Member postings for MW

Yeah, very awesome. I believe that binary started off with the idea of "boolean logic" -so named after George Boole that stipulates that everything can be reduced to a simple "has" 1 or "has not" 0.

He was of his time, and unfortunately, within enough of the public spectre for it to not go unnoticed by the law, he allegedly chose the hormone treatment because he privately thought it was a load of rubbish and wouldn't harm him anyway. That much i can believe but for no discretion to turn a blind eye to a single incident after all the work he did for them? that's cruel.

Ah yes, Neil, i did think of that idea myself, using a lathe tool post attachment, but unfortunately for now i dont have any dividing facility on my lathe.

Michael W

Thanks for the response, Clive,

I think were both along the same line of thinking for the punch collar, my numbers have square shanks too so i'll have to drill a round hole thats nearly the same size as the width of the tool, i like the idea of the holding screws to improve the fit and will now include this, thanks. I'll do my best not to drop it into a pit of swarf !

I have the 1mm punches on order and although i havent seen them yet, judging by the quality of my 5mm ones they arent of the finest manufacture i presume and will expect some defect in alignment which is almost unavoidable.

I, like you, find that the shape of the number largely dictates the force required to press it appropriately, i will heed your advice. I do have a small arbor press and find if you can line it up correctly just pulling all your weight on that gives you some relatively even stamping, and you can even re-stamp old numbers if youre careful with it. maybe an idea for some that dont quite make the depth!

Michael W

I dont really have the time to make a detent system for my lathe and i'm wondering if i can transfer the top slide over to the mill and line it up with the rotary chuck and cut so..two things i can see going wrong as such, the depth of cut is hard to determine and would have to be done with a rule and carefully moving the tool in the post and back lash from the feed screw of the top slide it isnt ideal but it seems like the only option ive got i'll grind up a sharp 40 degree inclusive tool to score them in.

As for the numbers, well it doesnt seem likely that i'll be able to do them at the same time but i could drill a 1 inch hole into a piece of metal and put a hole roughly the same size as the punch cross drilled into the 1 inch bore at that would give me a kind of "punching-collar-guide tool" that would ensure that atleast the number would always be struck true horizontally but ill have to hold it steady vertically some how, and ill have to work out the spacing between each number because i cant see what i'm doing whilst im hitting it.

This is the best and most convenient solution i can think of because specialist staking tools and engraving graduation tools cost alot of money, this is surely an exercise where the intuition of the maker must come into its own.

Michael W

Hi,

I'm starting on my project to build the trent pinion mill kit sold by Hemingway Kits

Having looked at the drawings, i've tallied up the tools that i dont currently have that i will need in future, I'm of younger stock so i was brought up with the metric system and thus virtually all my tools, drills, end mills, reamers, slitting saws, etc.. they're all metric and nearly everything but the threads (thank god) are imperial.

I looked at how much it would cost me to buy all these reamers and drills and decided that it costed far too much so i'll try to improvise as i go along on some of the hole sizes, i've only bought what is totally necessary so thats 1mm number stamps and a 1" x 60 degree dovetail cutter. The lathe tools i can grind up.

I've never done proper stamping before, i was taught to just do it by rough guides and hand, but theres a 1" brass thumb nut that needs graduated lines and numbers stamped on it, i've got a dividing head with a chuck, of the milling kind but no facility in which to accurately cut the lines and press the numbers.

Has anyone out there ever thought of a home built jig or staking tool, that would conquer this challenge?

Michael W

You can aim high, but you will have to be prepared for a series of knockbacks and remakes as i have found in the past.

I've never built such a thing but i made my own rack and pinion carriage feed for my lathe with a "half nut" system and found myself having to deal with multiple problems, almost to the brink of giving up and concluding it couldnt be done if it were not for the motivation of my father to carry on. I'm proud of my efforts but i can tell you big projects are not easy.

It normally goes like this, you build a rough prototype for proof of concept, then you need to rework the whole thing to improve it again until you get to a final build, its alot of work and alot of messing up.

I hope you give it a go myself and dont be frightened by failure

Michael W

It would be a good piece of advice since plunging in with a die without turning back can make small threads look awful,

Michael W

I would recommend prestos' range of split HSS thread cutting dies. I once owned a set of non split carbon dies and theyre only good for the bin to be honest because you cant adjust the overall diameter, theres no start to the thread basically. I know they cost alot for what they are but they definitely work.

I don't have a particular issue with carbon steel itself, it's a pretty durable steel but i suppose it could blunt quicker than HSS and thus have a shorter lifespan, just make sure you get the split ones or you'll be cursing and swearing for england.

Michael W

"Torque at the chuck depends on the gearing thus the better performance from machines with a geared head or belt speed change."

Exactly, but as we know, fully geared machines with a vast range of speeds are very expensive.

Belt drives are inconvenient to change, especially when idyler wheels are involved, you could just stick it on 500 rpm like i do with my pillar drill mostly but a VFD is actractive for its simple design and flexibility combining a mechanical control with a modest selection of either belts or gears with an electronic adjustment, i would argue give you the best of all worlds without being a pain to switch between them.

P.s Colin, i'd fully agree, these AC squirrel cage motors are as tough as old brown boots, i've had 2 DC motors fail me and none of my AC ones have ever died.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 04/02/2016 14:05:07

I've never had that trouble before but i wouldn't put it past them to try it on. Seems pointless but they should be honouring their commitment.

I have had plenty of cases where i buy say a pack of ten 3/8" bore ball races, costs next to nothing but i want them in a few days or so, seller is "UK based" turns out to be in mainland china and i've gotta wait 4 weeks for a cheap item i just want quickly, i wouldnt have done it if i knew it was going to be so far away, just a waste of time, i'd rather pay double if it was the only way to get the same item from 20 miles away or so.

Michael W

Combining an AC motor with a VFD and utilizing some aspects of mechanical reduction, like high and low gear settings seems to be a good way of machining all but the toughest of applications.

I use a mill with a DC motor at 750 watts and a lathe with an AC motor at 750 watts, both have some form of power control i.e PWM or a VFD and i can honestly say its hard to tell the difference. But my pillar drill has a single phase motor at 370watts but only uses mechanical reduction and it feels like i could plunge a drill as hard as i like and it'll take it in its stride. So what clive is saying probably is true.

Michael W

i remember someone once saying that on the face of it, a basic motor rotated by magnetic energy appears to be a very feeble thing and a wonder it ever worked in the first place, but then theyve done an awful lot to make them better and better at what they can produce over history.

Edited By Michael Walters on 03/02/2016 11:40:21

"DC motors are far smaller than AC for the same output"

Yep, it makes them ideally suited for mounting onto a mill because it can support the weight of it better.

I wonder if its more a question on the number of poles per motor that dictates both slower speed but more inertia.

I heard rumor that in the days before Induction motors all you had were big and beastly DC motors though, perhaps they were rather energy inefficient

Yeah, maybe dc motors have had a bad time because theyre normally used for variable speed and AC ones are normally belt driven, there still seems to be a distinctive lack of grunt from a DC motor though, i mean i haven't seen an old english lathe use anything but single/three phase induction AC

I agree with everyone on here that a two or even three flute(seems to be the magic all rounder but unusually uncommon) for cutting a slot whereas a four flute tends to be better for facing edges or small jobs.

Either that or you might have some slack in one of the slides which needs tightening up, or you have too much vibration or cylindrical run out from the tool, or you may have a slight taper from the position of the vice. It could of course, be none of these things; you may have a rock solid machine with the architecture and neatness of finely chiseled granite and be the envy of all your friends around you.

Michael W

Y'know i'm always up for a bit of chit chat but, can anyone tell me what is it exactly that makes AC induction motors more powerful than their DC counterparts?

Michael W

"But the best modification I made is to fit an AC motor and get rid of the gearbox"

Theres something about DC motors that just never keeps up with the torque of an induction motor, i found anyway, i can understand why you'd do it.

The WM18 is probably the zenith of this model with its 1.1KW motor, mines 750W written on the motor, but the spec on warco tells you its 600W, i could be wrong but i do find little inconsistencies regarding warcos info specs.

P.S i love the rack and pinion feed for head elevation on the WM16, i've used a mill with a direct to leadscrew approach and it was hell to get the head up and down. Most times i use the rack to move about quickly then bolt up, use the fine feed on the quill. 

Edited By Michael Walters on 02/02/2016 13:09:53

I would say as an honest user, I have not pushed this very hard, i generally do roughing cuts of about 0.5mm and this is why its kindof annoyed me, it's potential is very good despite this. It speaks for itself.

The material for the gear is probably ok, as you've heard. a few people have had these for years with no problem, just be careful when switching between high and low gear, they recommend that you dont do this at high speed obviously but i wouldve changed my ways by doing the changes by hand, very similar to the way you would rotate a lathe chuck back and forth slightly to get it to sit in the right gear.

Just remember to be careful to make sure the switch is fully engaged before operating it.

I can still use my stricken one on high speed but i guess you're really counting on luck in the end, i'm not out to badmouth anyones machine.

P.s. i will elaborate slightly on what i said by "changes by hand" -motor off, emergency stop on, twist the spindle back and forth until the engagement switch for high/neutral/low comfortably sits in the right position, thats the best i can advise.

oh and pack some thick grease in the oil port on the side of the machine where the gears sit every once in a while, they should have plenty applied already from the factory but its worth checking with a small torch. 

Michael W 

Edited By Michael Walters on 02/02/2016 07:04:42

Edited By Michael Walters on 02/02/2016 07:05:42

Edited By Michael Walters on 02/02/2016 07:07:20