#2 or is it #43?

[arnoldb]

Well done Terry ! Thm:

And that's a VERY nice finish you got when boring the eccentric strap! :bow:

Kind regards, Arnold

 

[minerva]

Hi Guys
having finished my last build I have attempted to no avail to provide a video! My Blackberry phone takes said video (I can watch it to my hearts content on my phone) and having duly purchased a USB cable I find that RIM (who makes the Blackberry) doesn't provide synch support for Linux so back to square one. Ah well I will have to think again. I might even send myself an E mail with an attachment (who knows it might work!!).

This has left me in somewhat of a vacuum and I decided to use a ploy used on this forum,(I think by Trout) that of going over my two engine projects in order to see what could be learned from them. One of the first that had been noted after the drama of my milling vice breaking and subsequent repair, was the need I felt to provide a smaller vice for use when making smaller parts. And thus my next project was obvious. A visit to Deanofids excellent site

http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/projects.html

gave me all the info I needed and material assembled to make a start. Now I dont have access to large lumps of Aluminium as does Dean, but Steel of the correct size was readily available so I decided to go for broke and use that.
On starting the vice I realised that another piece of kit was missing - a fly cutter Sooooo.
Back to Deans site and using an off-cut of 1.1/2" steel bar an hour or so of machining

remedied the omission as far as the holder was concerned. A further consultation of Bogs treatise on the fly-cutter grinding completed the exercise.
The first use was a revelation, a tool which didn't cost the earth and a finish that even I was satisfied with!!

I do not propose to give a blow by blow write up of the fabrication of the vice as Dean has already done a first class job here,
I will merely make a couple of comments:
Being a Metric shop (contradiction to follow) I used 6mm UNC stainless bolts that I had laying around but stuck to the basic sizes quoted on the drawing. One slight difference worked in my favour, the basic stock was somewhat thicker than Deans at just over an inch thick and rather than cut the block down to size I centred the holes in the block and merely skimmed top and bottom with my newly made fly-cutter.The knock on effect of this appears to negate the need to further relieve the pivot as it has been raised above the base of the unit.
Instead of Making the relevant cutters to machine the button recess I used the only ball endmill I possess an Imperial 3/8" mill which is over fifty years old!! and the ball end pivot was manufacured using the ball cutter manufactured over a year ago one of the first project attempted after the purchase of my lathe.

As a "returnee" to the world of machining after some fifty odd years absence tooling up has been a slow pastime, given that I have not been in the position to throw money at the hobby this simple fact has meant that the normal work shop aids and fixtures have (where possible) been "shop-made" and I feel that the added practice has really stood me in good stead
At this moment in time I am having probs with photobucket so I will post further pics when I get over the problem

many Thanks Dean , Bogs

regards TerryT

 

[Deanofid]

Terry, your flycutter looks like it's just the ticket, and the new vise is coming along great.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm another one who finds that many tools need to be made, instead of bought. Good things
to sharpen your skills and expand your shop fixings at the same time.

Thank you for the nice comments.

Dean

 

[njl]

Minerva, interesting thread, your vice build is looking good.

Please can you give the link to Bogs's fly cutter grinding article, I wouldn't mind having a read of that too.

Thanks
Nick

 

[minerva]

Hi all

Nick in answer to your request Bogs article may be found here:

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=850.msg6442#msg6442

for me it was a first time success hope you find it as useful as I did.

For some strange reason photobucket has been playing sillies with my machine, allowing me to only upload 1 photo at a time and even this on an inconsistent basis!
I have now however managed to upload the photo's that should have been attached to my last post
the first showing the milling operation on the movable jaw

and the second turning the pivot button using my ball turning tool - one of the first tools I made after purchasing my lathe.

the last pic shows the component parts of the vice ready for fitting and polishing

 

[Deanofid]

It didn't take you long to get it finished up, Terry. Looking good!

Dean

 

[njl]

Yep looks very nice.

Thanks for posting the link to Bogs's fly cutter grinding info.

Nick

 

[arnoldb]

To echo - Yes it looks very good Terry Thm:

It's great to see you sharing your tool building!

Like Dean said, building one's own tooling is very rewarding - I find I use my own shop-built tools a lot, and each time there's a moment of "Darn, I'm glad I built this" ;D And the experience is invaluable; sometimes I pick up one of my earlier tools, and it now looks like an attempt by a beginner (which it was when I built it) - but the up-side is that back when I built it, it was the best I could do, so its still special to me now. Sort of adds "character" to the shop

Kind regards, Arnold

 

[minerva]

hi guys

thanks for looking and your comments, much appreciated.

Dean/Arnold - I spend most of my days in the shop nowadays so projects seem to move along quite quickly most of the time the progress being dictated by the availability of materials which is sometimes the limiting factor, a classic example being my little RT project which a bit like "Topsy" has "growed". I have started on a Tailstock to use with the RT as a sort of spin indexer. I have been working on it on and off for a month or so and it has proved to be quite challenge but I will get there in the end I feel sure, and when I do I will post the details. It feels kind of strange to make tools to make tools!
Tomorrow I will be assembling and polishing the vice and hopefully it will be pressed into service sometime next week

Nick
My pleasure and Bog's expertise

Regards
TerryT

 

[minerva]

Well guys
as promised photo of one finished screw-less Vice
total cost £5 for stock from the local blacksmiths!
All I have to do now is make some fitting to attach it to the mill

I think I feel a boring bar coming on.
this is becoming addictive
Regards
Terry T

 

[SAM in LA]

Terry,

That is one fine looking vice.

I'm thinking that I need to make one for myself.

Thanks for sharing.

SAM

 

[ksouers]

Terry,
The vise looks great. Excellent craftsmanship, too.

Congratulations on a job well done. :bow:

 

[Deanofid]

First rate work, Terry!

Dean

 

[joe d]

Terry

that's a fine bit of work. :bow: :bow: I try hard not to go to Dean's website, as it leaves me feeling guilty about all those projects I've not started..

 

[minerva]

sam, kevin, dean, joe
may I first apologize profusely for appearing not to have acknowledged your welcome,positive comments but sad to say I have been out of action for the past month or so under the care of the medics, this has meant that I have been "off line" as it were but hopefully I should be back in the shop soon. (Monday next week if all goes well and I get my own way!).
I have spent most of the time reading but the time has really dragged. I am still in the middle of fitting up my D.R.O, the scales are fitted to both x & y axes and are working well. The next job is the manufacture of an audio electronic edge finder and some of the recent posts have been quite helpful.
however altho' the theory is fairly straightforward in practice there are a few "bugs" to iron out .
Once again many thanks to you all for your interest.
Kindest regards,
Terry

 

[SAM in LA]

Terry,

Sorry to hear that you have been sidelined.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

SAM

 

[Maryak]

Terry,

Sorry to hear that you have been sidelined.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

SAM

Me too.

Best Regards
Bob