Member postings for DMB

Thank you all for your kind words of advice.

My DW came with a self centering 4jaw already fitted. Not yet even tried to unscrew it but when I do, will fit milling chuck that came with the mill. Typing this in lounge, chuck upstairs with lots of other tools in spare bedroom, but off top of head, I think it's called Modeloy or similar. Might splash out on an ER type and the odd collet. I already have a number of ER collets. When I obtained the "Angel eye" LEDs, I received 2 rings of LEDs, so will look at fitting one to the DW in due course. First one was fitted to the "Sharp" mill, a long time ago now. My pal apparently never had any means of tool sharpening and it seems by the vast quantity of endmills, that he bought new replacements for blunt ones! One very expensive cutter grinder will buy an awful lot of endmills. Almost finished my Harold Hall jig, so got plenty of endmills to practice on.

Been thinking about how I could extend the X axis leadscrew out of the LH end of the table with a view to fitting a power drive, possibly using an old 12v wiper motor in the come in handy collection.

John

Age - Snap!

Edited By DMB on 03/08/2021 17:33:26

Speedy Builder5, I have used 2" polystyrene in my workshop roof. Its OK, just dont use gas torches in shed!As regards new shed, just helped a neighbour erect an Ebay shed. Quite flimsy thicknesses of timber but OK for the average garden shed, I suppose. Also been helping with one of the club's sheds. Old and cladding and some of the frame rotted. We stripped the outer cladding in stages and replaced with similar but thicker planks. It had previously been lined with some nasty stuff, might have been chipboard which had got very damp at the bottom. That's been replaced by 9mm(?) plywood. The door was also stripped to the frame and re-covered, with all new locks and bolts. We think that we now have an almost new shed for a bit under a grand. New roof and felt. Shed about 12 x 10 or 8ft.

If it don't want to go, don't force it. I have tried a drill and found the HSS tap starting to twist so I took tap out and consulted my drill sizes charts to use the very next larger and it went OK.

vic, try to only use charts that give % engagement of threads. Beware of internet ones, try to use known to be reputable sources. Some model engineering suppliers use charts giving tight engagements. Cynically, if you bust it as a result, you will need to buy another - good for trade! Even my trusty ref Book "Screw threads and twist drills", Ian Bradley, 4th ed., gives 3.7mm. Appendix says metric drills are recommended in charts at 75%.Hmm.....Ithink that I would do the maths to check it. Andrew says above, depending on material with which I agree but also what it is, e.g., a casting or perhaps even a block of say brass upon which a lot of work has already been done, you would want to take more care than if it was a length of say steel for an unimportant job.

Basically, 60 -70 or even 75% try on scrap identical material if possible.

John.

To; Andrew, without checking your figures but accepting, I agree and for most purposes 60% or so is adequate.

OP, vic, always go for % engagement. Your query relates to a small diameter tap which therefore lacks torsional strength. Dont push your luck with say 90/95% or you could snap it, especially a carbon one and small diameter as well.

A good example of what I think are often dodgy charts is where brass thread taps are shown as needing a 64th inch diameter drill less than the nominal tap size.When you use larger diameter taps, it becomes very obvious how much torque is needed to turn the wrench. Electric motor driven threaders are used on large-ish diameter pipes, e.g.

Ally is light but treadplate thick and heavy - are you sure about using it? Could you not use copper roofing sheet? Quite thin and light probably much lighter than treadplate.

Bernard, how can your machine be classed as metric with Imperial leadscrews? Sounds to me like a ballsup. If it was mine, I would change the dials to 125 divs to make for much easier working. I don't mind working in either system but not what I call half and half. Are the dials OEM? Surely not. No offence intended, just opinion on how to make life easier. John

Mike Poole,

I wonder when the spacers came in? Didn't even know they existed. My brand new Super7 (some years ago) didn't have them.

Seems a very good idea so I'll probably add it to the roundtoit list.

John

Thanks, Duncan, never thought of that solution. Will bear it in mind, should I ever have grinder trouble in future.

John

Early this week, up very early by birdlife and bathroom beckoning, so quick bite to eat and out to nice cool workshop. Around 10am, thought it was a little warm so looked at thermometer; 90°! Called it a day, back indoors for remainder of breakfast and do other jobs in house, where it was cooler for a time. Even the cat sleeps under the ceiling fan in the afternoon. Who'd have a fur coat this weather?

Many, many years ago, I was in a state run school, taken over from the private sector and previously was a large country house. At some stage, an indoor swimming pool was added on with apex glass roof. So far, so good. The county council altered the swimming pool to another use. Guess what? A woodwork room! My god did it get hot and trying to shove a jackplane in there, phew! Eventually it became a classroom with desks and chairs. A new annex was built with a metalwork room one end and a woodwork room at the other separated by a coke fired boiler house in the middle for winter warmth. Much better after that awful swimming pool cum woodwork room. Those were the days, hammering hot metal from the forge and singing along to a transistor radio blaring "House of the rising sun" by The Animals.

Bottom row, 7th from left, looks like a tailstock revolving centre, has ball race inside. It spins with the work, whereas the plain centres shown need lubrication when used.2nd from right, bottom row, looks like a half centre to allow end - turning/ facing of work. Big fat one, far right could be MT3? and 7th from right so thin, could be MT1 and the rest of the taper shanks probably MT2.4th from right appears to be a conversion sleeve with a tang on the tail end, possibly MT2 outer and MT1 internal taper. Same goes for 4th from left.

John

Hi David,

Thanks, that's going to be very useful. Saved for future. 

John

Edited By DMB on 19/07/2021 09:32:26

Your security will be compromised if you reveal all precautions on this forum or anywhere else on the internet. Just be careful what you reveal. I've thought about things revealed on TV by security organisations and police, fancy telling the world that? I expect that they take the view that something is in the public domain so not secret but by their actions they make sure everyone knows. Many of my security precautions have not been and never will be revealed. Keeping secrets is vital to maintaining security.

Hi Dias,

There is a communal access path running between the back gardens, including mine. My back gate was a home welded robbie with 10mm vertical steel bars, so no footrests for climbing. Spacing too close to crawl through. Two metre high padlocked gate and wall topped with Pyracantha, commonly called Firethorn. White flowers just faded, red berries come in Autumn. Lots of tough woody spikes sharp as needles and about 20 - 25mm long. I call it nature's barbed wire! The upward extension of wall and gate with the added spiky bush were the result of weekly visits by some intruder who could easily get over the low wall as it was. Yes, weekly! as reported by a neighbour. He got 'dealt with' and had a hospital visit. Later found out he lived very close by and worked as a security guard! No idea why weekly intrusions unless casing the place for a break-in to workshop or house. Both securely locked of course. Never mind pinching Bridgeports, more likely hand held power tools which can be quickly disposed of in a car boot sale for cash. They have a need to monetise their I'll gotten gains ASAP before they get caught in possession. Try to keep such items upstairs somewhere in the house.

John

Hi Rob,

My DW MK1 (all dims approx) has base approx 14.5" /37cm front to back and 20cm/8"wide. Cross slide / Y function, is 20cm/8" wide and moves 15cm/5.5" in and out from column.

X function/Table is 41cm/16.5" long. Travel, LH edges X to Y 10"/25.5cm. When table wound towards RH side to the extent of both LH edges level, the RH edges of X and Y are 21cm/8.25" apart. The table's RH edge to tip of handle is 20cm/10"

To sum up, from the RH side, extreme distance of handle tip is 40.5cm/16" from the RH edge of cross slide. You will of course need a bit more to accomodate your hand. On the LH side, space required will be min. 10"/25.5cm.

You will have to determine for yourself just how much "reasonable working clearance" amounts to.

Hope above makes sense and helpful. I think only certain items change for MK2 like table length and travel, but you may be able to check that on the lathes.co site.

Regards

John

Robin,

Give this a try, round HSS bar held in toolholder square to the work, high - ish speed, slow hand feed. Cutter, grind flat 1/2 dia depth on the end and square to sides. Bottom 1/2 that now projects forward, grind 5° receding angle down, away from just touching the flat edge. Set new sharp edge at 45° to the vertical in toolholder.

Experience has shown mild steel swarf comes off in fine feathery stream and looks like an ultra fine version of the kitchen pan scouring "wire wool"pads. I found the finish on the work just has to be seen to be believed, shiny, smoooooth! Didn't use any lube, just dry turning.

Do try it and good luck!

John

MGF, not done it yet,

1. I dont seem to have any trouble with my HSS stock but perhaps because most was purchased a long time ago and also none from fleabay.

2. I have found that skimming the face of a metal bar and height adjusting by trial and error, eliminates the pip, no problem. Once the tool is working OK, lock the height adjuster screw then toolholder can be removed and replaced, pre- set, no further fiddling about. They were designed for such method.

3. Flimsy tools never worked for me, as previously stated, I end up with one part convex the other concave. Now only use 3/32" thick parting tool with success.

4. Probably have enough HSS in diff. sections to see me out so not really bothered about current availability. Once gave insert tools a trial. Not impressed but maybe because of the silly prices for a common lathe tool, I bought cheapo and was rewarded accordingly. HSS reigns supreme, IMO.

Further to my previous post, there is a photo of my QCTP parting toolholder in my album. 3/32" x 1/2" blade. Setting of parting or any other tool is easy enough, just take light skim facing cut. Any pip will reveal just how off centre height. Always done that and not messed around with various devices available.