The Machine Work Thread

[GLTHFJ60]

Starting to play with my bridgeport!!

 

[stioc]

I wasn't satisfied with the 4 bolt compound mount so I made some modifications which was also a good opportunity for me to learn how to do operations on the other side of the part in F360. I like the compound mount much better now, easier to get to the bolts as well as read the angle.

 

[stioc]

It's a sleeve adapter for the wheel balancer's cup (which was from a different model).

Parting it off:

Chamfered on the bottom to aid in pressing it square into the cup:

Pressed in place, works great!

 

[txvwnut]

Starting to play with my bridgeport!!

I see your using proper amounts of lubricant.

 

[larry_g]

View media item 83147
I whipped out the above in the last 15 years... I don't work so fast, plus life sometimes gets in the way.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[whateg01]

So, with the lack of fuel pressure test ports on modern vehicles, I had to find a way. I didn't get the one done to fit between the fuel line and the fuel rail, but this one will fit directly on the end of the fuel line. It has a male 3/8" flare fitting that fits the hose end.

Made it out of some HRS I had laying around, so the surface finish isn't great. The end that goes into the fuel line looks pretty good because I filed and sanded it.

Dave

 

[stioc]

I whipped out the above in the last 15 years... I don't work so fast, plus life sometimes gets in the way.

lg
no neat sig line

Very cool!

So, with the lack of fuel pressure test ports on modern vehicles, I had to find a way. I didn't get the one done to fit between the fuel line and the fuel rail, but this one will fit directly on the end of the fuel line. It has a male 3/8" flare fitting that fits the hose end.

Made it out of some HRS I had laying around, so the surface finish isn't great. The end that goes into the fuel line looks pretty good because I filed and sanded it.

Dave

How awesome is that, part does't fit right/work/etc? no problem, just make one that does!

 

[macgyver37]

I had these plates to engrave for a customer. Plates came off a water jet, 6ft x 7ft, 1/4" thick. They wanted words engraved next to most of the small holes. Material handling and dealing with the wavy plates was the hardest part.

Don't typically do any ferrous metal on the router, but they talked me into it....

 

[whateg01]

Not particularly awe-inspiring as far as machine work goes, but the setup was a bit sketchy. Actually, it looks scary, but it was plenty solid for the light cuts I was taking. Just extending a keyway for go kart I'm working on for a customer. Took far more time to setup than to make the chips, but fun and rewarding since it worked.

 

[whateg01]

Jobs like that are tough for me to do because I want to make everything right. The wheel in the photo has been broken and repaired on the shaft, so it would take far more work to get it all apart to machine this in the vise.

To set this up, I used the piece of pipe to raise the work, obviously, but then indicated the clamp that's holding it down. Far easier to indicate that than the axle. Bumped the axle up against it and clamped it down. The jack and clamp on the right are there to keep the end from vibrating or shaking. The work was all done right above the right edge of the pipe, though. Those jacks I made are coming in handy. They aren't a tool you need every day, but when you need them, you need them.

Dave

 

[stioc]

^ Setup is the trickiest part of random machining jobs so I always enjoy seeing creative work holding setups. Thanks for sharing it

Along the same lines I did a quick threading project a few weeks ago but didn't think it warranted posting about but while I'm here why not? This was a M10 thread if I recall now. The nut is to test the thread for fit.

Here are the threaded hex rods in use:

 

[whateg01]

Posted this in the what I did today thread, but it is machine work that I think belongs here, too.

Finally got around to drilling 3 countersunk holes in the new cover for the 10ee tailstock quill wiper and got it mounted. The plan had been to turn dies to press it out of some 304 stainless I have, but this was faster. Still would like to do it the other way one day, though.

Dave

 

[DocsMachine]

This 3-1/2" chunk of 2" round aluminum...

Got turned into this happy little fellow...

Which, when connected to my shop air system, attaches to my workbench like so:

It points down at 60 degrees rather than 45 so it doesn't stick out as much, but is still easy to access unlike a straight-down 90 degree fitting. Makes for a nice and handy connection right there by my vise.

Doc.

 

[TerryH]

More like the fixing to get ready to do machine work post but I successfully disassembled, cleaned, polished, deburred, painted, lubed made leveling plates and leveled the G0752 lathe...sheesh... Think I'm about ready to actually do something with it now.

 

[larry4406]

Doc - nice air fitting! How did you machine the angled portion?

 

[DocsMachine]

Easy.

Doc.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Wow, you have a lot of patience.

 

[DocsMachine]

Patience? I only have about five hours, spread over two days, into that fitting.

Doc.

 

[not enoughsmoke]

Here is some little projects i have done
made a seal installer for a dodge Dana 60 front axle

and made a Hose discharge to a v band connection on a aftermarket turbo

 

[not enoughsmoke]

So our swimming pool filter housing cracked and went to purchase a new one. No one local had the same housing so to the shop i go.

 

[Hephaestus29]

Just finished a little Engine Turning Project.
It’s a top for an end table, I still need to
finish attaching it, but other than that it’s
pretty much done. It took 575 spots for the
pattern, 23 rows of 25.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

That's awesome! What material is that? What method was used to do the turning?

 

[Hephaestus29]

I’m not exactly sure what type of aluminum
it is since it was bought at an auction, maybe
6061 ???

I just used scotchbrite discs on an arbor that
I chucked up in the Mill, along with a little
wd-40. I used the DRO to get it right.
The discs I used are 2” and I overlapped by
1/2 in each axis for the process.
Thanks for the compliment.

 

[4 FN 27]

Just finished a little Engine Turning Project.
It’s a top for an end table, I still need to finish attaching it, but other than that it’s pretty much done. It took 575 spots for the pattern, 23 rows of 25.

Nice work. Looks awesome!!!

 

[whateg01]

Just a little turning job to get closer to completing a cargo rack for my son's bicycle. We couldn't find one that he liked, so I set out to weld it up out of some thin wall aluminum, but I've not had any luck getting it welded up. Just too much heat, it seems. So, we decided to make lugs out of pipe fittings. But they need to be bent to a 70 degree angle, so a fixture is needed. Hopefully this works.

If this doesn't work, I may finally give up on aluminum and just buy some thin steel tubing since I know I can weld it. Then I'll get some more practice on the aluminum. Thin aluminum *****!

Dave

 

[bridferr]

This is a very informative thread. I'm also interested with machine works but still in a newbie level. It would be great to hear insights from expert machinist out there.

 

[930dreamer]

Hephaestus29, the table looks great.

 

[kazlx]

 

[Firstram]

That looks great! I have been putting off making one these for years, I'll take the time some day.

 

[larry_g]

Very nice work. Can you explain how you use it. I can see a couple of uses but what is your intended use?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Roju1985]

Very nice work. Can you explain how you use it. I can see a couple of uses but what is your intended use?

lg
no neat sig line

I'd venture a a guess it's for measuring pipe bends.

 

[kazlx]

Very nice work. Can you explain how you use it. I can see a couple of uses but what is your intended use?

lg
no neat sig line

Yes, it’s for tube bending. Mainly off plane bends. I made this for a buddy.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Nice work man!


I just picked up a similar purpose tool from SWAG as I don't currently have access to a mill. My only critique of the SWAG tool (and something to consider with yours) is the pocket doesn't fit all of the common angle finders on the market as the pocket is probably .020 tight (I found this out the hard way). A little bit larger opening would make all the difference without effecting function.

For anyone who does tube work, these things are very handy, and kazlx's looks killer.

 

[kazlx]

Thanks. Yea, I thought about making something generic, but the Wixey ones are super popular and work, so that's what I did.

 

[paranoid56]

recently made one of those myself, but mine was super sketchy lol
cnc router just didnt like trying to do that, and was my first real alu chunk.

 

[kazlx]

I can see a router struggling with that. Deep slotting can be a pain, but removing all that material with a router would take a while too. I just turn everything to chips. Roughed out with a 1/2" 3FL rougher and then came back and finished with a 1/4" finisher. CNC, if you're gonna make one, might as well make more I guess...

 

[paranoid56]

I can see a router struggling with that. Deep slotting can be a pain, but removing all that material with a router would take a while too. I just turn everything to chips. Roughed out with a 1/2" 3FL rougher and then came back and finished with a 1/4" finisher. CNC, if you're gonna make one, might as well make more I guess...

sooo nice. i really wish i could upgrade to a real cnc setup. but 99% of my work is 2.5 in plastic.

 

[kazlx]

Prototype brackets for a product (not mine). He had made a mold and was casting them out of some sort of resin. I'll probably help redesign to help make them cheaper and easier to machine.

 

[Keyblazer]

I’m not a machinist, but I’m trying with my limited skills and equipment.
Only have an old Shoptask 1720 combo Lathe/Mill.

Here is the radius turning attachment I made.


Used that to turn a Roll die for my Beadroller.




And a pic of rolling the edge of some 3003 H14 0.063” Aluminum.

 

[aczr2k]

I had these plates to engrave for a customer. Plates came off a water jet, 6ft x 7ft, 1/4" thick. They wanted words engraved next to most of the small holes. Material handling and dealing with the wavy plates was the hardest part.

Don't typically do any ferrous metal on the router, but they talked me into it....

Komo router huh? Those were made across the highway from where I work. Half of our shop is ex Komo employees.