New to The Amateur Machinists World

[goldstar31]

WE live a far more quiet life. So we do not have parties or event which require any official being called to attendance as witness to the excessive festivities. ha ha
I have several projects in my head and parts and pieces in the shop.
1. The Acute Tool Sharpening System
2. Dual Dial Gauge Mill Tramming Tool
3. Flywheel based Fly Cutter using a Tangential tool cutter.
Currently I am looking into refinishing the Workbench tops with a clear Epoxy Resin surface.
Has anyone use this type of finish in their shop and if so do you have any recommendations.

The Acute T&C is a very simple construction and can be built from scrap- perhaps excluding the table.

Contrary to the local experts( ), mine has one end with a 80 grit Aloxite abrasive wheel and the other end is fitted with a 160 grit diamond wheel and it is on a question of a 'round tuit for that.
There IS a very good video from Eccentric in Oz of how the thing is made and also to use it.
I simply took o the esign for its simplicity and whilst I have a fair idea what it will not do, I'm more than happy what it will.
The book of drawings for each part is outstanding and I have built a Quorn and a Stent- and more.
To attempt to keep up with Frazer( I jest), I am sort of fiddling with a `Potts.

To have a look, Google--- Lathes.co.uk Potts-- and mine is built from castings from Woking Precision Models( taken over by Heminhwaykits) and -- wait for it-- a 9 hole golf-- no, a division plate. It's ancient but it is a keen collectors item

 

[Courierdog]

I also have considered Ising a sheet metal surface, I have to revisit all my sheetmetal shop notes as to bending and forming. the Lathe Bench is 29 x 59 and the Mill is 29 x 29 inches
There is absolutely nothing worse than that pesky noisy squirrel. ha ha Then there are the screaming Magpies (Birds)

 

[goldstar31]

Then there are the screaming Magpies (Birds)

Rossini-- the Thieving Magpie? They knock the hell out of my young hedgerow birds but the birds of the year Jackdaws( not the penitent Jackdaw of Reims) are more than a match.

 

[Courierdog]

I have to admit, I am not familiar with Jackdaws, do they have another name.
Here in the North it has taken about 40 years for the Robins to be able to adapt, and that only because the trees have grown to provide natural protection.
Fortunate for me neither the Squirrel nor Magpies affect me in the basement Shop. Thankfully

 

[Richard Hed]

Rossini-- the Thieving Magpie? They knock the hell out of my young hedgerow birds but the birds of the year Jackdaws( not the penitent Jackdaw of Reims) are more than a match.

Hardy har. I love a jest, as in His Mad Jester

When I moved to Moses Lake, back in '90 (the dark ages, before internet, before CELL PHONES, BEFORE CRUISE CONTROL!) we had lots of magpies, then about 15 years ago, half of the magpies dissappeared to be replaced by CROWS which are on my totem along with black widow spiders. There were very few crows here at that time, now they are everywhere. I read that there (well, a small white lie, I really lookt at the pictures) was a bird on the east coast which could not make inroads to the middle states till telegraph poles were put up. Then the birds could peck out nests in the telegraph poles and they invaded the mid-west. Am not sure why the crows have moved in, maybe because I worship them as the true godz along with Thor and Wotan, or maybe because of some environmental factor or maybe because of some cyclic thing. When I moved here in 1990, there was not a single squirrel in the county, now they are here by the hundreds, every year about 20 end up as pankake squirrels on the road or occassionaly as cat food.

 

[fcheslop]

New worktops are one my round to it list but this time Im going to put a raised edge to stop loosing parts from the back and sides. Spend too much time fighting to reclaim them from the shop elves
Also need something simple to sharpen cutters I have half a Dekal and a router . Just cannot get enthusiastic about the project to make a start and no materials at the moment
The whole shop needs a refit once the old motor bikes have gone. Also need a new mill as my old RF25 has cracked around the head. No idea what to buy at the moment. Bit like a kid at a sweet shop window
I have two wee scalawags that love squirrels or anything else they catch
Keep well all

 

[Richard Hed]

New worktops are one my round to it list but this time Im going to put a raised edge to stop loosing parts from the back and sides. Spend too much time fighting to reclaim them from the shop elves
Also need something simple to sharpen cutters I have half a Dekal and a router . Just cannot get enthusiastic about the project to make a start and no materials at the moment
The whole shop needs a refit once the old motor bikes have gone. Also need a new mill as my old RF25 has cracked around the head. No idea what to buy at the moment. Bit like a kid at a sweet shop window
I have two wee scalawags that love squirrels or anything else they catch
Keep well all

So, you have a cracked head? Or is that crack-head? How big is the part that crackt? What shape? It IS possible to heat the part up (first grind a bit out of the area of the crack and drill at the ends of the crack), then heat it up to red then using cast iron welding rod, weld it. I'm not sure of the exact technique as I have never needed the tecknique. I know that I have welded cast iron before, but it's tricsy and takes special technique plus a peening hammer. If someone here knows how this is done, maybe you could enlighten us about this. How red should the CI be?

 

[fcheslop]

The crack runs round the lower locking bolt area. Ive had the machine since1983 it is now very worn and never has been very accurate to say the least. Time is was weighed in or used for a boat anchor. The prob with welding the area flexes when locking the head so just think it would quickly crack again next to the weld. Eutectic rods are OK for cast but it needs pre heating from memory.
I no longer build larger models so Im looking for a small high precision bit of kit that probably rules out most machines from who flung dung land although I can get access to precision toolroom life's to short to start rebuilding a cheaper machine . Would love to get my grubby paws on a schaublin
My heads been cracked for years I thought that was the entry qualification for this hobby
cheers

 

[awake]

One day my daughter was using a knife at my home and said: "Oh This is a way a sharp knife cuts" or something to that effect. Next day she brought all her kitchen knives... Can you sharpen them?
It takes so little to keep a knife sharp, a couple licks on the steel. In a pinch just sharpening on against the other works better than a dull knife.

I have been known to use the bottom of a coffee cup when nothing else was available - the part where there is a little bit of the ceramic without any glaze. But my favorite sharpening medium is some wet-dry sand paper of progressively finer grits. When we rented a mountain house along with my parents and siblings and all, the knives were so horribly dull that I could not stand it. I tried using the coffee cup approach, but it was going very slowly ... I went to the local hardware store and bought some W/D paper, and voila! An hour or so later, all of the knives were properly sharp.

Of course, in a situation like that, there is also the problem of poor quality knives made of unsharpium steel ... they just won't hold an edge no matter what you do! But I can understand a rental not wanting to invest in expensive knives that may go walk-about.

 

[Courierdog]

As the bird population changes, it has been interesting living here in Edmonton. when we moved her in 1976 we had only Magpies and they chased virtually all the robins away steeling the eggs in the nests ETC. The Raven up North in Ft McMurray are huge, and are a year round resident. Of late 2020 we have even been seeing Blue Jay as well as many Robins, Many Crows and Seagulls. As the Trees grow and more urban development takes place it seems that the more birds we have. What they call groundhogs here are in reality ground squirrels.
When we lived in the maritimes or even in Ontario Groundhogs were the size of a Dachound.
I have begun to see the occasional real Groundhog. This is a nice sign as it is a sign that the wild life is coming back somewhat. This has to be at least somewhat encouraging especially during the COVID-19 Stay At Home Lockdown.
The only metal smelting I have been involved with has been lead. that also includes all the soldering I have done over the years.
It is not an excuse I need to get back to the shop. I need to provide a proper means to collect and contain the swarf and cooling liquids. The way I have been doing it, it ends up on the floor and this means it gets tracked through the house, She Who Must Be Obeyed, Objects to tracking swarf through her house. Contain the SWARF is an Absolute Must.
I am looking for a clean and simple method.

 

[Richard Hed]

As the bird population changes, it has been interesting living here in Edmonton. when we moved her in 1976 we had only Magpies and they chased virtually all the robins away steeling the eggs in the nests ETC. The Raven up North in Ft McMurray are huge, and are a year round resident. Of late 2020 we have even been seeing Blue Jay as well as many Robins, Many Crows and Seagulls. As the Trees grow and more urban development takes place it seems that the more birds we have. What they call groundhogs here are in reality ground squirrels.
When we lived in the maritimes or even in Ontario Groundhogs were the size of a Dachound.
I have begun to see the occasional real Groundhog. This is a nice sign as it is a sign that the wild life is coming back somewhat. This has to be at least somewhat encouraging especially during the COVID-19 Stay At Home Lockdown.
The only metal smelting I have been involved with has been lead. that also includes all the soldering I have done over the years.
It is not an excuse I need to get back to the shop. I need to provide a proper means to collect and contain the swarf and cooling liquids. The way I have been doing it, it ends up on the floor and this means it gets tracked through the house, She Who Must Be Obeyed, Objects to tracking swarf through her house. Contain the SWARF is an Absolute Must.
I am looking for a clean and simple method.

What about an aluminum cookie pan?

 

[fcheslop]

Yes swarf getting into the home has some serious consequences.
I have anti fatigue matts in the machine area and it seems to at least reduce the problem and a coconut matt at the shop door . Not 100% but has reduced the problem considerably.
Keeping the machines clean help get rid of the swarf straight away instead of letting it build up. Shop vac is handy although they dont like long curly swarf. A chip breaker ground into the tool stops the long curly .
Never needed to use coolant as in flood in my home shop

 

[Richard Hed]

Yes swarf getting into the home has some serious consequences.
I have anti fatigue matts in the machine area and it seems to at least reduce the problem and a coconut matt at the shop door . Not 100% but has reduced the problem considerably.

How fast is your chuck? can you put up some kind of swarf guard that is easily movable? since I don't really know what your situation is, I can't really give advice. My machine throws it about too, but for some reason I don't have it flying all over. A bit but I only run it about 600rpms at the tops

 

[fcheslop]

Depends on the job normally around 800 to 1000rpm a chip breaker stops the curls you only get short curly bits not long curly bits soo they canna wrap round the chuck. Most of my toys are made from alloy , brass or bronze. I dont do much in steel other than cranks. Mostly very small bits n bobs I make not much over 12mm and down to 0.5mm . My smallest engine to date is 2mm bore and stroke the largest lately 13mm

 

[Richard Hed]

Depends on the job normally around 800 to 1000rpm a chip breaker stops the curls you only get short curly bits not long curly bits soo they canna wrap round the chuck. Most of my toys are made from alloy , brass or bronze. I dont do much in steel other than cranks. Mostly very small bits n bobs I make not much over 12mm and down to 0.5mm . My smallest engine to date is 2mm bore and stroke the largest lately 13mm

Ooohweeew, those are the kinds of chips that can be very annoying and tiny to deal with . Can you vacuum before going indoors? That might help.

 

[fcheslop]

Yes thats what I do, but as always there is always a few that escape. I have selective hearing so its not a major problem
cheers

 

[Richard Hed]

Yes thats what I do, but as always there is always a few that escape. I have selective hearing so its not a major problem
cheers

I know aboutthat hearing problem, LOL

 

[Courierdog]

Thank you one an all.
She Who Must Be Obeyed, will Appreciate all your input.
The workshop here is in the Basement, so once I leave the shop I am into Her house. ha ha
I have looked into the Cookie sheets, they are just not big enough.
I know machinists who seem to have the ability to only have SWARF land only in their preassigned cookie tins, I have never been blessed with the Obsessive Compulsive Syndrome neat/organized gene.
I suspect the metal bashing and covering the entire surface of the workbenches with sheet metal will contain the liquid mess if any to the work bench. Plastic type of corrugated Sheeting surrounding the splash areas will minimize the SWARF transfer to the home of She who Must Be Obeyed. This and getting new filters for the Shop Vac. I need to find a smooth hose to minimize the collecting on SWARF inside the hose.

 

[terryd]

Ooohweeew, those are the kinds of chips that can be very annoying and tiny to deal with . Can you vacuum before going indoors? That might help.

My Garage workshop is detached from the house plus there is a short covered corridor between the back door of the kitchen and an extension housing an extra toilet and utility room (Laundry room) . The corridor has doors at each end so I leave my work shoes there on a coconut doormat. In fact we never wear outdoor shoes in the house to protect the carpets and parquet in there and leave the ourside dirt just there- ouside. Shoes carry much dirt from outside and a lot of that dirt is dessicated animal faeces turned into dust, Yukk.

TerryD

 

[fcheslop]

I do similar to Terry although Im not that well trained and often forget
In the lathes drip tray I have a cheap rubber car matt that just lifts out and most of the swarf goes straight in the bin. Its not a big problem as my project are small. You can buy or make those magnetic swarf collectors Ive no idea how good they are
cheers