The Workshop Progress Thread (2016)

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this evening I made a bit more progress on my traveling steady. I've marked it out and chain drill part of it to make it easier to cut and I've also milled the underside of the base to incorporate a register for easy repositioning into the same place.

Regards Nick.

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

Mein panzer is genackered!

Was doing well today initially, fettled the muzzle break onto the end of my Tamiya 1/16th Tiger tank barrel – tested her out, (started first time!). Had a cuppa with my Brother and then cleared out a space in the shed/workshop to put a set of Bisley drawers in. I now have somewhere to put my milling and turning tools plus loads of other stuff. I then installed a second tubular heater ready for next winter and made a start on a spline cutting toolbit.

When I went back in the house I realised I'd left the Tiger power switched on although I had switched off the tranceiver. The tiger decided to go for a run by itself, off the chair it was perched on, landing on the front wheel and it's a heavy beast with metal tracks. So it looks like I have a modelling job to do at last.

I'll have to have a look at some of JS's threads to see how spindle repairs are done.

Ed.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this evening I hacksawed my traveling steady to the kinda shape that I was aiming for.

Then after initial filing towards its final shape, it looks like this.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this evening I only had time to set up my traveling steady on my mini mill, to skim the faces which the hold down bolt heads will be in contact with.

But before I could use my boring head in reverse, I had to drill and tap it for a small grub screw to prevent it from undoing.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 07/04/2016 22:45:22

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

I had a problem where i needed to make 3 miniature "lock handles" for my home made mill, i was going to thread them but to no avail as i only had the wall thickness to thread into (1-2mm), it couldnt go all the way through because i needed to have an M5 thru hole which would cross it's path, so instead i brazed them with success;

And a close up of the almost cleaned up one.

I only used a common butane/propane torch, i prepared the surfaces by sanding and fluxing the join, then i arrange them assembled on a 5 inch square block of mild steel i use, as i dont have a fire brick, then heated them both to cherry red and slowly poured the brazing wire onto the join.

Never successfully brazed before so i'm proud =)

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 08/04/2016 16:52:44

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this evening I skimmed the bolt head faces on my traveling steady, but just as I had thought, I had to stop the steady from twisting when the tool started to cut, even with a fairly light cut. So it was reset and a clamping bar was fixed against the side at the bottom.

When this face was skimmed, the clamps at the bottom were rearranged so that the other face could be done.

After both faces were done, the steady was set up in a vice upside down and the two bolt holes were drilled.

After drilling the holes, a 0.5mm deep relief 25mm wide was milled midway between the holes, this helps to ensure that there is a good contact on the lathe saddle at the bolt hole locations.

I next fitted the steady to the lathe saddle without any issues and the area that I intended to line up with the mandrel axis, does so very well.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 08/04/2016 21:16:14

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 03/04/2016 00:44:41:

Proof this forum is full of old buffers!

& well done Michael.

Neil

[S.D.L.Participant @s-d-l]

Posted by Michael Walters on 08/04/2016 16:43:43:

And a close up of the almost cleaned up one.

I only used a common butane/propane torch, i prepared the surfaces by sanding and fluxing the join, then i arrange them assembled on a 5 inch square block of mild steel i use, as i dont have a fire brick, then heated them both to cherry red and slowly poured the brazing wire onto the join.

Never successfully brazed before so i'm proud =)

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 08/04/2016 16:52:44

Glad it worked. The steel will act as a heat sink, go to Wicks or any builders merchant and buy 2 lightweight building blocks (celcon or thermalite), you can saw the second one in half longways with a hand saw (wood) and make a mini hearth that will keep the heat in and make it easier and quicker.

Steve

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Thanks for the compliments,

I have a wickes shop nearby and i may take you up on that advice, my only reason for using a block of a steel was because my workshop is comprised mainly of wood, and it's an afforded luxury to be able to use a metal work surface that isn't my cross slide or milling table!

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 09/04/2016 23:21:45

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this evening I did a little more on my traveling steady while still being mounted on my lathe saddle. Firstly, using a centre drill held in a collet chuck on my lathe, the steady was centred on the chuck side with the tool post against the other side to stop the steady deflecting.

It was then piloted and then drill for tapping M9.

The drilled hole was then milled out to 10mm to a depth of about 8mm.

It was then tapped M9.

I then used a 3/4" dovetail cutter to counter bore the hole very slightly.

The steady is now ready for blank brass inserts.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 10/04/2016 00:24:20

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 06/04/2016 20:55:26:

Hi, this evening I hacksawed my traveling steady to the kinda shape that I was aiming for.

Then after initial filing towards its final shape, it looks like this.

Regards Nick.

Great to see there is someone among us who remembers how to hacksaw and file! Well done indeed.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

Its taking shape very nicely

Nick

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Hopper and Nick_G, thanks for the comments. Nothing done on it today, as I've been too busy doing shopping and visiting my daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law.

Regards Nick.

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Last week I posted a bit on making an end cover/points housing for a magneto, In it I showed using Florists Brick to check out the machining.

I have since then made a bit more progress, here are a couple of youtube clips showing there use of the Kress spindle for the first time

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Here are some CNC-free end caps

Made this this evening, can anyone guess what it is?

Neil

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

One of those plunger things for starting fires?

An off-axis guider for your telescope?

Ed.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Collimator?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Solar finder, pinhole at the front, translucent screen at the other.

Almost comically simple to use.

Neil

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

Spent part of yesterday and today swapping the air tank/receiver from a new very noisy compressor over to my old silent compressor. Made an adaptor for the inlet pipe, 1/2"BSP male to 1/4"BSP female. The only thing I had to make it from was a piece of hex stock about 3mm longer than the finished part.

Had a slight mishap somehow in that the regulated outlet connector cracked, so I need to make a repair to that. It's a very brittle, cast material. I was thinking of turning a thick walled sleeve to fit snugly over the outlet and solder in place. Any comments/ideas welcome. Buying a replacement outlet connector bar/tube is possible from Ebay.

Ed.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Just thought I'd share the elegant tool that knurled that 1 1/4" aluminium tube, given the sophistication of some we have seen recently:

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Neil, I am going to make one of those knurling devises. What size knurl wheels did you use ? It will be on the list of jobs, I am still doing bits on making my new lathe cross slide in between other jobs. All squared up/tee slots and dovetails in. Hope to do the drilling/tapping/oiler positions today then on with the radial tee slot and angel engraving for the top slide.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Speaking of elegance, I got the welding done on my fabricated version of GHT's Versatile Dividing Head.

I have to say, the elegance of my stick welding was greatly enhanced by the layer of scale from an hour in the furnace and an overnight rest in a bucket of lime for stress-relieving/annealing.

Edited By Hopper on 15/04/2016 12:14:24

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

That looks promising, Hopper

I would be interested to follow the progress of your build.

… Please keep the photos coming.

MichaelG.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

A good source of air receivers for your compressor is a lorry scrap yard. If you want bigger just use more in parallel. Make sure you fit a drain and remember to let out the water every now and again.

[modeng2000Participant @modeng2000]

Duncan, that is where I got mine from.

I liberated a tyre inflating pump from a closing down garage, the sort where you put 20p in the slot to turn it on. There is no receiver with these save for the length of hose to connect to the tyre. So with the pressure limit and safety valve fittings etc I had a compressor from redundent parts. Unfortunately when I eventually got the cabinet open there were no 20ps inside!

John

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