Member postings for Ron Laden

Our club track is open again (with restrictions and limited numbers) so I thought I would put a few hours in and make a start on the body. A picture below of one of the side panels in its early stages, base material 6mm MDF faced with 1.5mm birch ply. The top third of the panel is angled inboard by 5 degrees and the apertures cut for the numerous louvered vent panels and doors, 20 vent panels, 4 double engine bay doors and 4 cab doors on a class 22.

I considered fitting the 1.5mm facing as a one piece but went with cutting it into three and added one at a time, used 4 parts PVA / 1 part water to allow it to spread a bit easier when clamped and weighted down.

I found an old tin of cellulose sanding sealer which I tried on some MDF off cuts, 2 or 3 coats with a light sanding in between seems to work really well especially on the edges it soaks well in and seals the surface.

Edited By Ron Laden on 10/09/2020 13:41:02

I have the small Femi SN105XL, although compact it has 4 inch capacity and I have found it to be excellent, very good vice on it to.

Also got mine from Stakesys.

Obviously a 1.00 mm cutter is small but having received the ones I ordered and seeing them in the flesh it's a bit scary how small. I am trying to pluck up courage to give one a try.. ​​​​​​​​​​​

Thanks Andrew, 6082 it is didn't realise 1050 doesn't machine well.

Going to go up to 1.2 mm maybe even 1.5 mm if I can find a supplier who offers cut pieces in 6082 they all seem to do 1050 in the smaller thickness and I only need a couple of square feet.

Ron

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like I need to change material for something more machinable. I will see what's available in 0.8 though I can go to 1.0 mm if need be.

Ron

I have a good number of 1.0mm wide through slots to cut in 0.8mm 1050 alu sheet.

Top speed on my mill is 2500 which is obviously slow for a 1.0mm cutter but I did try a 2.0mm (smallest I have) HSS yesterday and it seemed to cut ok.

I am wondering do I go with HSS as it should be a bit sharper and 1050 is quite a soft material plus the speed will be down, or with such a small cutter would Carbide be a stronger tool and give a bit better feed rate.

It's a light duty job and there may not be anything much to choose between them..?

Ron

Edited By Ron Laden on 23/08/2020 08:58:08

If I was looking for a 5 inch 4 jaw independent chuck I would go with the one from ARC at £55 plus they stock Myford backplates.

Yes it's Chinese but going by the 3 and 4 jaw chucks I had from them for my mini lathe I wouldn't hesitate, quality was very good indeed and the 3 jaw had next to nothing in terms of runout.

I have a 6 inch PB 4 jaw which came with my 918 lathe it's very good but at 8X the price of the ARC one it needs to be. Will it be 8X better of course not and assuming the ARC one is as good as the 2 chucks I had from them I doubt that there would be any difference in use apart from having a PB badge to keep looking at..

Ron

Glad this thread came up as I was looking for a video editor and I downloaded the free Open Shot. I have had a play and I,m very impressed, even I can understand it, very user friendly I think. The youtube tutorials (by Open Shot) are excellent and get you through the basics really quickly.

Ron

Very neat Jason, I can see you will be doing brass engine nameplates next, should be good for that shouldn't it.

Peter, I have the SX2P mill and apart from it having 25mm more height between table and spindle the table size and X and Y travel are the same as your SX1LP. I started out with a 4 inch rotary table (a cheapie dont go there) but I found it a bit too small. A 6 inch would be too big but came across a 5 inch which is what I went for, came as a set with chuck, tailstock and plates.

A picture below showing its size against the table which gives you some idea. With the 4 jaw chuck and backplate fitted and a Jacobs in the spindle there is only 45mm between the two chucks so I have had to resort to shortening one or two drills in the past. There is more space of course with collet mounted drills and cutters and without the 4 jaw there is 205mm between the rotary face and spindle.

Just thought I would mention it should you want a bit bigger rotary though a 4 inch version may well suit your work.

Ron

p.s. The 5 inch version is 90:1

Edited By Ron Laden on 12/08/2020 12:37:53

Edited By Ron Laden on 12/08/2020 12:52:21

Where possible I do most of my tapping on the mill, I don't have the built in tapping mode but I could see myself using it a lot.

I only have the smaller SX2P at the moment but is was very easy to fit a reverse switch. My range is up to M6 in steel and I can manage M8 in aluminium providing its not too deep.

I also machine tap most blind holes, I measure the hole depth, knock off 2mm and set the DRO with the tap contacting the start of the hole. Seems to work fine though it does concentrate the mind when close to the bottom of the hole, like Jason says you just need faith.

Sorry to interrupt but Barries pulse jet has me intrigued is that a control line model..? I can only see one elevator and no ailerons, if it is how on earth do you keep up with that..?

Ron

That magnetic test indicator mount looks very handy Jason did you buy it or make it up yourself.

Ron

Thanks Martin yes I am thinking of getting a 5 inch chuck it comes with inside and outside and soft jaws are available. I wouldn't use the inside jaws with them relying on the last tooth far too dangerous, I was just curious as to the capacity of the inside jaws on the 5 inch (used correctly) hence my original question.

Going with the 5 inch from ARC £50 and a 1.5" x 8 tpi backing plate, price is very good and I am hoping it will be as good as the two chucks I had from them for the mini lathe, they were spot on making them great value.

Seems most 5 inch 3 Jaws are listed at around 40mm but the practical dimension is listed as 50mm well that's what I found on a couple of sites.

Can anyone with a 5 inch 3 jaw tell me its capacity across the inside Jaws, I appreciate it may differ across the makes but would have thought they would be similar.

I have done a bit of a search in a couple of places and it's coming up with approx 40mm which I find a bit odd as my 4 inch 3 jaw can take 40mm, I was expecting more like 55mm.

Fred,

There was mention of could it be light for good traction but I cant imagine that, I would have thought the loco has more than enough all up weight for good traction. Have you a finished weight, just interested what it comes out at.

Ron

I made my first buttons quite recently and just used some EN8 as is, used them to shape some alu parts, didn't have any problems.

The work is 1.75" steel unknown but it cuts nice. When it comes to parting off I throw feed rates out of the window I just aim for a cut with no issues or problems if it takes a bit longer I don't worry. I just think of the material the diameter and guestimate a spindle speed and feed, if the machine sounds happy so am I. I do tweak the speed and feed if I think I can get away with it or if it needs it but otherwise I leave well alone.

That's just me though I'm the same with turning and milling I go by the feel and sound of the machine regardless of what the books and charts say.

Very impressive Fred not only in designing/scratch building the loco but to do the same and design and build an engine for it is even more so.

Its obvious from the pictures the level of thought, design and quality of engineering that has gone in to it you should be very very proud of it, excellent it really is.

Would you be so kind and post some video of it when you take it to the track, would love to see and hear it running.

Ron