The Machine Work Thread

[Cue]

Nothing too special but I got to try out my new rotary broach set and make a brass Hex head/Allen bolt for my friends motorcycle air filter. Now he wants me to make brass bolts to replace all the chrome ones.

 

[stioc]

The build of the grinding rest is finally complete.

First task was to true up my 10 yr old grinding wheel which I didn't realize how irregular it was until I did this

This was very dusty work and I should have done it outside. Even with the vacuum on this accumulated on the grinder cart:

Then I attempted to sharpen an endmill...which has a learning curve to understand all the angles and such so that will take some learning and practicing...now that I have the ability to do so in my shop.

 

[larry4406]

stioc - Nice project. I saw your build of this over on hobby machinist. I am trying to understand all of the ways the grinder attachment moves.

 

[sanddan]

Great solution Dan. One of the pocket doors in our Dynasty did the same thing years ago but I went a different direction and just made a slightly longer plunger or pin for the bottom so it wouldn't come out of the locking hole.

Hope you and the wife have been able to get out and enjoy that coach of yours a bit lately.

Thanks Mike. We just got back from a 2 week trip to Idaho, did about 1100 miles on the coach. Lots of learning was done, we used every system on the coach, some for the first time. Also learned about engine temps and how to avoid. The fix for the pocket doors worked great, very happy with the results. Still plan on getting over to your neck of the woods some time. Most likely next year. The wife just did early retirement so more trips are on the horizon.

 

[stioc]

stioc - Nice project. I saw your build of this over on hobby machinist. I am trying to understand all of the ways the grinder attachment moves.

Thanks man.

The knob labeled 1 moves the fence left and right, the fence itself pivots in any angle you want. Knob 3 is a fine movement for the table front and back -about half an inch or so. Knob 2 is a locking screw preventing the table from moving front and back. The whole table is sitting on a ball-joint so it can be angled in any possible way desired. The rest is adjustable height wise and it can also side front and back on it's base. So lots of adjustments possible. However, you really need a couple of accessories to go with it too which I'll be making in the near future. Harold's grinding book is worth the small $10 it goes for if you have any interest in tool grinding in a home shop without a real tool grinder. Though I would suggest may be making Harold's 'advanced tool rest' as it's simpler/quicker to adjust and use. Hope that helps!

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks Mike. We just got back from a 2 week trip to Idaho, did about 1100 miles on the coach. Lots of learning was done, we used every system on the coach, some for the first time. Also learned about engine temps and how to avoid. The fix for the pocket doors worked great, very happy with the results. Still plan on getting over to your neck of the woods some time. Most likely next year. The wife just did early retirement so more trips are on the horizon.

Glad to hear everything went well and especially on the wife's retirement.

Coach looks great.

 

[kazlx]

Picking up this dude tomorrow night. Already paid my $300 .

 

[larry_g]

Picking up this dude tomorrow night. Already paid my $300 .

If you got that for $300 then you got deal. Logan is a good lathe.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kazlx]

If you got that for $300 then you got deal. Logan is a good lathe.

lg
no neat sig line

Yea, even better since the drawers are full of tooling. I sold my big Caddy lathe a while ago to help pay for the Fadal. I've been wanting just something smaller for a bit as a support machine since most things are getting done on the Fadal. It looks like it's in really good shape and I'll be able to take a better inventory once I get it home.

 

[larry4406]

Thanks man.

The knob labeled 1 moves the fence left and right, the fence itself pivots in any angle you want. Knob 3 is a fine movement for the table front and back -about half an inch or so. Knob 2 is a locking screw preventing the table from moving front and back. The whole table is sitting on a ball-joint so it can be angled in any possible way desired. The rest is adjustable height wise and it can also side front and back on it's base. So lots of adjustments possible. However, you really need a couple of accessories to go with it too which I'll be making in the near future. Harold's grinding book is worth the small $10 it goes for if you have any interest in tool grinding in a home shop without a real tool grinder. Though I would suggest may be making Harold's 'advanced tool rest' as it's simpler/quicker to adjust and use. Hope that helps!

Thank you! What did you use to true the grinder wheel?

 

[stioc]

Picking up this dude tomorrow night. Already paid my $300 .

Man I probably have 10 times that into my cheap chinese 9x20 lathe with the tooling etc. Yeah, you ****!

 

[stioc]

Thank you! What did you use to true the grinder wheel?

They're calling dressing tools, I have the PowerTech one

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=grinder+wheel+dressing

 

[DocsMachine]

Picking up this dude tomorrow night. Already paid my $300 .

-That is easily the most complex milling attachment I've ever seen. He even has a digital readout on it.

Yeah, for $300, I'd have been all over that like nobody's business, too.

Doc.

 

[kazlx]

-That is easily the most complex milling attachment I've ever seen. He even has a digital readout on it.

Yeah, for $300, I'd have been all over that like nobody's business, too.

Doc.

Definitely. There's readouts on both axis. I'll play with it some more when I get it home tonight as long as go through the tooling and drawers. Bringing some cash with me to deal on some other stuff that was there. I told him to set aside anything machining related and we'll work something out.

 

[Ecosta777]

Homemade Starrett style tap wrench. This is the largest size (Starrett 91D).
Cost me $60 in material plus my time, brand new from Starrett it's $180.
Made from A2, hardened and polished.

The turning was all done manually, and I ground large radius cutter to do the radii on the body of it. Most of the milling was done on the bridgeport, but the profile on the body where it sweeps up on the ends, and the engraving I did in the HAAS. Took the easy way out and broached the relief in the corner of the tap hole to remove the radius left after milling, instead of making my own fancy broach to make a sharp corner. Polished up with crocus cloth and simichrome after heat treat.

The spring I ordered for it is waiting at home, so I'll be able to do the final assembly tonight!

 

[ez-duzit]

7--nice work.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Homemade Starrett style tap wrench.

Wow, really badass!

 

[zmotorsports]

Homemade Starrett style tap wrench. This is the largest size (Starrett 91D).
Cost me $60 in material plus my time, brand new from Starrett it's $180.
Made from A2, hardened and polished.

The turning was all done manually, and I ground large radius cutter to do the radii on the body of it. Most of the milling was done on the bridgeport, but the profile on the body where it sweeps up on the ends, and the engraving I did in the HAAS. Took the easy way out and broached the relief in the corner of the tap hole to remove the radius left after milling, instead of making my own fancy broach to make a sharp corner. Polished up with crocus cloth and simichrome after heat treat.

The spring I ordered for it is waiting at home, so I'll be able to do the final assembly tonight!

Beautiful work Eric.

 

[Ecosta777]

Wow, really badass!

Beautiful work Eric.

Thanks guys!

 

[Toolmaker51]

It's a working work of art.
Of all tap wrench patterns, only the Starrett has it right; tapered handles.
A note about knurling, fine diamonds like these are OK handling a wrench of this size and intent. Larger [bigger pitch] will get uncomfortable very quickly.
Diamond knurls best suit pulling/ pushing movement, straight knurls are great to control rotation.

 

[stioc]

wow, really nice work on the tap wrench!! What endmill are you using for engraving and what's the DOC for it?

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Once you factor in your time I think it's a little over $60. Worth it though, that is gorgeous.

 

[Ecosta777]

wow, really nice work on the tap wrench!! What endmill are you using for engraving and what's the DOC for it?

I use a #0 center drill, DOC was .001 at a time, I think I ended up at about -.003" to get the desired boldness.

 

[matt_i]

Fantastic work on the tap wrench!

 

[stioc]

I use a #0 center drill, DOC was .001 at a time, I think I ended up at about -.003" to get the desired boldness.

Thanks! I too use the center drill for engraving a lot. It also works for chamfer too

 

[Hephaestus29]

Beautiful work. Send me a drawing

 

[txvwnut]

Customer dropped off a bus for some suspension work. When I asked where the lug tool was he said in the glove box. Nope not there, luckily I had one in my scrap metal pile.

 

[awdblazer]

subscribed this is awesome

 

[stioc]

Sharpened an old endmill on the tool rest I made:

 

[ez-duzit]

Sharpened an old endmill on the tool rest I made...

Looks a little rough yet.

 

[stioc]

Looks a little rough yet.

Which part? Always interested in constructive criticism!

Here's an accessory I made for sharpening slitting saws:

 

[ez-duzit]

Which part?...

Look at the grinding marks on the ends of the flutes. There should be no grooves.

 

[stioc]

Look at the grinding marks on the ends of the flutes. There should be no grooves.

Ah, ok thanks. That has to do partly with the camera through the magnifying glass but mostly because of the dollar store grinding wheel. A good quality Norton wheel is already on order

 

[ez-duzit]

...That has to do partly with the camera through the magnifying glass...

Yeah right.

 

[stioc]

Yeah right.

Someone's trolling again

 

[ez-duzit]

Come on! Magnifying glass?

 

[ClappedOutBport]

They should also have a relief cut for plunging.

 

[fartymarty]

I've got to admit stioc, when I saw that sharpened end mill it reminded me of my rock hitting stick crunching lawn mower blade after I've sharpened it by hand for the tenth time (or 5 times after I should have given up on it and purchased a new one).

That said most of my endmills are in pristine shape with perfectly straight sharp edges...because I've never used them! So credit where credit is due for using an endmill enough where it needs to be sharpened. Top notch work on the tool rest!

 

[KBigg]

They should also have a relief cut for plunging.

You shouldn't plunge with that endmill anyway. It doesnt have a center cutting flute.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

You shouldn't plunge with that endmill anyway. It doesnt have a center cutting flute.

I saw. I didn't say full plunge. Step over plunging or helical interpolation on CNCs can be very effective strategies in certain instances.