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What did you do today (2015)

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Nick_G25/01/2015 22:01:16
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1808 forum posts
744 photos

.

Finished installing the DRO's onto lathe and mill.

Then had a 'practice' at doing PCD holes. Seemed to go OK so now will have a 'dabble' for real on the James Coombes build I have neglected due to decorating and tiling duties.

Nick

Michael Gilligan25/01/2015 23:36:40
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos

Nice one, Nick

MichaelG.

Neil Wyatt26/01/2015 07:26:06
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19226 forum posts
749 photos
86 articles

Well done Lara, Nice one Nick.

Neil

Russell Eberhardt26/01/2015 10:01:13
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2785 forum posts
87 photos
Posted by Muzzer on 25/01/2015 20:57:02:Usual curses aimed at Windows 8....

Never mind. For the first year Microsoft will be offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade. Of course I have been getting free upgrades for the last ten years or so on Linux.

Russell.

Gray6226/01/2015 11:28:02
1058 forum posts
16 photos
Posted by Muzzer on 25/01/2015 20:57:02:

Usual curses aimed at Windows 8....

Muzzer, if you are using the built in windows photo viewer, although the picture may appear rotated, the underlying image is not altered, windoze simply saves rotation information with the image, this is not read when the jpg is uploaded to the forum albums.

To rotate images you should use a proper image editor, I use Paint Shop Pro or Serif Photoplus but other image editors are available Windows paint has a rotate feature but I've not used this, it may work.

Graeme

Bob Rodgerson26/01/2015 22:24:24
612 forum posts
174 photos

Slow progress towards making my first part with the CNC Mill but I managed to get the tools into the tools library in my CAM program for the machining of a simple machine cover.

Involute Curve27/01/2015 10:30:41
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337 forum posts
107 photos

Hiya Bob welcome to fun and sometimes frustrating world of CNC, I don't know how new you are to CNC, when I started in this fascinating area of machining at home, I found that more often than not most time consuming aspect was not the machining of a part (after all all you do is press a button and a part pops out) but the holding of parts to be machined, I often spend as much time making fixtures as I do making a part, manual men don't get this at first.

I have an article you may find interesting, it came via my cutter supplier and makes interesting reading entitled "Why Climb Mill", pm me and Ill mail it to you.....

Shaun

Muzzer27/01/2015 10:52:11
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2904 forum posts
448 photos

Graeme - I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that. See my previous rant and some tests I did (half way down) to figure out the problem last year. Looks like a W8 problem (it doesn't affect W7), possibly something to do with the forum setup. I take it you haven't been stuck with W8 yet.

I see that Dell have now stopped offering the option of W7 on new machines (at extra cost, willingly paid) instead of the default W8, despite worldwide acknowledgement that W8 is a complete disaster. Where's the logic in that?

I'm not about to install photo editors to rectify the problem - assuming that would fix it the first place, which remains to be seen. I've got a live to live. Of course, there's a fair chance that W10 will also show this problem. In the mean time I will just have to put up with it....

Merry

Bob Rodgerson27/01/2015 11:00:49
612 forum posts
174 photos

Hi Shaun,

I imported my Tormach in June last year, however one thing I underestimated was the space required for the installation of the mill. I had done some basic measurement of the workshop to see if there was room for the footprint of the mill. It looked OK in theory, however when I got the mill I realised that I would have to completely re arrange my workshop.
At the time I ordered the machine I was working in the Oil Industry offshore on a two weeks on two weeks off cycle. That may sound Ideal to most folk but it isn't, you arrive home completely knackered and your head is at sixes and sevens for the first two days so it is not worth doing anything for the first couple of days home. I have ended up with more jobs in the scrap bin in the first two days off that at any other time. I also had to travel back a day before due to the flight schedule, so you are down to 10or 11 days that can be productive, however, with family commitments, such as babysitting for my youngest daughter in London every other weekend it leaves little time to do any jobs that require any continuity.
It didn't take too much to build the machine up and install the 4th Axis driver and other accessories such as power draw bar and ATC but the re arrangement of the workshop took the time, mainly because the place was like a bomb site ( in order to get the mill into place I had to scrap various things such as a set of shelves and a storage cupboard). This made things slow and difficult. I retired from offshore work in December (Probably just in time because I probably would have been out of work some time in 2015 due to falling oil prices), this has made a major difference and I was able to concentrate on sorting out the workshop, firstly by installing as much new shelving as I could to clear the clutter that was everywhere, then secondly by building a fitted workbench for the Mini Lathe, tool & cutter grinder and bench drill.
In doing this I have transformed my workshop and it is much more pleasant to work in.
While working offshore over the last year I have been able to concentrate on reading as much as I could about CNC machining as well as trying to get to grips with 3 D Cad and the CAM programme (Sprutcam) but reading about it is no substitute for the real thing and in the last couple of weeks I have been slowly and systematically generating a drawing and programme to produce my first part, so in answer to your question I am fairly green but getting into it and so far enjoying it too.
The only advantage I have is that I am not too bad with Autocad 2D which I have found has helped me a lot with both the CAD and Cam software.
In my reading about CNC milling I also read about the advantages of climb milling etc and it makes sense with low power machines as long as there is no backlash.
Involute Curve27/01/2015 12:44:55
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337 forum posts
107 photos

Bob I fully understand I worked over seas for years but couldn't wait to get into the workshop when home however after being away for a few months the missus thinks its a bit rude to then disappear into the workshop, they don't get it do they lol

I'm in the north east I recently moved to Durham along with most of my equipment, I sometimes wish id stayed put I still don't have it all here but its all slowly migrating here, but my main workshop equipment is now up and running more or less.


Climb milling isn't just a power thing, its more a cutter survival thing, I would say it at least doubles cutter life, once you see how the cutting process works, you understand much better about step overs lead ins, out, etc etc. and also what causes chipped cutters, for instance the cutter is more often than not damaged as it exits the cut, which is counter intuitive, however once you see it explained by the people that know (cuter manufacturers) you begin to see it in a different light.

Shaun

Bob Rodgerson27/01/2015 14:05:06
612 forum posts
174 photos

Hi Shaun,

I am a native of the North East (Whitley Bay) but migrated south West to the Manchester area about 7 years ago to be near my eldest daughter and the grand children. I moved to a place that had no workshop just an old asbestos garage. I built a workshop in its place and I was without a workshop for a long time.

I miss the North East for it's open countryside and the quiet roads especially when taking one of my old bikes for a run.

Another JohnS27/01/2015 16:23:13
842 forum posts
56 photos
Posted by Bob Rodgerson on 27/01/2015 11:00:49:

...I imported my Tormach in June last year, however one thing I underestimated was the space required for the installation of the mill. I had done some basic measurement of the workshop to see if there was room for the footprint of the mill. It looked OK in theory, however when I got the mill I realised that I would have to completely re arrange my workshop.

Bob, if it makes you feel any better, I was looking at the Tormach 770, but even that one is too big for my indoor workshop, mainly in terms of height under all the air vents and so on.

So, I put together one, which has maybe 5mm clearance between top of Z stepper and an air-return duct; the Tormach would have been better, and a lot less trouble...

John.

Mogens Kilde27/01/2015 16:32:06
60 forum posts
25 photos

Well for now the flywheels has been made and mounted onto my series of inclined steam enignes

engine.jpg

Neil Wyatt27/01/2015 17:29:34
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19226 forum posts
749 photos
86 articles

Hi Mogens,

Are the flywheels machined from solid or fabricated?

Neil

"Bill Hancox"27/01/2015 19:01:17
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257 forum posts
77 photos

In the middle of a major snowstorm again. I am suffering it out in the depths of my warm and toasty workshop. Thank goodness I still have electric power. Saves the wife from having to crank the spindle handle on my Speed 10 at 475 RPM while I turn. I am now working on a new base for a two-slot QCTP. After drilling and tapping a blind hole in a piece of 7/8" hex steel to be used for a locking nut, I cleaned out the threads and hole. A short blast from canned air and a couple of scrubs with a rag got most of it. The residual cutting oil didn't help matters. I tried a bolt to check for fit, turning it to the bottom of the hole. I then had a brain pulse. I retrieved a 5/16" rare earth magnet from a stack stuck to the side of a metal cabinet and perched it on the top of the bolt. When the bolt was removed there were a bunch of very small chips adhered to its bottom. Now if I can just remember to use this same technique on my next blind hole!!!

magnetic bolt.jpg

The chips on top of the magnet resulted from dropping it on the bench.

Bill

Mogens Kilde27/01/2015 21:01:11
60 forum posts
25 photos

Hi Neil

The flywheel is made from mild steel sheet

/Mogens

Bob Rodgerson27/01/2015 22:26:42
612 forum posts
174 photos

i had a good session with the CAM software for the CNC Mill and at long last I have been able to see a 3D drawing of component drawing placed on the machine table. and it being rough machined with an end mill. Next phase will be to add the finish machining it then get the programme out of the post processor and fed into the mill.

Bob Rodgerson29/01/2015 23:26:55
612 forum posts
174 photos

I made further progress with the 3D CAD and the CAM software today, managing to make a 3 D drawing of my Machine vice and transferring it into my CAM programme as a Fixture. I am quite pleased with the CAM software as it seems fairly intuitive. I am quite enjoying the challenge of learning something new, I can,t see my retirement being boring.

John Stevenson29/01/2015 23:44:27
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5068 forum posts
3 photos

Will that stop you milling the vise away Bob if it's drawn as a fixture ? wink

Bob Rodgerson30/01/2015 08:14:02
612 forum posts
174 photos

Hi John,

that's the theory. I will probably set too and make drawings of the strap clamps so that I can pull them from my library when I need them.

I am getting close to cutting metal for the first time but before I do so I will give the machine a good look over and check the lube system before I commit. I must admit I am apprehensive but I have to try, the simple part that I have made a programme for looks to simulate OK in the CAM software but I have yet to transfer it to the mill.

All has to wait over the weekend as we have babysitting duties, roll on Monday.

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