Member postings for Andrew Tinsley

+1 for that Jeff.

Andrew.

I shall add my warning to all the others, about trying to convert a drill for milling. It doesn't work! However I have seen one exception that does.

Fobco made excellent drilling machines, I have one and they are good. One version of the Fobco was sold as a mill/ drill with an x-y table, instead of the usual drilling table. They are pretty rare, but I know of one and it does a passable imitation of a milling machine. (better than some of the round column lightweight mills that are sold today)

If you can find one, buy it, otherwise steer well clear of pillar drills for milling!

Andrew.

Lucky man! Been looking for a Marlco knurling tool for years!

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 23/12/2020 11:55:32

I purchased 10 brushes from David Colwill (A1 Factors, Nottingham). They arrived this morning and for less than 50p each, they are excellent. Just been using one and can confirm David's claim.

Andrew.

Thanks folk

I suppose my queries are prompted more by curiosity than need to use the reamers. I do have the kit to regrind the reamers correctly, but hardly worth while. I sure would not be trying to remove an inch of reamer with a tool and cutter grinder, hence the query re angle grinder!

Thanks everyone,

Andrew.

I did think of chopping off the reduced portions and then grinding a new cutting edge as per normal machine reamers. Most of the reamers that have a reduced in diameter on the end, are in fact clearly marked as to size, only 2 or 3 are without a stamped dimension.

I assume that reamers are made from HSS so I have nothing that I could use to chop off the ends. Any suggestions? or can one use an angle grinder with some sort of wheel ........ diamond , silicon carbide???????

Andrew.

The reamers that I am querying are definitely machine reamers, no ifs or buts! The thought of reaming beyond the reduced diameter would fill me with dread. There is a definite right angle step from one diameter to the other. Being machine reamers (as Andrew said) they are intended to cut on the sharp angle at the beginning of the reamer, not on the flutes.

I can only assume that they are intended to ream only the short distance of the reground length. All very odd as the ones like this, that I have seen over the years have all been reground for the first 3/4" to 1" only. I would have expected the reground length to vary according to the depth of the reaming to be done.

Andrew.

Thanks both,

Over the years I have seen a small number of reamers that have been treated like this, so I have always assumed that whoever did the "sharpening" , knew what they were doing. This is the first time that I have actually owned some. The reamers are definitely machine reamers with the angled nose and 2MT taper. I assume they must have been ground for a specific diameter. Pity the ends can't be cut off and the original diameter reinstated. Only a few have no size markings, so returning them to standard would be good, but a fair bit of work, for something that would probably not get used much if at all.

Andrew.

I have been given a dozen or so 2MT machine reamers. Most seem to have been resharpened. Approximately one inch of the end of the reamers have been reground, reducing the radius by 5 to 10 thou.

The unground flutes are reasonably sharp, the reground length is very sharp. How would one use these reamers? Presumably one would use only the first inch of the reground part of the reamer?

I am unfamiliar with the professional use of such regrinds, so any info would be most welcome.

As an aside, how would you measure the diameters of the reamers, some of which don't have any size marking? A caliper across the maximum diameter? Seems a bit hit and miss when tried.

Thanks all,

Andrew.

Not really a paradox. Like monkeys writing Shakespeare. Given enough monkeys and a huge amount of time, it can happen!

I have seen other CLM 500 Ms that really were dreadful, makes me wonder if the good one was a special, sample touting for orders maybe?

Andrew.

Deleated.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 08/12/2020 13:29:53

I have heard a lot of adverse reports about the Clarke CL 500 M.A friend of mine has had one for 30 years. Contrary to many naysayers, it is an absolutely cracking lathe. Very smooth in operation and very accurate too. My friend has made some of the upgrades mentioned above and made it even better.

I don't doubt that there are many CL 500 M clunkers around, but this particular one is brilliant. I suspect it was a Taiwanese version being at least 30 years old. It was bought second hand and when it was tried by my pal, he snapped the hand off the seller, because it was so good!

Just goes to show that lack of quality control can actually produce a good one every now and again.

Andrew.

I have not been too impressed by Soba chucks. Soba do not make chucks,I am told, but buy them in. So there could be good ones around depending on who made them.

If you want a cheaper chuck, then Sanou seem to be making excellent chucks. I have just got one from Arc (although it is marked Arc, I am sure it is a Sanou, badge engineered version). It is also a lot less than the Soba 100 from Chronos.

Other people may well disagree, I am basing my opinion on two Soba chucks and what I take to be an Arc/Sanou chuck. So all is based on a VERY small sample!

Andrew.

Thanks to all who took the time to answer my query. I now have an order with JB Tools.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

I normally use HSS lathe tooling, but I have some of Arc's indexable tooling that takes the above inserts. I use them for hard spots in castings and similar nasties.

Using Arc's.holders, you only use 2 out of the possible 4 cutting points. Being a cheapskate, can anyone recommend an alternative holder that would use the other two cutting points?

Andrew.

If the tip is that bad, then you have nothing to lose. I will take a file to my soldering iron tips that are noncritical in use. Works for me and keeps me going until I remember to get a new tip.

Andrew.

Hello Jason,

I did find the thread that you linked to. It certainly wasn't the one I was looking for. That thread was far more detailed, could be that I have it confused with the original MEW article, although I don't appear to have that copy of MEW.

Thanks anyway,

Andrew.

Thank you Jason, just the job. I must have put in a variety of search "words" but didn't hit the jackpot. Mind you the search engine on Ebay is even worse.

Andrew.

I remember a thread that Neil did, comparing 4 or 5 digital calipers, maybe a year or two ago. I now cannot find it. Can anyone help?

I know there was a similar article in MEW maybe 5 years ago, but it is the forum thread that I would like to find.

Andrew.

Not impressed by chartered status. I became a chartered engineer early in my career. It was the easiest qualification I ever obtained. So unimpressed by it, that I resigned after a year or two Thought I could spend the annual fees on something more useful!

Engineers are way underrated in this country and there seems to be a holier than though attitude by quite a few C Engs !

Andrew.