The Workshop Progress Thread (2016)

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Doh! I should know better than to try to paint in 80 per cent humidity. Got a bad case of the wrinkles where I laid the paint on the base a bit thick on the fabricated Versatile Dividing Head. So have left it to harden up a bit and carried on making the threaded rings to screw on the spindle and retain the main wormwheel gear, which will be an old lathe changewheel with a bit of fettling.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Today's liitle project is sheer indulgence, or possibly just laziness. Changing the 3 jaws from internal to external and back again in 3 jaw chuck is just so tedious. I've noticed that Burnerd chucks that have become separated from their jaws go for comparatively little on Ebay. I went for a punt and bought a 4" orphan to (I hoped) match my existing 3 jaw. I needed a backplate so bought one from ARC and cut the 3" register then drilled the 3 mounting holes for 1/4" BSW on 3.5" PCD.

The milling spindle motor struggled with a 6.5mm bit so I drilled 4.5mm and then opened these out on the pillar drill. My existing external jaws are a nice snug fit. Run out using this 1" milling cutter was 1.5 thou TIR.

I struggled to find something larger to test but this old outer ball race showed 2.5 thou TIR

Although the body of the chuck looks a bit battered, I seem to have struck lucky.

Rod

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Today's little project (a first for me, and to see if I could) was to make a small displacement lubricator.

All that is now needed this evening is to wire it up and silver solder it together.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Nice Job Rod

Would it have not been better to have threaded the displacer for the threaded nipples… ooh matron!… … then solder them in.

George.

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

It would
If I had thought about it at the time.

But I got away with it.

In fact I started to make another in hex brass, and got that far, but I didn't like the shape after all and so I just soldered up version 1.

Edited By Rod Neep on 05/05/2016 00:22:48

Edited By Rod Neep on 05/05/2016 00:23:07

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Got to thinking about adding a 3 axis DRO set, but the price of £394 for a full (waterproof) set made me pause. Until I found exactly the same set direct from China at £73. I might well go for that, and wile I am at it, buy a set for the lathe too.

Care to share with us? or a pm if you prefer

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Posted by Ady1 on 05/05/2016 01:27:37:

Got to thinking about adding a 3 axis DRO set, but the price of £394 for a full (waterproof) set made me pause. Until I found exactly the same set direct from China at £73. I might well go for that, and wile I am at it, buy a set for the lathe too.

Care to share with us? or a pm if you prefer

Same here… sounds doable at that price… appreciate link or pm too.

George.

[Andy HoldawayParticipant @andyholdaway]

Me too at that price! Link or pm would be good.

Andy

[Mike pParticipant @mikep]

Me Also at that price we could all have a DRO setup

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Final price may vary a little from what the web page lists, and I bought two sets, one for the lathe and one for the milling machine. These are exactly the same product as listed (with waterproof glass optical scales) on a well known vendor's site in the UK, and less than half the price.

From here: LINK

But a guide to prices:
3 Axis digital readout $105
2 Axis digital readout $95
Scales $47 each (200mm, 250mm or 300mm)
Including fixings kits

Shipping price varies by whatever route you select (I chose DHL for speed)
Payment by Paypal

Rod

[Dennis DParticipant @dennisd]

Rod this might interest you I bookmarked it for when I get around to fitting DRO to my mill **LINK**

Dennis

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Here's another site on Aliexpress (the retail sister of Alibaba) that sells several brands of DRO. Suspect some (Easson?) may be bootlegs but most of this stuff is probably made around Shenzhen anyway. The "Easson" range seems to include a sort of visual display rather than the std digital format. No idea if they are any good but I find that I forget how to use some of the more obscure functions and consequently never use them. A visual display would be an improvement, if that's what they are.

I have 2 sets of the "HXX" brand DROs, (both 3-axis displays) for the mill (fitted it a couple of years ago and am very happy with it) and a spare set for the lathe (ie will sit in the cupboard for several years). I actually bought them directly from the manufacturer and had them delivered to my hotel in Shenzhen but would have paid a few quid to avoid lugging them back on the plane! Pictures in my album.

You will see from the album photos that I actually fitted 4 scales – I fitted one Z scale to the quill and another one to the knee. The quill gets most use but if I want to use the knee scale it's quick and easy to swap the connectors over.

The instructions that come with these are in very special Chinglish. You will have better luck downloading manuals from other manufacturers (they are very similar in operation oddly enough!) and keeping the originals for party games.

Murray

Edited By Muzzer on 05/05/2016 18:10:26

[GoCreateParticipant @gocreate]

Hi

Here is another website to consider. Don't forget customs will charge the 20% vat plus a handling fee.

Nigel

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Some good pointers in that thread. Thanks.

Rod

[Anonymous]

The task this evening was to knock out the 2BA bolts on the repetition lathe for the steering gear brackets, and some M4 nuts for the water pumps. The nuts were made on the manual lathe, quicker than the repetition lathe for 12 off. For some reason I had all sorts of trouble with both sets of 2BA chasers in the Coventry diehead last night. This evening they worked fine – must be the operator.

And a close up in all the gory detail:

It's time for a celebration; the M4 nuts are the last machining operation on the water pumps, and thus the end of the saga.

Andrew

[Anonymous]

The water pumps have been a right saga; now I can move onto something else. Probably the wheels so that I can empty the hall of all the parts that are currently cluttering up the place. Here's an assembled pump, and all the individual parts:

Apart from a solitary 4BA nut per pump everything has been made from raw castings or stock material.

Andrew

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looking good Andrew, have you tried pumping one against a pressure gauge to see how the modifications perform?

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

As part of my ongoing Sieg C3 lathe upgrade, today I almost finished the tapered gibs mod. The weather stopped me, it was raining pushrods, it sounded like someone was firing a machine gun at the sheds corrugated iron roof. Just have a little bit to do on the gib adjuster screws, cut the gibs down from overlength and reassemble. The next thing on the list is a swarf/chip guard protecting the apron gears, which may incorporate some bearings. Then some way wipers, I already have some felt. The last thing(s) on the list are thrust races on the compound and cross slides along with a modified leadscrew nut for the cross slide.

Then I can get on with my next project!!

cheers

Bill

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 08/05/2016 13:13:52:

………..have you tried pumping one against a pressure gauge to see how the modifications perform?

In a word, no – Andrew

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

Some new 6" files arrived today for the workshop. 2 of each grade, which I shall use for brass and steel. Without handles of course, and therefore it was only natural that I should like to have some nice turned wood handles for them. The first one just finished, in classy cocobolo wood with a polished copper ferrule. The three files for steel will have handles made of London Plane.

[Anonymous]

Good grief, they're lovely looking files handles! I just hope the files themselves are up to the same standard.

Andrew

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

What is the make of file? I see the UK but not whats in front. Wasn't aware any UK file makesr were left.

[Rod NeepParticipant @rodneep80388]

The mark is "HBM UK". I got them from RDG Tools.

…. and a correction. The second wood isn't London Plane, it is Ropola. A similar but darker lacewood. I only realised after I had turned it and polished the wood.

Rod

Edited By Rod Neep on 10/05/2016 22:44:12

Edited By Rod Neep on 10/05/2016 22:46:06

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

They look fantastic Rod- you can't beat having beautiful tools to work with. I thought I was the only one who varnishes file handles!

Regards,

John.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Very nice handles, I would be reluctant to touch them. I make my handles out of old chair legs, may be sycamore, leave them plain wood . I like the feel and they don't slip.

[Author]

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