Gallery, Projects and General > Project Logs
Building a New Lathe
Neubert1975:
Hi
Yes i have been using all sorts of scrap, but later i have mostly used alu rims from a friend of mine that have a auto repair shop.
My crusible is made of stainless steel.
Most times i have been casting stock materials in tin cans, but i think you hit my problem with porosity (bigger bobbles) i do tend to pour quite hot, but recently i have bought my self a pyrometer, so i am hoping that it can help with the problem.
The skimming i would say is fine.
:thumbup:
tom osselton:
--- Quote from: vtsteam on June 24, 2018, 10:21:37 PM ---Thanks Tom. How is your casting going? I remember you really had a nice set up. :beer:
--- End quote ---
I’d have to dig it all out right now it is packed away in the storage shed I bought to help clear out the garage when we finished off the inside and moved the machines in. I do have a lot of aluminum and brass to melt though. The quad is blocking the entrance of course with a dead battery. :doh:
vtsteam:
Hi Neubert, I don't have a pyrometer. I just watch the melt and when the pieces start to break down I give it a light stir with a 1/4" rod to feel if everything is melted and then skim and pour. For me, as soon as it's ALL liquid, it's ready. Like I said, lost foam or super thin castings might need a little more heat, say 1 minute. :dremel:
Tom, I know the feeling exactly -- there was a delay of 2 years in this thread, when all my machining stuff was buried under other house project tools, materials, etc. Feels good to be back at it, after taking care of other necessary tasks. :beer:
vtsteam:
Well after all that blather about a multi-tooth cutter, I got impatient, and just ground a small lathe tool by hand with 25 degree angles, locked my calipers to .054", squinted as best I could at the tip, by comparison, and called it done. I installed it in the very same cast fly aluminum cutter I had bored out the headstock with, bolted down the old 5C spin indexer to the mill table, and hoped for the best.
vtsteam:
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