# My First Milling Project - Carriage stop



## rodw (Feb 2, 2013)

Well some of you may have seen on some other threads last weekend, I took delivery of a new Hafco AL320G lathe and a Seig SX3 mill from Hare and Forbes and sold my old lathe/mill on eBay during the week (which paid for half the mill)

Anyway, while I was waiting for some colletts and tooling to arrive, there was this offcut of aluminum calling to me "Make something out of me!". Does that ever happen to you?

During the week, I decided to see if I could get my head around 3D design and this is what I came up with after tearing my hair out for two nights with Alibre Design.







Last night, I tried my hand at Inventor and after hours stuffing round with it, I could not get it to install so I transferred the design to a demo copy of SolidWorks and managed to get some printed plans which I hardly used as there was not much precision stuff in it (but 3D was handy to position the two holes so they did not run into each other).

So this project was full of firsts. The first time I actually used my bandsaw as a vertical saw. I used a coarse blade for the aluminium.







The first time I used layout die (Have you any idea how hard it is to find in this country?) I bought some online from a skate board shop. Go figure!






Also the first time I have squared off a block of material in a mill on all six sides






I have a face mill and a set of ER32 colletts in transit but in the meantime, I made do with a 9/16" end mill and a Jacobs chuck.

Then it was time to mill in the step. First time I have done any serious gouging on a mill. The Seig SX3 made it so easy.






Now it was time to mill in the notch that sits on the ways. Initially, I wondered how to do this and then I realised it would be easy to do if the block was clamped at 45 degrees. I thought I would have to make my own angle plate based on a post I saw on this forum somewhere but I made do with the handle of an adjustable set square which I removed once I got it all set up and it worked perfectly.






Basically, all I did was mill down to the marked out lines. The face was wider than the end mill, so I cut down to the correct depth on the right hand side to get the side of the cut done and then moved it over made another few passes. I was careful with the last cut to get the digital gauge on the quill to the exact setting used for the right hand side and the finish was perfect but I did a light finishing cut for good luck!

So then all I had to do was to drill and counterbore (With an end mill) an M8 vertical hole. I cut a small piece of 5mm plate to make the bottom clamp which I drilled and tapped for M8.

The horizintal fine adjustment bolt hole, I decided to use a M10 x 1.5mm. I decided that if I ever added a dial to this adjustment, 30 divisions would give me exactly 0.05mm steps! I might be able to do with the 30 tooth change gear that came with the lathe as I have seen people do. online.

The finished job!











I still have to get a bolt (75mm M10 set screw) to use for the fine adjustment but I found a suitble bolt which will do for now. Eventually the adjustment screw will be inserted from the opposite side.

To test it, I placed a reference piece in the lathe, moved the tool up to it and  then slid the stop up against the carriage. Then I placed a piece in the lathe faced it and it was perfect. Then, I moved the carriage away, rotated the tool holder and then lined it up to the stop and the length was still perfect!.

I am very happy with the finished job, but may alter the finish to tidy up appearances, but who really cares when it is just a tool?


----------



## Tin Falcon (Feb 2, 2013)

Nice first project. you can use the same consent and make a micrometer stop. Or a dial indicator holder both useful tools .
Tin


----------



## gus (Feb 2, 2013)

Tin Falcon said:


> Nice first project. you can use the same consent and make a micrometer stop. Or a dial indicator holder both useful tools .
> Tin



Need to make one for my Sakai Lathe. Meanwhile hole depths measured the hard way.


Gus


----------



## rodw (Feb 2, 2013)

Thanks Tin, I was hoping I will have enough in kitty for a DRO in the next month or so, so should not need to go down that path.



gus said:


> Need to make one for my Sakai Lathe. Meanwhile hole depths measured the hard way.
> 
> 
> Gus



I saw that CDC tools have a neat magnetic backed dial indicator which would be very handy as you just need to place it on the ways to do the same thing. I am hoping to add a DRO soon though but with the coarse travel on my new machine I think this will save me a lot of time and let me face parts on both sides to let me do all operations on each piece rather than doing the operations one at a time in batches.

I was hoping to add a dial indicator holder to the cross slide where the steady bolts on to centre a 4 jaw eventually too. Have not worked that one out yet!


----------



## rcfreak177 (Feb 2, 2013)

G'day Rod.

Nice job on the stop, looks great. Glad the SX3 performs to expectations.

There is a bit of controversy surrounding the SX3 being poor quality. I don't agree.
 I cnc'd mine from new, performs great and ultra accurate. the only thing is it does things so quick I get sick of changing tools. Making an auto tool changer to fix that.

As you'r mate up the street said, the collum is the weak point but if you use the machine within its limits it will make you smile every time.
I found several small fast cuts are quicker than 1 big sloooow cut and is better for the machine too.

When the DRO goes on the new lathe I reckon you will love it, makes the process so much quicker.

When I was an apprentice machinist I was never allowed to use the DRO fitted machines, sucked but my boss was old school.
(mind you I was a S&^t head of a kid too.)

Baz.Thm:


----------



## rodw (Feb 2, 2013)

rcfreak177 said:


> G'day Rod.
> 
> Nice job on the stop, looks great. Glad the SX3 performs to expectations.
> 
> ...



Thanks Baz, yes, I think the Seig may have been hammered unfairly too. From the moment I uncrated it, the thing said quality, the way it was packaged, the inclusions it came with and when I took some of it apart. Because I am coming from this as a newcomer, I don't have any reference points to compare it to having never used a big mill so I will work out its limits myself and stay in them. There was nothing that needed honing or filing to get a nice fit unlike my lathe.

The last time I saw my CNC SX3 mate, he was in his office watching Youtube and dreaming about a Syil with an auto tool changer.... You guys are never satisfied...


----------



## Herbiev (Feb 2, 2013)

G'day Rod. Great project you made there. Can you tell me more about the marking out dye please. I can't find any in Adelaide but we got tons of skate board shops.


----------



## rodw (Feb 2, 2013)

Herbiev said:


> G'day Rod. Great project you made there. Can you tell me more about the marking out dye please. I can't find any in Adelaide but we got tons of skate board shops.



Herbie, thanks for the compliment. I got the dye from here

http://www.boardshop.com.au/servlet/the-188861/DYKEM-LAYOUT-FLUID-2oz/Detail

The little bottle has a built in applicator which works quite well and arrived promptly and from memory postage was included!

There is an Aussie product here 

https://www.dymark.com.au/categories/markingproducts/inksdyes/engineersink

And when I searched, I found an online source which was out of stock. I think you can get it from Blackwoods which is never a good thing price wise but the local branch near me has been closed so they were miles away anyway.


----------



## Swifty (Feb 3, 2013)

Back in the old days, when I was an apprentice, layout stain came in glass bottles, what a mess that made when the bottle was broken by knocking over or dropping.

Paul.


----------



## Tin Falcon (Feb 3, 2013)

In USAF tech school each student was required to buy one of these or similar for layout . no spills .






I expect you can find one at any big box store that carries stationary supplies even in Adelaide  AU.
Tin


----------



## rodw (Feb 4, 2013)

Well, sorry no pics.  I got a M10 x 75mm set screw yesterday from my bolt shop. I doubt they will bother raising an invoice for just one bolt so the project budget is still sitting on $0.00  If I did this again, I would make the block a bit higher as I don't have clearance for the hex head screw over the lathe bed. I made it the same height as th ecarriage to make it look neat without thinking this through. Anyway, I turned the  and a lock nut down. Shame the bolt is high tensile but it machined up fine. Not sure if I will be able to knurl it though, but that will wait until I have a knurling tool which might be included with my QCTP which I expect any day.

I found that on my compund vice that I had on my drill press had a couple of indexed collars held on with a set screw which have 30 divisions on them but the diameter is too big.  I am thinking of making up some sort of indexing jig that would let me copy the marks to a new smaller diameter collar. The bolt is too long as it stands but once I sort the collar out, I will adjust it.

For the Aussies, Oficeworks sell a nice big chisel tipped marker similar to what Tin dispalyed. I bought one a few days before I got the layout dye. I think the dye does a better job.


----------



## purpleknif (Feb 5, 2013)

A set of gage blocks is a VERY handy thing to have with a carriage stop too.


----------

