]

Erodz, my lathes are older than yours, but none of them have ground gibs, they are all milled finish. I wouldn't be afraid to make one on a mill, may have to do some guess and check to get the fit you want, but it will be worth it if you can't find one easily. The compound typically doesn't get alot of travel miles, so you just need it to hold it well enough to be predictable and still be able to move it when needed.

I agree, I've made gibs for lathes a handful of times, never hardened or ground.

Just made this set.

 

[E.rodz]

Congrats! That's a Big-un !

lol. yep about twice the size I had planned on so the entire shop has to be rearranged and the power from my phase converter also is not big enough.

Looks very nice! I hope you have it up and running with no problems. lol. that never happens to me .


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Erodz, my lathes are older than yours, but none of them have ground gibs, they are all milled finish. I wouldn't be afraid to make one on a mill, may have to do some guess and check to get the fit you want, but it will be worth it if you can't find one easily. The compound typically doesn't get alot of travel miles, so you just need it to hold it well enough to be predictable and still be able to move it when needed.

the one that is missing is trapezoidal shaped and tapered from front to back too! not a deal breaker but a difficult piece to make no doubt.

I agree, I've made gibs for lathes a handful of times, never hardened or ground.

Just made this set.
must be a lathe you can ride on too!

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Just made this set.
[emoji38]_hitti must be a lathe you can ride on too!

Oh she's a big girl, we had the saddle abd cross slide off this thing as well, we removed the turcite, machined the iron a bit deeper then installed bronze wear strips since the turcite wasn't lasting for the customer.