The Breakroom > The Water Cooler
Machining Bliss
Bernd:
Ok MadModder's I may have reached machining bliss today. :med: :med: You may have read my thread on the Bridgeport that followed me home, well I finally have it pretty well tuned up and running. :whip: So today I made some chips. :dremel:
I'm building Elmer's "Edu Engine". It's a long stroke engine that is used in stern wheel paddle boats. I'm doing this for a boat forum I'm on. I made a few parts and found out I didn't have any fasteners to continue what I was building. So last night I sat looking at the print and figured there were a few more items that could be made. I decided I would do the cylinder and valve block. I needed 3/4" square stock. As I was looking at my aluminum stock I realized I had no 3/4" square stock. What to do? Well over in the corner was a piece of aluminum plate that was given to me. It looked like a rat had chewed on the edges. Somebody had used a plasma cutter to cut it to pieces and it was 3/4" thick. So I drilled two holes in it, screwed it to a piece of 3/4" plywood and cut a straight edge on it on the table saw. Then I cut a 1" wide piece off for the valve and cylinder block, plus I had a piece left over.
Ofcourse :worthless: so see pic below.
What your looking at is the left over pieces that were plasma cut (in the foreground). Notice the crescent shaped piece with the two holes on either end.
After having rough cut these pieces I proceeded to finish them in the mill. What pleasure to be able to take a .100" deep cut at 4 inches a minute feed and not have the mill jump all over the place. The Grizzly mini-mill would never have stood still for that. (pun intended) Plus it held size to with in .0002", :jaw: yes that's two tenths of an inch.
Yup, sure is nice to have a big machine. Anybody want a mini-mill "really" cheap? Naw just kidding.
Anyway, if that is machining bliss I think I attained it today. :med: :med:
Now just so you Mods won't feel slighted about me not posting a build thread here on this engine I have a much bigger project planned for here. :thumbup: Many don't know my first hobby is model railroading. Well it includes 1.5" scale railroading as well. But what's even better is I like live steam railroading, meaning I'd like to build a steam engine I can ride on and now that I have a decent mill to do some big work on I can start on that long awaited project. Here's a couple of pics of the engine from Live Steam magazine. I plan on changing the engine and drive system so I guess you could call this a MadMod. :mmr:
Here's what the engine looks like.
And this one will give you a perspective of size.
Hopefully I'll be able to start on it before spring arrives. It'll be a long project. I just hope I can see it through.
OK, time to go back and make a few more chips now that my machining orgasm is over. :dremel:
Bernd
Divided he ad:
Bernd,
Glad to see your so happy after all that hard work :D :clap:
Not too sure I've ever had a machining orgasm before.... Not too sure I ever will!?!?! :bugeye: I was pretty happy when my engines were completed though :thumbup:
Still, Glad your happy and look forward to seeing the engine taking shape.... All bar stock or are you going into casting?
Ralph.
bogstandard:
Bernd,
I know exactly how you feel over having a super rigid machine.
I thought my old mill/drill was great, until I started to put the bridgy clone thru it's paces.
Your old clapper must be worn out, because I work to zero tolerance, 0.0002" is a bit too much for me. :)
Just joking of course, that is good for an old machine.
You will find that 0.100" is a standard cut for thinning material down with a flycutter, if you are using an end or side mill in non ferrous, half the width of the cutter for side or depth cutting for roughing out. Stick say a 1/2" cutter in and set it to take 1/4" depth and 1/4" side cut and wack it thru. That then shows if you have a rigid machine, I think you will be surprised. Take no prisoners when it comes to removing big chunks of metal.
John
Bernd:
--- Quote from: Divided he ad on November 29, 2008, 02:41:10 PM ---Bernd,
Glad to see your so happy after all that hard work :D :clap:
--- End quote ---
That I am Ralph and it sure was.
--- Quote ---Not too sure I've ever had a machining orgasm before.... Not too sure I ever will!?!?! :bugeye: I was pretty happy when my engines were completed though :thumbup:
--- End quote ---
I'm very easy to amuse. :clap:
--- Quote ---Still, Glad your happy and look forward to seeing the engine taking shape.... All bar stock or are you going into casting?
Ralph.
--- End quote ---
Going for the full bar stock option here Ralph. I don't know about the wheels yet though.
Bernd
Bernd:
--- Quote from: bogstandard on November 29, 2008, 03:48:18 PM ---Your old clapper must be worn out, because I work to zero tolerance, 0.0002" is a bit too much for me. :)
Just joking of course, that is good for an old machine.
--- End quote ---
Ya, well I didn't want to make you feel to bad so I throw that in. :D
--- Quote ---You will find that 0.100" is a standard cut for thinning material down with a flycutter, if you are using an end or side mill in non ferrous, half the width of the cutter for side or depth cutting for roughing out. Stick say a 1/2" cutter in and set it to take 1/4" depth and 1/4" side cut and wack it thru. That then shows if you have a rigid machine, I think you will be surprised. Take no prisoners when it comes to removing big chunks of metal.
John
--- End quote ---
Actually what you see in that first pic is a 1/2" two lipped end mill. I cut .100" deep at about 7/8 of the cutter width and it breezed through with out any chatter. I'll have to give that .250" depth a try. But first I'm going to need some more tooling for the machine. Not cheap for this "Kwik-Switch" tooling this machine uses. I'd like to get the proper end mill holder instead of using a collet.
Going to have to make up a flycutter with a 1/2" shank and see how she does.
Bernd
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