A newbie from Leicestershire

[BillHowcroft]

Hi Bosworth
Welcome.
Nearby in Derby and about to retire for second time from steam-fluid valve design.
I have a clapped out Senior horizonal mill with a (slow) vertical attachment and am currently proposing an investment in a faster small imported vertical to the Director of Finance (she who must be obeyed).
BillH

 

[Chris_Stevens]

Hi Chris,

Good to hear from you and thanks for the offer, I'd love to visit the department at some future time so will be in touch. I serve my apprenticeship in mechanical engineering with a BMC company from '63 to '68, but studied software engineering at what is now the University of Bedfordshire in Luton in '90 to '92 and met my present wife there so I have good memories of the town (especially the 'Brewery Tap' ).

I came out of retirement last year to work with Fujitsu testing ballot counting systems in Edinburgh for the upcoming local elections in Scotland, it has been an interesting and educational experience especially with the controversy over the US presidential elaction in the background. I now know how secure these systems are with their checks and balances which is also good engineering practice as you will be aware.

TerryD

Hi Terry,
That sounds absolutley fascinating. I went to SKF in Luton for my apprecnticeship because they took us round the Computer Department! Eventually I went into Computing, going to Huddersfield Poly (as it was then) in 1980-1983, and from there straight into Lecturing in Hardware and Networking, for the next 24 years.
Best of luck with the ballot counting systems - I went to a computer symposium many years ago and in one of the deeper recesses was a room full of american ballot machines for people to "investigate"!
All the very best,
Deacon Chris Stevens.

 

[user 48773]

Hi Bosworth
Welcome.
Nearby in Derby and about to retire for second time from steam-fluid valve design.
I have a clapped out Senior horizonal mill with a (slow) vertical attachment and am currently proposing an investment in a faster small imported vertical to the Director of Finance (she who must be obeyed).
BillH

Hi Bill,
I have just bought my first mill, a 70yr old horizontal machine. It was sold as a benchtop mill but if it was any smaller it could be a laptop. I knew that any proposal for a newer, more versatile machine was doomed to failure so I went with this as an introduction and learning experience. This is not mine but is the same model:

 

[Steamchick]

Hi Bosworth, I am NOT and expert, but (I want the right answer to help Bosworth get it right)....
Looking at the photo:

• The cutter will rotate clockwise (as viewed by the operator).
• Therefore, the workpiece must feed from left to right, to always keep the load on the lead-screw, and not enable "chatter" from the cutter trying to drag the work off the lead-screw thread.
• The chuck is therefore facing "the wrong way", as the fixed jaw is the "precise and stiff" part of the vice that should take the reaction-thrust from the cutter. (Or the rotation of the cutter/shaft is wrong? I.E. "Never cut towards the "screwed" jaw").

First, "Expert machinists: help please" - am I right? (I am often told I have got it wrong - again).
How is your machine, Bosworth?
Ta,
K2

 

[user 48773]

Hi Bosworth, I am NOT and expert, but (I want the right answer to help Bosworth get it right)....
Looking at the photo:

• The cutter will rotate clockwise (as viewed by the operator).
• Therefore, the workpiece must feed from left to right, to always keep the load on the lead-screw, and not enable "chatter" from the cutter trying to drag the work off the lead-screw thread.
• The chuck is therefore facing "the wrong way", as the fixed jaw is the "precise and stiff" part of the vice that should take the reaction-thrust from the cutter. (Or the rotation of the cutter/shaft is wrong? I.E. "Never cut towards the "screwed" jaw").

First, "Expert machinists: help please" - am I right? (I am often told I have got it wrong - again).
How is your machine, Bosworth?
Ta,
K2

Hi K2, thanks for the reply.
You are quite right about the direction of cut vs the vice jaws. But... the picture is not my machine as I mentioned. I'm now able to attach pictures of mine (ex eBay) which is in much better condition and in this picture is set up to cut correctly.
The pedestal is not original so I have removed the mill and bolted it together with the 1/2" thick steel plate it's mounted on, to the bench. My machine has been modified to use a 1" arbor instead of the 5/8" original. It is best for light cuts in brass and aluminium but it seems happy with steel as long as you take it slowly.
The spindle nose is M2 taper so it will take collets to enable end mills etc to be used as long as you can get your head behind it to see what's happening!
Thanks again.

 

[davidUK]

Hi all, I'm new too! From Frolesworth and always fiddling with small engineering projects but alas no lathe of my own. Hence I spotted this thread and thought I'd ask...

I need to machine some 2.69mm nickel silver W1 drill rod, around 300mm long, to accept an M2.5 thread approx. 6mm long at one end.
Just wondering if anyone nearby has the capability to do this for me?

Also, the rod itself seems very pricey where I'm looking. Does anyone have a suggestion for supply too?
Many thanks,
David

 

[Tom Watson]

I have been a lurker here for some time. I have a Optima BF20 mill and a new hare and forbes 336D lathe. When asked by my friends what i do i do with the machines, i too have to say lots of chips on the floor. I worked for 40 years for australias only telecom company (Post Office, PMG, Telstra). In first year we were taught to use the lathe, soldering, and the shaper . I raced motorbikes for a few years and learnt how to repair and "hot up" IC engines (Triumph Twin mostly). I have spent many years with model aircraft engines but have now find i spend most of my time in the machine shop. I have learnt a lot from this group and also on UTube.

Regards
Tom Watson
Sydney Australia

 

[terryd]

Hi all, I'm new too! From Frolesworth and always fiddling with small engineering projects but alas no lathe of my own. Hence I spotted this thread and thought I'd ask...

I need to machine some 2.69mm nickel silver W1 drill rod, around 300mm long, to accept an M2.5 thread approx. 6mm long at one end.
Just wondering if anyone nearby has the capability to do this for me?

Also, the rod itself seems very pricey where I'm looking. Does anyone have a suggestion for supply too?
Many thanks,
David

Hi David,

I'm from Walcote, just the other side of the M1 motorway from Lutterworth, not a million miles away (7 actually) and I could do the job for you in a few minutes and could probably thread it for you accurately if you have the die as I have an attachment for my lathe to do it accurately while you wait if you wish but I don't think that I have a die that size and is it coarse or fine metric? My workshop is a bit messy at the moment for all sorts of reasons, but you're welcome.
As for nickel silver I know of no suppliers except the normal model engineering supplies, one of the best is Macc models on the internet, or try eBay. Having re read your posting I see that you mention Drill rod which is the American term for Silver Steel a high carbon alloy capable of hardening, is that what you mean. Drill rod is not Nickel Silver. 2.69 mm is a very unusual diameter for silver steel, the closest I can find is 2.77 mm which is th eold 7/64" which I possible have some but will check.
Just make sure that you're asking for the correct stuff and I could help.

TerryD

 

[abby]

Hi , I am in Bedworth if you are stuck I have both RH and LH M2.5 dies.
Dan.

 

[kenwilcox52]

Hi all, I'm in Nuneaton close to the A5

 

[abby]

LOL , anyone from my street ?
Dan.

 

[Paulf]

Hi K2, thanks for the reply.
You are quite right about the direction of cut vs the vice jaws. But... the picture is not my machine as I mentioned. I'm now able to attach pictures of mine (ex eBay) which is in much better condition and in this picture is set up to cut correctly.
The pedestal is not original so I have removed the mill and bolted it together with the 1/2" thick steel plate it's mounted on, to the bench. My machine has been modified to use a 1" arbor instead of the 5/8" original. It is best for light cuts in brass and aluminium but it seems happy with steel as long as you take it slowly.
The spindle nose is M2 taper so it will take collets to enable end mills etc to be used as long as you can get your head behind it to see what's happening!
Thanks again.

I am also a long time lurker on here and from Rothwell Northants so fairly local.
I also have one of those Pools bench mills which I have modified to have a vertical head.I got the mill thrown in with my lathe when I bought it back in the early 1980s but it needed some work.I recut the leadscrew and made a matching tap to make a new leadscrew nut as they were badly worn, I used the mill with a homemade dividing head to make replacements for some of the lathes gears but didn't use it for much else as I generally needed a vertical head for most jobs.
I ended up making a vertical head from some thick wall tubing welded into a tee shape and machined out for angular contact spindle bearings with a Morse taper 2 spindle and a spigot to locate in place of the overarm.I drove it with a 3phase motor and inverter and then used the mill for years making small components.
I now have a bigger vertical mill but have kept the bench mill as it has been very useful over the years.
I will try and add a couple of photos here when I get the chance.
Paul.

 

[davidUK]

Thanks so much for the offers of help.

We had a death in the family last week (no, not that family) so I'll get back to this when I have more time.

 

[terryd]

Thanks so much for the offers of help.

We had a death in the family last week (no, not that family) so I'll get back to this when I have more time.

Hi David,

Sad coincidence , my condolences. Sadly my lovely mother in law also passed away this week on the morning of he same day as HRM. Sorrow all round
We are also tied up with family and funeral matters for a while.
TerryyD

 

[davidUK]

My condolences too Terry. Best wishes to you, your wife, and family.

 

[terryd]

Thank you, it is a difficult time, made more poignant by the death of Queen Elizabeth,

TerryD

 

[Drawfiler]

Hi Bosworth
Another welcome to you, I am not far away, near Lichfield with a well equipped workshop and happy to help if you need to use my specialist kit - grinders, hobbers etc or I can have a chat by mail or on the phone.
Enjoy the hobby

 

[SmithDoor]

Hi, I am recently retired and hoping to finally have time to make better use of my workshop. I have a lathe (Myford ML7) and have just bought an old horizontal mill. As a complete novice to milling I may need some help with that!
Hello and best wishes to everyone.

Welcome to the group

Dave