Rod's Aussie Shed

[rodw]

Well, I hired the engine stand and it was pouring rain all day. The new machines got really wet so sorry, no pics I just got them moved and into the shed as quick as I could. Hare and Forbes method of picking up a lathe and balancing it works very well but trying to get an engine crane which is about 1100mm wide through a standard 820mm door into the shed is just not possible! This meant i had a lot of manhandling on my own and just managed to walk the lathe through the door and into position. I took the engine crane back and before I got home, the power went out. It is still out and it has been out for about 9 hours now. I have got the Seig nice and level and the lathe is pretty good. I knew I would have troubles with the lathe and I may well end up pouring a level slab to stand it on but at the moment each leg of the stand is on a big thick tile left over from my son in law's pool installation. I think this will work out OK but have not been able to run it to see in the blackout!

I am really happy the way it all fitted in so tomorrow's Job is to machine a couple of fittings to centre my lathe tooling in the absence of a QCTP and maybe try machining a couple of back orders for plastic blocks. That is if the power comes back on!

 

[gus]

Well, I hired the engine stand and it was pouring rain all day. The new machines got really wet so sorry, no pics I just got them moved and into the shed as quick as I could. Hare and Forbes method of picking up a lathe and balancing it works very well but trying to get an engine crane which is about 1100mm wide through a standard 820mm door into the shed is just not possible! This meant i had a lot of manhandling on my own and just managed to walk the lathe through the door and into position. I took the engine crane back and before I got home, the power went out. It is still out and it has been out for about 9 hours now. I have got the Seig nice and level and the lathe is pretty good. I knew I would have troubles with the lathe and I may well end up pouring a level slab to stand it on but at the moment each leg of the stand is on a big thick tile left over from my son in law's pool installation. I think this will work out OK but have not been able to run it to see in the blackout!

I am really happy the way it all fitted in so tomorrow's Job is to machine a couple of fittings to centre my lathe tooling in the absence of a QCTP and maybe try machining a couple of back orders for plastic blocks. That is if the power comes back on!

Hi Rod,
It is hard to believe we can get addictive to QCTP. :wall:Once set up and it is so easy to centre new cutters and change tool holders in a second or two.

Vertical BandSaw too,is addictive. Ha Ha :fan::fan:

Take it easy and take care.

 

[rodw]

Well, I have got everything in and have had a couple of days to play.

Still got a mess to clean up.

Hi Rod,
It is hard to believe we can get addictive to QCTP. :wall:Once set up and it is so easy to centre new cutters and change tool holders in a second or two.

Yes Gus, I know what you are saying. I might have been a bit hasty in my order but it is done now. I found a scrap of 3mm x 32mm flat bar and cut it down to fit the tool post holder. This left me a smidgin low but it was close enough to make some chips in HDPE plastic that is centre drilled.

After I made these chips, I went looking for some shim material and then I realised I was holding it in my hand! So I drained the beer can, hacked out a couple of shims and have two tools installed at perfect height.

Anyway, tooling is so expensive in Australia so it made sense to add stuff to the one order out of Hong Kong due to the freight cost.

After I had had a play on the lathe, I indicated in my milling vice and got it absolutely perfect which is no small achievement for a noob like me.

Then, I finally located the carriage lock screw and found it needed to be milled down to make it work so I also ended up with my first real milling job! Calculated the cutting speed from the instructions on the packet my end mill set came in, dialed in 400 RPM and it was all so easy!

 

[starnovice]

Suggestion Rod,
Put up some cheap shower curtain rods and hang tarps to protect your storage shelves from metal chips.

Pat

 

[rcfreak177]

Hi Rod,

Looking very smart now.

QCTP and other stuff,

I recommend this place http://www.cdcotools.com/

I have used them heaps and they are the cheapest around. Also service is good.

The only thing is the shipping, to make it worthwhile it is best to go with a USPS flat rate box for around $50 and fill it.
Has a weight limit of 20lb.

Baz.

 

[rodw]

Hi Rod,

Looking very smart now.

QCTP and other stuff,

I recommend this place http://www.cdcotools.com/

I have used them heaps and they are the cheapest around. Also service is good.

The only thing is the shipping, to make it worthwhile it is best to go with a USPS flat rate box for around $50 and fill it.
Has a weight limit of 20lb.

Baz.

Thanks Baz, I did find them and my neighbour gave me a CDC (USA) printed catalog after I ordered this stuff as he had a spare. They don't have much in the way of metric stuff and I wanted to get a metric boring head (with metric markings) and a full 19 piece set of ER32 collets (where in the US, they drop one off and make it 18. I was a bit worried CDC's collets would be marked in inches not mm which would have been a pain. I could get 19 piece ER32 kits out of CTC (Hong Kong). Prices were similiar but freight was a lot dearer. I think it will get here quicker. The last couple of orders from the US seem to get stuck in customs for a while before they leave the country. (it took 3 weeks last time vs 4-5 days a few years ago).

The tool posts are pretty heavy so I added a few other bits working on more is better in relation to the freight cost until the budget ran out. I asked them to send me a couple of extra tool holders which were not listed and they came in at $22 each vs' $9 at CDC. CTC were very responsive with their emails, quickly sending me a Paypal invoice for the extra items before they shipped my order which I thought was pretty good service.

I still have more stuff to order and liked the CDC 5 piece lathe ISO insert tooling kit prices at $33 plus $4 per insert!

So anyway, once I get the toolpost and work out how to fit it and if I make the switch to 16mm tooling, I will make another order. Still need a few more bits for the mill. I guess that will always be the case.

 

[rodw]

Suggestion Rod,
Put up some cheap shower curtain rods and hang tarps to protect your storage shelves from metal chips.

Pat

Thanks Pat, not a bad idea. My new lathe seems to be able to make a lot more chips than my old one. The mill is beside the door and gets wet if it is raining and the door is open so I will have a think about your suggestion. I have a fair bit of cleaning up to do to get the shop tidy again and want to make some tool holders to keep stuff habdy as I have a lot less storage under my lathe now.

 

[wm460]

Congratulations on your two new toys.
Looks like you have your shed set up nicely

+ 1 for CDCO,



PS I you got too much rain, send some here forgotten what it is like.

 

[rodw]

PS I you got too much rain, send some here forgotten what it is like.

Yes, I got sick of it! I am sure we had plenty spare! I measured 310mm (12.5") of rain over 4 days which I guess is about 3-4 times your average annual average! In typical Brisbane form, the weather fined up after the long weekend was over!

 

[rodw]

Grr, not happy with the cheap plastic bungs H&F use these days in their headstock gearbox. One let go before I got it installed and they airbagged one to me which I fitted last night. This morning, there was oil everywhere again and the bung was sitting there in two pieces. It was fine after I fitted it, but snapped overnight. Maybe the metal expands and pops it.

So anyway, it looks like the metal bung in the table of my Seig SX3 mill will live in my lathe as a permanent modification.

Anyway, at least this time there was a drip try to catch the oil!

Today, I made a carriage stop for the lathe.

I ned a different bolt for the adjustment so I'll go looking Monday. I posted full details here:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f28/my-first-milling-project-carriage-stop-20020/

 

[gus]

Yes, it is a rewarding hobby. Just remember to water down before drinking!

Hmm, went to Hare and Forbes today to grab some countersink tools.

Ooops!!! Also came home with a stand for the AL320G (L141) lathe

The new lathe will follow when it comes into stock in a week or so.

It was the biggest I reckon I can fit in my shed and with 38mm spindle is definitely an upgrade from what I have. I figured the pick gears for threading I can live with because I have yet to cut a thread since I have had a lathe.

Once it is here my 3-in 1 will be up for sale to fund the purchase of a Seig X3. Probably during the Hare & Forbes March Sale. As my nice stand/cabinet has to go to make way for the new lathe (which is too big to fit on it), I will let some tooling go as a package so it will be a good starter pack for someone.

Sing out if you know someone that may be interested.

Hi Rod,

My Aussie Boss and his Aussie partner had a very tall Stainless Steel Distill Column erected and running in his walled backyard in Saudi Arabia for three years and was never caught.The police sometimes passed by w/o realising alcohol was being produced. The "Partner" sometimes had to climb up on a ladder to fine tune column and would wave hello to the unsuspecting police.Very high grade drinking alcohol produced in Saudi.

 

[rodw]

Managed to get my QCTP fitted today

Full details here:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f28/yet-another-qctp-thread-bxa-al320g-20078/#post209450

So on the shed front, I am pretty happy to get this far since getting everything installed. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow evening since I bought the lathe home in a crate so to have managed to get a toolpost out of Hong Kong, fit it up and make a carriage lock (and a few boring parts), is not a bad effort.

I think the next step will be to have a go at fitting a DRO and expect to order one in a couple of weeks. Still deciding on which one.

The help and advice from forum members has been awesome so far!

 

[trumpy81]

The last couple of orders from the US seem to get stuck in customs for a while before they leave the country. (it took 3 weeks last time vs 4-5 days a few years ago).

Rod, if you want anything from the US you have to pay premium prices for shipping. UPS Expedited gets here in 5 Days as they have their own customs clearing proceedures. I have used UPS a number of times and never had a problem with them. It's usually only a few dollars more than the others too.

 

[trumpy81]

So on the shed front, I am pretty happy to get this far since getting everything installed. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow evening since I bought the lathe home in a crate so to have managed to get a toolpost out of Hong Kong, fit it up and make a carriage lock (and a few boring parts), is not a bad effort.

Rod, have you considered adding another 'shed' the same as you have now?

It would give you all the storage space you need and plenty more space in the 'workshop'.

Just a thought. Nice QCTP BTW

 

[rodw]

Rod, have you considered adding another 'shed' the same as you have now?

It would give you all the storage space you need and plenty more space in the 'workshop'.

Just a thought. Nice QCTP BTW

Now don't start giving me ideas, my wife would never forgive you! I have thought of it, I really wanted a 6x3m one but it would have been a major job in a different part of the yard. I have a garden shed behind and this one is the biggest you can get without council approval, but you've made me think maybe I could knock out the end wall and extend what I have using another identical kit shed which could be all workshop. I had never thought of that before!

 

[trumpy81]

When I put my 3.9m x 3.0m shed up I reserved 1m of it as a bird aviary for my cockatoo. I simply ordered an additional end wall with door on one side of it and used the original to divide off the aviary. I cut a huge window into it and then covered it with heavy mesh. Fred, the cockatoo was not that thrilled about it though, so he decided to leave

 

[rodw]

Grrr, just found out the drawbar on my Seig is 1/2" and I bought an M12 ER32 collet chuck and a M12 facemill. I really didn't want to have to make another drawbar, but I can't for the life of me find a MT3 facemill arbour with an 1/2" thread!

Looks like I will have to make do with some threaded rod for now. Does anyone know where I can get some hex rod is Aus?

 

[trumpy81]

Bohler Uddeholm at Darra can supply hex stock in steel or brass. You may have to buy full lengths though. They wont cut anything under an inch/25mm.

Minitech at Brendale carry BMS hex in 12inch lengths and brass hex.

 

[rodw]

Bohler Uddeholm at Darra can supply hex stock in steel or brass. You may have to buy full lengths though. They wont cut anything under an inch/25mm.

Minitech at Brendale carry BMS hex in 12inch lengths and brass hex.

Thanks Trumpy,the last one I made from hex I got from Minitech, this time I need a longer piece. Thanks for the Darra source, a length would not be out of the question as it is handy to have, the other local source is Hobby Mechanics which is also only 12" long, see http://www.hobbymechanics.com.au/categories/Materials-/

they are at Sunnybank and offer a quick service if you order online.

 

[radial1951]

Hey Rod, maybe they will sell you a few 12" lengths before they cut them up

Just A thought...

Regards, RossG.