Model Engineer

Here is a list of all the postings blowlamp has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

Thread: This months MEW are 3 CNC features two too many

14/05/2011 00:29:02

Posted by NJH on 14/05/2011 00:00:22:

But Martin - surely repeating is just what CNC does so well?

Cheers

Norman

True, so you could actually make some extras to sell too, but just to repeat myself, it also turns those awkward 1 offs into triumphs of little bundles of pleasure.

Martin.

13/05/2011 23:49:15

Incoming flak!

I'm sure the first blokes that used a lathe of some sort got slated by their peers for missing out on the pleasure of bringing their work to the round by applying a hand-made abrasive device to its surface, whilst supporting it in the crook of a branch of an English Oak.

And what about the lazy git that first jumped on a horse to get somewhere instead of doing the decent thing of walking?

You see, I see CNC as just another tool in the arsenal. You don't have to use it for everything, but if a part needs an elliptical profile on it and you've only got a lathe and vertical milling machine, then how are you going to do it without making yet another 'never to be used again' attachment device?

Here's a part I made for someone that's about 6" in length . I think there's one straight line on it and he wanted it to have nice blends, so not much handle turning but plenty of filing, if that's what you like doing. Perhaps you could do it on a rotary table?

I take it none of you have moved on from your 78s to CD, or from your valve radios to the newfangled transitor?

Anyway, everything else has been covered before and doesn't need repeating....I said it doesn't need REPEATING.

Martin.

Edited By blowlamp on 13/05/2011 23:52:02

13/05/2011 21:21:16

Well here's a vote for it.
I'm finding it strange that you can get fired up about these articles when they all relate to the activities of three Model Engineers in their Workshops, especially when that's the magazine they appear in.

The notion that CNC can or should, only be used for mass production, just shows that you've given insufficient consideration to the other opportunities that it offers.
Is this http://www.cambam.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1208.0 unworthy of thinking about? Or this? http://www.cambam.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=478.0 Or this http://www.cambam.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1178.0

I use CNC for 1 offs all the time and find the CAD and CAM side of the job very rewarding as it just adds to the variety of things I get to do in this hobby of ours.

Martin.

Thread: Facing Cuts - Requires the Carriage to be Locked?

07/05/2011 01:04:14

Does anyone else on here own one of these Wabeco lathes, that is able to offer advice on their use?

Martin.

05/05/2011 11:23:12

Posted by Steve Garnett on 05/05/2011 11:05:41:

... so you'd have to leave the gib tight all of the time. Which is going to increase the wear rate over a long period, so doesn't sound like a good idea anyway.

Wabeco provided a lock, and clearly they intended it to be used.

Hi Steve.

Yes agreed, but in view of my preceding comments, my last paragraph was more intended to be thought provoking, rather than a recommendation.

Martin.

05/05/2011 10:55:14

I'm not having a go, but you can't have it all ways.

In one sense, you want free movement (virtually frictionless) of the carriage for accurate turning, but at the same time want things to stay put (due to friction), when it's convenient for you for facing.

So, you can use the carriage lock and apply an infeed with the top slide, or engage the screw-cutting clasp-nut and use the leadscrew to apply a feed.

If you don't want to do any of that, then you could tighten the carriage gibs to create more friction to hold it when facing.

Thread: C A D for Mac

04/05/2011 19:27:09

Chaps.
Just a heads up for anyone still looking for a CAD program.

I've had an email from Punch! (ViaCAD) software about a 1 day offer (today) of 40% discount on all their gear, which I think also includes upgrades.

Might be worth a look?

**Enter coupon code LUNCH at checkout**

Martin.

Thread: Dam Busters Channel Four tonight

03/05/2011 09:51:08

Posted by David Clark 1 on 03/05/2011 09:40:23:

Hi There

One of the bombs is at the Ringwood Town and Country Experience in Hampshire.

I was quite surprised how small it was.

regards David

It would certainly be an experience if anyone set it off

Martin.

Thread: C A D for Mac

30/04/2011 11:07:06

Posted by david Garrett on 30/04/2011 07:51:05:
I have been using a $150 (£90 ??) CAD program called ViaCAD on my MAC for 3 years now. It is available here in the states ... not sure if it is available in the UK or Europe ...It I have used a several CAD programs on both Microsoft and MAC include Turbo CAD ... i have found ViaCAD to be significantly better for the $ than all that i have used ... I particularly like its tool that converts a 3D part into a 3 view 2D drawing ... i prefer to work from a 3 view drawing in the shop ...

I fully agree with you David. ViaCAD 2D/3D is actually $99.99 (about £60), but I've just taken advantage of their $99.99 pre-launch offer to buy ViaCAD Pro v7, which is usually $249.99

At launch, It's now gone up to $179.99, or there are upgrade deals to be had if you have a previous version.

Very useful software for me.

Martin.

Thread: Where is Terry when you need him ?

24/04/2011 17:38:42

This is why I (blowlamp) commented that dxf files should be made available on this website
http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=44931

After all, it's a bit hard to draw a piston of larger diameter than it's bore and still have it make sense on screen in a CAD program, isn't it?

Martin.

Thread: Technical and engineering drawing.

18/04/2011 13:19:17

Posted by Terryd on 18/04/2011 13:09:32:

... I still don't see how you can make a success of any model if you can't read a drawing properly.

Best regards

Terry

Exactly.

And how are you going to make anything of your own design, if you can't draw it and prove it's viability first?

Martin.

Edited By blowlamp on 18/04/2011 13:20:49

Thread: Myford advice needed!

15/04/2011 18:06:07

You could have a look here http://www.lathes.co.uk/myfordrebuild/www.onepoint6.co.uk/Myford/Myford%20ML7%20Page%202.htm for information about rebuilding an ML7 and here http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford/index.html for more general ML7 info.

Martin.

Thread: Suggestions please Vol2

06/04/2011 14:02:01

Remembering my school days - and just for a lark really, here's a variation of the idea

http://www.screencast.com/users/Hammering/folders/Jing/media/fdb6c8da-83a0-49ac-9b4a-590170627946

Having drawn it, I reaslised it might be useful to make a couple of the Gun Sights (in yellow) adjustable for height, to aid calibration.

Martin.

06/04/2011 11:36:08

Hi Chaps.

I haven't seen the size of the bearing, but I've just got this nagging feeling that if it's got enough friction to self-damp to some degree, then it will more than likely stop in a position that isn't guaranteed to be consistanly level.

Graham.

If you want to guard against your successors' lack of mechanical sympathy, then rather than a needle point suspension, why not radius the tip ever-so-slightly, so that along with a suitable cup, it would make a tiny ball joint that would be robust enough to stand the odd bit of carelessness?

Martin.

06/04/2011 09:50:02

The only potential pitfall I can see now is with the choice of bearing - as pointed out by Les.

All the care in setting up might amount to nothing if it is at all sticky in operation.

It may be that a compass needle type arrangement would be appropriate for minimum stiction?

Martin.

05/04/2011 22:18:53

Another go at this.

1/ Sit the completed unit on the milling machine table.

2/ With a pointer/probe mouted in a drill chuck, position the table and lower the quill, or raise the knee until said probe just touches a suitable reference point on one of the arms and note the reading.

3/ Repeat this operation several times, by spinning each arm into position, to get a good average reading of level for repeat accuracy.

4/ Make suitable adjustments as you go.

I think this method is almost immune to outside influences such as an unlevel machine table etc.

Martin.

05/04/2011 18:21:19

If I understand the problem correctly, then provided all the arms are at an accurate 90 deg to one another, you could attach a weight to one of them (à la plumb bob), and let it find it's own level.

Martin.

Edited By blowlamp on 05/04/2011 18:22:33

Thread: Suggestions please.

31/03/2011 10:26:35

Here's a link to an article on Toolmakers Buttons http://www.neme-s.org/Model_Engineer_Files/3147-Ways%20with%20Toolmakers%20Buttons.pdf

Martin.

29/03/2011 15:20:41

Has anyone contacted The National Physical Laboratory yet, to see if they can help?

Martin.

28/03/2011 22:13:58

If you have a rotary table and milling machine, you could make a simple jig from MDF or plastic etc with a couple of 29 deg slots to hold the cutter and present it to the grinding wheel in a predictable manner.

It would be easy to regrind the tool if you need to as well.

Martin.

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