#2 or is it #43?

[minerva]

Well guys,
after the excitement of running my first effort last week I was let down with a bump when on Friday morning last I noticed or rather felt a "crack" as I tightened the mill vise, on investigation the following revealed itself the main casting as can be seen appeared cracked

I removed the fixed jaw and this sorry state of repairs was revealed.

I got hold of Hugh at AMADEAL from whence the vise came on Saturday morning and explained the problem, he asked for a couple of photos showing the vice for onward transmission to the manufacturers and A replacement was duly dispatched. By 10.15 on Monday morning I was back in business, a brand new vice was received with no necessity to return the old unit! And object lesson in customer care/relations. Thank all at AMADEAL

onwards and upwards, in the short time I was vice-less I prepared for the start of my second build, that of Elmers #43 .
Now I have no experience on using the mill table for clamping down workpieces (specifically plate for profiling) and wondered if this is the preferred way to go. My machine came with a fairly comprehensive clamping down set but the safety issues are obviously there and any thoughts would be welcome.

With the new vise in place #43 here I come!

The base and standard were marked out of 3/8 Aluminium plate

all holes centre drilled and drilled to the required sizes.
From here I milled the profile to both the standard and the base (using the vice) followed by the step on the standard.

All seemed fairly straightforward, finally I tapped the holes in the base of the standard and assembled it to the base for a trial fitting.

Thanks for looking

 

[rake60]

Looking good Terry!

Thanks for the mention of your experience with AMADEAL as well.
It is always good to know who actually stands behind their products.

Rick

 

[mklotz]

Now I have no experience on using the mill table for clamping down workpieces (specifically plate for profiling) and wondered if this is the preferred way to go. My machine came with a fairly comprehensive clamping down set but the safety issues are obviously there and any thoughts would be welcome.

For smaller sized pieces, it's a matter of judgement. I only resort to the table if the part won't fit in the vise or fits but projects too far for safe or accurate machining.

Generalizing on the subject of clamping is difficult to do - every situation presents its own challenges and constraints. I started a thread as a repository for thoughts on this subject (among others)...

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=9318.msg101257#msg101257

You might want to glance at it for whatever wisdom you can find there and, obviously, ask questions about anything that puzzles or concerns you.

 

[minerva]

Thanks Marv,
I had already started on a reference bar as a fill in project at college but what with the vice problems it didn't get finished so it is languishing in the "to-do" box .
I have at this point in time not developed a feel for the torque issues involved with this type of operation and hesitate to err on the side of over-tightening for fear of damaging the table. This "feel" problem also extends to using collets which I know from routing experience can be damaged from over tightening and of course the torque involved differs depending upon the "take-up" required to grip the different sized cutters within the collets range

Rick,
I am a great believer in credit where it's due. We are all to eager to criticize when things go wrong so it makes a pleasant change to be able to praise

 

[Maryak]

Terry,

That broken bit looks like it would braze back together quite nicely then you will have 2 identical mill vices which can be a real advantage at times.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[minerva]

Hi All
I've been away from the shop for a couple of days so apologies Bob for delay in replying.,

Bob I must admit to having similar thoughts, but I haven't found anyone locally that is willing to tackle the job, however I,m still looking

The learning curve continues!
I have made a start on the cylinder, milling a blank from an off-cut.
The first picture shows the cylinder blank and the steam entry points milled and the inlet ports being drilled after centre drilling

I have made the conscious decision to mill the reverse lever from the solid rather than fabricate and solder as I feel it will give me a better learning experience as well as utilizing my newly completed RT. The lever was made from an off-cut of Aluminium which was blued and marked out. It was then mounted in the RT and using an 1/8 end mill the boss was milled out to a depth of 5/16
the slot for the de- tent was then milled out somewhat deeper than the boss.

Excess material was then removed (sorry no pic) I then re blued and marked up the shape of the handle . The vice was then angled about the centre-line to achieve the required shape. At this point I realized that in order to turn the blank over I had to manufacture some sort of holding block
and the following photo shows the support blank with a hole drilled to accommodate the boss and two holes to take two short lengths of 3mm silver steel "dowels" located either end of the de-tent slot.

this next photo shows the blank duly turned over and mounted on the support block it was set in the vice and I was able to reduced the thickness to nearly finish dimensions.

I finished the part with a judicious use of the piercing saw and file. and all that remains now is to polish and fit to the assembly this I hope to do tomorrow.
The exercise was certainly worthwhile, throwing up a requirement for modification of the RT and also a couple of improvements which I feel will be worthwhile

hopefully more on the morrow

 

[SAM in LA]

Terry,

It looks like you are moving right along.

Perhaps you can try to silver solder/braze your spare vice.

SAM

 

[hobby]

Nice work on your engine pieces.

I like your RT clamp, nice design for it.

 

[minerva]

Hi Sam/Hobby
thanks for the comments,

Sam
I don't really have the facilities to obtain the amount of heat required to raise the mass of the vice body to the temperature that would be required. So I will take it to college on Thursday next and see if they have any ideas or more to the point the facilities to deal with it. ( I 'm not holding my breath!)
As to the RT, hobby, I can take no credit for the design it started out as a fairly simple project in MEW and a bit like "topsy" it just growed. As I alluded to above I will in the fullness of time make a couple of changes 1). To make the table action a little smoother and 2). Add stops to have some control over the angular movement of the table

Regards
TerryT

 

[Troutsqueezer]

I like your RT clamp too. Need to make one of those.

-T

 

[Deanofid]

Thanks for the new progress report, Terry. It looks like it's coming along well.
Compliments on your R/T, too. It sure appears to be nicely done.
I think I need one like yours to go along with my present unit. Looks very handy.
Again, nice work!

Dean

 

[minerva]

Hi all,
suddenly realized that a picture of the component made in the last post didn't get posted so will add now.(sorry the focus seems a bit out)

Sad to say the project (Elmers # 43) has stalled! Not for any sensible reasons merely the availability of fixings here in the UK.
At the outset of the project I made the decision to acquire the requisite taps and dies as and when required
(to date the following are listed #3-48, #5-40, #6-32, #2-56) representing an outlay of about £30. OK a reasonable one time outlay you might say but the problem doesn't end here. Where in the UK does one obtain the relevant fixings to match the afore-mentioned sizes?
An alternate solution might be to substitute metric sizes but many of the sizes seem a little on the large side. or failing this machine all the fixings required (surely not!)
Any suggestions?

The vice problem was duly taken to college and the general consensus of opinion was that the detached piece was not large enough for a satisfactory brazed/welded solution.
I therefore opted for a mechanical solution.
The main casting was milled back

in order that a steel insert might be bolted on. Two bolts were used an M8 into the meat of the base and an M6 at right angles into the ways. A slot for the key way was then milled into the top of the insert and the vice reassembled. Only time will tell whether the solution will be strong enough, but first impressions are good.

 

[Deanofid]

The vise fix looks like it went well, Terry.
There are a number of nice Brit folks here on the forum. Maybe one of them can tell you where
they find the uncommon fittings for your engine. Or, maybe you could make them from stock
material?

Dean

 

[Maryak]

Terry,

Congratulations on the vise fix. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob

 

[minerva]

Hi Dean / Bob
thanks for the comments,
The vice repair seems to have worked out quite well all things considered.
The ironic thing is if I could have gone back in time some thirty years or so my father would have welded it in his workshop at the drop of a hat! He was a consultant welder with B.O.C on of the pioneers in what was known as "Atomic welding" and plied his skills all round the world. I well remember in the early fifties almost every Sunday morning local bike enthusiasts outside his shop, clutching damaged crankcases and the like waiting for for his magic touch. He is still with us today alive and kicking at a 100 yrs. and when I mentioned it to him a couple of days ago he just laughed and said "sounds like a job for one of those computers you are always going on about". Needless to say I didn't have an answer!

 

[SAM in LA]

Terry,

Good idea on how to fix your vice.

I'm looking forward to seeing more about your build.

SAM

 

[Maryak]

Terry,

Really enjoyed your dad's sage comment :bow: He may be 100 but sounds like he's still batting at a full length.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[minerva]

Hi Guys.
have been off line for a couple of weeks due to family probs but back in form again (I hope)
a couple of in progress shots the first showing my new "mezzanine" in use with the DTI clocking in the eccentric strap

the second is the eccentric strap being machined

and finally a shot of the completed engine. She runs WOOOO!
The only problem to rear its ugly head was a strange one, I had to make adjustment to the crank pin position to allow it to fully turn over implying that the con rod was too short, in spite of being particular with the measurements. now it runs I will make another for cosmetic purposes!

Sadly I still haven't the facility to provide a video but will post when I can find a cable to fit my Blackberry which I find has the capability to take videos but is without said cable!

Bob How did you know my Dad has always been a cricket fanatic?

Regards terry t

 

[Deanofid]

Congrats on your build, Terry! It looks mighty fine.
Will be great to see the vid when you get the electronics rigged up.
Thanks for the thread!

Dean

 

[ksouers]

Welcome back, Terry. I'd been wondering where you'd gone off to.

Looking forward to the video, as well. It looks mighty fine just sitting there.