Member postings for MikeK

I have a small gasless MIG (we call it fluxcore) that I think is similar to doubleboost's machine. I love it. I have done 16g and 18g and I'm sure it could even go thinner. It's an inverter machine. Lightweight too. Very popular over here in the US. I can't comment on the Amazon brands that may be similar. I paid $100US a couple years ago...I think it's up to $200 now. Titanium Flux 125.

Mike

Lawyers?

Called "media literacy" and is starting to get implemented. My concern is that the larger set of critical thinking skills need addressed first.

Mike

Above posted video is a good source for diagnosing the problem. Straightforward and clear. Should be able to find the issue with just that.

Is it certain that banggood controller should be grounded? I have a commonly used motor controller inside the power feed of my mini-mill. There is no transformer isolation between mains and the rectified voltage, just mains Line and Neutral to the bridge diodes. It is mounted inside a plastic housing. There is no ground, which I think, is necessary, as that would create a conductive path between ground and mains because of the lack of transformer isolation. No?

(Note: I live in the US.)

Mike

I have no experience with that brand, but I do have several Chinese indicators that work just fine. You might be surprised how terrible they aren't. And the low cost lets you have several of them...I have one of the Chinese indicators permanently attached to a carriage stop for indicating Z depth. I also have a Mitutoyo that is good, though I use the Chinese ones most of the time. For centering round stock in the lathe I use a DTI, because I want the extra precision. I can dial in the 4-jaw to within 0.010" (0.25mm) by using a pointer or lathe tool for reference and then bring it in with the DTI. For square work I do use a standard indicator.

Sorry if that was a distraction.

Mike

Kerosene doesn't really evaporate. So, like Jon said, it'll stink...and for a long time. What about using acetone and then wiping on & off a little oil?

If you use flat end gib screws you'll need to machine pockets into the gibs, at the appropriate angle. Otherwise the screws hit the gibs at the top (and only the top) and try to rotate it over. To be honest, I don't remember what I did for my X2 mill, but it's been okay...I do have a bar of cast iron to make new strips, though. (Lubed cast iron against cast iron has very low friction.) Have you marked up the gib with bluing to see where it actually contacts? Installing the gib with the screws backed out and watching it as you tighten them could be useful.

Getting an extra set of screws and putting, say, a point on them to experiment wouldn't be a waste of time, in my opinion.

As an aside, I put medium threadlock compound on the gib screw threads to avoid the need for the lock nuts. A piece of thin plastic may also work?

Mike

I should change this. While I have done this method, once, I didn't realize at the time that it does put stress on the upper spindle bearing. I don't believe I overstressed the bearing, as it didn't take much cranking on the drawbar to separate the chuck, it isn't the best approach. Next time I would use find/make suitable packing to use the spindle face, so that the bearings see no stress at all.

Install the chuck/arbor in the mill (or lathe) with a drawbar threaded in a thread or two. Put some packing between the back of the chuck and the face of the mill head (or lathe headstock) and tighten up the drawbar to force the chuck off the arbor.

Mike

The roughness is probably just the very end of the channel. Worth noting that the gib screws on these are often the cause of problems, forcing the gib at an odd angle.

Igor's image seems not to be showing up in the forum software. The link is here: https://ibb.co/ZHYZ9yY

You could rule out any mounting error by clamping the drill chuck onto a piece turned/held in the lathe and then clock the drill chuck mounting hole. I have that same chuck as Dan showed and the runout is nowhere near as bad. Factory rejects are getting put into regular circulation.

Mike

Hi Pete,

You extracted it from the opposite end of the hole?

Mike

I have the simple rest mostly built, but (of course) not used...as I've gotten away with hand grinding bits pretty well. For what it's worth, I'll point on that Mr. Hall has some pages on his website referencing the simple grinding rest.

Simple rest: **LINK**

Improved mounting: **LINK**

Mike

I don't understand what is special about that technique...? Right to left?

Thanks, Andrew, ega, and Hopper.

Thanks for your experience, Thor...I endeavor to match it.

Thanks, Dave. Experience is a good teacher...Would have liked to do this with welding, as I wouldn't need to buy anything, but I'm going to give it a go with an eBay lump. Vendor says the disc is plasma cut under water so it should be ready for my machinations.

I found a 4" x 1/2" steel disc on eBay for under $8US. That should do the trick. A36 steel shouldn't need any stress relieving so that's good. It would be nice if I could fit my 4-jaw on my rotary table, but both are 4" so that's out.

Mike

So, if I make this out of steel...don't bother stress relieving it? I just thought the welding would do a number on it. I do have some thick plates of aluminum, plenty big enough...though the registration boss will probably take a beating with mounting and dismounting. Maybe I should just spend the $45.

Mike