Todays Project - What did you do today?

[EdK]

(07-21-2023, 07:59 PM)rleete Wrote: I blame Ed for this

Thank you!

Ed

[rleete]

Mostly woodworking, but it involves organizing my shop.

This is the only vertical space in my shop not currently utilized:

   

The space behind the mill is often left covered in swarf and makes using anything left there an archeological dig.  I needed to get stuff up off the surface and use that wall space.  The obvious solution is pegboard, but I am really adverse to drilling holes in the foundation walls.  So, I decided to hang it from the rafters.  Here's the cut pegboard and the framing, test fit before glue up:

   

The pegboard does not rest on the backboard of the bench, but is about 1/8" up, just to prevent any vibration from transferring to the board and it's contents.  Everything is attached to the frame of the unit with lath screws, which I had from and old remodeling project.  And finally, some cheap shelves I bought on a whim, my mill clamping kit and the collet holder:  

   

Sharp eyed readers will note that there are no longer any long boards for attaching to the joist.  In my haste to get it built, I neglected to realize there wasn't enough room to get the damned thing in place.  I wasn't about to move the bench by myself.  Plan B!  I had a bunch of jack chain that I've had forever with no idea where it came from.  It says it's good for 16 pounds on various websites, so I used 4 pieces, just in case.

[EdK]

I finally got the band saw cutting straight and cutting through. In the process of all of this work to get it cutting straight I found out the fixed vise jaw was not square to the bed of the saw. The bottom face was badly dished and needed about .050" taken off of it to clean it up and get it square to the other face.

Now to clean up all of the cast iron dust.  

Ed

   

[rleete]

Mine has never cut very straight.  It's better than when I got it, but I haven't really fussed with it too much.  Nice finish on the casting.

Buddy texted me that he needed a bushing for one of those weed whackers with the swinging blades.  Sent the dimensions, and I agreed.  I found a piece of mystery steel in my stash and got to work.

Bore (reamed) is spot on.  Length is as well.  Outer diameter is just shy of a thou undersized, but I figure it should do the trick.  I blued it, just because.

   

I.D. is .250, O.D. is .471, Length is .452.

Ed, while I was parting off, I remembered your comment about it.  I think the secret on small machines is just to go for it, and not try to baby it so much.  I did get a catch, and hit the e-stop, but going in slowly to remove the burr and then continuing on, it made the cut just fine.

[Highpower]

(07-25-2023, 06:24 PM)rleete Wrote: Ed, while I was parting off, I remembered your comment about it.  I think the secret on small machines is just to go for it, and not try to baby it so much. 

That is a good point. With a sharp tool that is cutting well stay into the cut and don't just let it rub. I've even gone so far as to use the power feed on my 12" lathe when parting off. But only after I made sure the tool cut well by hand at first. A dull tool results in a broken tool of course. Ask me how I know...

[rleete]

I think part of the problem with parting off on a small lathe is that you're pushing the limits of the machine design. The typical 7X lathe has ways on the cross slide that are just not large enough to resist the forces parting puts on it. So, if you have any machine empathy, you're screaming inside while you force it to do a task which is hard on it.

I take the approach that my lathe is only good enough if it does the job I want. It's kind of a "do it or die trying" situation. If it breaks, well that means I can replace it or fix what's broken. Until then, I push the limits to get the results.

[rleete]

More machining for those with more time than brains.  I could buy one of these in steel for about $10, but where's the fun in that?

The parts.  Not polished, but just smoothed on my favorite new shop tool, the deburring wheel.  I even made a t-nut to fit better than the purchased ones, and as it doesn't see that much force, I figured aluminum was just fine.

   

And here it is, assembled.

   

I had planned on making knobs instead of the screws, but as I just had to try it out, I used those plastic thumbscrew things you press onto the end of a SHCS.  At which point I discovered that it took a lot more force to tighten than I had anticipated.  I can get it to tighten up, but just barely, and I really have to use a lot of hand strength to do it.  I will probably make the knobs anyway, to see if that gives me enough grip to tighten them.

But, looking back at the mill stop that Ed made, I think he used a different method to tighten the rods.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you used a split cotter system, which takes a lot less torque on the knob to tighten.  If that's the case, I may remake the cross block, using that method.

[EdK]

(07-29-2023, 07:19 PM)rleete Wrote: But, looking back at the mill stop that Ed made, I think he used a different method to tighten the rods.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you used a split cotter system, which takes a lot less torque on the knob to tighten.

Yup, split cotter system. Works great. More work but do it once and it's done.
I have to remake one "tower block". I screwed up the dimensions and thought I could get away with it but in use, no go.

Ed

[rleete]

Thank you. I have been wanting to try it, so I'll remake the part. Any particular dimensions that are critical to making it work?

[EdK]

(07-30-2023, 07:03 AM)rleete Wrote: Thank you.  I have been wanting to try it, so I'll remake the part.  Any particular dimensions that are critical to making it work?

Not particularly. I know some just use a wedge shape for the clamping surface but I used an end mill the same diameter as the rod being clamped so there's good contact between them.

Ed