Fabricating a tool part

[Steevo]

So, do I put this in tools, or fabrication?

Anyway, I started a little project today, and can't guarantee it will be successful, but thought I'd share it either way.

I was re-installing the quill on my drill press after replacing bearings, and when I tightened up on the quill stop/depth stop, it cracked. Again. It had been previously brazed by an earlier owner, and was maybe a little misaligned, so it was under stress and cracked in a second location when I snugged up the pinch bolt:

So, I decided to make a replacement instead of searching for an old one and paying too much for it anyway. All it does is act as a stop for the rising quill when the spring return pulls it back up, and to provide a place to bolt the depth stop to, so it isn't a real precision piece of work anyway.

I found a hunk of 1/2" plate in my scrap box, dug out my 4-jaw chuck and mounted it on the lathe, and proceeded to re-remember how to center a 4-jaw (it's been a while).

Then I drilled a hole, and enlarged it up to the largest bit I had, then started with the boring bar, to open up the hole to 2.00 inches, so it can clamp around the quill, which measures about 1.998"

That is as far as I got before dinner time, so I'll have to get back to it tomorrow.

 

[PugetDude]

Subscribed.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Steevo, you could have eyeballed the centering on the four jaw and it wouldn't have made any difference in this case, due to the shape of the finished part relative to the blank.

 

[nine4gmc]

Lathe action!

 

[Steevo]

Steevo, you could have eyeballed the centering on the four jaw and it wouldn't have made any difference in this case, due to the shape of the finished part relative to the blank.

True, but it was fun centering it to my punch mark anyway. I didn't get crazy and indicate it or anything.

 

[ChevyEFI]

it was under stress and cracked in a second location when I snugged up the pinch bolt:

I would fancied the use of a used con-rod for a similar general appearance (double pinch bolts notwithstanding,) shortened and drilled the beam, and honed it to fit.

 

[VC455]

I would fancied the use of a used con-rod for a similar general appearance (double pinch bolts notwithstanding,) shortened and drilled the beam, and honed it to fit.

Now THAT is a cool idea!

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice Steevo.

For centering on a punch mark, I have a piece of 1/4" drill rod with a point machined on one end and put the other in a drill chuck in the tailstock. I then put a dial indicator on the drill rod near the headstock and center it with the four jaw chuck. Wish I had a picture to show, but I hope it makes sense. It is actually quite a bit easier to do than to explain.

Mike.

 

[Alchymist]

True, but it was fun centering it to my punch mark anyway. I didn't get crazy and indicate it or anything.

Build yourself a center test wobbler - lots of designs out there:
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2570

 

[Steevo]

That is pretty much how I centered it.

 

[Steevo]

Ok, so today I took the blank from the lathe to the mill:

And I cut out the perimeter of the final part:

Then, after a little bandsaw cutting, filing, and finish sanding I had this:

Then I bored the pinch bolt location and tapped the threads for it.

And then cut the slot for the pinch bolt to squeeze down on:

And drilled the hole for the depth stop:

And drilled and threaded the hole for the set screw:

And Installed the finished quill stop in place:

Then I added a rubber shock bumper made from a piece of inner tube:

Now I just need to rebuild or replace the worn out chuck that goes with this drill press. I am using a small imported chuck from my Ryobi drill press in the meantime.

 

[nine4gmc]

There was an excellent how to thread on restoring an old drill chuck but the author flipped his wig on another member and Ryan so it got shut down fast. Great job on the machining, came out well!

 

[OccupantRJ]

Nice, Steevo. What is the setscrew for?

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Steevo, nice work... as usual....

 

[Steevo]

Nice, Steevo. What is the setscrew for?

Hell, I don't know. The original had one, so I put one on my replacement.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Hell, I don't know. The original had one, so I put one on my replacement.

Reason I asked is I make things like this in my work regularly, and the setscrew seemed redundant insofar as clamping to the spindle. It looks like it could place localized pressure on the lower bearing area possibly distorting the bearing or spindle housing in that area. I wonder if someone added the setscrew to the original? Is that where the original broke? Anyway nice job. Consider laying out, center punching, and drilling the small hole next time while the blank is square, for ease of holding. The center punched spot would also give you a center for wing dividers or drawing compass for laying out the radius around the hole for shaping later.

 

[Steevo]

I think the set screw was actually there for vertical orientation, as there is a slot milled around the outside of the quill at that height, that the set screw drops into. I suspect it was an assembly aid more than a functional element.

 

[zmotorsports]

Awesome job.

Aren't rotary tables fantastic.

Mike.

 

[2oolhound]

Much nicer than the original! (when you make it yourself)

 

[PugetDude]

Great job, Steevo. Thanks for sharing the details.

 

[PugetDude]

I think the set screw was actually there for vertical orientation, as there is a slot milled around the outside of the quill at that height, that the set screw drops into. I suspect it was an assembly aid more than a functional element.

Probably allowed them to lock the table at a set height for shipping.

 

[My Old Tools]

Hell, I don't know. The original had one, so I put one on my replacement.

Good answer

 

[Krokodil]

Great job! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

If the set screw sits in a groove on the back side, then that would prevent the ring from rotating on the mount, which might cause issues with the depth gauge.