What did you do today? (2014)

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Maybe you saw my request for info' on fixed steadies ?I like your idea ,but my steady is not a split version. Am now making one from 20mm ply for the main body. 3 "swinging" fingers with mounted ballraces. Fingers pushed down by screws so ballraces in contact with work. Am considering using a strong spring, something like bellville washers,o allow for a bit of out-of -round. Not finished so not sure how it will work, but should be ok for light work.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by Gordon W on 08/12/2014 09:28:58:

Maybe you saw my request for info' on fixed steadies ?I like your idea ,but my steady is not a split version. Am now making one from 20mm ply for the main body. 3 "swinging" fingers with mounted ballraces. Fingers pushed down by screws so ballraces in contact with work. Am considering using a strong spring, something like bellville washers,o allow for a bit of out-of -round. Not finished so not sure how it will work, but should be ok for light work.

Gordon

I'm not convinced your spring loaded idea will bring any advantages. If you have the springs set just strong enough to resist the cutting forces then as far as the work is concerned it thinks its solidly mounted, so it may as well be!

I used my lash ups with tube that was initially very oval. The work only contacts the ballrace intermittently but it only needed to resist the cutting forces intermittently too, once the high points were machined off I readjusted the supports in stages.

Ian P

[JAParticipant @ja]

Bob

Your curtain door – was it bought "off the peg"? If so, where from please?

JA

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

NJH,

Stick with it, and you will soon be asking why you didn't switch earlier, as I did.

My first Apple device I bought was an iPod, soon after coming out of hospital in 2007, and the 'halo' effect took over.

After virtually nothing but grief using Windows since DOS 5/Windows 1, I bit the bullet in 2008 and bought a white MacBook and very soon after a MacPro.

Never looked back once since, with only a couple of re-boots needed for software upgrades and/or security patches, unlike the Windows nightmare.

Yes Windows machines are cheaper, BUT all the software that comes with the Apple products 'Just work' and if their cost is added to Windows computers, they are not so much more expensive.

I'm no Apple fanboy, just someone who appreciates things that are made properly and work the way they should, as with machine tools.

Geoff – Just need to grind oil channels in the TS bearing for it to be done.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

It all depends what you want to do with a computer.

If you have to work closely with others then you need the same OS and programs.

Once you get into CAD-CAM there really is no workable alternative.

My exit from the apple experience was because it is so proprietary. Open an iphone up in file manager and all you see is a folder called internal memoty, open this up and all you have are your photo's.

Where are your books files, downloads etc ? Only available to view through apple applications and believe me unless you have bought these from apple you are jumping though hoops.

Now look on an android phone or tablet, same internal memory folder but then opens up into photo's downloads , kindle etc and you just drag and drop from any PC

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Apple is restricted hardware and as long as they maintain that, everything's going to run an awful lot smoother – I'd say they can probably test each new release or update with every version of hardware they have ever built – Windows couldn't even test their software on 1% of the hardware before releasing updates – there must be millions, upon millions of different hardware combinations. – Android smart phones and tablets are heading a similar way, but thanks to its simplicity (for now) manufacturers are customising it.

There is no getting away from this approach – Apple is the tailored fit – Microsoft is a one size fits all approach – and it's all over the place like a cheap suit – still, personally, my first choice, I know where all the buttons are etc.

Edited By Russ B on 08/12/2014 15:02:21

[TSHParticipant @tsh73987]

Today I put the finishing touches to the second of two glider trolleys I've built for the Gliding Heritage Centre hangar at Lasham:

Why do I mention this on a model engineering site? Well, I had a good deal of bother with a slitting saw and thought there might be some sound advice I could get from the collective wisdom of those here.
The main part of the trolley is made from a 750mm length of 150mm wide steel channel. The problem is that the stock comes with 'wings' which are too high, so I had to take 30mm off each. My first attempt was mount the channel flat on the mill table (a Chester Super Lux) and use a slitting saw to cut off the tops of the wings (one side at a time of, course).
The main problem was that I didn't seem to be able to get the saw to run truly, so it would only cut intermittently, i.e. on one side of the saw. I'd read a good deal about the useless arbours with the sprung inserts to allow use with saws with different bores, so instead I turned a register on a blank arbour in place in the mill spindle using a lathe tool held in a vice on the table. I am confident that the register was reasonably true and snug in the bore of the saw. I attached the saw without disturbing the arbour in the spindle. It still ran out of true and cut only intermittently (although not as badly as before). The saw was 3" in diameter with a 1" bore and 3/32" thick. It was of British manufacture and I believe it was unused.
Anyway I did manage to cut the wings off going very slowly and with lots of neat cutting fluid. But for the second trolley I used a 1mm thick cutting disc in an angle grinder mounted on a 'puck' to run reasonably accurately along the channel. This was much more efficient and is the way I would do it again, given that accuracy is not of the essence.
I've read all the posts about slitting saws I can find on this site and it seems that my problems are commonly encountered, but I still find it hard to believe that this behaviour would be accepted in an industrial setting.
What am I missing?

Regards,

Trevor

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

I'm a retired IT manager, I use Linux. IMO MS is a mess and Apple is too restricted.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Apple is restricted hardware

One day there will be an open-source alternative OS for apple products }:-{)>

Neil

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

Actually a few years back that almost happened. I obtained CD with an Apple OS that would load on any ordinary generic PC. It was very restricted, heavily copy protected and came with threats of extreme violence if I did any more than test and wipe.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

JS,

Agree with your comments re business use.

Microsoft has that field well and truly sewn up, (by the short & curlys some say), so you really have no choice.

CAD/CAM as well.

OS X does of course have files and folders, but not so with the 'i' products.

Occasionally when using my iPad/phone I dind I need that feature, so switch to using the MacBook, and for real power, as in video editing, the MacPro.

Apple lost the plot when they fired Jobs, and then went into a downwards spiral, with Gates rescuing them with a $50m bail-out when he helped his old pal Jobs save the company, after Jobs took control again.

Amazing how companies can have their collective head so far up their whatit they cannot see daylight

Cut oil channels in the TS bearing, but now need to hone it out a bit more.

Did other things as well.

Geoff – Someone please tell me things take longer to do when retired or when age creeps up.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Geoff

Thank you for your words of encouragement – I am slowly getting more and more "into" the product! Apart from the constant badgering of my offspring I must confess I was " seduced" by the beautiful large, sharp, screen of the iMac and by its wonderful design. I do a great deal of photography and image adjustment / editing in Lightroom and Photoshop. This is much more comfortable on a big monitor. ( Well with my ageing eyes anyway!)

Having used PCs for many years I have a large number of spreadsheets – many of them multi-sheet and with graphs associated. The iMAC came with Apple's spreadsheet programme – "Numbers" which appears to offer many of the same facilities. However I bit the bullet and bought MS Office for Mac. My Excel sheets drop straight into this and, with just a little adjustment to fill the screen, I'm up and working with these quite seamlessly.

Things taking longer with age / retirement? Well firstly I guess there is no-one* looking over your shoulder so much of what you do is what you CHOOSE to do. I find that, rather than drive forward to finish a task in the shortest time, I now explore things of interest "en – route" and enjoy the journey. ( I probably need to do this as, with my rate of progress and the number of projects on the go, I would likely fall into a fit of depression if I had completion targets!

* I have a very amenable wife who encourages me in my interests and, as a bonus, is a keen cook – I do my best to encourage her!

Regards

Norman

 

Edited By NJH on 08/12/2014 21:14:39

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by NJH on 08/12/2014 21:09:51:

… I do a great deal of photography and image adjustment / editing in Lightroom and Photoshop. This is much more comfortable on a big monitor. ( Well with my ageing eyes anyway!)

Having used PCs for many years I have a large number of spreadsheets – many of them multi-sheet and with graphs associated. The iMAC came with Apple's spreadsheet programme – "Numbers" which appears to offer many of the same facilities. However I bit the bullet and bought MS Office for Mac. My Excel sheets drop straight into this and, with just a little adjustment to fill the screen, I'm up and working with these quite seamlessly.

.

Norman,

Hopefully this is "water under the bridge" and will never concern you; but I will just mention it.

Several years ago, I installed Adobe CS on my Macs [and shortly afterwards, CS2]

When I upgraded to Intel based Macs, I kept CS2 [which is now running under Rosetta], and have therefore frozen the OS at Snow Leopard 10.6.8

Then, I installed Microsoft Office for Mac, and Photoshop started crashing !!!

After much Googling, I did eventually find the source of the problem; Office installs numerous Fonts, all over the system, and the Adobe 'Font Preview' facility gets confused.

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I just spotted these Dental Turbine units on ebay

• Would it make a super high speed milling/drilling head ?
• Is there a Dentist in our midst, who could advise ?

MichaelG.

.

Edit: they also list other items with 'potential'

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2014 09:19:54

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2014 09:13:12:

I just spotted these Dental Turbine units on ebay

.

Another, less comfortable, thought:

Given Nick's recent experience with cheap tools

• Would you be happy with a £4.50 turbine inside your mouth ?
• i.e. How much should they cost ?

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Norman – Not for you, the usual happened

Edit: This is directed at you Michael

Boot Camp to the rescue, and it's free, allowing dual boot when needed, but you do need to keep MS afloat though.

I have Windows installed on the MacPro thinking I would use it, what with all the Windows software I have, but haven't booted into that OS for over a year now.

When I did, however, I made sure I either updated straight away, or switched the router off for the duration.

I'm happy with Snow Leopard.

Geoff – Had an extra hour zzzzing this morning

Norman – Snap!

Edited By OuBallie on 09/12/2014 10:32:43

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Michael

Thank you for the warning re. MSOffice and Adobe OS. My Lightroom and Photoshop are the latest versions as I finally came to the conclusion that a "Creative Cloud for Photographers" subscription was the best way to go. Not had any problems so far – but it is early days. I will bear you warning in mind !

Regards

Norman

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by NJH on 09/12/2014 10:27:39:

Not had any problems so far – but it is early days. I will bear you warning in mind !

.

Just for the record:

It was 2011 when I found the paper that saved me, but I'm pleased to see that the author is keeping it up-to-date.

A very thorough piece of work … 'though I hope you never need it.

MichaelG.

[Anonymous]

TSH: Blimey, that's a bit posh, painted and everything, for a gliding club; at least the ones I've flown at.

Since no-one has answered on slitting saws, I'll have a go. Basically whatever you do the saw isn't going to run exactly true, so don't worry about it. I try and use a decent chip load, a few thou per tooth, to minimise the effect. On a vertical mill I have found that slitting saws go walkies when doing anything other than cutting shallow grooves. Conversely on the horizontal mill with an arbor supported at both ends a slitting saw is quite happy cutting 1/2" deep slots in one go, without wandering.

I suspect that slitting saws are no longer generally used by industry, and those that do use them ensure that the setup is rigid enough to prevent wandering.

Regards,

Andrew

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2014 09:13:12:

I just spotted these Dental Turbine units on ebay

• Would it make a super high speed milling/drilling head ?
• Is there a Dentist in our midst, who could advise ?

MichaelG.

.

Edit: they also list other items with 'potential'

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2014 09:19:54

I never fixed my own dental handpieces..they got sent away or binned/replaced for a better brand if giving me grief. It was cheap low speed handpieces where gears and bearings tended to stick..usually from polishing compounds finding their way in somehow. Highspeed handpieces were way more reliable but then the coolant water and function means little debris is going to find its way past seals. I did a lot of animal dentistry but those handpieces also got used for cutting rings off things and even hand shaping s/s toggles for surgical use. Also used them for fine bone surgery. Dental burs are cheap enough in hss to just chuck them as they go blunt.

I haven't dipped far enough into this hobby to know how much they could be used.. but perhaps the fissure drills for fine slots or the burs for decorative channels if you made appropriate clamps to hold the handpiece still

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Thank you for the link Michael. PDF downloaded and filed away "just in case!"

Regards

Norman

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by pgk pgk on 09/12/2014 11:35:33:

… I haven't dipped far enough into this hobby to know how much they could be used.. but perhaps the fissure drills for fine slots or the burs for decorative channels if you made appropriate clamps to hold the handpiece still

.

Thanks for the input

… I suppose what really interested me is that they are selling the rotor assembly as a "cassette" unit.

I have in mind a suitably bored block, to fit the lathe toolpost; or a collet-mounted housing to fit the spindle of the mill.

MichaelG.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 09/12/2014 12:49:41:.

Thanks for the input

… I suppose what really interested me is that they are selling the rotor assembly as a "cassette" unit.

I have in mind a suitably bored block, to fit the lathe toolpost; or a collet-mounted housing to fit the spindle of the mill.

MichaelG.

I'm not sure exactly how you plan to do that. As you know it's designed to be air-operated and isn't going to drive any bulky drills. If its the challenge of fiddling – then fair enough. But for not a lot more money you can buy a cheap handpiece with latch etc… and all you'ld need to do is figure out mounting and air/coolant connections if you dont want to buy those.

example **LINK**

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by pgk pgk on 09/12/2014 13:00:12:

example **LINK**

.

Thanks again

To be honest, I hadn't realised that all this stuff seems to be available "silly cheap"

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by OuBallie on 09/12/2014 10:27:39:

Edit: This is directed at you Michael

Boot Camp to the rescue, and it's free, allowing dual boot when needed, but you do need to keep MS afloat though.

.

Sorry, Geoff; I've only just seen your Edit ^^^

I made the mistake of buying 'Office for Mac' … But that is the first and last Micro$oft product I shall ever allow to pollute my Macs.

I found that Excel on the Mac didn't even look/feel like either the Windows version, or a typical Mac product … it is [or at least was] some hideous mongrel.

… I have several Windows PCs which are kept for when "needs must".

Thanks anyway.

MichaelG.

[Author]

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