The Workshop Progress thread 2018

[Old SchoolParticipant @oldschool]

I have over the last few days built this digital timing measuring device for my tether car engines the basis for the unit is a digital angle rule.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

A Chuky

 

 

 

Thank you Jason – just got to take it apart now and make it beautiful.

 

Cheers,

 

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 03/04/2018 22:24:29

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looks rather good to me already Rod, hope you enjoyed making it as much as I did mine.

Must be the day for finishing engines as the first Muncaster Entablablature engine from my drawings also ran for the first time today.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Posted by jimmy b on 01/04/2018 10:24:00:

I finally, after 6 years, got to grips with the DRO on Crusader!

I've only ever used it on one tool at a time, because when you power off and move things, the position is lost. I can now just use tool 1 and set the size, the tool library then updates.

I even made a setting tool, its just a bit of sleeve with bearings inside. I can just touch the O/D or bore, when the sleeve stops rotating. The size is then just inputted. I may have to buy some more tool holders to take advantage of this!! Its got a 200 tool library after all!

Jimmy, that's nice. I'm having adventures with tool offsets at the moment too, though on my CNC conversion. Same reason as you, so I can work with multiple tools to get known diameter without having to individually adjust them. My setting aid is different though. How do you deal with run-out of the OD of your sleeve? Does the DRO also work with Z offsets as well as X?

I also learned the perils of top slide and tool post movement! My top slide gib screws are now locked solid, and I've installed a dowel between the Dixon tool post and the top slide. I have a big lump of cast iron arriving too to make a base for the Dixon and eliminate the rather unsatisfactory mounting of the Myford S7 topslide, which can also shift under heavy cuts.

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

John, the run out is a couple of thou, near enough to start, I’ll just update it when the tools cut.

CNC has been my day job for 20 years, programming, setting and running. Some of that work involves manual tool setting, (“cut and measure”), some how it feels more natural on a CNC!

I now prefer not having no compound slide! One of the best mods I’ve done on the Crusader.

Jim

Edited By jimmy b on 05/04/2018 05:37:51

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Nice one Roderick, my one is coming along slowly, very slowly

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Have been making progress with my tool referencing and homing system on Mach 3 converted lathe. Having previously measured the offsets for a bunch of tools fitted into Dixon indexable holders and set up a tool table, today I wanted to skim about 0.1 mm off the end of my setting bar which was nominally 16mm but actually measured at 15.981 – this with a Mititoyo digital mic that indicates to a micron (I'm sure it's not accurate to that!). It needed cleaning up as during the process of developing Mach3 macros and a referencing screen, tools had been driven into the surface when they shouldn't have!

So, switched on the machine, launched Mach 3, homed the X axis (using the switch described on another thread), picked up the end of the bar as a Z reference, used the turning wizard to generate some code to take the bar down to 15.9 mm using a tangential tool in a Diamond holder with the appropriate tool number selected, ran the code, measured the bar with the same micrometer. 15.900 mm indicated. As I said, just how accurate this is is hard to say, but consistent, and considering all the things that had to go right to get this, encouraging.

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Posted by John Haine on 06/04/2018 18:06:25:

Have been making progress with my tool referencing and homing system on Mach 3 converted lathe. Having previously measured the offsets for a bunch of tools fitted into Dixon indexable holders and set up a tool table, today I wanted to skim about 0.1 mm off the end of my setting bar which was nominally 16mm but actually measured at 15.981 – this with a Mititoyo digital mic that indicates to a micron (I'm sure it's not accurate to that!). It needed cleaning up as during the process of developing Mach3 macros and a referencing screen, tools had been driven into the surface when they shouldn't have!

So, switched on the machine, launched Mach 3, homed the X axis (using the switch described on another thread), picked up the end of the bar as a Z reference, used the turning wizard to generate some code to take the bar down to 15.9 mm using a tangential tool in a Diamond holder with the appropriate tool number selected, ran the code, measured the bar with the same micrometer. 15.900 mm indicated. As I said, just how accurate this is is hard to say, but consistent, and considering all the things that had to go right to get this, encouraging.

Sounds good

Jim

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Did a bit more on my vertical cross engine today, fitted the spool valve rod guide, refitted the swing arms & parallel arms, checked for 'tight spots' all looks good…

​Next step is to machine up fly wheel… CI is shitty stuff to machine & the casting doesn't look to brilliant either… having another look at the guide set up I think I'll take the corners off & blend it to match the curve of the cylinder, more aesthetically pleasing methinks…?

​George.

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Thought I would put a piece of tooling up I have almost finished. Just have to decide how to finish the jaws. There is more pictures in my album.

Tom

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

That's very nice Tom!

[Jim NicParticipant @jimnic]

Like this George?

I thought it looked better matched to the cylinder

Jim

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Posted by Jim Nic on 08/04/2018 19:38:46:

Like this George?

I thought it looked better matched to the cylinder

Jim

Precisely Jim.

Geo.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Made quite a lot of progress liberating a new base to mount my Dickson toolholder block on to the S7 cross slide, generating loads of CI dust in the process. Started with a 135 mm dia backplate casting from RDG. Have now eliminated all the scale turning on the lathe. Photos tomorrow perhaps.

On another thread someone showed a base that inspired this project, the casting being from College Engineering – it looks like they don't carry such castings any more, I don't know if that means all their castings are no longer available after the acquisition. Would be a shame.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by TomK on 08/04/2018 16:21:20:

Thought I would put a piece of tooling up I have almost finished. Just have to decide how to finish the jaws. There is more pictures in my album.

Tom

.

That looks very classy, Tom

… is the hemisphere weighted, or is there plenty of friction with the cup ?

MichaelG.

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 10/04/2018 07:41:08:

Posted by TomK on 08/04/2018 16:21:20:

Thought I would put a piece of tooling up I have almost finished. Just have to decide how to finish the jaws. There is more pictures in my album.

Tom

.

That looks very classy, Tom

… is the hemisphere weighted, or is there plenty of friction with the cup ?

MichaelG.

Michael

The hemisphere contains 2 ball races and has no weights added the friction on the tufnel base has enough friction to grip the hemisphere.

tom

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Tom

I'm curious what the tool is for?

It looks like a self centering two jaw chuck which can be manually rotated (on two ballraces) and its sits in a hemispherical recess at whatever angle suite the purpose. Its just the purpose I cannot work out.

Ian P

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

For old fashioned die sinking, or engraving maybe. A handy thing for hand work. Beautifully made too.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Follow Tom's link to his album and the title will tell all.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by TomK on 10/04/2018 22:39:07:

Michael

The hemisphere contains 2 ball races and has no weights added the friction on the tufnel base has enough friction to grip the hemisphere.

tom

.

Thanks for the clarification, Tom

MichaelG.

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Posted by Ian P on 10/04/2018 23:44:08:

Tom

I'm curious what the tool is for?

It looks like a self centering two jaw chuck which can be manually rotated (on two ballraces) and its sits in a hemispherical recess at whatever angle suite the purpose. Its just the purpose I cannot work out.

Ian P

Ian

This picture shows another tool that can be used with the vice. Also this link to an engraving web page may help you understand more about this type of vice. Link to web page

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

I followed Jason's advice and looked at your album, then Googled 'jewellers vice' and looked at images. Only a couple out of hundreds shown looked anything like yours so I added 'ball' to the search and found scores of them.

Yours looks beautifully made, presumably mostly aluminium and I can see its not easy to decide what features to add to the jaws if your work needs any.

I found an online video of a vice and engraver in use. Previously I knew nothing of the art of engraving but I'm impressed and tempted to have a go.

Ian P

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Posted by Ian P on 11/04/2018 11:20:27:

I followed Jason's advice and looked at your album, then Googled 'jewellers vice' and looked at images. Only a couple out of hundreds shown looked anything like yours so I added 'ball' to the search and found scores of them.

Yours looks beautifully made, presumably mostly aluminium and I can see its not easy to decide what features to add to the jaws if your work needs any.

I found an online video of a vice and engraver in use. Previously I knew nothing of the art of engraving but I'm impressed and tempted to have a go.

Ian P

Ian

The material for the vice is

Ball and body is stainless steel

jaws are mild steel

Tom

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

TomK, as a jewellery maker used to using GRS workholding equipment, I've nothing but admiration for your work. Perhaps you've thought of this already, but some leather-faced jaw inserts would make the steel jaws kinder on precious metals and provide good grip.

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

Posted by Bill Phinn on 11/04/2018 12:33:01:

TomK, as a jewellery maker used to using GRS workholding equipment, I've nothing but admiration for your work. Perhaps you've thought of this already, but some leather-faced jaw inserts would make the steel jaws kinder on precious metals and provide good grip.

Bill

I have not decided what to do with jaws but leather faced insert had not occurred to me thanks for the suggestion.

Tom

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