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takai
13th January 2010, 03:21 PM
I was going to post this in the mill/lathe tools thread but it's not really on tools so I figured we may as well have a fabrication specific thread.

Does anyone know or have any ideas on how to bore out a mac strut tube? A mate is wanting to bore his corona struts out by about .030 or so to run Bilstein inverted inserts.
Personally I think the easiest way will be to machine off the existing tube about 50mm above the stub axle and then turn a step into it for locating a new strut tube.

Thoughts?

Touge Boy
13th January 2010, 09:34 PM
I agree. There isnt much material to begin with really. not to mention the precision needed to do it. Possible to run a different factory tube at all?

corknose
15th January 2010, 12:58 PM
To take off .03 u would just polish it wouldn't bother boring it

Frak
15th January 2010, 08:38 PM
Lately I've been messing around cutting threads, my lathe has a quick change gearbox
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8186/15012010004.th.jpg (http://img136.imageshack.us/i/15012010004.jpg/)

and I have a thread chasing dial

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4180/15012010003.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/15012010003.jpg/)

so basically I can cut any metric thread I want, I think having a reversing motor is a must, also I like using the thread chaser as I can start it any where along the bed.

I started cutting threads using some HSS ground on bench grinder to 60deg(angle for metric threads) you check you angle with one of these
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/839/q612medium1.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/q612medium1.jpg/)
I also like to use this to 'square' up the tool to the part being threaded.

BUT, it can be a bit of a pain grinding up the HSS, so I managed to get one of these
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6709/15012010.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/15012010.jpg/)
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/1/9/34380.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/15012010001.jpg/)

It is cut with a 60deg angle, all you do is grind the top face flat, set the height and thread away, when it gets blunt, you loosen off the capscrew, rotate it a fraction, grind a new flat on top and good to go, the angle is perfect, it makes it so easy.

takai
16th January 2010, 09:02 PM
I love my 60deg carbide bits :) Makes a world of difference for cutting threads, i hate grinding HSS bits too.

Havnt cut any threads with the new lathe yet though.

As for the boring 30thou i would have thought just a polish would do too, although im starting to believe its more like 2-3mm not 20-30thou.

squeak
17th January 2010, 04:00 PM
Takai, best way would be to remove the strut housing all together and mill or set up in 4 jaw chuck then machine the base of the strut to fit the correct size tube, this is usually a service done by top quality suspension shops(heaseman in Syd etc), have just send st 165 struts to have dunny door inserts fitted and the cost was pretty good .


peter

Frak
20th January 2010, 08:27 PM
I have a vertical milling attachment on my lathe
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6346/mill1.th.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/mill1.jpg/)


But I wanted to do some boring and bolt up larger parts, so I just got my hands on this, you remove the original crosslide and this replaces it, you can still put the tool post/compound slide on but it has a heap of t-slots to bolt on angle plates/components.
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/1/9/34883.jpg (http://img255.imageshack.us/i/exslide1.jpg/)

next on my list is an indexing head ;)

Tim.duncan
21st January 2010, 12:30 AM
have you had a chance to make anything on your new toy yet frak?

Frak
21st January 2010, 08:30 AM
Yep mainly tooling type things, but have made some fancy alloy wheel caps and alloy rim locaters.

takai
22nd January 2010, 02:47 PM
On my little walk back from Car Torque just then, i was thinking about making up some tool holders, really similar to the QCTP units but fitting into the standard tool post.

High on the agenda would be a U shaped one for my general cutting bits, this would be a simple U shape with a side and base of 4mm (need 4mm of spacer below) and the other side of 6-8mm so i can tap it and put some M6 capscrews through to just hold it in place.
The next one would be a piece of alu with a hole drilled in it for the boring bar, again a pretty simple one with just a couple of grubscrews holding it in place. But also spaced correctly vertically and with a nice flat edge that i can line up with the back of the toolpost so i know its pretty much parallel.

Anyone made stuff like that that i can look at for inspiration?

Sam-Q
23rd January 2010, 02:37 AM
would you like any of the posts from the other machining thread moved over to here?

squeak: good to see another person into machining on here.

MAGIC MAN
29th January 2010, 12:39 PM
call me lazy but i now have access to cnc machines so new billet parts here i come lol. although i will still enjoy getting down and dirty on the regular machines

Frak
29th January 2010, 06:23 PM
hmmmmmmmm cnc :drool:

corknose
29th January 2010, 11:14 PM
cnc is fun when doing 3d objects or something u can appreciate but 80% of the time its pretty shit. like production work im doing at the moment. i push the button sit down for 38mins open doors blow air take out debur put in other machine and push start wait 17mins and then debur again.

Frak
29th January 2010, 11:27 PM
yeah for sure, production stuff would suck, bespoke stuff all the time would be good

redsprinter
1st February 2010, 01:04 PM
hey guys,.

Has any body used a tube bender to make up your own exhuast? or even gone and made their own extractors? what would you guys use for exhaust systems and roll cages.

takai
1st February 2010, 03:23 PM
Ive mainly made my exhausts out of mandrel bends, although im considering getting a simple tube bender like this:
http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/144206_lg.jpg

For doing catbacks and cages with.

Currenly im looking at buying (and have bids on) a tube notcher like this one:
http://image.minitruckinweb.com/f/9376936/0710mt_15_z+tool_buyers_guide+jmr_tube_notcher.jpg
For cages and spaceframes.

redsprinter
1st February 2010, 03:59 PM
yeah i was looking at the same sort of tube bending machine as above today.

a mate of mine has a cat back exhaust that i wouldnt mine trying to copy . playing with the idea since it look easier enough.

would the above be any good for making custom headers too?

takai
1st February 2010, 04:48 PM
No, for making headers you really want to use mandrel bends. The bends are normally too tight to use a pipe bender, and you really do want the best flow you can there.

Sam-Q
2nd February 2010, 07:14 AM
I am wary of that tube notcher/fish mouth tool. While that one looks really tough I think it would take a fair bit or time and I would wonder how often hole-saws would need to be changed particularly with harder materials

takai
2nd February 2010, 07:30 AM
With a decent HSS holesaw and cutting CDS/CDW i think it will be fine. They take a standard holesaw anyway, so you can spend up on the good HSS or even Carbide ones for the sizes you need a lot of.

Slimer86
2nd February 2010, 02:57 PM
Frak, when chasing your threads on the Hercus, you may find that due to the age its stretched the leadscrew.
You might just have to play with it for a while to see if you need to put pressure on the headstock or hold it back on the leadscrew while cutting.
If you are doing the same thread repeatedly, I would suggest getting a thread ring/plug gauge for it.
I may have access to the plug/ring you require from my old workplace that has since shut down and selling off all the old equipment and gauges. (Calibrated with certs)

Sam-Q
2nd February 2010, 04:11 PM
With a decent HSS holesaw and cutting CDS/CDW i think it will be fine. They take a standard holesaw anyway, so you can spend up on the good HSS or even Carbide ones for the sizes you need a lot of.

yeah I forgot that you could get tungsten tipped ones. I am sure that would work on cro-mo.

takai
2nd February 2010, 04:21 PM
Cromo cages these days are a no-no anyway. It would be CDW/CDS

Sam-Q
2nd February 2010, 04:28 PM
oh I don't care about roll cages, it about bikes and buggies for me

so is that tube notcher on ebay?

Frak
3rd February 2010, 09:57 PM
Went down to Hercus today to pick up a few bits and pieces, those guys are very good to deal with.

Sam-Q
3rd February 2010, 10:01 PM
yeah I found the one of the main tech guys to be very helpful as well. I bought a new cross slide nut there

Frak
3rd February 2010, 10:16 PM
lol!! I happened to buy same thing today :)

Sam-Q
3rd February 2010, 10:21 PM
first thing that wears out on a lathe, as far as I know all the lathes used the same one.

Tim.duncan
4th February 2010, 12:50 AM
started my advanced lathe operations tafe course tonight. only done the usuall boaring intro safety stuff and some theory. Should be starting some eccentic turning next week, should be good.

corknose
4th February 2010, 09:53 PM
i go back to tafe on thursday.

takai
4th February 2010, 11:35 PM
started my advanced lathe operations tafe course tonight. only done the usuall boaring intro safety stuff and some theory. Should be starting some eccentic turning next week, should be good.

Currently i hate eccentric turning, and worse intermittent cutting. Does nasty things to my carbide tipped tools.

Tim.duncan
5th February 2010, 12:33 AM
iv never done any so im kinda looking forward to it, yeah carbide tips are good when some one else is paying for them! So you dont use any high speed steel tool bits?

corknose
5th February 2010, 01:16 AM
carbide like to take deep long cuts. not shallow intermited.

takai
5th February 2010, 10:15 AM
I have one or two HSS bits, but not many. I do like my 16mm and 12mm carbide gear, but loathe taking intermittent cuts.
They do let you do 5-6mm cuts on alu though. Nothing like turning a 90mm round into this in about 5min:
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/29869-1/IMG_1082_s.jpg
Ignore the surface finish, thats just roughed out.

Slimer86
10th February 2010, 03:36 PM
Nice chatter... Picked up the swarf near the end of machining shoulder too. :P
I hate it when that happens. Especially turning tools for R&D tube endforming.
We would turn them from 4140 or K110, K110 we would trial then flame harden till a new one was made and through hardened by General Tooling and Heat Treatment.
Pick up, wrapping and throwing of swarf when its spooled up to 1200rpm on the final cut sucks.
On another note, I may have access to my old work's CMM for a day or 2. Well I do, it just depends on if I have some free time once I have done my other jobs, but is there something inparticular which is a bastard for you budding home machinists to measure which I might be able to do?
I am going to measure up my stock blacktop water inlet/thermostat housing block, so thats already on the adgenda.

takai
10th February 2010, 04:46 PM
Yeah, it was chattering because i used a non facing cutter to do a quick facing pass on it, and i cut quite shallow. Gettign a decent finish on 6061 is a pain at times, and yeah, picked up a BIG bit of swarf at the end.

All roughed out though. I think ill end up gettign some HSS bits for finishing stuff off to a nice sheen.

orange32
10th February 2010, 07:48 PM
I'm doing general machining at tafe at the moment, Advanced machining/milling is towards the end of the year I think. We're making this awesome little arbour press. So far all the threads, sizes and surface finishes are spot on, I'll take some pics of it when its done

Sam-Q
10th February 2010, 09:05 PM
I look forward to seeing it

hey Chris do you think its only the standard profile carbide tunsten tip shave issues with surface finish? there is type listed in the Sandvic catalouge that is for light cuts that has a edge like something tool steel is normally sharpened to

takai
11th February 2010, 09:26 AM
You can get quite nice finishes with the carbide tips, but you have to do a quite a hefty pass to get it right. Like to get a nice finish i tend to do a 0.5-1mm pass as the final.
In that case above i roughed it out a bit too close.

corknose
12th February 2010, 04:10 PM
you never want a sharp tool when cutting metal. when i make my hss bits i make them to a point then radius them for a better surface finish.

takai
12th February 2010, 04:38 PM
For carbide you do though. HSS on the other hand no.

Sam-Q
12th February 2010, 06:12 PM
it wasn't that edge I was referring to though, I cant explain without a drawing

takai
18th February 2010, 10:19 AM
Got my little parting off tool yesterday, and it works a treat. Needs a few little modifications, but other than that its great :)

Sam-Q
24th April 2010, 10:54 PM
I thought you guys might get a kick out of seeing how I made an attachment to allow my lathe to grind my diameters. I was having some issues with surface finish on my 4130 (Cro-mo) steel as I mentioned earlier and I figured it wasn't going to be very good for when I do my bike spindles that slide through some bearings. So I had this loopy idea of using a very cheap 125mm pedestal grinder and mounting it to where the tool holder normally goes. Here is how I managed to make the adapting bracket:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/42606.jpg

It ended up being a whole lot simpler than I originally anticipated. But simple is good and it lets me rotate the whole assembly in degrees the same was as I normally would with a tapered cut on the tool post. It should be awesome to use as I can do all my normal lathe work and then when I am getting close I can undo the tool post, slide it off, put this in it's place and all under a minute. To bolt it in I made my own equivolent of a full length T slot with 2 layers of 5.5mm plate welded ontop of each other.


Here it is in action:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/42607.jpg


and the surface finish:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/42608.jpg


It works well but I still want to do the following:


- Make up an enclosure ontop of the grinder to hold the electrics

- Put a gaurd on it, probably modified for the most cover possibly allowing for good visability and access

- Make new plates that hold the disk in as the original ones are far from straight and cause the wheel to wobble, this seems to be the case on every grinder I end up with? It should run dead true after that.

-Maybe have a diamond dressing wheel that I can hold in my chuck to make it true, or even better on a magnet off the chuck so I can use it for other things as well.


The funniest thing is that it has cost me $20 for a grinder on special and about $1.50 in bolts.

Interested to hear what you guys think.

orange32
25th April 2010, 09:48 AM
How bad was the surface finish before? Would it have been possible to just machine it to .03 - .05mm up and use some emery to polish it to size? I like what you have done, looks like it works perfectly.

Have you had any problems with chatter form the grinding?

Sam-Q
25th April 2010, 10:18 AM
I don't have a picture of what it was like before but very "stingy". This is how it looked when I did try and get it close and use emery paper, it's still a bit rough though, more than the pic shows:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/42611.jpg

The reason was I would get it close and start doing nice fine cuts but it would still look like crap, but as discussed earlier in this thread it's probably not helping with my cutter. I found there is no chatter at all, even though the wheel is wonky, it's actually really smooth and progressive. What is a bit different though is that when I move it in the sparks keep coming off, as in I would of thought that I would move it in one position and it would grind till it was clear and then free spin, however in use sparks keep coming off. It will take some experience to get used to using it in regard to getting it to grind something to tollerence. I will take pleasure in using a micrometer instead of a vernia to see what it is.


I also posted this on the garage Journal forums (awesome bunch of guys), and some have talked about how doing what I did above while good will leave the very abrasive grid on my lathe to wreck it in a fairly short amount of time. I didn't think of this and after a good clean today I will look at amaking some temporary covers up out of plastic/rubber for next time. I also will look at hooking up my coolant pump, apparently it will let me have an even better surface finish.


Now Chris in regard to our chat about surface finish with tungsten carbide bits, I have been looking at catalouges and I think I hasve figured something out. Sandvic sell three grades of cutting tip for just about every shape available. They are for heavy cuts, medium and light, with worst to best surface finish for each. The shape of the rough cut is flat on the top, so it has no relief angle off the top of the cutter, the next one is the common one where it is flat for a short lip (0.5 to 1mm?) and then has a relief angle. The light cut has no shoulder and is an upwards angle which is pretty much like how any of us would sharpen a HSS cutter. Now what I suspect is that we are trying to get a good surface finish with the equivolent of a blunt edge on the cutter compared to the HSS cutters. I think they do this because the carbide construction is too fragile to have a sharp edge for normal use and hence it's only available on the light cuts. So I think it's only indirectly the material that causes the surface finish. SO what do you think guys, am I dreaming? Anyway I have some really nice chucky HSS bits from an ebay store called Stone-tools which I am going to sharpen and give a go.

Sam-Q
25th April 2010, 11:11 AM
looks like my hunch with the tungsten carbide cutters was right:

http://www.thewarfields.com/cnccookbook/CCLatheSurfaceFinish.html

takai
27th April 2010, 04:23 PM
I suspect though that due to the size and weight of my lathe (in relation to yours) i can get away with using a 0.4 or 0.8mm radiused bit and still get a good finish.

MAGIC MAN
29th April 2010, 01:26 AM
the machine has a massive part to play in it, not to mention the guy using it, the guy who taugh me how to use lathes and mills is to put it simply a machine. he is a freak of nature, and very switched on about tooling also. i'm sure i could ask him also about any queries you guys have, if you want some help

Sam-Q
3rd August 2010, 11:11 PM
well I put a crappy video up on youtube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A98ko6owHB8

Tim.duncan
4th August 2010, 11:06 AM
Great video Sam!!

i hate to be a nit pick but i noticed you had gloves on with operating the lathe, This really is not a good idea.

i worked with a guy who was linishing and it was starting to get hot so he put gloves on, the glove then got caught in between the job and the linishing paper and bent his fingers backwards around the job and broke them!! he spent the next 2 months unable to work and another year having to do rehabilitation to get his full movement back.

I know you werent near the job but its just good practice to never use gloves or have loose clothing while machining.

looking forward to more vids

Hachi_Tom
4th August 2010, 01:24 PM
Never noticed this thread before.

Im currently an apprentice fitter/turner, my work builds a shitload of raceparts for speedway cars. So i have access to 2 manual lathes, 2 cnc lathes and 2 cnc mills. :)
hoopefully when im a bit more experienced with machining/turning i can help some people out with some stuff if needed.
Massive learning curve on how to do stuff too.

Sam i too noticed you were wearing gloves :s
Anything thats loose and can get caught on a lathe is soo dangerous.
dont know if any1 has seen this before, if you have a weak stomach i strongly suggest you not to open this, i would classify it was NSFW too.
http://www.lildobe.net/gallery2/v/Disasters/indacc/Lathe_Accident/
an apprentice in melbourne also died after his arm got caught in a lathe, they amputated it from elbow down, died from injurys..

ive had real close near hits, one could have ended up sending me to hospital, was turning 150mm dia. stainless and the swarft bird-nested up and spun round put like 150 cuts in my left arm.

my story rofl.

Sam-Q
4th August 2010, 07:09 PM
yeah I knew someone would point out the gloves thing, I only wore them for when I was doing bulk outside cutting to protect myself from the hot chips and removed them immediately afterwards, but yes not a good habbit to get into.

ae_drift_86: unfortunetly there are very few members on here into machining. Which is a real pity really, it does sound like you have an awesome setup though.


Now time for an update as I showed earlier I had this crude digital readout on my lathe:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/33152.jpg

I found when I used my lathe it would jump about 0.03mm at a time. I took my cross-slide apart, cleaned it, re-lubed it and put it back together for it to only be the same. Doing something crazy I decided to could justify buying a proper professional DRO set for my machine. I also paid the extra money to have a 0.001mm scale instead of a 0.005 as per normal, however with the radius vs diameter compensation it moves in 0.002mm increments at a time. When installed it worked a dream and I could easily and predictable move it one incremement at a time. So this shows me that the scale itself wasn't faulty but my poor mounting was flexxing and causing it to 'hop' across. I will post some pics when I could be bothered.

Frak
4th August 2010, 08:30 PM
Sweet vid sam.

Sam-Q
4th August 2010, 10:42 PM
well thanks, I though it was kinda corny actually.

I succeded in what I wanted to achieve though: a machining video where your not kept waiting for something to happen. To give some idea this is over 10 hours work as a rough guess.

ke70dave
4th August 2010, 10:46 PM
great video sam, enjoyed watching that.

damn i want a lathe!

takai
5th August 2010, 01:46 PM
Sam: where do you source your tool blanks from? Local suppliers have jack all in 16mm square, as they reckon everyone has gone carbide. Im wanting to experiment with tool steel bits as well.

Hachi_Tom
5th August 2010, 05:32 PM
Holy shit! 10 hours.
is that machining time or just a rough guess on how long you spent on doing that whole part?

Sam-Q
5th August 2010, 06:12 PM
Chris: an ebay store called stone tools (http://stores.ebay.com.au/STONE-TOOLS__W0QQ_sidZ184754557?_nkw=tool+steel&submit=Search):

I suggest getting the largest size that fits your machine, that means less flex and they are long enough to use both sides. I actually used a slitting disk in my hand grinder to get the rough shape as it would of taken too long with a bench grinder.


ae_drift_86: a very rough guess on how long for everything, measuring, machining, setting up and so on. For example you can see that I have only used a 4 jaw chuck for higher accuracy every time. However this means when I take it out and put it back in I have to re-dial it up again to make it central.

Hachi_Tom
5th August 2010, 06:27 PM
Yeh i know what ya mean. and you are using HSS tools too, maybe im just a bit too used to using a cnc.
Also, do most of you do all your own welding too? MIG, TIG whatever.

edit: watched the vid again, just noticed how you have to undo your 4jaw chuck.

Sam-Q
5th August 2010, 06:54 PM
only using HSS because it's aluminium. I have a nice seco tool-holder that I use for most other jobs. I could order a finishing grade tungsten tip but that would be more limiting and also I can sharpen or do light reshaping on my cutting tip without taking it out by
using my dimond file.

I own a nice single phase Esab Mig welder, I use it for almost everything I do.

They will teach you later in your apprenteship that a 3 jaw chuck is never truly accurate, because it relies upon all 3 jaws moving inwards at exactlt the same rate it will always hold the work slightly out of round. I use the 4 jaw with it's independant jaws to get it within 0.1mm or so within true with a dial indicator. It takes time at first but below is a video which I used to become reasonably quick. I am usually off and going within a few minutes.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KMhx4DbyDg

orange32
5th August 2010, 07:42 PM
Good to see this thread still going!

My internet is capped for another 10 days so I wont be able to watch the vids untill then :( .
I have a few pics I took on my phone of a couple of welding jobs that I've done lately that are sort of interesting. Net is too slow to upload them atm.

I just ordered a unimig procraft210 welder for a pretty good price, can't wait to start making things at home

takai
5th August 2010, 07:53 PM
I need to machine up a basic dial indicator holder for my toolpost, that would save a bunch of time.

Thanks for the link too Sam, i was searching for 16mm rather than 5/8" so i wasnt getting the Stone Tools shop because they only list in imperial.

Hachi_Tom
5th August 2010, 08:35 PM
Ye Sam, i was taught a bit about that and was taught a rule of thumb is the less times you remove the job from the chuck the more accurate it will be

Is there much of a benefit to making a holder for a DTI? i would have thought the magnetic base ones were good enough?

takai
5th August 2010, 08:54 PM
They are pretty good, but my lathe has a front V rail and only a rear flat rail, which makes it a pain to access stuff, hence wanting to be able to use the toolpost for the DI

Frak
6th August 2010, 12:05 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn7A9PqNftY

takai
12th August 2010, 10:08 AM
Thats a pretty neat technique too, ill have to copy that as well.

Sam-Q
12th August 2010, 11:52 AM
I have seen that before, I just use my tailstock but I guess that would be much more vesatile

orange32
20th August 2010, 09:46 PM
I finally got around to putting up a few pics.

This is a job I had to make for tafe, it's an arbour press. Everything was made from scratch, from grinding my own HSS 60* tool for the threads to using a rotary table for the base. Tolerances were around the 0.1mm mark (which is great because at work I normally work to a 0.001" tolerance). Eevrything turned out spot on except for one of the cap screw threads which I tapped on the piss because i wasn't paying attention.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/51447.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/51448.jpg


The other pics are of a large sleeve/bush thing (not really sure what it is) that had a fair bit of wear and needed to be welded up and machined back to size. It was about 15" diameter and the two positions that needed welding were about 5" long. It took about 1.5hours of straight weld for each position using our super old auto feed welder. Once i machined it back to size it had no pinholes or defects which I was pretty stoked with.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/51449.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/51450.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/51451.jpg

Hachi_Tom
21st August 2010, 01:05 AM
Wow! they are really nice welds, how did you get them so seamless, as in, between stopping and turning the job, theyre so neat and straight!

excellent job!

orange32
21st August 2010, 02:09 AM
Its an auto welder, basically like a lathe where the job is grabbed by a chuck that spins really slow. I just set the torch up at the right angles and arc length, set the speed at which the chuck turns and adjust the volts and wire speed. It also has a sensor that makes the torch step over to start the next bead, you can kind of see where it does that at the bottom of the last pic.

Kind of cheating lol but its pretty difficult to do it all in one go without the shield filling with splatter (making the weld porus) or the wire welding itself to the tip and spattering like crazy. Plus the welder itself is pretty old and throws a tantrum at random intervals.

Hachi_Tom
21st August 2010, 09:09 PM
oh so you used hacks.
hahaha

was it glowing red hot when it had finished?

Sam-Q
21st August 2010, 09:14 PM
I find that amazing, I haven't ever heard of such a machine

orange32
22nd August 2010, 10:13 AM
the whole job wasn't glowing, but it did get a nice glow looking from the inside right where the arc was on the outside

MR86ER
19th January 2011, 04:57 PM
wondering if anyone in melbourne can do me a favour i have a cam out of a v8 and my plan is to make a lamp out of it so ill need the centre drilled all the way through for the lamp cord please pm me if anyone has 5mins to spare cheers

Sam-Q
19th January 2011, 05:14 PM
arn't all cams hollow? or do the V8 ones sit in an oil bath?

You might have to go to a gun drilling place to drill something that long

MR86ER
20th January 2011, 02:43 PM
Oil bath its only hollow half way

Tim.duncan
26th January 2011, 10:45 AM
i fabricated this the other day, its my first one
hopfully nock a few more out soon

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/61425.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/61426.jpg

Philbo
26th January 2011, 10:13 PM
wow that is pornographic man.

n2866
27th January 2011, 07:10 AM
subscribe

Sam-Q
3rd February 2011, 12:06 AM
i fabricated this the other day, its my first one
hopfully nock a few more out soon

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/61425.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/61426.jpg

Tim that looks really nice, I know from my own experience that this is harder than it looks. Please post any more pics you have as they come up

n2866
3rd February 2011, 12:28 AM
i much prefere tig over mig so much cleaner and can get much better welds.

Hachi_Tom
3rd February 2011, 08:25 PM
i much prefere tig over mig so much cleaner and can get much better welds.

this
i used to hate tig but since im getting much much better at it, its alot better id rather tig over mig anyday

n2866
3rd February 2011, 09:26 PM
yeah i love that if the weld looks like crap to you just buzz over it an ta daaa pretty welds :)

takai
4th March 2011, 11:47 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn7A9PqNftY

I finally got around to building my own setup like that. Works a treat, brilliant idea.

Tim.duncan
4th March 2011, 10:57 PM
Tim that looks really nice, I know from my own experience that this is harder than it looks. Please post any more pics you have as they come up

cheers sam, it wasent overly hard just very time consuming as i would test sight it every bend. the only hard part is trying to get flush cuts with only using an angle grinder,i need to get my self a belt sander so once cut i can sand them nice and flat to make a better fit for easier welding

tig is where its at! had an old dude at work suggest i weld somthing with the stick welder..... i just said no thank you ill tig it instead

hopfully doing some more systems soon, depends on what mates are doing

Slimer86
10th March 2011, 08:33 PM
Tim did you get the bends from Diesel Exhaust Systems or BDH Holdings?

Dish
12th March 2011, 07:18 AM
Exhaust looks good Tim. I haven't gotten around to making my own yet. Only have a few photo's from work on the computer, mainly marine gear.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/6/5/64993.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/6/5/64994.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/6/5/64995.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/6/5/64996.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/4/6/5/64997.jpg

In regards to the picture of the tube notcher earlier in the thread. I rate those for any joins that are 90 odd deg even 45 is ok depending on material.

Anything tighter they tend to smash holesaws and make a mess of tube. We use a radius master belt linisher at work, has 3-4 different radius wheels on it, I swear by it. All of our scallops tend to be funny angles and especially the relation between angle to angle is always different, never sq or 45.

Speaking from my own experiences and opinions obviously.

Tim.duncan
15th March 2011, 01:32 PM
oooo so shiny! nice work to dude. is there a bit of coin to be had doing marine jobs? i just figure anyone with a boat has cash so you can charge them with out any complaints. unlike people who have cars and no money ha ha

where would one buy one of these linishers? and for how much? im looking at getting some sort of notcher so just looking around

MR D no i got them off Ebay about $25 each... i should really look around and see if i can source them localy

Dish
15th March 2011, 08:12 PM
Boaties and car owners are one in the same. Some will pay thousands for it and some will laugh at you. It's a specialised field, you've really got to crank out some repetetive items to make your dough. We have hundreds of items jigged and traced and we love doing artistic/different shit on the side for people that will pay for it.

I think our linisher was about $1,000. Best machine I've ever used. Takes a while getting used to scalloping and doing everything on it. But if you end up using it in a business and you persist, it pays for itself in no time.

Any good tool shop should be able to track one down. All I know is that it's called 'The radiusmaster".

Todd
15th March 2011, 08:24 PM
just going to chime in and say nice work dish. that last job is beautiful.

Dish
15th March 2011, 08:32 PM
I can't take all the credit for it. I make all the parts and polish most of our unique items but the boss is a gun welder.

Shifty
17th March 2011, 08:01 AM
cheers sam, it wasent overly hard just very time consuming as i would test sight it every bend. the only hard part is trying to get flush cuts with only using an angle grinder,i need to get my self a belt sander so once cut i can sand them nice and flat to make a better fit for easier welding

I'm fairly new to this fabrication caper, but what about a band saw? A mate has an exhaust shop and the band saw makes everything so fast & easy.

Obviously an industrial one like his would be ridiculously expensive, but there are smaller ones you can get for this kinda stuff.

Sam-Q
17th March 2011, 08:42 AM
the problem isn't the cutting so much as lining everything up with the right pieces. Besides I am unsure if any bandsaws are available under 1000 that won't sway all over the place when cutting. I really want one though

takai
17th March 2011, 11:43 AM
Think about a power hacksaw then Sam. I bought one off ebay for <$50, and it works a treat for tube, and even round up to 100mm (biggest ive tried). Just needs a bit more steel welded to the base so it sits flat when cutting something that is heavy on one end (tends to tip otherwise).

Shifty
21st March 2011, 03:22 PM
Is yours an air one or 240v?

takai
21st March 2011, 04:24 PM
240v. Ill take a photo of it if i remember.

Bit like this:
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f65/123102d1259382969-coolant-power-hack-saw-saw_30pc_70.jpg

Without the stand though.

Sam-Q
26th March 2011, 01:38 AM
I got this:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/66158.jpg

Needs work

Skylar
28th March 2011, 04:22 PM
Should one buy a power hacksaw or a bench mount belt sander considering I need to cut straight lines in sheet as well? Must be small too.

or make a bench a bench sander out of a 1050W vacuum cleaner motor, 2" pipe, a plank of wood, metal and some bearings? bad idea?

Tim.duncan
30th March 2011, 01:42 AM
got board at work... so i made a fly cutter, oh how i have missed having acces to a mill!

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/66412.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/66413.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/66414.jpg

iwantarolla
7th May 2011, 02:49 PM
hey guys thought this might be a good place to ask. im doing machining at school, and i need a project to do. i can use a mills and lathes and a cnc lathe if i can be bothered to draw it on the program. i need a project i can do in about 15-20 hours of work. i have good skills on lathes and mills so some thing really basic wouldn't be okay. throw up some ideas please
cheers chris

stahlz_ae86
8th May 2011, 09:26 PM
Does it need to be a car related project? If not I should have a couple things you could do.

Sam-Q
8th May 2011, 10:20 PM
doesn't sound like it, post your ideas on here regardless, this thread needs more love

iwantarolla
9th May 2011, 09:16 AM
Doesn't have to be car related can be any thing thanks guys

Sam-Q
9th May 2011, 11:34 PM
you could make a very basic two stroke engine, only use brass sleeves instead of bearings and all, I guess it's a bit of messing around though. How about a Stirling engine or one of those old fashioned hand water pumps?

In other news I bought myself this:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/69226.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/69227.jpg

Despite looking small in the photos it has a 510mm square top. The thing has a worm and rack gear to tilt it from 0 to 90 degrees, weighs close to 250kg and has 38mm T slots in it. I got it cheap enough from my work and I figure I can use it as a bench for setting jigs up. Originally it's for a huge radial drill or something.

stahlz_ae86
10th May 2011, 12:48 AM
Doesn't have to be car related can be any thing thanks guys

I can suggest a centre drill with a number 4 morse taper (needs to be turned oversize, and sent out for hardening then cylindrical ground to size)

Does you workshop have a go - no go gauge for morse taper?

If you're keen I'll send pic tomorrow night + drawing.


Out of all my tradeschool projects it's the tool I use the most at work, every time I machine something on the lathe I use it.

Sam-Q
10th May 2011, 01:02 AM
post the pic here, I want to see it

stahlz_ae86
10th May 2011, 07:33 PM
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/9/5/552313.jpg

stahlz_ae86
10th May 2011, 07:36 PM
I can suggest a centre drill "HOLDER" with a number 4 morse taper

Was already half asleep when I posted last night I probably should have added the word holder, haha.

Frak
10th May 2011, 08:06 PM
This was a two stroke engine I made when I was an apprentice, it was a really cool project, I'm lucky enough to have a copy of the manual/blue prints for the project.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/7681/1000018np.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/1000018np.jpg/)
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/6889/1000017.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/804/1000017.jpg/)

swcustoms
30th June 2011, 08:30 PM
19522195231952419525195261952719528i currently program and run one of the largest cnc machining centers in australia , along with another 4 smaller machines we have in the engineering workshop i work at . were also conveniently located on the premises of a large profile cutting plate pressing and pipe / tube bending company located in brisbane.

im lucky enough to have access to any and every metal forming tool available :).

ill upload a couple of pics of the main cnc i run .

sorry i dont have any impressive pictures , but you get the general idea . if anyone needs anything just ask :)

Sam-Q
1st July 2011, 12:32 AM
wow that's a serious mill

corknose
3rd July 2011, 10:47 PM
we have soooo many jobs at my work which would be perfect for those machines..we have a couple of 4x2m tables and have to do 2 setups because they dont fit..

cnc dudes..fanuc or heidenhine ?(spelling fuck it)

McLEVIN
13th July 2011, 12:42 AM
Just putting it out here can anyone *cough* Frak! Copy this for me?
http://tapatalk.com/mu/af2520f1-4fe8-444a.jpg
Or know somwhere I can get one made up pref. In Adelaide

Thanks
Chris

takai
13th July 2011, 09:54 AM
Locating ring for a horn button? Bugger, i just threw four out.

McLEVIN
13th July 2011, 11:18 AM
Baha not what I wanted to hear. :(

n2866
14th July 2011, 11:33 AM
Could copy it easy just wouldnt be worth the machining time cheaper to buy one of Ching chong

McLEVIN
14th July 2011, 12:42 PM
yeh thought as much, doesn't matter now anyway. thanks though

japan86
20th July 2011, 11:20 AM
You can buy tungsten insert tips in 60 and 55 degree mate. You need the proper bit holder for them but they are good and have three sides on the same insert. Ive cut threads in 4140 with no probs before.

Cheers Tris


Lately I've been messing around cutting threads, my lathe has a quick change gearbox
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8186/15012010004.th.jpg (http://img136.imageshack.us/i/15012010004.jpg/)

and I have a thread chasing dial

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4180/15012010003.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/15012010003.jpg/)

so basically I can cut any metric thread I want, I think having a reversing motor is a must, also I like using the thread chaser as I can start it any where along the bed.

I started cutting threads using some HSS ground on bench grinder to 60deg(angle for metric threads) you check you angle with one of these
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/839/q612medium1.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/i/q612medium1.jpg/)
I also like to use this to 'square' up the tool to the part being threaded.

BUT, it can be a bit of a pain grinding up the HSS, so I managed to get one of these
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6709/15012010.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/15012010.jpg/)
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/1/9/34380.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/15012010001.jpg/)

It is cut with a 60deg angle, all you do is grind the top face flat, set the height and thread away, when it gets blunt, you loosen off the capscrew, rotate it a fraction, grind a new flat on top and good to go, the angle is perfect, it makes it so easy.

corknose
20th July 2011, 07:52 PM
^^ i use these at work on mills and lathes..i have cut saf2205 stainless and stuff does chew out the tips but doesnt mind it..

takai
21st July 2011, 06:17 PM
60deg carbide bits are the goodness. Love my carbide for quickly machining stuff up.

takai
22nd July 2011, 04:43 PM
Ok, seriously thinking about getting a mill. Thinking something like the H&F RM45, or a Hercus Model O.... thoughts?

Sam-Q
22nd July 2011, 05:38 PM
I have an RM45, it's poorly made and can only do light cuts. I haven't seen a Hercus mill before, got a pic?

What sort of work would you with one?

takai
22nd July 2011, 08:12 PM
This is the Model O i am thinking about: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hercus-Model-O-Milling-Machine-/250859220048?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3a685fec50

This seems to be a HF30 which im also interested in tracking down:
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f65/60098d1194901751-older-hare-forbes-rf30-penmill-1-1045x852.jpg

Sam-Q
22nd July 2011, 09:15 PM
you would find that the pictured machine looks the part can can only do very light cuts. The rear round column is the dead give-away that it's just an oversized drill

As for the Hercus it looks like a very solid machine however although hard to tell the table looks small as. I am sure someone knows more than me can give more details

takai
22nd July 2011, 11:22 PM
Apparently the round column doesnt actually affect things as much as the marketing people would like to have us believe.

corknose
23rd July 2011, 07:08 PM
We use maxi mills. Dunno if They are good or not but I assume so as I can take 7mm cuts in aluminum.

Sam-Q
24th July 2011, 11:50 AM
Apparently the round column doesnt actually affect things as much as the marketing people would like to have us believe.

Well even with a very wide rear square column I am still getting some flex. Again what sort of work did you have in mind Chris? anything in particular or just little bits here and there? If you just want to make a few basic brackets here and there then a small mill will work fine, well so long as you take your time on it.

takai
24th July 2011, 04:58 PM
Mainly just a little bit here and there, nothing major at the moment. Likely to be building a Seven or a Sports Sedan soon so im sure there will be little things to be machined up.

For now though i really need to machine out the back of a set of brake caliper adaptors.

corknose
24th July 2011, 09:09 PM
not much impresses me with the cncs these days (use them everyday at work) but this is wild.embed if you can. 1.10 crazy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK4Zeh2gq_Q

lolwat
24th July 2011, 09:51 PM
yK4Zeh2gq_Q

Sam-Q
25th July 2011, 12:16 PM
Mainly just a little bit here and there, nothing major at the moment. Likely to be building a Seven or a Sports Sedan soon so im sure there will be little things to be machined up.

For now though i really need to machine out the back of a set of brake caliper adaptors.

if you patient enough then the HM-45 will do that. Although I have serious doubts about the pictured model you have posted.

takai
25th July 2011, 01:22 PM
The HF30 seems to be an older smaller version of the Sieg X3. Keeping an eye out for 45 series now.

takai
27th July 2011, 12:23 AM
http://gallery2.plebeians.net/d/32705-2/1000001075.JPG

Yeah i definitely need a mill with a rotary table. The outer jaw is <5mm from the bed when spinning.

corknose
27th July 2011, 06:27 PM
4.5mm far enough away..

takai
27th July 2011, 07:17 PM
Haha, yeah, just means i cant spin anything larger :(. Lathe has a 310mm swing over bed.

stahlz_ae86
27th July 2011, 07:36 PM
What's the bore in that chuck is it an 80mm?

takai
27th July 2011, 08:03 PM
75mm. But the spindle bore of the machine is only 38mm.

corknose
27th July 2011, 09:54 PM
that looks like a hare and forbes one? model # and price and how do you rate it ?

Sam-Q
27th July 2011, 10:09 PM
that couldn't fit on the next set of steps on the chuck jaws?

I will take a picture of my rotating table and give you some tips on it.

takai
27th July 2011, 11:35 PM
that looks like a hare and forbes one? model # and price and how do you rate it ?

Yeah, AL320G, good lathe decent in size. I bought it second hand though so i cant really comment on the price. The guy who i bought it off had done a bunch of upgrades to it.


that couldn't fit on the next set of steps on the chuck jaws?

I will take a picture of my rotating table and give you some tips on it.

Nup, too small for the next steps, the small side jaws were hitting against each other in the center :(

Sam-Q
27th July 2011, 11:50 PM
ah I figured, it just didn't look it in the pic. I do think a mill would be the way to go here though.

takai
28th July 2011, 12:12 AM
Yeah, it would be. Decent sized mill with a rotary table would have made very short work of it.

Sam-Q
1st August 2011, 08:21 PM
took me a while to get these pictures up, I had to do only 3mm cuts with the mill and even then it very much let me know it wasn't happy doing so

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/192612.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/192614.jpg
http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/5/2/192616.jpg

now a few tips:

Hare and forbes sell a small tilting table with a chuck on it: don't buy it it's rubbish. This vertex table on the other hand is great and is of a very high quality. As for the whole buy the dedicated chucks for it, just ignore that. What you do is take the jaws out of any chuck, put them face down on a pedastal drill and drill through the middle of holes where the chucks get bolted from on the back outside edges. If you pick the right drill bit you can drill through the middle of the threads and make it so it can be put straight back on the lathe when done. Then turn the chuck back the right side up and counterbore the holes out the top to have the bolts fit flush. I have no idea if that makes any sense but that's what i did here, this chuck was on my lathe originally.

Also I personally dislike dividing heads, I think having to work in degrees and then convert everything to fractions is stupid.

takai
5th August 2011, 04:28 PM
Sam: what is the DRO you are using on your lathe? Im thinking about rigging up something similar for my cross slide.

Sam-Q
5th August 2011, 08:34 PM
from here:

http://shop.ebay.com.au/thedrostore/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

takai
6th August 2011, 12:01 AM
Ah bummer, they dont have the smaller ones anymore.

Was thinking of getting the 60mm one from ozmestore for the main slide, and then a 150mm for the compound, but i cant find any 150mm ones. Perhaps i should just butcher a cheap set of verniers.

Sam-Q
6th August 2011, 01:52 AM
here you go:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150mm-6-Vertical-DRO-Digital-Readout-Quill-Milling-LCD-/230527702509?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item35ac8595ed

I started with one of these but I don't suggest it. If you can buy the proper DRO units.

Tim.duncan
31st August 2011, 01:24 AM
http://ghettogarage.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/lathejosh.jpg

lets just say i was in the right place at the right time