The Machine Work Thread

[Hephaestus29]

Has anyone used the octagon shaped inserts
in conjunction with a face mill, say 2-3” range?

I’m wondering how they perform, with 8 sides
To cut with then flipping them around = 16
sides. Seems like a good value, but looks can
be deceiving sometimes. Thanks

 

[Nelson58]

CNC'd this address plate out of 1/4" alum 6061 - thinking of scrotch-brite'ng it to get the brushed-alum look?

Here's a quick 20sec video of it in action:
https://streamable.com/bbab2


Cleanup in isle 2 please!

Nice work!! That's very neat!

 

[Hephaestus29]

What’s the best thing to use for engine turning
Aluminum?

 

[rmack898]

What’s the best thing to use for engine turning
Aluminum?

I like to use valve lapping compound. I have various sizes of mandrels that I glue leather discs to. Coat the leather with a dab of compound and turn it at around 100 RPM's.

 

[kkroger]

We always used sandpaper disks glued to dowels for engine turning, on rifle bolts we used a brush and diamond paste. in a drill press.

 

[iajonesy]

Has anyone used the octagon shaped inserts
in conjunction with a face mill, say 2-3” range?

I’m wondering how they perform, with 8 sides
To cut with then flipping them around = 16
sides. Seems like a good value, but looks can
be deceiving sometimes. Thanks

I have used them in the past and they worked very well. The key is to have the correct inserts for the material you are machining, that way you get optimal results.

Mike

 

[kazlx]

What’s the best thing to use for engine turning
Aluminum?

These work awesome.

https://www.cratex.com/engine-turning-sticks

 

[stioc]

Oh man, I learn something new everyday. I didn't even know what that meant i.e. 'Engine Turning Aluminum'.

 

[cptn_zippy]

I know this pales in comparison to most of the work here, but since I haven’t turned anything on a lathe in 20+ years I’m super excited about it. I made a beveled washer for my vise. I rarely swivel the base, and hate the hand lever always banging around. My long term goal is to make a cap nut with the bevel out of steel, but you gotta start somewhere.

I don’t want to discuss the cost of this project...makes me think of the joke about the first one costs $1000, the next one is $1...


J

 

[larry_g]

I know this pales in comparison to most of the work here, but since I haven’t turned anything on a lathe in 20+ years I’m super excited about it. I made a beveled washer for my vise. I rarely swivel the base, and hate the hand lever always banging around. My long term goal is to make a cap nut with the bevel out of steel, but you gotta start somewhere.

I don’t want to discuss the cost of this project...makes me think of the joke about the first one costs $1000, the next one is $1...


J

I understand the $1k cost. Looks good though. My only concern on that is now you can get a good sized wrench on that and apply lots of torque. Don't do it. The wedge will split the casting if given enough torque.

Next project is a wrench with a 4" handle to turn that nut?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[cptn_zippy]

I understand the $1k cost. Looks good though. My only concern on that is now you can get a good sized wrench on that and apply lots of torque. Don't do it. The wedge will split the casting if given enough torque.

Next project is a wrench with a 4" handle to turn that nut?

lg
no neat sig line

I figure between my mostly-used-up 6" Atlas/Craftsman lathe, a treadmill motor from Craigslist, (I guess technically I didn't have to buy it since I had the motor and pulleys from the lathe, but...) and some basic tooling from LMS, and material...I'm right at about $900. First of many planned projects tho...and wow, carbide inserts make turning WAY more enjoyable.

Thank you for the tip about the wrench - I hadn't really considered that as a possibility, and my vise is one of my prized shop fixtures...I will be careful. I just used an adjustable since I don't own a 1 3/16" wrench.

J

 

[MShaw]

Here's my spare time project over about 2 years. A two cylinder, double acting, reversible steam engine. It was made without plans. Just made one piece at a time and figured out what was next. It is about 8" tall.

 

[ez-duzit]

MS--pretty cool.

 

[Muggzy]

Here's my spare time project over about 2 years. A two cylinder, double acting, reversible steam engine. It was made without plans. Just made one piece at a time and figured out what was next. It is about 8" tall.

Would love to see some video of it running

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[MShaw]

"Would love to see some video of it running "
I'll take one in the morning.

 

[MShaw]

Unfortunately .MOV videos will not upload

 

[Hephaestus29]

Unfortunately .MOV videos will not upload

Can you not upload a video to YouTube and
post a link?

 

[MShaw]

"Can you not upload a video to YouTube and post a link?"
I do not speak YouTube and at 77 years old I will probably never learn.

 

[Hephaestus29]

"Can you not upload a video to YouTube and post a link?"
I do not speak YouTube and at 77 years old I will probably never learn.

Looks good anyway. Most anyone should
appreciate the time that went into it just by
looking at the pictures. Very nice work.

 

[MShaw]

Thank you. It was a lot of fun. Especially fixturing the crankshaft and the cams

 

[stioc]

MShaw, that's awesome! Model engine building was the reason I became interested in machining back in 2004 but I was too naive to think it'd be one of those projects you can finish in a couple of weekends if you had a lathe. So I bought a 7x14 lathe and realized the lathe needs tooling and skills...eventually that seemed too daunting and the lathe got sold on Craigslist. I hope to be able to continue to build cool things like that when I'm 77!

BTW, if you choose to post the video here's a very simple and quick way- just go here and upload it: https://streamable.com/ then share the link.

 

[stioc]

I finally finished the address plate and hung it up last night:

 

[MShaw]

Here's the links. To get the videos out of my phone I had to do three short videos. The engine is running on compressed air so you hear the compressor in the background.
https://streamable.com/31qlj
https://streamable.com/wrprf
https://streamable.com/20tik

 

[jhn9840]

Very cool engine. Thanks for sharing your videos .

jhn9840
John

 

[1953mercury]

Address sign came out really well. Nice job. Mike

 

[stioc]

Here's the links. To get the videos out of my phone I had to do three short videos. The engine is running on compressed air so you hear the compressor in the background.
https://streamable.com/31qlj
https://streamable.com/wrprf
https://streamable.com/20tik

Really cool! thanks for posting the videos.

Address sign came out really well. Nice job. Mike

Thanks Mike, I'm happy with it. Of course, you find things to improve on 'next time' but it's good enough so I can move on to other things.

 

[KMScott]

I finally finished the address plate and hung it up last night:

Looks great stioc. Success.

 

[ez-duzit]

Unsubscribed.

 

[kkroger]

Unsubscribed.

Right...

 

[whateg01]

I know this pales in comparison to most of the work here, but since I haven’t turned anything on a lathe in 20+ years I’m super excited about it. I made a beveled washer for my vise. I rarely swivel the base, and hate the hand lever always banging around. My long term goal is to make a cap nut with the bevel out of steel, but you gotta start somewhere.

I don’t want to discuss the cost of this project...makes me think of the joke about the first one costs $1000, the next one is $1...
...

J

That's a great idea! I hate those stupid little things. They aren't long enough to loosen, and they are always pointed the wrong way anyway.

I never pass up an opportunity to spend $100 to make a $2 part!

Dave

 

[sanddan]

Unsubscribed.

Why bother telling everyone?

 

[stioc]

Why bother telling everyone?

He posted that after I posted my latest CNC project so I just removed it thinking perhaps CNC projects aren't considered machine work. Either that or since the project included a carved signage that read 'Leftfield Fab' perhaps he took that to mean it was political as in the left vs. the right? but it was more of a pun as in 'unexpected/weird fabrication'

 

[KMScott]

I was restoring an old Wilton vise built back in the 40's and was un happy with the cracked base that I tried to weld and I was still un happy with it so I decided to make one from a old rusty 1" thick plate I had out side. It took me almost a full days work but it was fun. I had to make a split cutter with a 7 degree angle to machine the sides. Something I thought would be nice to share with the guys that reads this thread and are still subscribed.

 

[Jason Lister]

Something I thought would be nice to share with the guys that reads this thread and are still subscribed.

Yep, we're still here and really appreciate seeing your projects! Thanks

 

[KMScott]

Yep, we're still here and really appreciate seeing your projects! Thanks

Thanks Jason, just looked at your Fabrication projects and you do nice work. Those dividers you bought from arc_zone look like something I need for my TIG rod. I see some pretty welds and enjoyed looking at your projects.

 

[stioc]

@KMScott, wow, that came out great! I also like your fixture plate, I've been wanting to build something similar. Oh and yes, definitely still subscribed here I for one really enjoy seeing all kinds of machining projects big or small, cnc or not

 

[sanddan]

I was restoring an old Wilton vise built back in the 40's and was un happy with the cracked base that I tried to weld and I was still un happy with it so I decided to make one from a old rusty 1" thick plate I had out side. It took me almost a full days work but it was fun. I had to make a split cutter with a 7 degree angle to machine the sides. Something I thought would be nice to share with the guys that reads this thread and are still subscribed.

Great project and something that could also be made using manual machines. I could see doing part on the lathe and the rest on a rotary table on the mill.

Funny to me is my swivel base for my vise is in a drawer someplace in the shop as I don't like them but would rather solid bolt the vise to the corner of my table. Still a great project anyway!

 

[red94chev]

Here's some different stuff for you guys.

Delrin bracket (something for a co-workers boat), and a copper skid plate weight for a friend who races RC cars.


Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[whateg01]

Finally got around to finishing up the ball crank for my 10ee cross feed. Did the main bar awhile back, but needed it running, so I printed a knob and just used the SHCS that was in it when I dragged it home. I like the new one much better!

Here's the printed knob vs. the real one.

This is what was on the lathe when I got it. There's a dial lock that is really hard to get to with that big honkin' thing in the way.

Here's the finished product. I was hoping to get the slot in the screw to line up with the bar, but it didn't work out that way. Still happy, though!

edit: Man! That perspective thing! The knob isn't as big as it looks. The big end is about 1-1/8" in diameter and the knob is about 7/8", even though they look the same size. I got lucky and ended up with a center of gravity about 50 thou toward the big end.

 

[KMScott]

Great project and something that could also be made using manual machines. I could see doing part on the lathe and the rest on a rotary table on the mill.

Funny to me is my swivel base for my vise is in a drawer someplace in the shop as I don't like them but would rather solid bolt the vise to the corner of my table. Still a great project anyway!

Yes this could be made on a rotary table with a cross slide. It would be a fun project manually, maybe 20+ hours. Just got rid of my manual stuff, still fun making things even though I am using a CNC. I work on vise parts every day, making jaws and vise parts for the old Machinist vises. Some times I get to have fun by making vise parts for kicks like the swivel base. I will show how I build the Chas Parker jaws since they are old school form grinding.

Some nice work by Red94 and Whateg01.