# Making a new workshop tool



## tmuir (Apr 25, 2009)

Last year I had a new datacentre room built at my work.

To connect the chilled water pipes up they had to remove 4 mild steel caps off the valves.

These 'caps' are 15mm thick and about 10 inches in diameter.
I quickly grabbed all four of them before they went into the skip.

Today I finally decided to do something with one.

I started with this.






A bit of jiggery pokery on my power bandsaw and I had the 3 inch square I needed plus a few more mils to allow for machining.






After sawing the ends needed to be milled square.

Here is the first side done.





You can see in the above photo a few small gouges where the endmill has bitten in deeper and left scratches. I'm assuming this happens when swarf gets caught and dragged under the end mill.
Anyone know how to stop this from happening?

About to mill the third side and checking it is square with the side already done.






All four sides milled and nice and square.





Tomorrow it goes in the four jaw chuck to machine off the rough machining marks on the top and bottom.





What's it going to be?
Guess you will all just have to wait and see. ;D


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## Paolo (Apr 25, 2009)

Ok...I'll!!!! :big: :big:
Cheers
Paolo


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## ksouers (Apr 25, 2009)

Tony,
Steel is tough to get a good finish out of with and end mill, especially on the X2. What helps a bit is using a coolant, either one a soluble oil (probably best) or one of the synthetics. I use a synthetic, mix it up a gallon at a time use it with a spray bottle. It helps some.

Cheers,
Kevin


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## Kermit (Apr 25, 2009)

tmuir  said:
			
		

> What's it going to be?
> Guess you will all just have to wait and see. ;D



OOOooo! A cliff hanger! 


Tune in tomorrow and see! Will our hero escape? Will the evil villian finally succeed?

Ah, man! Do we havta wait till tomorrow? 


 ;D


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## Tin Falcon (Apr 25, 2009)

What genius lurk in the minds of creative Men??.......
The SHADOW knows!!!!
Tin


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## tmuir (Apr 25, 2009)

ksouers  said:
			
		

> Tony,
> Steel is tough to get a good finish out of with and end mill, especially on the X2. What helps a bit is using a coolant, either one a soluble oil (probably best) or one of the synthetics. I use a synthetic, mix it up a gallon at a time use it with a spray bottle. It helps some.
> 
> Cheers,
> Kevin



Newbie question alert!

I'm assuming soluable oil is the stuff you mix with a bit of water and you get that white milky colour when using it.
ANy brand you recommend?
Or is there something else that I can get locally?

Thanks.

Hint its from one of John Wilding's books


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## Macca (Apr 25, 2009)

Tmuir,
This is the stuff i bought from Hare and Forbes, they have a location in perth; https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Products?stockCode=S090
5 litres will last you a long time.


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## tmuir (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks Macca.
They are only a 10 minute detour on the way home from work.
Will drop by some time this week and get some.


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## Loose nut (Apr 25, 2009)

Just an FYI, there not "caps" but blind flanges and I have no idea how they got that name, because they don't have eye's maybe.


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## tmuir (Apr 25, 2009)

Loose nut  said:
			
		

> Just an FYI, there not "caps" but blind flanges and I have no idea how they got that name, because they don't have eye's maybe.



Thanks, I knew they would have a proper name but my plumbing knowledge is limited to reseating kitchen taps.
But what ever they are called they are a great source of 15mm mild steel plate for me. ;D


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## Maryak (Apr 25, 2009)

Loose nut  said:
			
		

> Just an FYI, there not "caps" but blind flanges and I have no idea how they got that name, because they don't have eye's maybe.



Amazing how we find different ways to describe the same thing. :bow: I've always known them as "Blank Flanges" because they're used to blank off pipes.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Loose nut (Apr 30, 2009)

Where I work (oil refinery) a blank is used to isolate a line by placing it between two regular flanges, a blind flange is placed on the end of a line, on a regular flange, to seal the line off. I have no idea how either got there names. Now can anyone tell me what a spud, street elbow and a elbowlet are, pay attention there is a test later.


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## tmuir (May 1, 2009)

Got to say I have no idea.

ALso the progress of this has moved on a bit but not enough for any more photos but it is stalled as the material I ordered to make the next part was omitted by the supplier from my order because they didn't have it in stock and due to postage costs the slitting tool I want I will pick up when I am in the UK to save myself some money.


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## reggie98 (Jun 12, 2009)

The finish issues you're seeing could be due to the set up not being rigid enough (chatter) and from making multiple passes with a narrow endmill (tool deflection). It looks like the jaws of the vise the plate is clamped in only about 2-1/2" or so wide and maybe an 1" high. Too much of the plate is left unsupported. Side milling the plate, while clamped to the table (supported by parallels) is a better option.


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## tmuir (Jul 14, 2009)

When I got back home from my UK trip I discovered my internet connection was down which actually gave me more time in my workshop.
I got to use my new slitting saw I bought whilst in the UK as well as a few other new tools to finish this off and I'm quite pleased with it.

Its not perfect but its certainly serviceable and gave me good practice with my mill, sawing and filing and as none of the measurements were critical it was a good one to practice with and improve my techniques.

The first of many tools I need to make if I want to have a go at clock making.


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## AlanHaisley (Jul 14, 2009)

??? ??? ???

I've read a bit about clockmaking but for the life of me have no idea what this clamp? fixture? ??? is for.

Alan


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## tmuir (Jul 14, 2009)

Its just a small camp for the drill press.
The V grove along the back is for holding small rods for cross drilling and the large V cut in the front is for placing sheet metal to be drilled or debured.
Onviously you place something under the sheet metal is you are drilling through it so the drill bit doesn't catch when it breaks out. It primary use is for holding small items to be drilled that couldn't be held easily with conventional vices


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## dsquire (Jul 15, 2009)

Loose nut  said:
			
		

> Where I work (oil refinery) a blank is used to isolate a line by placing it between two regular flanges, a blind flange is placed on the end of a line, on a regular flange, to seal the line off. I have no idea how either got there names. Now can anyone tell me what a spud, street elbow and a elbowlet are, pay attention there is a test later.



Loose nut 

Without cheating and looking it up, I believe that a street elbow has a male thread on one end and female on the elbow other and the 90 degree turn in between.

 As for the other 2, I don't know and I don't want to cheat so will leave them up to the next person.


tmuir

That is a very neat little clamp idea and would be useful for much more than building clocks. Keep up the good work. :bow:

If I'm wrong I am sure someone will correct me.

cheers

Don


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## tel (Jul 15, 2009)

Ah! It's a *finger plate!* I was gonna guess that way back when .....

And it's a nice one too - I've made several over the years, but mostly of the 'cheap and cheerful' variety.


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## tornitore45 (Jul 15, 2009)

OK it looks like a handy specialized fixture to hold small parts. Or I am I way off?
How long until you tell us the use.

Mauro
in Austin


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## tmuir (Jul 15, 2009)

tornitore45  said:
			
		

> OK it looks like a handy specialized fixture to hold small parts. Or I am I way off?
> How long until you tell us the use.
> 
> Mauro
> in Austin



Pretty much as you say.
I will be using it in the next week or so and when I do will take a picture of it in use.


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## Cedge (Jul 15, 2009)

Tony
Beautiful work!! Yours is one of the nice ones I've seen. I've had a Finger plate on my to do list for a long time now, but the engines keep getting in the way...(grin). Nice to see the rapid progress you're making with the learning curve.

Steve


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## tmuir (Jul 27, 2009)

AlanHaisley  said:
			
		

> ??? ??? ???
> 
> I've read a bit about clockmaking but for the life of me have no idea what this clamp? fixture? ??? is for.
> 
> Alan



Here is one use for it.
I finally got a chance to play with it.
It is holding some brass bar for cross drilling and then tapping.












Not the best set up for tapping but it will do until I make a new tap holder.
Its a short length of silver steel with a point machined on it to hold the T bar upright.


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