What did you do Today 2024

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Wot I Did Today…

Not enough! I have these phases, rather worryingly.

More pondering than cutting.

Still, emboldened by the replies on the Manual Machine-tools section to my seeking advice on taper-turning attachments, I explored my Myford ML7 a little further.

Mulling over the many suggestions on how to use the compound-slide at angles far beyond its standard, very limited rotation, I soon designed a variation on a fitting first proposed by a Mr. Beecraft in the 1950s, I think. (See that thread.)

Essentially the compound-slide’s clamp bolt slots overhang the flanks of the cross-slide when it is rotated, so he made two extension flanks, simple steel bars, clamped to the cross-slide by long screws along the Tee-slots. These bars each have a central tapped hole for the clamp-screw.

I realised it is feasible to screw these to the slide itself, using the milling-machine to ensure alignment, perpendicular holes, etc: Mr. Beecraft may well not have had such luxuries.

I may though make them initially to the Beecraft design, to see how they perform, before risking drilling and tapping the lathe slide itself. They are only short, 5/8″ square bars with appropriate holes.

Using the compound slide at extreme angles, even at 90º or beyond, necessitates removing the cross-slide screw assembly; but apart from needing do that to use a taper-turning attachment, it would also allow shallow-angle facing such as Vee-pulley flanks and conical caps.

……

Another thread on this site talks about Myford oiling and gear-boxes.

I tried for the first time the fancy plastic pump-type oiler I had bought from the Myford stand at the Midlands show. I am not convinced – still ended up with oil all over the saddle rather than down the hole with its sprung ball. I think the ball must simply close the oil-can spout itself.

‘

Also pondered if I may be better restoring the machine to original. When I fitted a second-hand, early-type screw-cutting gearbox I bought a length of lead-screw material from HPC Gears to make the necessary short screw, preserving the original as “insurance”. (Later gear-boxes use the full-length screw.)

Yes, swapping change-wheels is a faff, especially having seriously obstructed access with 3cwt of unwieldy engraving-machine still to be recommissioned. However, for the sake of a few minutes’ extra work each time, it would give me the full range of both Imperial and Metric threads given by the standard banjo and wheel set. Metric pitches are not available with the early gear-box.

On the other hand, small threads (below M8 perhaps) are within tailstock die-holder range – or would be if the tailstock actually grips the holder – and I can screw-cut bigger metric threads on the Harrison, whose set includes a 127T wheel.

Besides, I have an all-metric “micro-lathe” still to be set up somewhere, ideal for making items like studs!

Oddly, investigating by spreadsheet showed my dear little EW lathe will cut ordinary ISO-M threads to fair accuracy over short distances (say, 10 turns) with its 8TPI leadscrew and two-stage, 5s-increment change-wheels! Its only problem is badly-worn headstock journals.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Electronic leadscrew isn’t difficult, and allows you to cut practically any thread you can think of. Not sure about BA, but most people use dies for this.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I’d not like to try to cut a BA thread. The first difficulty would be grinding the tool. It is theoretically possible on my ‘Worden’ T&C Grinder (a Hemingway kit), but the wheel fitted may be too coarse.

Electronic lead-screw drives is creeping into CNC territory, terra incognito for me – ‘ere be dragons!

I have considered simple electrical drives on my lathes and milling-machine, but only for straightforward feeds, not screw-cutting or other form-generating.

Besides, I’ve too many things already awaiting, underway, want or need, without adding more.

The rational answer for screw-cutting small metric threads, rather than using dies, is to set up that metric “micro” lathe. Without referring to the manual, I don’t suppose its maximum pitch is much above 1.5mm (M10 Coarse), if that. Cutting coarser metric threads would need use my largest lathe, for which I have the change-wheels.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Learned of a new ‘Scientific’ discovery … courtesy of my daughter:

.

.

MichaelG.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Unfortunately not a lot in the workshop, but while the weather held off for a few days managed to dig the veg patch and manure 1/2 of it.

Then today while it was trying to rain, seed sowing in the greenhouse after cleaning it out and washing the inside glass. Followed this by repairing one of the wife’s solar light animals. All that as well as cook her a meal.

Hopefully will get into the workshop tomorrow and remake a part for the fuel mixer as well as drill the cross hole without messing up the tiny drill bits as my latest post “https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/micro-drilling-problems/“

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

I spent a short while today just looking at my empty workshop and doing some thinking!  Why? Well, about 7 months ago I took the decision to sell all my machines and considerable amount of tooling, etc, so that my executors wouldn’t have the problem of disposing of it in the event of my sudden demise!  As an artful coffin-dodger, I’m still here and for the last few months, despite buying a 3D printer and using it to reasonable effect, I really, really missed the use of my lathe.  The itch got so bad that yesterday I scratched that itch and went ahead and ordered a new one!  This time, though, it’s going to be a so-called mini lathe (7 x 14) so easily man-handled and worked upon.  I intend to make some modifications to it, namely, Multifix QCTP, electronic lead screw, possibly 2-axis DRO and so on. Notwithstanding the invalidation of the guarantee (before someone points that out), I get an enormous amount of pleasure from just tinkering and, at least to MY mind, improving the basic machine.  I was also intending to go the VFD and 3-phase route, but instead I’ve plumped for a brushless motored version.  Time will tell if that was a sensible move.

Delivery due on Wednesday, so a bit of bench shifting to do before then.

John

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Splendid, John !

MichaelG.

 

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

John let’s face it your addicted :-), have fun

H

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Thanks, Michael. I’m actually quite excited by the project.

Harry – I fear that you may be right!  There are, however, worse things to be addicted to!

Regards,

John

 

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Agreed  John enjoy your new lathe

H

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Filling the bird-feeder – the sparrows eat me out of house and home they do – I managed to spill a lot of seed into the garden-box I keep the stuff in (in a closed drum). Ho-hum… Or words to that effect. Set to with a hand-held vacuum-cleaner usually used for collecting swarf from the milling-machine.

I was surprised to find the bottom of the box held a sizeable colony of earthworms and baby snails. Goodness knows how they are getting in, but since these boxes are clip-together things one of the joints must have sprung.

Pulled the steam-lorry out of the workshop to air it a bit. Working with it outside the other evening I’d not noticed the rain had arrived, and I had no alternative but to wheel it back in wet. The water won’t harm the model but is not welcome in the workshop, of course.

….

Then with Many Thanks to Dennis Rushton for e-posting me information on the Myford lathe taper-turning attachment, Consequently I explored the lathe a little further, to find my main worries about using the top-slide at the recommended 60º rotation, its maximum anyway, eased.  The depth of cut correction is only 0.003″ per 0.020″ of slide travel, with the longitudinal component being 0.011″ at that movement.

 

[Nigel Graham 2]

On Nigel Graham 2 Said:

I’d not like to try to cut a BA thread. The first difficulty would be grinding the tool. It is theoretically possible on my ‘Worden’ T&C Grinder (a Hemingway kit), but the wheel fitted may be too coarse.

Electronic lead-screw drives is creeping into CNC territory, terra incognito for me – ‘ere be dragons!

I have considered simple electrical drives on my lathes and milling-machine, but only for straightforward feeds, not screw-cutting or other form-generating.

Besides, I’ve too many things already awaiting, underway, want or need, without adding more.

The rational answer for screw-cutting small metric threads, rather than using dies, is to set up that metric “micro” lathe. Without referring to the manual, I don’t suppose its maximum pitch is much above 1.5mm (M10 Coarse), if that. Cutting coarser metric threads would need use my largest lathe, for which I have the change-wheels.

Looking at Brian Woods excellent book “Gearing on lathes for thread cutting” it appears that a very close approximation of metric & BA threads can be cut on an old Myford with early  gearbox. Looks as if only the mandrel gear needs changing and gearbox setting changed. Might be worth a try Nigel.

ie M10 x 1.5 = Mandrel gear 34 & Gearbox at 24 tpi  gives accuracy to 0.001mm

“I hope Brian does not mind me giving this formula as an example” (I have bought the book twice 🙂

regards

[AStroudParticipant @astroud]

Completed my Jowitt, the build was inspired by JB’s models. I do not like working with cast iron so used Al for the block and I do not have the facilities to do the sculpturing that JB’s models showed. Spent some time adjusting the timing using both the eccentric positions and the tappet gaps now it runs very smoothly.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Good to see another version of it complete

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Oldiron –

Thank you for the calculation but I don’t know how it would work with the gearbox I have, because the banjo does not allow different change-wheels. Its centres are fixed. However, I will have another look.

.

AStroud –

Nice example! What did you use for the big-end bearing, or is it plain aluminium-alloy on the steel shaft?

 

[AStroudParticipant @astroud]

Thanks for the comments.

Yes on the Jowitt the aluminum big end runs directly on the steel crankpin. I have used brass shells or split brass big ends in my other models but I made this model more out of technical interest and to get a runner rather than a pretty to look at engine. My next new project will be twin Victoria inspired and I plan to make that from steel with brass/bronze bearings. My mill is a BCA Mk111 and I don’t like to subject it too much steel machining.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Today, after doing some tidying in the garden, I finished scraping the bed facing surfaces of the ML7’s saddle. Tomorrow I need to remove the clutter¹ from the surface grinder and re-surface the gib and the two keepers, then flake them to give way oil a chance to stay with them.

 

¹Because the shed is far warmer than the greenhouse, there is a heated propagator on a frame on the surface grinder with chilli, tomato and cucumber seedlings in it 😀

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

AStroud –

Thank you. I’d often wondered how well aluminium and steel would co-operate as bearing surfaces, given that aluminium alloy pistons run in cast-iron engine cylinders.

 

Mark –

I take it you also have a “seed drill”…..

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Nigel, many a model aero engine runs the conrod straight onto the crankpin, 2014 is a better grade for this use as it contains some copper.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Many (most?) car engine camshafts run directly in the aluminium cylinder head.

Got the greenery moved from the surface grinder to the surface table and ground the ML7’s gib and keepers flat after cutting oil grooves in them with a cutting disk on the dremmeloid. One bad feature of the Myford lathes is the use of unrelieved carbon steel gibs. They are prone to scoring and transferring the damage to the cast iron ways. Hopefully with the addition of some pockets for oil, the ways will last better for the next 58 years of the lathe’s life 😀

Tomorrow, the small forest goes back to living on top of the surface grinder so I can access the surface table and scrape the bottom of the cross slide.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Nigel, many a model aero engine runs the conrod straight onto the crankpin, 2014 is a better grade for this use as it contains some copper.

Early triumph twins had ally conrod running direct on crank.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Thank you for that information.

.

Had an unwelcome shock when I cleared a junk-filled corner of the workshop; carefully moving the spiders into the garden in the process. The shock was the bad case of damp in the lining, extending to about eight inches above the floor in places.

The building is a concrete slab-floored, concrete-block walled, and I have lined it with 25mm ‘Kingspan’ or similar faced with 12mm ‘Sterling’ (Stirling?) board. It extends the full width of the end of the garden, and its long back wall is party with a similar shed in the corresponding garden in the next street. So its rear and end walls are also the property boundaries.

Peering over the low garden wall, I can see a small heap of stuff against the shed wall that might be trapping water against it.

I’ll have to cut the damaged strip away and leave that open to air. I get on well with my neighbour so next time I see her I’ll ask her nicely if she can move the stuff off the wall. It’s in a gap between mine and her small shed, so accessible.

Part of the exercise was to see how I can accommodate an engraving-machine in a better way!

 

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Finished another batch of 30-off lubricator valve adjusters for the railway, this time in brass with a 3/8″ BSPP mounting thread:-

The adjuster screws are standard Metric fine M8x1,0. There’s a 45° included guide taper to help locate the valve stem – I made the little silver steel D-bit you can see at bottom right to open up part of the 7/32″ valve stem hole for this. It took 4 setups to do these parts, which made it quite time-consuming on the WM250V with milling slide.

I made 1 extra in case of cockup somewhere in the series of ops, but all came through OK, and they only gave me 30 adjusting screws and nuts.

The sample I copied from is at top right. Apart from the screw not fitting the internal thread correctly (I did investigate quite a few standard 8mm and 5/16″ threads, and still don’t know which it was supposed to be), that sample was in far better condition than previous examples they’ve given me – which had round adjuster heads and locknuts so chewed-up with pipe- and Mole wrenches that any original knurling could only be guessed at, and they were quite unpleasant to handle. That’s why I asked the railway powers if hexes might be better, and they agreed.

🙂

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Saw off Mr. Smith (not Mr. Patel for a change, but a bloke with an English accent) trying to convince me he was the “Conservation Officer” and my records show something to do with my home’s loft insulation and grants or something back in 1985!

Things became rather heated (due to the insulation I installed) and he was a bit cross when I called him a liar”. So I didn’t find out which records made by whom, how they found my name and address, for whom he is “Conservation Officer”, and what he was going to try to sell me… before he rang off.

We had started moderately well, and he expressed his sympathy when I said I am wary when answering the ‘phone fairly early in the morning because that’s when most of the scam calls come!

….

Thence to More Useful Things, noting with pleasure as I went down the garden that there is now frog-spawn in the pond!

Partially dismantled the Taylor, Taylor, Hobson (pre-Rank T.H.) engraving-machine so I can decide a better way to mount it, probably on a trolley. Its original stand is a very heavy, massive cast-iron horn and assembled, the whole caboodle takes too much room in the workshop and is basically immoveable. The stand can live outside, with protection for the mounting-flange.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

The ‘tulip’ stands are very good, in the sense that they make the engraver extremely stable and raise it to the right height for an operative, sitting on the appropriate high chair, to work comfortably with their feed resting on the cross bar that can be inserted into the hole in the front of the stand 😀

They do need the equivalent of Judo to trip them up far enough to be able to roll them as one would do with a gas bottle 🙁

[Author]

Posts