Keyway cutting inthe lathe

[jackary]

Hi Guys,
Here is my keyway cutter designed to fit my Stepperhead lathe. It has the advantage of connecting directly to the headstock avoiding the problem of the cross slide moving back due to the thrust. It can also cut at an angle to the lathe axis.




Regards
Alan

 

[don-tucker]

That's a cracker Alan.
Don

 

[steamer]

Well that dovetail will certainly be more ridgid! ;D


Nice lathe, is that the one in the MEW article?

Dave

 

[jackary]

Yes Dave, if you like you can see more pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32647007@N02/sets/72157610446872607/
Regards
Alan

 

[narrowgauger]

Alan

what a beautiful machine. Tell us more about the information source etc.

thank you for the series of photographs

Bernard

 

[jackary]

Thank you Bernard,
Over the past few years I have been designing and building a variation
on the Metalmaster. It is made from solid cast iron blocks and
standard mild steel sections to avoid making castings. The essential
difference to the Metalmaster is that the bed remains stationary and
supported at each end and the head and tailstock can be raised or
lowered relative to the bed. A secondary vertical column is
incorporated in the integral tailstock to avoid an unsupported overarm
and tailstock. The machine uses stepper motors to drive each axis. A
separate stepper motor is dedicated to driving the headstock
(Stepperhead) The axes can be operated either manually, power driven
by the stepper motors or CNC operated via the lap top computer. I
entered this machine in the Model Engineers Exhibition in 2008 at
Ascot UK where it was awarded a Gold Medal and The Bowyer-Lowe Trophy.
I have written an article which was printed in the Model Engineers Workshop magazine
in copy numbers 151, 152 & 153 that is June , July & August 2009. You can get more info
if you Google "Stepperhead"
Regards
Alan

 

[Stan]

I have done keyways in the lathe by racking the carriage but a long time ago I looked up the price of small import broaches. I bought three small broaches and made a broach bushing for the job at hand. Every time after that with a different bore size, I made a new bushing. I haven't had to make a bushing in years and it took less time to make a bushing than to cut the keyway on the lathe. Here is an example from Enco:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=395-1008&PMPXNO=948895

 

[don-tucker]

I have done keyways in the lathe by racking the carriage but a long time ago I looked up the price of small import broaches. I bought three small broaches and made a broach bushing for the job at hand. Every time after that with a different bore size, I made a new bushing. I haven't had to make a bushing in years and it took less time to make a bushing than to cut the keyway on the lathe. Here is an example from Enco:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=395-1008&PMPXNO=948895

I looked into that but they came out to expensive,I think a set of 3 was £90 or so.
Don