Member postings for Ajohnw

Whoops - what I described can only be done with certain styles of lathe bed. If it's done with the quill it would have to be used very very gently.

John

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I would 3rd the cover and a weak source of heat under the machines. It doesn't take much. It's possible to get tube heaters in all sorts of wattage from very low to high.

Some people extend the central heating. It can be done but the pipes need well lagging and usually have to be buried.

If you find yourself cold the older style radiant mount on the wall heaters are good. The ones with an element enclosed in glass and a reflector behind them. They are available in various lengths and wattages. That plus a duck board to stand on if it's a cold floor. A duck board is a little like a wooden pallet only more open. Wooden bars at a width and space so that is comfortable to stand on in a lattice arrangement.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 04/08/2015 18:47:10

Why not trim it up slightly with the reamer when the lathe is finished Neil? Actually it's a pretty common dodge on real lathes - tail stock too. Maybe tailstock first. Toolmakers seem to have a general way of doing that but will assume that who ever does it can put metal in a 3 jaw reliably and that it has been fitted correctly. Shock horror - hold the reamer in the 3 jaw and PUSH the tailstock up against it removing a little metal. Took me a while to realise why push. It's basically because it will find it's own centre probably just cutting on one side initially and even lifting the tail stock slightly where as if it's advanced with the quill and clamped it's likely to bend. Pass on lathes with light weight tail stock though. Obviously this approach is only good for removing the last couple of thou of error. I've done it several times now and it has always worked. In real terms it should also work if the reamer is held in a collet.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 04/08/2015 18:31:33

Have to admit that it is rather difficult to get a european plug of this design into a UK 3 pin socket and make contact. It's also a rather poor design of plug in some ways. The socket for it and on the adapters I mentioned have to be rather deep to ensure that the last connection broken when the plug is removed is earth and there are additional complications to make sure that the earth is firmly made.. In the UK the adapters also have to be fused.

This is one and as I mentioned have been used in work places.

As the OP doesn't want to continue getting shocks from the machine there really isn't any problems using a similar adapter but styled for his country at home. If he isn't confident about changing plugs etc it's a safer option. They will probably be available to him for that very reason.

John

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Perhaps you could post a photograph of the naff adapter you are referring to,

John

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What about SAE660 bronze ? Machining wise it's reckoned to be 70% compared with brass at 100% and gun metal 80. Bronze is way way down on that.

I also thought that there was a grade of brass that was ok but can't find any info.

John

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There was an explosion in some flats by us a few years ago. Gas fitter sent to prison - the supervisor that told him what to do scot free as far as I am aware.

We had a new meter fitted recently. The fitter gave me a little preprinted piece of paper about earth bonding the pipes at the meter. He has to leave them more or less where ever he goes. He reckoned with 6mm cable. As bonding was talked about via the IEE a very long time before it became fact I asked if the alternative that was discussed was possible 1m local copper earth spike. Seems it is.

John

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The only problem with using an adapter is finding the correct type. Ones that take the earth connection through are rare and for obvious reasons rather substantial. The company that provided one to me also sold to industry.

No so good in my opinion are the plugs that are beginning to appear where part clips on to suit various countries.

I'm surprised Israel don't allow people to fit plugs. I thought all countries did. Maybe we should all stock up in the UK in case the same happens here. Going on some used items I have bought in the past where some one has fitted a plug it might happen.

One easy way to see if people can fit plugs themselves is looking to see if DIY stores sell them.

John

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It's interesting to note comments about watches and clocks. Some feel there is evidence that europe basically made cheap copies of UK stuff in all sorts of areas. Pass. Also that German quality is largely a result of buy German policies to help get their economy up and running post the wars - in other words part fiction rather than fact.

The step in sizes of the drills could well be similar to wire gauges but a little more exact. Wire gauges and their tolerances were formulated on the basis of what ever was made could be sold. In the case of drills what ever size they actually turned out to be.

John

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If needed I intend to give a router cutter a go Neil - on anything un hardened now.

This might help with water hardening steels but note the comment at the top about what also might be added

**LINK**

Frankly the range of the constituents shown makes me think the old brand name style of buying is better than so called standards.

John

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You can probably get both formulations in bright drawn or black.and save money if they are to be machined all over.

Don't ask me what numbers - I'm an animal I just ask the supplier for what I want. A silver steel equivalent is available in round black bar so probably available in other sections. After all they have to be made out of something in a more raw state.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 03/08/2015 12:54:10

The oil water choice is down to cooling rates. Water is something like 3 times faster but spoiled by boiling to some extent which is why in both cases the parts need waving about. Taking an extreme HSS is likely to crack if quenched in water due to it's hardness and differential cooling through the section. Even more extreme stellite can crack due to quenching because it gets too hot while grinding it.

Where people at home get away with quenching oil hardening steels in water may just be down to none optimal conditions and simple sections. Relatively low amounts of water and space to wave it about etc.

People shouldn't forget over heating can cause problems as well.

John

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Yep but I'd still use water as chances are the size of the container I would use wouldn't allow the water to work as effectively as it can - which needs a rather large container.

John

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On drills I take Zeus tables as gospel. Works for me but when buying number drills now there may be a chance that they aren't to UK standards if there are any differences.

Looking at an american burner design it calls for a #71 drill and then mentions 0.026" which is the same size as a brit #71 according to pre metric equiv Zeuss tables. More recent Zeuss give 0.65mm = 0.0256"

The number drills do not relate to wire sizes etc. #16 for instance is 0.177" dia.

John

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Silver steel is an alloy tool steel. At one time or the other I have seen it mentioned for both water and oil quenching.

I have quenched items at work in oil - it was in something the size of dustbin and nearly full and plenty of room to wave the item about.

The main difference really is the cooling rates. Water is about 3 times faster than oil also boiling temperatures.

As an aside last time I handled one of these things it was pressed steel so why harden and temper it anyway? It's likely to be a lot stronger and more hard wearing than the original anyway. Heat treating the pawl would make mores sense as it has a much harder life but I feel that it would need tempering into the blue so also questionable really.

My driving instructor used to do his nut if I just pulled up the handbrake without pushing the button first. Just shows how quickly they can wear out.

John

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I tried veg oil once on a D bit around 3/4in dia with a reduced shank. Not very good as I don't think there was enough of it to cool the metal quickly enough. Personally I would use a lot of water, get it all in quickly and be sure to wave it about.

Thanks for the idea of using a router cutter. I have used them on aluminium a few times but not steel and if they will cut gauge plate it widens their use.

Next time I harden something I am going to try the clock makers method again. Soap. One I talked to reckoned it didn't matter which type but when heating blacken it all first - my way of putting that - it should all fly off when quenched.

John

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I just searched for guage plate and these people came up who have just opened a mail order shop

**LINK**

John

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No. Not that type. The one he would need has a depression in it so that the earth contact on the plug can make contact. I have one for a UK 3 pin socket. It was provided with a microscope that came with a european plug. His lathe supplier aught to stock them if they are going to sell them with that sort of plug on them. He would probably find they are breaking some regulations by not taking care of the problem.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 02/08/2015 20:06:30

If I'm using HSS I polish the tips with a slip stone and sticking is extremely rare - sometimes happens parting off when I should have sharpened the blade - with the same stone.

John

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If your boring aluminium better results are likely if 11mm triangular raked inserts are used. Better still micro polished ones specifically for aluminium as then the coating doesn't wear off - such as some pciked out from these

**LINK**

The similarly styled tips intended for finishing stainless steel are also good on other materials.

Manufacturers speeds and feed often crop up as if they are gospel. In real terms they are aimed at metal removal rates and tool life what ever tool material they are quoted for. The numbers that are needed really depends on the nature of the work and in any case in terms of feed relate to cut depth size of work and even the condition of the machine used.

John

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