03-27-2019, 05:46 AM
I've been busy with other things over the past couple of weeks, but having ticked a few jobs off the list I could justify spending my days off this week back on the frankenmill project.
I finished the jobs that needed the shaper vice to hold the overarm in front of the spindle again, getting the remaining 5/8 NF holes drilled and tapped in the front end of the cheek plates and the front plate. I decided that the most suitable place for the remaining bolt holes was right where I had put the dowels, so I drilled and reamed some new dowel holes before doing the bolt holes. The top two holes in the nosepiece bolt circle / top of the front plate have to be drilled all the way through the 5.2" width of the top plate, two 5/8 NF x 8" long bolts will come all the way through into the top of the nose piece. I found a long 5/8 drill bit on ebay, it arrived today so I can finish those holes.
The bottom edge of the front plate was protruding a little below the dovetail and preventing the arbor supports sliding on, I shaved .040" off the bottom edge so they clear.
I've been mulling over how best to mount the nosepiece on the rotary table to do the T-slot, decided to use the front plate as a fixture. I needed to spigot the front plate to the RT so I mounted the nosepiece in the lathe and trued it up in the 4-jaw chuck, then bolted the plate to the nosepiece and bored a place for a spigot that fits the centre bore of the RT.
I mounted the assembly on the RT and set about makiing it look like the front of the original BP knuckle. First the well that allows the T-slot cutter (and the bolt heads) to access the slot. It's .800" deep, so I plunged with the largest centre-cutting endmill I had (16mm) and then opened it out with an insert endmill. I did this blind, going round the block with the DRO in .100" deep steps, as the well was full of coolant the whole time.
I made a beginning on the vertical slot for the T; using a 10mm carbide endmill, got two passes done at .150" depth. This slot needs to be about an inch deep before the T-slot cutter does it's thing. Each lap was taking about 45 minutes. Cranking the RT around for 45 minutes at a time sure gets old. I can see a motor-drive to the RT happening at a future date.
I finished the jobs that needed the shaper vice to hold the overarm in front of the spindle again, getting the remaining 5/8 NF holes drilled and tapped in the front end of the cheek plates and the front plate. I decided that the most suitable place for the remaining bolt holes was right where I had put the dowels, so I drilled and reamed some new dowel holes before doing the bolt holes. The top two holes in the nosepiece bolt circle / top of the front plate have to be drilled all the way through the 5.2" width of the top plate, two 5/8 NF x 8" long bolts will come all the way through into the top of the nose piece. I found a long 5/8 drill bit on ebay, it arrived today so I can finish those holes.
The bottom edge of the front plate was protruding a little below the dovetail and preventing the arbor supports sliding on, I shaved .040" off the bottom edge so they clear.
I've been mulling over how best to mount the nosepiece on the rotary table to do the T-slot, decided to use the front plate as a fixture. I needed to spigot the front plate to the RT so I mounted the nosepiece in the lathe and trued it up in the 4-jaw chuck, then bolted the plate to the nosepiece and bored a place for a spigot that fits the centre bore of the RT.
I mounted the assembly on the RT and set about makiing it look like the front of the original BP knuckle. First the well that allows the T-slot cutter (and the bolt heads) to access the slot. It's .800" deep, so I plunged with the largest centre-cutting endmill I had (16mm) and then opened it out with an insert endmill. I did this blind, going round the block with the DRO in .100" deep steps, as the well was full of coolant the whole time.
I made a beginning on the vertical slot for the T; using a 10mm carbide endmill, got two passes done at .150" depth. This slot needs to be about an inch deep before the T-slot cutter does it's thing. Each lap was taking about 45 minutes. Cranking the RT around for 45 minutes at a time sure gets old. I can see a motor-drive to the RT happening at a future date.
Lathe (n); a machine tool used in the production of milling machine components.
Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.
Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.