Making Lemonade (from lemons)

[sparky961]

This is a pretty simple one, though it took a turn from what I had originally planned.

I was trying to clean and square up some material I had, but it was about 6" long and the only accurate vice I own has about 2" wide jaws.  A 4" or 5" vice is on my wish list, and I don't think a 6" would fit well on my machine.

I came up with this interesting setup.  I think it was spurred on by a lot of the recent pictures I've seen of parts set up on shapers.

Making Lemonade (from lemons)

Making Lemonade (from lemons)

Granted, the 1-2-3 blocks look a bit precarious there.... but I couldn't think of a better way to get the stock to sit level with the table so I went with it.

Fly cutting progressed nicely top and bottom, but I wasn't happy with how parallel the machined stock ended up.  I had about 0.010 difference in thickness between front and back (looking as in top picture) and about 0.005" from end to end.  I would have been quite pleased with 0.001 to 0.002 difference either way for the original use.  Although it still would have worked, I can do better.

After thinking a bit, I decided to machine a third side and use that as a reference after turning 90 degrees.  This yielded much better results but still not a perfectly square piece.

While I was handling the piece and considering that it might just go back into my bin 'o stock for the next project, I noticed that it was pretty close to the size stock I'd need to make some T-NUTS.  Geez, I've had my machine for HOW many years, and countless times have needed a few more, and STILL hadn't made them.... it was WAY past due!

So using this same setup, I cranked up the spindle speed to 3k RPM and put my trusty 1/2" carbide end mill in there.  A bit of figuring and some final squaring later and I set it off to power feed through the cut.  It took about a minute or two at full depth of about 0.250" down and 0.125" in from the edge.  What comes off when I do this looks more like coarse sand than large nasty chips but if I feed any faster, the nasty shaking starts up.

Making Lemonade (from lemons)

Flipped it over and did the same on the other side.... then over to the bandsaw to cut it into shorter pieces.  I drilled and tapped each one separately 3/8-NC, followed by a slight countersink and staking of the bottom to keep the stud from screwing through and destroying my table.

Making Lemonade (from lemons)

While I was trying to take some half-decent close-ups with my phone camera, , I found a big lens that came out of a bench magnifier lamp.  I decided to try taking the pictures through this and the results were pretty nice.

Making Lemonade (from lemons)

There you go.  Nothing fancy, but I'm sure they will serve me for years to come.

-Sparky

[DaveH]

Sparky,

Well I have to say that was well thought out

Was there a reason not to clamp the work piece directly onto the table?

The "T" nuts look very good - well done.

 
DaveH

[WillieL]

The "T" nuts look very good - well done.

 
DaveH

I agree with Dave, Sparky - they look good.
One thing you might consider is getting another 2" vice and putting them side by side on your table, if that would be more affordable for you. Clamp your part at the ends between the two vices, and shim under the center of the part for support. Just a thought. I think you will have better luck if you get the part as close to the table as possible, and it will be safer as well.

I've done a few wild work holding set-ups myself. Sometimes a man has to do - what a man has to do, to get the job done. But I always ask myself one question before turning the machine on. "How bad is this going to hurt if it comes loose and hits me?"   

 

[Xldevil]

Hello.
Nice set up.Will try it some day.
Thank You for showing.
Ralph

[Stilldrillin]

That's an interesting set up! 

The sort of thing my night shift oppo used to leave behind, for me to sort out........ 

But.... As this one did the job, for you. Well done! 

David D

[WillieL]

That's an interesting set up! 


David D

Alright gentlemen, here is one of my "lemons". Feel free to pucker up.   

Making Lemonade (from lemons)  Making Lemonade (from lemons)

2 hours to set up, and 2 minutes to cut.   
I like this thread. It could turn out to be epic!   

[sparky961]

For fly-cutting the entire face, I couldn't clamp this part directly to the table because the clamps would interfere.  I had tried clamping down using that interesting trick Rob showed us in his angle plate thread, but I couldn't get a good bite on the part and was limited in my placement of the clamps.

A second vice would certainly have helped but I don't have much room atop my riser block to clamp anything down, so this might be out of the question.

Since I don't have an adjustable knee, and only about 4.5" of quill travel, I seem to always be having to come up with a setup that looks like the leaning tower of Pisa.  This one was surprisingly rigid compared to some I have come up with.  Though I have to admit that I DID purposely stand out of the predicted path of travel, should the part have let go!

I could have cut the steps down either side by clamping directly to my riser block but since I already had a setup that was working well, I wasn't about to rotate the riser block 90 degrees and re-square everything.

I couldn't clamp it directly to the main table because I can't reach it without using a really long extension, which wouldn't have increased the overall rigidity of the setup.

I've learned to get a lot done with this combo machine, but sometimes I scratch my head for days trying to think about how to get a part to hold still while I mill off the parts I don't need.

I should really post a thread illustrating the work envelope of this machine so that you guys can understand why a lot of my setups look so crazy...

-Sparky

[DaveH]

Sparky,

No one is laughing at you, we are laughing with you.

I think I know the type of machine you have, is it like the Smithy Combo.

I had one of those, only sold it (to a mate) because he kept on nagging me. He still has it and still going strong.

Luv to see a pic of your machine Sparky.
 
DaveH

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi Sparky

At the end of the day you got the job done  there will always be times when  we have to make do with what we have at hand in or home shops to get the job done ,, all part of home machining 

Good save by the way nice T nuts 

Rob

[WillieL]

I couldn't clamp it directly to the main table because I can't reach it without using a really long extension, which wouldn't have increased the overall rigidity of the setup.

I should really post a thread illustrating the work envelope of this machine so that you guys can understand why a lot of my setups look so crazy...

-Sparky

Sparky,

Well that certainly explains the need for your set up. Sometimes there is no other option. It's obvious that you put a lot of thought into clamping your part to make the clear path you needed for your cutter(s). I noticed the spacers you put in to move your part away from your riser to avoid cutting into it. That shows good planning and that you know what you are doing ahead of time.   

I'm new here and don't know your machine. I can't tell what kind of space / work envelope you have to work with from your close-up photos. I was just offering a possible alternative without being able to see the bigger picture. No offense intended or implied. DaveH is correct. Just trying to help and show support, because I know I've done things that would make a real machinist cringe. But I have to work with what I have. It's all I've got.

 

[sparky961]

.... No offense intended or implied ....

None taken.  It takes quite a bit to offend me - usually a blatant assault on my intelligence ;)  I just wanted to make clear the thought process that went into the setup because it involved a lot of humming and hawing and turned out excellent results.

It is, indeed, similar to the Smithy combo that Dave Mentioned.  It's branded as a Craftex B2229, sold by Busy Bee Tools out of Ontario, Canada.  Grizzly has a similar offering.  I'm always torn because although the machine is compact and I can do a lot with it, there are many limitations to how you can set up parts without an adjustable knee or column - especially if you need to switch between short tools (centre drills, end mills, fly cutter) and long tools (drill chucks/bits, reamers, indicators).

http://www.busybeetools.com/products/LATHE%7B47%7DMILL-COMBINATION-110V-3%7B47%7D4HP-60HZ.html

Mine is dirty white, a bit dirtier than when I bought it around '02.  I like the colour of mine much more than the current one that looks like a John Deere tractor.

-Sparky

[AussieJimG]

Perhaps I have misunderstood something - if so, please just ignore me. But would it have been possible to clamp the workpiece in your 2" vice and support the ends on the 1-2 -3 blocks or similar parallels?

My vice is a bit larger but I use this method all the time to ensure that the workpiece is parallel to the table. I just don't trust the bottom of the vice to be accurate.

Jim

[sparky961]

It's not a bad suggestion, Jim, and I have to admit that I hadn't considered that possibility.

However, after I get my vice clamped down on top of the riser block, there isn't much room for any more clamps or blocks up there.

-Sparky