Behind the scenes........pics.

[wrustle]

(11-26-2015, 11:34 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: That's the problem I had working those shops - too focused on the immediate, not the whole job. I failed at production; I'd rather do repairs. Carbide tooling just gets set aside, I don't even own a single insert.

Completely understand, but have to add that the carbide tooling can greatly decrease not only your set up time, but your machine time as well.  

Yes, there's an initial outlay of costs for tooling, but the returns will be pretty quick, and it only takes a couple tools to cover the majority of needs.  Use WNMG inserts and those same inserts can be used in turning and boring tooling, plus they have 6 edges.  Saves a ton of money on buying inserts by being able to turn and bore with them.

I think the only HSS tooling I have is drills, taps and a few corner rounding end mills.  Other than that, it's all carbide, and inserted tooling.

Repair work for me was a small part of my business in the beginning but then I phased it out.  It just wasn't my thing.

I however, love production work.

I find with production work, you work much easier..........as long as your process is focused on making the machine and tooling do all the work, you're good to go for the long haul.

As I always tell my son as he's standing there watching two or three machines pumping out parts..........


"See how easy this is?  The machines do all the work, and you get all the money!" 


Some 1st op 303 Stainless Steel Latches we make by the hundreds throughout the year.

[Sunset Machine]

(11-26-2015, 05:33 PM)wrustle Wrote:

(11-26-2015, 11:34 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: That's the problem I had working those shops - too focused on the immediate, not the whole job. I failed at production; I'd rather do repairs. Carbide tooling just gets set aside, I don't even own a single insert.

Completely understand, but have to add that the carbide tooling can greatly decrease not only your set up time, but your machine time as well.  

Yes, there's an initial outlay of costs for tooling, but the returns will be pretty quick, and it only takes a couple tools to cover the majority of needs.  Use WNMG inserts and those same inserts can be used in turning and boring tooling, plus they have 6 edges.  Saves a ton of money on buying inserts by being able to turn and bore with them.

I intend to try carbide again one of these days, but the learning and cost curves are discouraging. Not to mention my machines are really old, dating back to carbon steel tooling. I have tried some brazed carbide but it just goes tinkle snap crunch and I can't do anything with it but run to the bench grinder.

Meanwhile, I can be productive with HSS.

I had a flycutter job a few months back that I wish had a bit of carbide in there. This is an annual job. Currently, a finish feed of .005" ipr and a hundred RPM or so takes 30 minutes to cross 12" and clear the cutter. 8 of them to do, each has a ledge to work up to (inside square corner). There's a bit of HSS in the end of a 10" flycutter, material is 4140, DOC is .020".

What do I do to make the work go faster? The shop I get this work from pokes fun at me about the HSS.  

Top speed of the mill (horizontal) is 300 rpm but I don't like running it that fast - the feed chain starts slapping the housing. It was built in 1913.

What to do, what to do... Here's the flycutter. The tip is ground to provide a little relief in the inside corner.

[Roadracer_Al]

If you're into making tooling, you could make an Ultra-Flycutter [tm] with 4/5/6 HSS tools. More edges, faster feed rate. That would really get the chips flying. You could even do some odd spacings to keep vibration down, kinda like a car radiator fan.

[Sunset Machine]

I did exactly that with a gypo face mill that came with brazed bits, milled out some new slots and setscrewed HSS bits in there. Works fine but I should have just started from barstock. Good idea! I'll look into a 10 inch version.

This here is some funny tooling. It looks like carbide stuff but it's HSS:
http://www.arwarnerco.com/

[wrustle]

These are a small sample from the last run of some laboratory test machine components we manufacture.  These are "Lid Guides". The components are made from 6061 aluminum, engraved with the part number, and then sent out to one of our preferred vendors for hard anodize.  Here you are seeing the finished product awaiting shipment. We make a couple hundred of these components on a blanket order with shipments throughout the year for our forensic testing equipment customer.

[wrustle]

Making some forensic test machine equipment components this past week.  

These are called a "Deep Dish".

It is part of a grinding machine that grinds up and processes tough samples.  I know......"define tough sample".  Sorry, I'm a machinist, not a scientist. 

In any event, these are made from aluminum and have a ceramic insert epoxied in place to handle the grinding.

Blanks are 6061 aluminum, 6.5" Diameter x 2.375" lg. 

These are made complete in our 2014 Haas ST20 Cnc Lathe.




Here you can see the part chucked in the machine.

1st operation is complete.

Face to clean, Finish turn OD to 6.310", and drill .187" x .5" deep.










With the 1st handling done on all the pieces, it is time to set up the 2nd operation.


Here's a piece ready to be machined on the 2nd side.  We hold the finished turned OD from the 1st op in bored soft jaws.




The inserted drill you see there in the turret is .937" diameter, and is about to make short work of drilling, and roughing out the 4.770" dia. x 1.940" deep bore......in very short order!





Here you can see the finished part as it awaits to be unloaded from the machine.




Here's a close up of the finished part.





Here you have a "Before" and "After" picture.

[wrustle]

Good Saturday Morning! The weekend starts at noon today! Enjoy the day!  1-9-16

[wrustle]

These are some valve cover extensions we manufactured for some early nineteen hundreds vintage motorcycles. 

The first batch you see pictured on the tray are for 1916-1919 Indian Powerplus Motorcycles. 

The second batch pictured in the plastic bag are for 1920-1923 Powerplus, and 1923-1930 Indian Chief Motorcycles, all of which are pictured as well. 

These components are manufactured complete in our West Brookfield, Massachusetts facility. 

[wrustle]

Here's some parts we just finished for our biotech customer.  These 2.188" Dia. knurled vial caps come with a 2"-20 ID thread and are made from 6061 aluminum, and clear anodized.
This is just a sampling from the 200 piece order we had in production.  We also manufacture the clear acrylic vial shown in the pictures.

[wrustle]

Here is a small sampling of some medium sized vial holders we manufacture and assemble at our facility. For each unit pictured there are seven individual components that we machine, clear anodize, and assemble. These are just one style of vial holder we manufacture for our biotechnology customer.