Member postings for Ian Skeldon 2

Hi Jason,

I thought that adding the post might offer an opportunity for members to share their views on vices bought in what I think would be relavent to newbies reading the forum. I faced that very dilema some years ago and have to admit that the vice that I bought from a well known retailer and sometimes contributer to this forum is adequate for most of the work I do. I do know that an upgrade will be on the cards at some point and then I would look to spend more than the figure quoted.

I won't be the first (nor possibly the last) to make the point that a damned good milling machine will produce only mediocre results if all of the fittings are not of the same or better standard.

Hi Andrew,

Yes I think your view and others of a similar vein have been posted, I was hoping that some of the more helpful and knowledgeable members might like to offer something simple and helpful for newbies or would be members looking for advice (advice, is that a pun?).

Ian

Maybe we could make this thread into a more useful thread providing advice rather than opinion?

So if I was to ask the following question,

I wish to buy a vice for my medium sized milling machine, (make and brand of milling machine not relevant), medium as in not the smallest or largest of the various mills for sale.

I would like to the vice to have a minimum of 4" jaw and maximum of 6", I would like it be as rigid and as accurate and repeatable as possible for the money I have available ( £150-£300 ) I don't mind if it swivells or not. I live in the UK and want to know that I can return the vice shout it fail or not meet requirements.

Please offer your views based on your purchse of a vice matching my requirements.

Thank you,

Ian

I am sure that all of the people reading this are far too savvy to fall for this one, but please do remind older members of the family or comunity.

Knock at door, man with shiny leaflet showing amazing roofs and company details, claiming that the company is a family run business, been running for 15 years, he tells you in a concerned way that you have several loose or cracked roof tiles (bungalows only), or faulty guttering, or that he can cut down your dangerous tree before it damages your house etc.

These people are scumbags, they prey on elderly and vulnerable people and charge hundreds or even thousands of pounds and usually leave you with a problem you didn't have before they fixed it.

NEVER agree to buy anything at the front door or agree to have any work done, even if he is wearing a uniform and tells you it's bob a job week.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 15/08/2018 18:26:02

Nice work there Andrew.

I spent several hours fitting my new 127 tooth change gear. First I had to get some good quality steel from my scrap box, turn the outside diameter to match the inside diameter of the new gear. Then drill and bore out the inner diameter to match the outside diameter of the spindle it runs on, then cut out a longtitudnal slot in the new bush for the key. Heat up gear, cool down bush and fit, balah bing.

Only to find that I then needed to mill one side of the hub boss off the new gear as it was too wide to fit the spindle as it was (photo to come soon).

Happy with all that I went to fit it to the lathe and found that I need to cut out a slot in the motor mount as the drive gear now fouls it, that will get done during the next week, all being well.

Edited By Ian Skeldon 2 on 11/08/2018 21:37:28

Edited By Ian Skeldon 2 on 11/08/2018 21:37:52

Edited By Ian Skeldon 2 on 11/08/2018 21:55:19

Please don't expect a very high price for it, without all the other parts it can't run.

Anyone seen the cheese?

I have a myford mill which is heavy and well built but I am somewhere in the middle and leaning towards mouse.

Looking at Andrews photo maybe I should be a bit more adventurous.

I recently had an issue in trying to turn a 14tpi thread. My lathe is metric and despite being told and seeing it advertised as capable of cutting both metric and imperial threads, it couldn't do that with the change gears supplied. Calling the supplier (Chester Hobby Lathes) to ask for help was left with a promise to get back to me with a solution, that was several weeks ago still not heard anything.

On the other hand, Ketan from Arc Eurotrade, an alternative engineering supplier, saw the thread and contacted me to say that his company could help. So yesterday, I called Arc Eurotrade, I ordered a 127 tooth metal change gear that will fit my lathe, including postage it came to less than £25, and it arrived today. Now that is an incredible level of service by any standard.

Ketan I wonder if you could source and sell a lathe of similar spec, size, weight and quality as an english lathe such as Harrison M300 or Colchester Bantam etc If so let me know, I will happily put my name down on the list of people wanting such a thing.

Phew thank you, I wil give it a go and hopefully get to renew it.

Thanks,

Ian

Hi,

After putting in a fair bit of time I have got pretty good with fusion 360 and actually enjoy using it now. So I was very dissapointed to get an email telling me that my trial period was coming to an end (doesn't seem like 12 months already).

So is there an alternative that is as good/easy to use as fusion 360 and either free or cheap (no more than £200 one off payment)?.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Ian

I am extremely impressed with the continued support from everyone. I will be following up Ketans mail and buying the 127 tooth gear on Monday.

I think the level of knowledge and depth of experience on this forum is amazing, even better is that people are willing to share their knowledge so freely.

I am indebted to so many people so please accept a BIG THANK YOU, to you all.

Ian

Thank you Martin and Howard,

yes I think trying to get a selection of gears including the elusive 127 tooth gear would make life easier and more interesting. I would be up for boring out an existing gear and even bushing at a push. I have already looked at Arc but couldn't find anything.

At the moment there is no rush so I have the time to look around but one things is sure, I won't waste any more time (or spend any more money ) with Chester, they never did bother getting back to me, even to confirm that they couldn't help.

Thanks, Ian

No good for me as I don't have a bantam, but a very useful post for anyone else that does, nice one Ian.

Friendliest and most helpful forum on tinterweb, welcome aboard.

I am so impressed at the fantastic help I have received. I have just made a few more cuts leaving the halfnuts engaged, I tested first how quickly the carriage stops when the stop button is pressed and it's almost instant.

Result, now cutting a decent thread with the half nut constantly engaged.

Thank you so much to so many for sorting this out for me, I am very grateful.

Ian

Jason your right, I have been using the feed lever. I used the halfnut engage lever the first time and the meshing was so bad I assumed I had got it wrong Doh...

Using the half nut lever does indeed produce what looks like 14 tpi, give or take. However the lathe slows down and even stalls occasionally, even with a pretty light cut. I have been using the slowest speed available and would like to keep the half nuts engaged as they really do seem very agricultural when engaging at the start of each cut.

So this problem was caused by the most commonly known fault, the user, my sincere apologies to everyone who has tried to work out what was going on. Also I am most grateful to everyone that offered help and advice throughout the whole of the thread (pun intended).

Ian

Les with the gear box in position 1, 1 revolution of 40 tooth produces one full revolution of the leadscrew, however 5 full turns of the 40 tooth gear produces aprox 2 1/2 (2.5) revolutions of the leadscrew.

I have taken another pass and the pitch is now easier to measure and comes out at 0.8mm giving if I am right about 32 tpi?

Hi Martin, the photo is showing the old gearing but the writing is correct, Les your maths is spot on, the 40 tooth is doing 3 revolutions to every 2 revolutions of the chuck.

Les, one full revolution of the chuck turns the 120 tooth gear 1/2 a revolution, so yes two full revolutions of the chuck, will rotate the 120 gear a full revolution. More information to come shortly.

Edited By Ian Skeldon 2 on 30/07/2018 18:47:43

Hi,

Yes the photo is the original photo, but I have edited it to show the current arrangement.

Howard, sadly I can't replace anything with a 127 tooth gear as I don't have one, the gears that I do have are listed much earlier on in the thread.

I will try to get another photo showing the arrangement but be aware that the 120 tooth gear will mask the 80 tooth gear.

Thanks again to everyone trying to help me with this issue.

Ian