How do I make this ?

Can someone help a newby ( Getting lathe & mill later this month)

Hope this is the right place!!!

Above is a picture of a clip. It joins to its partner by holding at 90 degrees & slotting through the slot. I want to attach the bottom cord of 35 flags to race marks so no great load. I have already spliced all the partners to the uphaul lines

I went to buy some more but wondered if i could make them

The 2 holes with rounded edges are relatively easy as is the slot, but I am not sure how to shape the semicircular ends. Need to be rounded on all arrises. Clamping & cutting an outside radius has me stumped

They should be made in 3mm stainless but can also be in 5mm aluminium so that is what i will use. Length is 34mm & width 22mm

size does not have to be exact & the 35 No. that I need do not have to be exactly identical but it would be a good exercise to see that they are.

will be buying the gear at the ME exhibition next week so perhaps someone can direct me as to what tooling I need

And before anyone says so - yes! I can buy them for £ 4-00 a pair-- but hey!! would forumites buy them & admit defeat?

Don't forget to buy a rotary table for the mill, and some "T" nuts to suit, and a radiused end endmill.
BobH

Depends how many ? after drilling the two hole you could file the shape

You could probably pick up a 3D printer at the show

Speedy has it covered but will take a while. If the radius ends and roundover don't need to be 100% a belt sander/linisher would be quicker

Edited By JasonB on 08/01/2016 17:48:44

yup - belt sander clamped upside down in vice is what i use

Mark out, drill the holes, bolt a few together, rough out the end radii with an angle grinder and finish on a belt sander. Add the slots with the angle grinder.

That's OK for half a dozen or so, but life is too short.

Have as many as you need laser cut and spend the time on something important.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 08/01/2016 18:21:42

Edited By jason udall on 08/01/2016 18:49:20

I cannot believe how lax I am !!!!

I sell chain as a side line. i currently about to buy in another 1000kg I could cut the slot with hacksaw then use a shaped milling cutter to form the shape to connect

However. That still does not tell me how to actually machine an item like that from plate. Surely it is not just a case of one having to grind or file it it.

Can I stick it on a vertical stub mandrel & rotate it against a cutter somehow . Each end at a differing radii?

Toggles on the top cords on the bottom

You can use the vertical stub method you ask about but you need an extended arm to control it. I think there are YouTube videos of it being done but do not know what search terms will find them.

Martin

Once you've tried all the setting up and faffing about milling it, you'll see why the grinder/belt sander is a good idea. Of course if you need an exact radius/position then more accurate methods become worthwhile