# The Smallest Part You Ever Made?



## rake60 (Jan 23, 2012)

I know I have posted this question here before, but it has been awhile.
The scale of parts that Doc is making now has me absolutely AMAZED! 
Beautiful work Doc! :bow:

The smallest precision parts I have ever made were the valve bushings 
for my Poppin build.







I know those parts are not really _that_ small.

*SO,* What is the smallest part you have ever made?
th_wwp

Rick


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## mklotz (Jan 23, 2012)

Parts for lantern tool post for miniature metal lathe...






Completed tool post...






Prototype spur drive center for miniature wood lathe






Functioning bearing oil cup for miniature metal lathe...


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## stevehuckss396 (Jan 23, 2012)

The piston in my micro steam engine is .060 diameter X .140 in length. I dropped the first one and lost sight of it before it ever hit the floor.


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## rudydubya (Jan 23, 2012)

After looking at the above work I feel so... inadequate.   But being a novice I was proud when I finished my 64 DP, 20 toothed gears.

Rudy


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## steamer (Jan 23, 2012)

Single pointing a #2 x 128 tpi needle valve with a 12" Logan! 

DOT is .0044"...did it in two passes.


Dave


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## chuck foster (Jan 23, 2012)

00-90 nut and bolt is the smallest i have made, tapped the nut but i cut the thread on the lathe (under a microscope)

chuck


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## lazylathe (Jan 23, 2012)

You guys make me sick! ;D

Loving the pictures!!!
Keep them coming!

The smallest part i have made can be seen by the naked eye from the moon! :big:
One day i hope to be able to produce work close to all of yours!!

Andrew


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## rake60 (Jan 23, 2012)

Dave and Chuck, I have no doubts about your achievements, but:
th_wwp 

Great replies group!
I knew this would be an interesting question.

Rick


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## shred (Jan 23, 2012)

Smallest I've made recently. I think I succeeded in trying to forget about the others


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## MachineTom (Jan 23, 2012)

This is a .020 - .030" D try for a guy who wanted some scale model airplane parts, I cut the radius's freehand and he wanted exact, as well as some .010 wide grooves near the point. After fiquring out the time needed to do as he wanted, I passed on making them.


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## tattoomike68 (Jan 23, 2012)

About 12 years ago our shop made tiny parts and a 5 gallon bucket around 1/3 full had 70,000 parts in it worth $100,000.

If I was the boss we would not run parts like that Run your wire some place else.


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## 90LX_Notch (Jan 23, 2012)

The parts for the 1/4 scale Tiny I started back in 2009. The piston dia. is 049. The hole through the rod portion of the piston is .016. That's .016 dia music wire through it in the picture as well as through the brass bushing for the column. The column has a .042 dia. hole for the bushing. The hole above it on the face is .016 thru and the one with the broken drill bit is .0135 (#80). 

I kick the idea of starting this project backup every once in a while, but it's too tedious. 

-Bob


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## chuck foster (Jan 23, 2012)

well here you go rick.






the big nut is #6-32 and the small nut is 00-92 not 00-90 i cut this thread on my 9" south bend and it only has 92 threads to the inch not 90. 
with that in mind i remember making a 00-92 tap for the nut but i cannot find the tap  if i find it i will post a picture of it as well.

if i remember right i turned the lathe by hand so i could thread right up to the head of the bolt.

i ruined a few bolts (10 or 12) trying to get the three i needed and this one is a spare.

chuck


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## gbritnell (Jan 23, 2012)

I don't think I have any pictures of just one part but here's a few parts screwed together with a tire valve cap for comparison. 
gbritnell


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## chuck foster (Jan 23, 2012)

very nice george, what is the bore size?

chuck


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## Sic Semper Tyrannis (Jan 23, 2012)

WOW!! I'd love to see some of the little engines run.

AMAZING!!


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## stevehuckss396 (Jan 23, 2012)

Sic Semper Tyrannis  said:
			
		

> WOW!! I'd love to see some of the little engines run.
> 
> AMAZING!!




Can't really see it but you can hear it.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMqJ6heXO6U[/ame]


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## 90LX_Notch (Jan 23, 2012)

Chuck- Very impressive. I have single point cut 0-80 but 00-92 is nuts.

George-As usual, you are a god. Beyond impressive.

Steve- Impressive as hell.


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## GailInNM (Jan 23, 2012)

Another Micro HOSC similar to Steve's.
Built in 1992 on a Bridgeport and a10 inch Clausing/Nardini lathe.

There are probably still some of those little springs in the corners of the shop. It took me about a dozen tries to get the spring installed. 

1/16 inch bore and stroke. Base is 1/4 inch by 3/8 inch. Crankshaft is 1/32 diameter and flywheel is 1/4 inch diameter.

Gail in NM


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## lordedmond (Jan 24, 2012)

smallest things I have made to date are pipe nipples for 1/16 od copper pipe the bear was silver soldering them onto the pipe without filling up the bore no pics as they ar all installed on the loco

they are oil and steam lines




Stuart


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## gbritnell (Jan 24, 2012)

Hi Chuck,
The bore is .299 and the flywheel is .900.
SST, here's a link to my little engine running. [ame]http://youtu.be/tcfrKsOaDNw[/ame] I will post the drawings in the Plans section for anyone interested.
gbritnell


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## Blogwitch (Jan 24, 2012)

I made 80+ of these high pressure steam valves in one batch.








A single piece crank made from 6mm silver steel (drill rod)







John


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## Hauk (Jan 24, 2012)

Truss rod tightener ("Strekkfisk" in norwegian): 





Scale 1/45 doorhandle:





Working joint for pantograph: 





Regards, Hauk


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## rake60 (Jan 24, 2012)

I knew this would be impressive.

Great pictures guys! Thm:

Rick


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## Blogwitch (Jan 25, 2012)

I hope George doesn't mind, but I have collated the separate sheets of his fantastic plans and made it into a single file for easier handling.


John 

View attachment Georges Tiny Slide Valve.pdf


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## b.lindsey (Jan 25, 2012)

I guess the smallest part I have made was the crosshead assembly for the half scale version of Jerry Howells Miser. At the time seemed more like trying to machine aluminum foil !! Great thread though and nice to see all this very small work done so beautifully!!

Bill


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## gbritnell (Jan 25, 2012)

No problem whatsoever John, thanks.
George


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## neptune769 (Feb 25, 2012)

tattoomike68  said:
			
		

> About 12 years ago our shop made tiny parts and a 5 gallon bucket around 1/3 full had 70,000 parts in it worth $100,000.
> 
> If I was the boss we would not run parts like that Run your wire some place else.



That is when you get a screw machine. We did quantities like that all the time for Amp Electronic Connectors. Don't know what the cost was though.


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## Russel (Feb 25, 2012)

Wow, some great very small stuff in this thread.

Here is the smallest part that I've made so far.


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