Member postings for SteveI

DC,

I have extended early to get the free gift. I was up for renewal in March 2014. Now its March 2015.

Steve

All,

Many thanks for the tips on the 4mm pneumatic hose.

Regards,

Steve

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a supplier for replacement piping for a bridgeport one shot lubrication system? The pipes are clear plastic just a fraction under 5/32" outside diameter. I found this place on the internet:

http://www.machinerypartsdepot.com/site/1478157/page/705249

but would prefer a European (UK) based supplier. The milll is a 1985 Bridgeport/textron badged of UK origin. I think the one shot lube system is a factory installed option. Although it does not look identical to any I have seen in any manual I have yet found on the internet.

The background to this request is that I noticed damage to the pipe work after I got my bridgeport into the workshop. To get it through the door I had to take the table off. I noticed that one of the lubricant feed pipes to the longitudinal feed nuts was damaged. I am now considering to take the saddle and knee off to make sure all the lubricant distribution is functional.

Any tips for taking off the saddle? Knee?

Also what lubricant is recommend for the pulley cam / spindle bearing quill feed / quill bearings? The manual quotes "Vactra Heavy Medium". Any tips on the equivalents to that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

John, I don't suppose you can detail the supplier and P/N on that 3 HP motor can you? I have the J head with 5 position dual speed motor. I am not 100% sure since I have read conflicting information online, but as I understand things it is not suitable for use with a VFD. I'd like to fit a VFD to the head and am considering my options. (My situation is not quite the same, I have 400VAC and am really looking to add VFD to the head only.)

Thanks,

Steve

Hi,

quick question about forum etiquette. Should I revive an old thread about a topic if I have new input / questions directly related to it? Or should I simply make a new thread?

Steve

Hi,

I am a bit late in replying but since I spent the time to type I'll post.... Jason I'll try and answer your question, I have dickson style QCTP made by Bison. It is for the T0 size holders. Part numbers as follows:

QCTP P/N 4414-62x51. There are 2 sides that can mount tool holders.. If I didn't already have it, I wouldn't go out and buy one of these see below for why.

Standard tool holder: 4494-62 N

Standard V tool holder: 4495-62 N

Parting off tool holder: : 4496-62

Morse taper (1) tool holder: 4497-62/1N

boring bar holder (metric) max Ø 19mm | 3/4"  4498-62

boring bar holder (metric) max Ø 25mm: 4499-62

There are various sleeves available for the Ø25mm boring bar holders, these reduce the internal diameter to 8,10,12,16,or 20mm respectively..

The prices are eye watering. I feel lucky in that I have enough standard holders for now. I don't have any of the Chinese clones, but I would be interested to learn about the quality and fit they have. The bisons seem (to a beginner) to be nicely made although not as nice as some older British made I have seen at dealers on older myford, harrison etc lathes. Also the system is not as quick as others to clamp and release due to the need for a spanner. I plan on modifying it to improve that.

I understand that this QCTP is now at leat one of the options Boxford supply as standard with their new lathes. Rotagrip online sell the bison items. I also understand that other vendors do so as well. The usual suspects sell the Chinese clones.

My tools are from Arrand. Usual disclaimer; I am no more or less than a happy customer. I try to support English made within reason where I can and funds allow. Arrand are an hours drive from where I used to live and also post for free on reasonable sized orders. Their turning (right and left hand) facing (right and left), boring and end mills tooling all use the same tips. Which are according to the catalogue:

A1 - multipurpose 0.015" | 0.4mm radius, ISO no TCMT 110204

A2 - steel 0.015" | 0.4mm radius, ISO no TCMT 110204

It seems sensible to assume there is some missing information form the Arrand catalogue to differentiate the 2 tip types. I'd be interested to learn what the full specification is.

Although the tips they supply are (from memory talking to Arrand so don't quote me) Sandvik or Widia depending on if it is what they call the A1 or A2 (not sure which is which.) The inserts are common to the lathe tools and also end mills. That saves me a fair bit and helps offset the cost of buying Arrand. Although Arrand are small enough to be VAT free which helps as well.

In due course I'll need to get a solution for thread cutting and specifically for 55 degree whitworth thread forms and would like an insert based parting off solution. Arrand's 60 degree triangle tips don't cover everything. I'm sure I could have chosen something better / more future proof / etc etc.... I would be improbably clever or lucky to have made all the right choices but as a beginner I found the whole world of indexable tip tooling a mine field. The articles in MEW back issues and searching this and other forums helped (I forget the issues) time will tell if I made the right decision but in the mean time I'm up and running in this wonderful hobby.

Regards,

Steve

Edited By SteveI on 07/10/2013 20:19:01

Edited By SteveI on 07/10/2013 20:25:23

Jason,

I stongly recommend to take the time to check it before spending money on 16mm tool holders.

I have a Boxford IS 11.30 (aka 280). I may be wrong since I don't have a 250 manual but I think that they are very similar. Your is of course a touch smaller. For my lathe I use 12mm square tool holders. That is the maximum size I can use with my QCTP (Bison T0 sized dickson style tool holders). Physically I could fit 16mm2 but the tool tip would always be above center height.

Regards,

Steve

All,

Many thanks for the replies. You have educated me about a few new suppliers. One last question if I may, when reading old articles from MEW "throw away" cutters are often mentioned and seldom in a complimentary way. Are they much better now?

Thanks,

Steve

Hi,

With reference to the never ending debate about quality and country of origin I am looking for some advice regarding sourcing HSS slot drills and end mills.

I have a few threaded shank new old stock clarkson, dormer etc all uk made and a small and medium R8 Clarkson auto lock chuck. What I have today is very limited and a mixture of metric and imperial. I am looking to invest in what I need to work my way from raw novice to beginner and onwards. I am following MEW back issue articles such as those by Harold Hall and mostly attempting to make myself small items of tooling.

I'd like to invest in good quality cutting tools, and plan in the longer term on learning to re-sharpen them. I don't have access to anything close to affordable next day delivery from any suppliers so the idea of buying tools I can resharpen appeals to me. I have access to T&C grinder. Note that I have some indexable tip end mills to provide the time buffer whilst I learn the resharpening and to be used on hard skinned castings etc,

What do people recommend, source more new old stock? If so what brands? Or buy brand new from certain brands/suppliers? I have found that when looking at new old stock some offers are not as sharp as others... Should I target throw away cutters and ditch resharpening?

I appreciate that is a lot of questions and perhaps I am most interested in peoples opinion of good quality slot drills and end mills. I don't anticipate much more than ~25mm / 1" diamters will be needed.

Thanks,

Steve

Hi,

I can confirm that my "bridgeport" badged bridgeport of UK origin does indeed have a UNC thread form on the eye bolt hole. I got myself a 2 tonne 3/4" 10 TPI UNC eyebolt from amazon dot com just shy of US$13. (usual disclaimer)There was me thinking amazon were for books, cd, dvd etc... The us site has much more. I won't lift with this but I am going to use it to help my stabilise the mill when I take it down some stairs to my houses back door workshop entrance. Yes I am nervous, but I got a boxford lathe, elliot shaper and rapidor hacksaw down ok so far...

regards,

Steve

Many thanks to all for the kind advice.

Regards,

Steve

all,

Many thanks. It seems that as suggested the most likely scenario is that there are 2 standard BSW for UK made and UNC for the US made. I have contacted the place I purchased from to see if they can tell me. NB the cromwell link eyebolt is only rated to 0.32 Ton I need at least 2200Ib plus safety margin.

I was hoping I could go for the eyebolt approach since the use of slings under the ram will result in having to lift it from a slightly higher point. I plan on hiring a crane to get all my machines to the workshop door since my house is built on a hillside (as is almost everything in the Bergen area) and my plot is very steep 1 in 3. Slings for this is no problem. To get into the workshop from ourside I plan on using an engine lifting crane to move them inside and into position. I was thinking the eye bolt would be easiest for this stage. Anyhow plenty more planning and work to do on the workshop before then...

Regards,

Steve

What is the thread in the 3/4" (?) lifting eye in a bridgeport mill? I have found different statements of "fact" on various internet sites. The mill is from 1986. (It is still in shipping at the moment so I can't get at it to check it or find the S/N in case it has changed over the years. It is not an adcock and shipley although it has lived its life in the Leicester area.

The two options I have seen on the internet are:

3/4" X 10 TPI BSW

3/4" X 10 TPI UNC

When I find out what it is I would like to get a lifting eye. I am based in Bergen Norway and lifting eyes with BSW / UNC will be hard to source. (I am refurbishing my home and all my machines are temporarily unavailable to make one.)

Thanks,

Steve

Good evening,

I received 2 seemingly identical copies of MEW Issue 204 in the post. Which address should I return it to? Alternatively is anyone missing a 204?

Regards,

Steve

About 5 years ago I was working out in Texas for a few months. On a day off I paid a visit to Houston Area Live Steamers. There was a 7.1/2" gauge Big boy and a challenger amongst other locomotives. They were incredible. The sheer scale was amazing. What made me smile was that I overheard a discussion about what was the minimum gauge for safe passenger hauling for the general public. The general consensus was that 7.1/2" was too small and 15" was appropriate.

This firm http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/ supply castings, drawings and some other parts such as the frames for the challenger. They also supply drawings for the big boy and indicate that the challenger castings can be modified for the big boy. I have no connection to them.

Regards,

Steve

Hi,

Thanks to all the help I am getting somewhere. My hope is that I if I can find some free time I'll calculate the tooth count of the gears I am missing. It will be nice to be able to post the complete specification of what is needed.

Regards,

Steve

Neil,

I of course can't be sure if they are imperial. However note that pretty much everything that I can check and measure or find in the manual on this lathe is metric.

Regards,

Steve

Hi,

Based on this drawing of the dimensions of the spline:

I have measured the following::

D== 23.10mm

d== 20.00mm

W== some range on this 5.50 through upto 5.55mm

h== hard to accurately measure

From some web research I understand that the parameter dimensions are controlled by the fit for a particular application. I also found a link detailing the relationship between the paraemters and dimension D. I have no idea if this was authoritative. Perhpas a member can educate me?

For six splines W for all fits == 0.250D

For permanent fit: h== 0.050D, d==0.900D

For slide without load fit: h== 0.075D, d==0.850D

For slide under load fit: h== 0.100D, d==0.800D

I'd be interested to learn if and what standard these gears splines are machined to. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

Neil,

The leadscrew pitch is 6mm. All the published details I am working from are here:

http://www.boxford.co.uk/products/man-machines/lathes/

Regards,

Steve

HI,

Thanks all. I think it will be a good approach to make a splined adaptor or 2 and then play with different commonly available mod 1 gears.

I will also look into what tooth counts I will actually be needing.

Thanks,

Steve