Member postings for alan knight

Desiging a machine to copy carvings, and Im looking to make it automatic, I have designed a rolling carrage that sits on 2 50mm diameter mild steel bars 2400mm long I was looking to install a lead screw along the side and the power the traverse with a small electric motor and a variable speed control, For a 2400mm length whats the recommended dia to allow the screw to work without diflection and is there a recommended pitch for the leadscrew I was looking for a feed of around 1-5mm a minute. Am i better using a fine lead screw pitch and running the motor slightly faster of am I better using a coarser pitch and stepping the motor down by gearing it?

They ground pretty fast but they were in such a terrable state I had to grind masses off. If I had any other choice I would have just binned them.

I think the time a plumb for a collant system and a decent dro for it i can buy a larger 3ph machine equipped with both. Also found cutting with carbide tools at reasonable speeds gave a very good finish (well for a jig) and required no cooling.

Knuckeled down the other night and sharpened the carbide face mill that came with the machine the previous owner had replaced a hss face mills cutters with what I suppose were old braized carbide lathe tools. But he must have hit something hard with it as they were smashed to bits on the tips so 2hours of grinding later and we had a set of tools good enough to get the job done. Must admit they went through the steel like butter 30/40 thou a time no trouble no coolant needed. So I will just switch to carbide for mild now.

My milling machine is basically an axminster zx25. When funds permit I shall seek something bigger as this would make a fine hobby machine but when im trying to earn a living its not earning its corn

Got a lot of jig making to do in mild steel atm for work and am looking to speed production up as its taking an age to mill mild steel flat so was looking to fit a coolat system to the mill to help keep the cutter cool. Whats the best way to go about this?

Bleeding hell lads I leave the forum for one night and it all go's potty lol.

Right the stock in question is a airarms s10 the action is a s10 with a bsa ultra pressure cylinder that been regged by John bowket, so the cylinder itself is a constant diameter. Im having to cut the end off the stock and then I will be laminating on an african blackwood snable end thus why I need to look into inletting the fore end to accept the cylinder. As it would just be the pressure cylinder touching the stock and not the barrel as that is free floated off the action I dont need to have a clearance fit to stop harmonic resonance affecting accuracy I just need it to fit with a fine degree of clearance to allow the action to be removed if nessessary but to be snug when the stock bolts are tightened to stop any slop in the rifle.

I have checked youtube but there are mostly videos of cnc maching on the action inletting or people doing it all by hand neither of which has been much of a help. Iv been a joiner for 15years so im well aware how to inlett the action by hand but I have a perfectly good milling machine sat there and want to get my moneys worth out of it.

May have a horizontal mill coming in a couple of days so that opens up a few possabilities.

No dro as yet spent an arm and a leg on the workshop this year so cant see one any time soon. I could rough the lions share out with an endmill then make a guage plate cutter to finish the job

Hi have a job to inlet a cyliner into a gunstock, I need to produce a slot of aproximately 30mm dia 25mm deep. I have a milling machine but am struggeling to find what would be the appropriate cutter, buying a 30mm ball nose cutter is out of the question as the cost would be extorsionate. i was wondering if a form of flycutter could be ground to do the bussiness?

Normally we just stick an angle grinder down the space between the door and frame and cut the bolt/catch off then replace the lock. You can get 5lever locks cheaper then 3 quality brass hinges nowadays

Normally we just stick an angle grinder down the space between the door and frame and cut the bolt/catch off then replace the lock. You can get 5lever locks cheaper then 3 quality brass hinges nowadays

I normally put mine is a small precision chuck and then spin them at about 1000rpm and either use 1000g wet and dry and polish them that way, if thats not taking the staining off drop down to 600g

Wood alcohol is turpentine.

Iv been unsing a bulk oil thats simular to wd40 as a cutting lubricant and it smells of coconuts its brilliant the workshop smells like a giant mechanical bounty.

Exactly Michael, as I was saying people think they know what there on about until they get shown what they dont.

Thanks john where would be the best place to track one down?

I must admit to wiring my own workshops and any house wiring, only with the lowly help of a hnd level electrical engineering course. My father was a service engineer for years having worked for the docks in london, the royal mint and many firms that installed letter folding machines. I was bought up running 3ph, rewiring our own machines as running a small joinery firm we couldent afford to have a machine shut down for a day till joe bloggs sparks comes who wants to knock the job out in 15mins and bill you for 4hrs work. We repaired our own machines because we had service engineers out at £400 a day who left our machinery in a state that didnt work and was so far out of alignment it was beyond a joke.

Iv also worked on a building site where I cut through a live cable somebody had run through a doorframe attached to a newel post the door frame was actually nailed over the cable. Luckily nobody was injured but it beggars the point who put it there?

Lets be frank on points there will always be dodgy people and cautious people having a piece of paper just means you know the risks not that you care what they are or are going to make sure they are abated. Not offering those in need of advice the relavant information for there own safety and to allow them to understand there limits or the dangers of there actions is far worse then telling them the truth. Mr hall your experiences must have been life altering but getting a snotty and presumptive attitude will not stop those intent on doing there own works from doing so. You have only alienated them from your wealth of experience and advice which I believe is completely counter productive to your point.

The more you make out a subject is taboo and beyond the comprehesion of the layman the more you foster a false sense of understanding when said layman figures out how to wire a plug, then a motor or a machine. Then runs simple lighting and sockets ect. Its the same rediculos attitude the government took to drugs education in the 80's and look where that got us. People dont like there intelligence insulted wether it founded or not. And by doing so you will only alienate people not educate them.

This forum is by far the most intelligent and senseable Iv had the pleasure to come across its an oasis of sense in a world of stupidity. Model engineering by its nature is time consuming, pains taking and technical not areas appealing to those lacking in grey matter. A well placed piece of advice will save many more lives then jumping on the qualifications pedistal.

Thanks do they do that for the r8 taper?

Does such a thing exsist or am I chasing pie in the sky?

From experience, I would rough out with the router then do any fine tolerance work on the mill unless you enjoy milling and breathing in dust for an extended period. I normally use quite harsh cutting cutters like 2 flute spirals and ripper/hoggers as these tend to burn and chatter less. I also hold a vaccum near the cutter to keep dust down. Another cosideration is ceaning your crossfeed down after so you dont start causing wear from all the dust mixed with lubricant. I normally blow the bedways down with an air line then wipe them off with a rag and solvent then relube after.

Personally i would ebay it