What are you machining?

MattF · Mar 27, 2023

Hood said:
I now have a black knob.

You ought be careful where you shove it then. :whistle:

Farside · Mar 27, 2023

Hood said:
I now have a black knob.

That moly grease is a sod.

The_Yellow_Ardvark · Mar 28, 2023

Johnnybravo said:
Graphite powder is worse

Phot copier powder is worse.

Woody.v8 · Mar 31, 2023

Started to make some leveling bolts for the mill, first job reducing head size from 33mm to 22mm so I can get a socket in, (I know a cap head may have done ,but what's the fun in that?)

E T · Apr 8, 2023

Made a T-nut so I can mount the QTCP that I used on the Chinese minilathe on the topslide of the South Bend.
First job for the milling support and some UNF single point threading.
The stud is a LandRover serie 2a suspension bolt 9/16 × 18 of which I turned the head down and put some thread on and the T-nut is from an old spring shackle of the same LandRover which had the 3/8" thickness I needed. Most of the steel I have is metric so this saved me milling a bit of a 10mm piece.
Love those Jacobs headstock chucks I got with the South Bend. Only 0.01mm runout and very repeatable.

E T · Apr 10, 2023

I decided to make another stud for the QCTP because I ******** up the end of the thread a bit on the first one when the tip of the insert broke. Still don't know why that happened. Second one turned out great but forgot to take picture.
After that I made a nice shiny knob for the handle. I bought this QCTP used and the first owner had put a ugly wooden knob on.
The look of that knob has been annoying me for over a year and I finally did something about it.

Hood · Apr 13, 2023

I was needing to make an unobtainable transducer housing for a boat so got some 60mm thick HDPE as it was half the price of Nylon.
I had never machined it before so wasn't sure how it would turn out but I was pleasantly surprised.

My Old Landy · Apr 13, 2023

Hood said:
I was needing to make an unobtainable transducer housing for a boat so got some 60mm thick HDPE as it was half the price of Nylon.
I had never machined it before so wasn't sure how it would turn out but I was pleasantly surprised.

View attachment 394187 View attachment 394188

Superb job there Mr Hood :thumbup:

Onoff · Apr 13, 2023

Hood said:
I was needing to make an unobtainable transducer housing for a boat so got some 60mm thick HDPE as it was half the price of Nylon.
I had never machined it before so wasn't sure how it would turn out but I was pleasantly surprised.

View attachment 394187 View attachment 394188

Not knocking it but could that not have been printed?

Hood · Apr 13, 2023

Onoff said:
Not knocking it but could that not have been printed?

Likely wouldn't be as impact resistant, they can take a battering.
It is 250mm long, 112mm wide and 60mm deep so not even sure how long it would take to print.

R-D-R · Apr 14, 2023

I made a tool height gauge the other week. The top half screws into the bottom on an m10 fine thread and locks with set screws, a brass topper makes it a little easier to use.

It’s pretty heavy, i set a magnet in the bottom to help it stand on the bed flats.

So far works a treat.

awemawson · Apr 21, 2023

That's rather a complicated and expensive to produce drive set up @Johnnybravo for each tool to have drive. On my turret the selected tool has a drive dog pushed into it from the non-rotating part of the turret so only one drive needed and no complicated gear train. What are the advantages of that set up?

smashweld · Apr 21, 2023

a handle for the cross slide wheel from some alu bar, a bolt and a nut, looks a bit out of proportion/place but the wheel is prob the one that's too small!

E T · Jun 22, 2023

The new cross slide nut I bought a while ago for the South Bend is made of brass.
Bronze is a better choice according to the internet, so as a little project I decided to try and make one.
Bought a piece of bronze RG7 and a 7/16x10 left hand acme tap. Quite happy with the result.

fizzy · Jun 22, 2023

E T said:
The new cross slide nut I bought a while ago for the South Bend is made of brass.
Bronze is a better choice according to the internet, so as a little project I decided to try and make one.
Bought a piece of bronze RG7 and a 7/16x10 left hand acme tap. Quite happy with the result.View attachment 404819 View attachment 404820 View attachment 404821 View attachment 404822 View attachment 404823

Yes definitely better in Bronze. Nice job.

paradipiro · Jun 23, 2023

smashweld said:
a handle for the cross slide wheel from some alu bar, a bolt and a nut, looks a bit out of proportion/place but the wheel is prob the one that's too small!

View attachment 395320 View attachment 395321 View attachment 395322

Same here.

Exept, I made them from POM, in one step.

Woody.v8 · Jun 25, 2023

Some pads and leveling bolts for the mill

E T · Jul 15, 2023

Made a dail indicator holder for the cross slide today. Saves me mucking about with the magnetic DI stands.
The handwheel dials on the South Bend are very small and hard to read at my age plus I changed the original 7/16"×2.5mm metric cross slide spindle for a 7/16"×10 TPI imperial one and the dial is metric so there is a tiny bit of difference.
Now I could have used an bit of angle iron, but where's the fun in that. This one is made from a bit of a 1986 LandRover 110 half shaft.
Next job will be to make one for the carriage.

dobbslc · Aug 8, 2023

I've been given a pair of VW T25 pick up hubs to turn down for a disc conversion on my friends van.
They took a bit of setting up to get the clearance needed in the Southbend.
They needed about 20mm off the outer diameter, the chips were hot, I took a few burns :fighting:

I then pressed the old studs out and replaced with the new longer ones. Yes I know I should have taken the studs out before I put them in the lathe :doh: