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| AdeV:
A couple of years ago, Dad built himself this: For anyone who doesn't recognise it (probably if you're from Forrin), it's a Ford Capri. With a 5 litre BMW V8 in it, from an M5. When the engine was first being worked over, it was decided that a dry sump would be the best option. So, the alloy BMW sump (which was a monster) was binned & replaced with a welded steel unit. Unfortunately, the steel sump has always leaked, and is surprisingly heavy. So, an aluminium replacement was always on the cards. And, now that I have a milling machine, it's game on :) So, first job was to secure some aluminium. I needed a piece some 22"x10"x2.5"; a couple of quotes both came in around the £200 mark. Since that was clearly ridiculous, I bought a lump that's been on eBay for a while - a disc some 869mm in diameter, 2.5" thick. It arrived yesterday, so the first job was to get it on the mill: Weighing in at some 100kg+, that piece is going nowhere... I added a couple of clamps which basically just nailed it in place. You can just about make out the layout lines on the above pic. That piece is big enough for 2 sumps - which is kind of handy, as I will need one for MY Capri soon :D So, the first job is to cut the bulk of the material away from around the 2 sumps. As I don't have a bandsaw anything like man enough for the job, I'm having to mill it out. Using a 6mm ripper (roughing cutter), here's the first cut going on: After about 3; hours, here's the result. Each slot is 1.3" deep, or just a shade over 1/2 way though the block. I can't cut any deeper than 1.3" without over-stressing the cutter, as the broken one in the above picture proves. Luckily, I bought 2... and I could do with another 2 or 3 as I've got a lot of slots to go... However, if anyone's wondering how good these cutters are vs. a normal 6mm end-mill; well, it's a world apart. This thing munches through aluminium like it's hardly there. A gratuitous shot of the slots so far. I've cut about 736mm slot by 6mm width by 33mm deep, or nearly 146,000mm3 (8.9in3), and despite breaking the cutter (my own fault - I mounted it too low in the collet, and it snapped at the flat - i.e. the weakest point of the shank) I'm pretty happy with progress so far. Tomorrow... more slotting :) |
| andyf:
Ade, if you have a furnace, you should be able to get another sump or two out of the forthcoming swarf, once you've dug your way out of it to the door :lol: :lol: Andy |
| AdeV:
A couple of bits I forgot to mention above... - I've drilled a hole right through in each corner, so when I turn the block over I've got reference points for the slots on the other side. - I'm using an air blast to keep the slot clean as I mill it - which requires at least 4 hands when using the hand wheel, and I could use an extra eye to keep the DRO under surveillance... I'll be shaking aluminium chips out of my hair for a week, I think... - The billet cost me £150 on eBay - or just about £1.40/kg. Which is a real bargain but, as you can see, the piece only just fits on the machine... Fortunately, I'll have lots left over afterwards for any other project that takes my fancy - even another sump, if I get it re-cast into a fresh billet... Andy - you replied while I was typing this, but great minds & all that..... I will have to pick the swarf up, however, from what must be a 20 ft radius! |
| Darren:
That is some lump of alloy !! You'll have some nice bits left over :) |
| CrewCab:
--- Quote from: AdeV on February 09, 2010, 07:35:25 PM ---I will have to pick the swarf up, however, from what must be a 20 ft radius! --- End quote --- a £25 Argos vacuum could be a good investment :thumbup: Looking forward to following this Ade, ................ good looking Capri, I'm guessing Dad doesn't drive over many raised manhole covers :bugeye: CC :beer: |
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