Sheetmetal backsplash

[DocsMachine]

For the past several months, I've been working on an old Warner & Swasey turret lathe. I'm probably one of the few people around that can actually use one- that is, I actually have a use for it, not saying I'm the only one that knows how to work one.

Basically I need to make enough parts that doing them individually on an engine lathe takes far too long, but I don't need enough of them to justify a five-figure CNC.

I found this one on Craigslist, it was supposed to be plug-and-play, and of course it turned into a near-full-rebuild project.

One of the last bits I had to do was a backsplash- a sheetmetal chip-and-oil-spray guard to go behind the machine.

Unlike my other manual machines, I plan to run flood cutting oil on this beast, and so needed to take steps to control the splash and spray.

I started with the usual cardboard template...



That got transferred to and bandsawed out of 16 gauge steel...



And I figured I'd jazz it up a bit by quartering a chunk of 2" exhaust pipe, also 16 ga- and using that to form a rounded corner, rather than a typical square one.



I'd had a neighbor with a CNC press brake take on the daunting task of putting a 10-degree kink in another piece of 16 ga...



And set about fastening it to the drip tray without welding or drilling. I machined four clamping blocks...



Drilled and filed four holes at the bottom edge...



And fitted the new clamps like so:



With that fitted, I tacked the two together...



And finish welded the seams with the TIG.



Don't go lookin' for the stack o' dimes. I'm a machinist that sort of knows how to weld, not a full-time YouTube Celebrity Welder.

After that, I trimmed the top edge down and, using a steel sawhorse, some scrap and a lot of clamps...



Got the top and sides bent over to form a 3/4" flange. Not a great one, but functional.



Rounded the upper-right corner... (It's smoother than it looks)



Reinforced the seam at the break...



Added a flange on the upper left corner...



Filled in the last bit...



Had to do a minor bit of last-minute hot-adjusting...



And done!



Still have to do some finish-grinding before I can paint, but this was the last even semi-major piece that needed to be done before the machine is pretty much 100% operational!

Doc.

 

[Bears Fan]

Nice job on the shield

 

[stinkity stoink]

Very nice! I bet that took some time.

 

[larry4406]

Nice job on the shield

Agreed!

Doc - how did you cut the tube into quarters to create the rounded corner?

 

[MP&C]

Well done!!

 

[4 FN 27]

That is some fine sculptured metal work right there!!!

 

[zmotorsports]

Great job on the backsplash Doc. Very impressive and top shelf workmanship.

 

[mkat1951]

Looks great!!


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[DocsMachine]

Doc - how did you cut the tube into quarters to create the rounded corner?

-Easy. Lay a chunk of angle iron on the pipe. That lets you mark a straight line down the tube, parallel to the centerline. After that I just sliced it with my bandsaw.

Admittedly, there was no way to keep the cut in the exact center- you can follow the top line, but that doesn't mean it tracks at the bottom.

I could have clamped some wood blocks to the table as a guide, but that particular blade (the only decent fine-tooth I had) is a bit worn and cuts at a slight angle.

As luck would have it, I got a fairly even cut, which of course gives two halves.

Lay those out flat, and side-by-side, then lay something straight across the tops. That lets you mark the 'peak', and the same angle-iron trick lets you mark another parallel line.

The problem there is that the saw doesn't like cutting the top of a half-round. Be careful as you get to the end- I flipped the half and cut the last 2" or so with it inverted.

Doc.

 

[iajonesy]

Nice job on the chip guard and the lathe. A turret lathe is very handy when making several parts of the same pattern. They are good for single parts, too.

Mike

 

[DocsMachine]

Nice job on the chip guard and the lathe. A turret lathe is very handy when making several parts of the same pattern. They are good for single parts, too.

-Well, I don't have to worry too much about single parts, as I have three other standard engine lathes in the shop.

But for one-offs, one thing the turret is ideal for, is deep-hole drilling. The turret acts like a drill-press quill, which is much easier to drill with than cranking the tailstock wheel.

As for making multiple parts, that's of course the whole reason for it. Basically, I need to make short-run numbers of parts (20 to 50, occasionally 100 or 200) but really can't afford a decent CNC turning center.

Yet, anyway.

Doc.

 

[Monza Harry]

As per your usual, nice results with a dash of subtle touches of flair (with the rounded corner) and all of the other little edging (yet all tough and time consuming to execute and most will not even notice). For your long folded edge, I've had fair success with a set-up like yours and my 2" Lixie (about a 5# dead blow with replaceable tips, I use the green, 2nd softest rubber) to gently persuade the fold over going slowly to limit the stretch. Congrats on a fine looking and functional upgrade. Also nice no hole clamps (in your existing drip tray). Harry
Oh and P.S. throw out those tired old gloves, even I retire them when they get that beat up! Ok eventually I do! LOL!

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Very nice work, you will get years back splashing out of that.

 

[DocsMachine]

Painted!



And installed!



And that finishes off this lathe! All she needs now is a little adjusting, some oil, and to be tooled up for her first job!

Doc.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Nice! Beautiful machine too!

 

[WoodsTruck]

Oem!

 

[DocsMachine]

Oem!

-It's spelled "OMG!"

Doc.

 

[PugetDude]

Nice work on the splash shield, Doc. Great design, well executed.
In comparison, I was considering hanging an oil drip pan on the wall behind my little Atlas/Craftsman lathe...looks like I'll have to reconsider that plan. LOL

 

[zmotorsports]

That finished it off beautifully. Looks like it came from the manufacturer with it.

 

[Jwallace1]

looks amazing i need to do something similar on my southbend 13" so its stops making such a mess that is a pain to clean up under the machine

 

[rbgearz]

I just recently sold 2 Gisholt turret lathes. They were used alot when we had our machine shop. I have 2 mini lathes and a South Bend now so they were just taking up much needed space in my garage. You could do alot with those lathes.

 

[Monza Harry]

Nice work on the splash shield, Doc. Great design, well executed.
In comparison, I was considering hanging an oil drip pan on the wall behind my little Atlas/Craftsman lathe...looks like I'll have to reconsider that plan. LOL

Back when I was reading over on "Home Shop Machinist", I made the mistake of following the link to his "Shop Projects" (in his signature) and seen the extremes he went to with his Baldor stand, well I had a similar epiphany on my projects requirements. There is a pic' calling him out on the "Show us Your Shop Made Mobile Bases" thread!https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=465243 [2nd page about 1/2 way down, 2 posts] The whole lot of you are some seriously bad influencers! [In a Good Way] Harry