Member postings for John Hinkley

Spurred on by the "Alibre - A first attempt thread", I have over the last day or two carried on with the CAD exercise that I set myself to model the suspension of a mythical sports/racing that only exists (and only will ever exist) in my mind's eye. Plans are afoot to tackle the front suspension, too, but I think I will have to reduce the width of the front wheels to make it "look" right.

I modelled the left hand rear corner first and then altered the upright for application to the right hand side, before assembling both corners and then amalgamating both into one straggly assembly. I have yet to determine the exact positions of the chassis mounting points.

Here's the picture so far:

Fasteners not included.

John

Edit:  grammar - as usual.

Edited By John Hinkley on 10/05/2023 10:52:42

Dalboy,

If you do a Google search for groove micrometer, I think that you'll find what you are looking for. Make sure that you are sitting down and have a stiff whisky to hand before you read the prices,though.

John

I have been following this saga with increasing interest and growing frustration but have refrained from commenting until now. It would appear to me, Nigel, that you would be advised (by me, anyway) to decide what part is going to be the basis for your assembly - in this case I would suggest the base - and choose that as the first part in the assembly view, placing the centre of the base at the conjunction of all three axes. Then ANCHOR it there. You could always place it near the axes origin and use the constraints to locate it accurately. Then place the other parts into the drawing as if assembling them as you would in "real life" as it were. Constrain each part to the base and subsequent parts to their corresponding positions using as many constraints as necessary. Depending where I drop the part, I tend to align mating faces first followed by coaxial constraints. That way you build up the assembly and the end result is achieved in a sensible timeframe. For example, today I've decided to start the 3D modelling of a race car suspension, using bought-in wheels and tyres as the starting point.

This is progress so far. The wheel was placed in the assembly file and anchored to the axes conjunction, The tyre was then adde and finally the driveshaft.

Wheel and tyre below as an assembly with the (unfinished) driveshaft as one.

Keep on plugging away, and take David up on his generous offer of help for goodness sake. I'm sure he'll get you sorted in no time, if only you'd give him the chance. Apologies if this advice is duplicating any already given. After 8 pages, I'm losing track of what has been said and what hasn't.

Assuring you that his posting is made with the best of intentions,

John

I, too made a rotary broaching tool after the style by Mke Cox although I used a redundant revolving centre as the basis. A few photos in this album. I made the broaching tools out of silver steel, hardened then finish ground using a Stevenson end mill sharpening ER fixture to obtain the angles (only because I had one). A Google for ready-made broaching tools got me to this UK-based supplier with the following page in their catalogue:

So it appears that they are certainly available. I dread to think what the price is, though. It's one of those R-R type catalogues - "If you have to ask the price - you can't afford it".

John

Mike,

I guess you must live in London if a pint costs £12!!

John

Clive,

Your perception of the chunkiness of the plates might be skewed by the scale. If I remember correctly (always a rash assumption) the base plate was 12mm thick and the motor mount 10mm. As they came from the USA, more likely Imperial equivalents. As an aside, the plates in the pdf to which I referred (also of USA origin) were 5/8ths and 3/8ths respectively. This is the photo of that installation lifted from the pdf.

Sizes are selected to facilitate the alignment of the belt, I suspect. Chunky or not, it worked OK. And I'm quite a fan of "chunky" over "wobbly"!

John

Andrew,

I have your pm and will respond soon with the pdf file. Sorry, I can't remember details about the motor shaft length etc.

John

A Google search for your mill threw up several pictures of a mill that I recognised as a clone of one I once owned. This is going to test my memory somewhat. Way back in late 2012, I had an Amadeal XJ-12 Mill that suffered from noisy and exploding nylon gears. Internet searches lead me to The Little Machine Shop in the USA, from where I ordered their belt drive conversion kit. In my haste, I failed to read the warning regarding the bore size of the spindle pulley. Of course, mine was 28mm and the supplied pulley was 30mmØ. No matter, I thought, I'll make one on the lathe. I did and it fitted. The hole spacing for the mounting plate were at a slightly different pitch on my mill as well. It was turning out to be an expensive purchase, with few parts that were a direct fit Undeterred, I went ahead with the mods and ended up with a working example. The only surviving photo is this one:

I also stripped the gear head and removed the stock two-speed gears and shaft, further reducing the noise. This involves the removal of the head from the mill - awkward but not difficult.

I have a pdf file of a scratch built conversion with full drawings (in Imperial units) and a couple more photos of it which I'll email to you if you would like it. Just PM me with your email address.

Just had a look in the workshop and I still have the original unused spindle pulley with 30mm diameter through hole and its associated belt. You are welcome to these, if it will help your project along.

John

Paul,

I too use cheap no name digital callipers but only to get close to the required size. When accuracy is needed, I reach for a micrometer. I have a couple of 0 - 25mm ones (one a Starrett gifted to me) and a digital 25 - 50mm one. Anything larger I revert to the callipers again.

John

Edited By John Hinkley on 26/04/2023 12:04:51

Nigel,

When you get your new mouse, it will most likely have the third button incorporated with the scroll wheel. There is a configuration option in the system option page which allows alternative presets to be selected for mouse clicks etc. There is also the custom selection available, too, should you want to tailor it to your specific needs. Me, I just use the "Alibre Classic".

Good to see you're persevering with, and apparently making progress with, AA3D.

John

Rachel,

I would caution that approach, unless you have a VERY good idea about what you are doing. I would be inclined to employ a qualified electrician - with machine experience - to do it. At least then if something blows up, you'll have someone else to bear the costs! It shouldn't take a competent electrician more than an hour to do. Money well spent in my view.

John

Rachel,,

That looks more akin to a Warco VMC/Chester 626 mill. I would approach either of those suppliers for a suitable wiring diagram if you have no response on here. I have a VMC mill but it's powered by 3-phase motor and vfd, so my switching is different again.

The American Grizzly version has a wiring diagram which might give you some clues, just watch out for voltage variations.

John

Edited By John Hinkley on 18/04/2023 19:22:21

That may well be true, Baz, but seems somewhat overkill for one self-tapper!

John

John MC,

It is a good few years since I fitted my mini mill with 3-axis scales, obtained from ArcEuroTrade. Like you I found that the batteries didn't last long and I quickly replaced the supplied individual read out displays with a mains powered one similar to, if not identical to the one in the link above. I cannot say whether the voltage supplied to the read head is3V, 5V or 6V. The fact that it is supplied via a usb cable would suggest, to me, that it's 5V. An email to ARC would undoubtedly elicit a definitive answer. Not a cheap solution, but the saving in battery costs should be recouped within 8 to 10 years or so.

Not a brilliant photo, but it worked well enough within the limitations of the mill (and its operator). When we moved back to the UK in 2015, I sold the mill and scales etc to a friend nearby, to be replaced with a Warco VMC with glass scales soon after arrival in England.

Another alternative, I suppose is a Touchdro system from YurisToys of which I have read but have no experience I believe others on the forum have used this system however and if you happen to have an unused Android tablet lying around the place, could be a cost-effective solution.

John

And more accurately, it appears. Sorry, that should read DC31k

John

I'll second what the Andrews and Clive have said. When I needed to make a groove for a circlip, I thinned an ordinary hss parting blade down to 0.8mm and used that. Going carefully, of course, because I didn't know any better, I achieved the desired result.

For the dimensions, I referred to the table below:

John

Edit DC32k types faster than me - or didn't have to do the ironing before replying!

Edited By John Hinkley on 11/04/2023 10:19:38

Nigel,

I'm sure that your response was well intentioned, but after nearly 10 years since the OP first posted and his only reply was to Thor on the same day, I would imagine he's sorted by now!

John

Well, two days in and only one response! So, I'll take the bait and suggest that you look at This page - it's everyone's go to for new owners. But maybe you've already done that.

As David said - if you have specific a question, all you have to do is ask and you will probably get more answers than you can shake a lathe tool at and all of them either contradictory or going off at a tangent! Don't worry, you'll get used to it.

At least a hint of where you are located on the planet in your profile can often assist with some queries.

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

John

Well done, Michael. You'll get your reward in the next life, no doubt. Certainly not here! .

John

Edited to include an intentional smiley while I still can.

Edited By John Hinkley on 09/04/2023 09:28:07

Andrew/Pete,

I think these last two postings are in the wrong thread. That is This one. Not one with its origins in 2013. Perhaps if you confirm this to a moderator, they'll move them for you.

John