Member postings for 13Sigs

I have lost/misplaced my obsolete eclipse Panel Hacksaw which I have found to be invaluable when cutting a section of sheet steel from a much larger piece. With care, a straight (ish) cut can be achieved and the cut out section remains flat.

I have tried to find a second hand Panel Hacksaw but so far no joy and now need to buy a suitable tool, I thought a hand powered nibbler would be O.K. but as I have never used one I thought to ask if anyone has any recommendations I don't do a lot of cutting and work with around 1.5mm - 2mm thick sheet steel.

This is a follow up to a previous topic I have submitted.

I am about to buy a keyed 2mm -13mm chuck and mounting Arbor for the 2MT fitting on the tail stock on my small lathe a Proxxon PD400. The intended new chuck has a Jacobs Taper (JT) mount and the chuck is available in 6JT and 2JT. At the point of placing the order for chuck and arbor I had to state if the chuck was to be a 6JT or 2JT mount in order to supply the appropriate 2MT Arbor. In my limited experience I have no idea why or how a 6JT or 2JT Chuck Mount is what I need. I will be grateful if someone can take the time and trouble to point me in the right direction.

I have looked on the internet and got nowhere. I made enquiries at 3 quality outlets for engineering supplies and tooling, and was told the following;

1. The various sizes of JT mounts is to enable a buyer to use an existing arbor.

2. 6JT mount chucks have a boss and therefore stronger.

3. Some JT mount sizes allow the chuck to be interchanged with other specialist equipment.

Thanks to all, in particular; IanT and Clive Foster.

IanT correctly interpreted what I was trying to ask and Clive Foster the reasons for and why.

As a general guide. When drilling from the tailstock is there a point reached when the drill should be a morse taper fit into the tailstock rather than a parallel drill mounted in a chuck.

My small lathe is a Proxxon PD 400.

I included the photo to help illustrate what I need, which is; a length of hexagonal tube. An 8mm box spanner with the external wall formed into an hexagonal throughout its length will be ideal. So far, I have only found box spanners similar to the photo and no source of 8mm internal flats, hexagonal steel tubing.

Does anyone know where I can buy a length of 8cm (at least) of steel hexagonal tubing with an external across flats width of 10mm and an inside across flats width of 8mm. In other words, to fit over an 8mm nut and be turned by a 10mm spanner. The photo below shows the business end of a box spanner with the type of hexagonal tube I am after. If push came to shove I could possible adapt what I have already got, however, if I made a mistake it is far easier to cut another piece from a much longer length of suitably dimensioned tubing rather than reworking another box spanner.

Thanks, and also to Jim C.

One hour of daylight left and I am now hot footing it back to the shed. It is reassuring that basic questions are treated in a sympathetic manner. Thanks again.

I am still finding my way around my lathe and wary of making a mistake after breaking a parting tool due to my ignorance. In the photo I have set up what I believe to be a Type 1 HSS left hand tool to turn down a bar, the direction of cut is from the right to left in the direction of the arrow, towards the lathe chuck. The tool itself is in the other photo. Will someone please take the time to let me know if this tool is set up pointing the correct way for the intended cut.

Many thanks

I have read through the very informative threads and associated links, dated 16/4/204, 13/2/2012 and 13/9/2010 on the subject of suitable cutting tools (for us learners) for use on my Proxxon PD400 lathe that takes 10mm square tools.

Although I do not have much confidence in my ability to sharpen bits of metal I accepted the considered opinion that HSS is the best way to go for starters. Even so, it did not prevent me from snapping a parting off tool because I did not realize that the newly supplied tool had to be sharpened first.

I now need a boring bar to open out some very thick washers from around 13mm. I looked at a boring bar that is one piece and I understand that there is another type with the cutting part clamped into the end. Can someone please advice which way to go.

Thanks.

Got it, many many thanks. The details were indeed in my browser.

Edited By JasonB on 23/12/2014 07:23:26

This morning I read a previous thread on how to drill a hole in round bar, through the diameter, but cannot find it again. Discussed where V blocks and a Tailstock V Adaptor. The originator of the posting was named something like, Woolfie, and although I may be mistaken, it was around 2012. Can anyone please point me in the right direction for me to read the posting and thread.

Thanks.

Sorry if this has been asked before, I have done a search but cannot find anything.

I silver solder a variety of bits and when the silver solder rod is too short for my fingers (burnt) I hold the short section in a pair of pliers. I finish up with a 20 - 25mm length of rod that I try to tack onto a longer length of rod in order to use it up. However, I do not have much success and I am nearly always left with a blob of melted silver solder formed from the 20 -25mm length and the longer rod. How can I best tack one small section of silver solder rod, onto a longer rod. Thanks.

Thanks. This is the Beginners site, and, there is no better begining beginner than me. However, the help on this website is taking the incline out of the previously very steep learning curve. Would it please be possible to include a photo of what the finished item will look like. I understand that the main shank of the tool will have to be a smaller diameter than the cutting tip but what form the d-bit is, has me foxed. in addition, I presume a round bar will have to be mounted in a bar holder, or have flats ground along the diameter. My machine takes 10mm tools. I have a grind stone and the tool to dress the stone in order to maintain a true surface.

Not only but also, what I need is to gain some of the knowledge that comes second nature to those who have been at this for years. For example, yesterday I was told how to use parallel bars to position the face of a piece of work square in the jaws of a chuck. Easy when you know how, but the how is the difficult bit.

The through hole has to be enlarged from 20mm to 25.4mm (inch) for a length of 43mm. The individual spacers will be worked on seperately, they are packing and are 3mm and 5mm thick. A picture of what is suggested will be a great help.

Thanks. I will do just that.

I need to buy a boring bar in order to enlarge a 20mm, through hole, in a section of mild steel and some brass spacers. My lather takes 10mm tools and I was about to buy a Glanze boring bar with carbide tip when I was asked did I want a boring bar for through holes, or for holes up to a shoulder (blind).

How do I ensure that I am supplied with the correct type of boring bar? I will be grateful for any advice.

Thanks.

I have a Proxxon PD 400 lathe, this lathe is not provided with a coolant system. I have much to learn and have just started on a project using mild steel. I currently apply cutting paste applied with a brush but everything is now becoming covered in a sticky residue. I did consider squirting a metal cutting liquid over the work but as it would need to be drained from the watertight drip tray beneath the lathe I thought maybe to go the whole hog and fit a water diluted cutting fluid, pumped system . Can others please give me the benefit of their experience.

I did a test piece before cutting a thread but could not be sure of reversing the process and get the strength back. I tried a cherry red and quenced in water but the end of the rod broke off when under tension.  Hardening piano wire is a bit hit and miss and thought that cutting a thread would be the easier option. 

Edited By 13Sigs on 16/01/2014 21:01:29

As to be expected I have had great difficulty in cutting a 3mm course thread onto a length of piano wire, I belief it is also called spring steel, with a presto hss circular hand split die. An expert has told me to forget trying to cut a thread on piano wire and if I must insist then to use a Gun Nose die because the die is more suitable for cutting very hard material. However from what I can make out, the only difference between the standard Presto split die and a Presto gun nose is that the gun nose is solid and pushes the swarf out in front of the die rather than allow it to gather within the cutting faces of the die. Can someone please advise.