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Work Holding for Facing

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felis concolor25/04/2022 15:42:04
14 forum posts
2 photos
Posted by Hopper on 25/04/2022 01:18:48:

If its anealed and pressed flat you can hold it with all four chuck jaws reversed. Set it up "diagonally" so two jaws bear on one of the longest sides. The other two jaws bear on the opposite side. This is a common procedure and works well.

Pack the plate up with small packing pieces behind it so it sticks out past the reversed jaws by just more than you want to remove. This is easiest done with chuck laid down flat on the bench. You can remove the packing pieces if you want after final tightening on the lathe. I use light aluminium pieces and leave them in place if they are not loose. Or bent U shaped packing pieces that are trapped in situ.

Thank you Hopper.

I did consider this as an option before posting here, but not having faced anything this large before, I wasn't confident that it was safe and do-able. Good to know how others would tackle this.

felis concolor25/04/2022 15:47:03
14 forum posts
2 photos
Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 25/04/2022 08:34:45:
Posted by John Haine on 24/04/2022 17:25:49:

If this not annealed so it's still springy, I don't think your press will flatten it at all...

That was my thought too, but then Felis said ' Removing most of the arc is simple in a 20 ton press. I re-arc truck springs in it without difficulty. This piece will be no different.'

Simply squeezing a leaf-spring between two flat anvils wouldn't flatten it permanently because the spring isn't taken beyond the elastic limit. But it could be straightened by bending it backwards over a fulcrum until the elastic limit is exceeded. Trouble is, bending a spring past the elastic limit damages it. Possibly it doesn't matter, for example piano wire can be wound into an effective coil spring without annealling and requenching.

My guess is Felis has access to a heap of scrap truck springs and hopes to use them as a cheap source of metal. I suspect it won't machine even if annealled. He's probably right that it's 5160, which I see on the web is tough stuff. Searching '5160 machineability' brings up discouraging statements like: While not easily welded or machined, 5160 steel can be heat-treated, annealed, and hot worked into shape. Leaded mild-steel (EN1APb) is much easier to machine than most other steels. (US equivalent, 12L14)

Dave

Yes, this is how leaf springs are re-worked. Bending the steel past "flat", measure, repeat. Same idea for a shorter length.

Yes, I have access to cut-offs, from new, unused truck springs.

felis concolor25/04/2022 15:49:37
14 forum posts
2 photos
Posted by JasonB on 25/04/2022 08:41:10:

Over a 5" length I doubt the arc is enough to warrant trying to flatten it unless it's a very elliptical spring. face one side to remove the crest then flip it over to remove what is left which will be thicker at the ends

Yes, maybe 2mm of "arc" on a short length, so not much at all.

Jon Lawes25/04/2022 16:07:35
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1078 forum posts

We do get a lot of questions where people are reluctant to fill in the gaps of info which they may not feel is relevant but actually would help quite a lot with the answer.

Is the intention to use this metal for practice? Is it a cheap source of steel which you feel you could use for multiple projects? Have you chosen this metal because it suits the end product? I sense from your guarded posts you don't really feel the intention is relevant, but it really honestly does help as when we know the intention we can assist with giving you information on the best way to achieve it.

This is all written with the best possible intentions to assist where possible.

felis concolor26/04/2022 17:28:18
14 forum posts
2 photos

The choice of metal that i have made has very little, if any, contribution to my asking of work-holding advice.

As per previous history and experience with posting questions asking for advice, I have observed that when providing too much, or any information that is not pertinent to the question at hand, the result is that the post becomes a multi-tangent topic of discussion.

To that end, I have no interest in facilitating, nor being drawn into a plethora if rabbit hole/s discussion.
Now you see, I have just dug one rabbit hole with this comment. 🙈

Thank you all that have provided these work-holding options for me. I am confident that I can make one of them work for my needs.

Edited By felis concolor on 26/04/2022 17:29:16

Jon Lawes26/04/2022 17:41:46
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1078 forum posts

Please yourself. I'm getting too old for cryptic games. Luckily this forum makes it quite easy to block people who play them.

felis concolor26/04/2022 18:45:54
14 forum posts
2 photos
Posted by Jon Lawes on 26/04/2022 17:41:46:

Please yourself. I'm getting too old for cryptic games. Luckily this forum makes it quite easy to block people who play them.


And so it starts……

So, Mr Jon Lawes is insinuating that I am “playing cryptic games”, and perhaps I should be “blocked” because I have not facilitated my discussion as per his wishes.

Here is my advice to you Mr Lawes: Do not flatter yourself. This is exactly the sort of BS that I was hoping to avoid!

I will say no more on this.


Thank you all that have helped answer my work holding question. I really do appreciate your help. 👍


Hopper27/04/2022 00:11:41
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7881 forum posts
397 photos

Please do report back on which method works for you in the end and how it all turns out.

I have a good supply of old 4WD springs and a press but never thought of using them as flat stock for machining. They do make good knives if you have a forge though.

Andrew Johnston27/04/2022 10:51:36
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7061 forum posts
719 photos
Posted by felis concolor on 26/04/2022 17:28:18:

...choice of metal that i have made has very little, if any, contribution to my asking of work-holding advice...

You still have a lot to learn, even if you don't realise it. If I wanted work to be really flat and parallel I'd use a surface grinder after roughing on a mill. But of course the mag chuck only works with ferrous metals.

Andrew

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