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| Darren:
Another mini project for me tonight. Nothing much, but sure is a pain not having any. Esp when plunge milling. That's Gib Locks to clamp the table on the X axis. I knocked up these bits. Free cutting steel for the main body with 1/4" 26 threads, or 1/4" bsf if you prefer. (threads are good, just covered in oil & muck) The brass bars are to be the levers. Threaded 1/4 26 and tapered the shafts. Tried several angles of 2,3 & 5 Deg to create different lengths. (just trying not to have a straight bar for the fun of it) Cut the bars and rounded the ends with a file. I lost one, snapped the threaded end off. :doh: At least it can be salvaged later. :dremel: Didn't finish the Gib locks, but I did use one of the levers for my QCTP. Finally it has a proper handle instead of a bolt :ddb: |
| bogstandard:
Very nice job Darren. If you don't mind a slight criticism. If you look at this C-o-C, it shows that with just a little more work you can help prevent the handle snapping off under high stress manoeuvres. Where the thread joins the handle, is a very weak spot and it is liable to break in that area due to the bending forces involved. By moving the bending force away from the thread and putting it into tension by use of the the two flat faces, it will tend not to snap off or bend as easily. John |
| dsquire:
John That is a very neat little trick. I would never have thought of it but I can see where it would make an big improvement. :ddb: :ddb: Darren How could you lose something so big so quick? :lol: :lol: Cheers :beer: Don |
| Darren:
Thanks for the tip John, If you look at the QCTP you can see that I have done as you suggested. It's not screwed in fully yet as I need to shorten the thread a touch. It was late so I left it at that for the night :thumbup: I lost the other piece in the lathe while rounding the end. I made a boss with a thread to hold the lever whilst rounding the end. Sticking out so far at 3,00rpm and attacking it with a file was a bit too much to ask. Lets just say another lesson learnt giving a touch more wisdom to be locked away :) |
| Darren:
Preparing the main body, set at 5 deg and milled a flat. Drilled and tapped 1/4" bsf and fitted the brass levers Due to the fact that the holes in the machine are not threaded right through some spacer pins were required The front end of the pin was machined (bench grinder & file) to 60 deg to match the Gibs. It occurred to me that if there was ever a need to retrieve them from the holes it would be rather difficult. Say the tapered end didn't line up or something, or they became worn short later etc. So I drilled a 2.5mm hole in the end so a tapered scribe could be pressed into the backs to grab them. Worked rather well :smart: All in place, here they are locked And here un-locked. I will be able to see at a glance if they are locked or not without touching them :med: I'm happy to say they work rather well and that's one step closer to making this mill further complete. There should be some to lock the knee as well, not sure how much these would get used ? Comments anyone. So far I have not noticed a problem in not having any. Comments anyone. And I can't see anywhere they could be fitted to the Y axis :scratch: |
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