Member postings for Alan Jackson

Hi Hopper & Roger,

I have described a Lever Locking topslide in detail in previous MEW magazines numbers 119, 120 & 121 as well as describing the construction & drawings on the Stepperhead lathe, which used a toothed belt drive, in the MEW magazine. The Milling drilling attachment is also somewhat similar to the one I detailed in MEW 223 for the Stepperhead lathe. There are some differences in the Chipmaster lathe photos but in essence they are very similar. I machined the nut from acetal because I tried moulding the threads, but because the fit was so close the friction was too much and it seemed that it was going to take forever to get a nice feel to the operation. Acetal is cheap and very easy to screw thread and slits in the nut can be compressed with the fixing screws for very little backlash. This has been detailed in the mag.

Alan

I made a similar vertical parting tool and it worked very well. It was described in Thread: Parting Off MEW225.

Alan

Firefox and XP well in the past

Alan

Thank you Dennis R, It also worked for me, Well Done

Alan

I have had some problems with my computer which are now fixed and I have chosen Kaspersky as my virus scanner. However it seems to be very diligent and will not allow me to access www.homeworkshop.org.uk it tells me it is a phishing site. Does anyone else have this problem and how can I get round it?

Alan

I got mine from Gavin long ago - superb service and advice

Alan

Well done Michael

[this was probably easier than doing the paperwork for the alternative outcome] If you can laugh like this on 33 rpms what can you possibly do on 78 rpms?

Very Best Regards

Alan

pgk pgk

"Pressure crank phone charger in heel of shoe. Pull pin to release spring and pump right foot..(anyone builds it and I want a %)"

How about, I would love to give you a % but I could also say that I thought of it before you did.

Alan

Hi Mark

"Alan, very nice and simple ,is the spindle just floating in the steel body ?"

It is not floating the spindle runs on a 10 degree tapered bronze bush at the front and a plain parallel one at the back with adjustment to eliminate end float. As to the mesh with the spur gear, it seems quite good enough and has seen plenty of use but shows little wear.

Alan

Hi Mark

Here is my version. made from mild steel and uses a 40 tooth spur gear ( an old lathe change wheel) Has had much use and works well. Centre height is set to suit my lathe centreline when it is mounted on the cross slide. More photos in my album.

Alan

I had a go at this with my Stepperhead lathe, the biggest problem was working out the helix. I guessed the cutting angle by setting the diamond grinding wheel height. It worked but it was a lot of setting up. How would you sharpen say a 2mm end mill flutes, just buy a new one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMxv1jU-R_A

Alan

Hi Blake,

I hope this is not classed as an interference on this thread, but since you ask. I put the original motor inside the column. I cut an oval hole in the back of the column for the motor spindle and brought a new shorter vee belt. It works great, I have run it for long periods and it only gets slightly warm. This then frees up the top surface for the Dore Westbury head You can see more photos in my photos.

Alan

On my Stepperhead lathe I used the front bed guide as a narrow guide with the gib strip on the outside dovetail and used the inside vertical face of the saddle as the guide face for the full width of the saddle. The rear be dovetail has a dovetail gib strip adjusted to prevent any lift of the saddle. The leadscrew is positioned centrally and as high as possible between the bed guides to minimise the twisting moment from the leadscrew pushing or pulling the saddle. both gib strips are dowelled in position.

Alan

Edited By Alan Jackson on 14/09/2016 10:14:37

What is so wrong with using TurboCNC in a DOS computer even an old laptop with a printer port. It works good enough for me in my Stepperhead lathe? Is it too retro?

Alan

Probably worth extracting all those old tv programmes before you scrap it. Well on second thoughts probably not because they have still playing been playing them recently

A while ago I fixed up my M1. I did not have a vertical head so I added a Dore Westbury head. This gives plenty of daylight.

Alan

Hopper , Thanks for the plug, I have not fitted any seals at all. The mandrel fits closely in a recess about 0.250" deep in the headstock block bores with about 0,005" radial clearance. The bearings are grease lubricated and as yet it seems to work very well. There has been no grease leakage from the front or rear bearings and running the headstock for extended periods at speeds above 2000 rpm only gets the headstock hand warm. I have dismantled it occasionally and all seems well. I suppose if it was oil lubricated then it would need oil seals but grease does not create these problems.

Alan

I know how you feel Gordon, our kitchens is just as bad

Edited By Alan Jackson on 21/04/2016 10:40:17

Edited By Alan Jackson on 21/04/2016 10:42:03

Edited By Alan Jackson on 21/04/2016 10:43:29

Mark

You can use TurboCNC which is a Dos program you can download, it will work from an older laptop with a printer port. It requires a spindle sensor showing one pulse per rev and a stepper motor and driver. I use it on my Stepperhead lathe and it works very well. It does not have the luxury of the more sophisticated systems mentioned on this thread but it is very suited to model engineers etc. I described it in more detail on my Stepperhead articles. Here it is on utube, you can hear a slight speed variation but this should not be of any real concern in most circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH0ZjWauMZ0&feature=channel&list=UL

Alan

Wish you all the best Dave. I do hope you can still enjoy the model engineer world, perhaps in other ways.

Alan