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Mentor needed as well as help on a school project!
- Thread starter racer8412
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
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- 451
You'll need to do some milling, but you can do that on the lathe.
Here order these too while you're going in debt.
6Pack 1/8",1/4",3/16",5/16",3/8",1/2" inch Imperial Units High Speed Steel HSS 4 Flute Straight Shank Square Nose End Mill Cutter
See, it's easy for me to spend all your money.
You'll need to build a homemade x-y vice for on the mini lathe table. I saw a really great video on how to do just that. I'll see if I can find that video again. It's a real easy build with cheap hardware parts.
Here order these too while you're going in debt.
6Pack 1/8",1/4",3/16",5/16",3/8",1/2" inch Imperial Units High Speed Steel HSS 4 Flute Straight Shank Square Nose End Mill Cutter
See, it's easy for me to spend all your money.
You'll need to build a homemade x-y vice for on the mini lathe table. I saw a really great video on how to do just that. I'll see if I can find that video again. It's a real easy build with cheap hardware parts.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
I can't find the video I liked. But I did find this one where something similar was made. This lathe is a large larger than the one you're looking at. So you'll be able to get buy with much lighter materials. Probably even aluminum because of the small size of the parts you'll need to mill.
We can cross that bridge when we get to it.
Here's this video just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
As I say, on your smaller lathe for the small parts you'll be working on you can get by with a much lighter weight set-up. You can even use a piece of all-thread and a nut for the vertical axis movement. You'll just need to have a way to lock the vice in place before you actually take the milling cut.
I'll explain all of that when needed if we ever get that far.
It's a good learning experience for you. And hopeful that's really the main goal here.
We can cross that bridge when we get to it.
Here's this video just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
As I say, on your smaller lathe for the small parts you'll be working on you can get by with a much lighter weight set-up. You can even use a piece of all-thread and a nut for the vertical axis movement. You'll just need to have a way to lock the vice in place before you actually take the milling cut.
I'll explain all of that when needed if we ever get that far.
It's a good learning experience for you. And hopeful that's really the main goal here.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
One more item:
Don't turn the machine on without them!
JORESTECH Eyewear Protective Safety Glasses, Polycarbonate Impact Resistant Lens Pack of 12 (Clear)
Don't turn the machine on without them!
JORESTECH Eyewear Protective Safety Glasses, Polycarbonate Impact Resistant Lens Pack of 12 (Clear)
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
I feel your pain. We live in a world where money rules. No question about that. I don't think you could buy a machine and tooling that will do what you need to do for much less. Everything I suggested is pretty much rock-bottom stuff. Going much lower than that and you end up with junk that won't even work, and that's even worse. Then you're out the money and still can't do the job.
Other than trying to find some form of community support I don't know what else to tell you. You could luck out and find a nearby mentor, but even that's going to be hard to come by for free unless you actually know someone. There are huge legal risks for someone taking someone into their shop for free. If you got hurt using their equipment they could end up being in dire legal trouble.
So there's not a whole lot of incentive for a stranger to say, "Come on over!". It's just not that easy. Too big of a risk. Sad but true.
That's a shame. I'd like to see you build this thing.
Other than trying to find some form of community support I don't know what else to tell you. You could luck out and find a nearby mentor, but even that's going to be hard to come by for free unless you actually know someone. There are huge legal risks for someone taking someone into their shop for free. If you got hurt using their equipment they could end up being in dire legal trouble.
So there's not a whole lot of incentive for a stranger to say, "Come on over!". It's just not that easy. Too big of a risk. Sad but true.
That's a shame. I'd like to see you build this thing.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
- Messages
- 880
I had long heard that a lathe was the first thing you should get, and a mill was optional. Given the non-round nature of the things I was working on, I was skeptical. I got a benchtop lathe and mill, and my skepticism seemed justified: I barely used the lathe, and spent all my time on the mill.
Now that I have a full-sized mill and lathe, I mostly use the lathe, and the mill really does seem optional.
The point here is that it all depends on the equipment: the benchtop lathe I got was unusable out of the box, and the benchtop mill worked right off the bat. That is an important thing to keep in mind: these benchtop lathes are widely considered to be a kit rather than a get-it-and-go piece of machinery like a drill press. I would definitely say that the cheap import benchtop lathes should not be anyone's first lathe.
But you shouldn't get discouraged. Take a couple weeks to scout out what used machinery goes for in your area (craigs list, etc). Maybe even talk to the sellers of the ones you can't quite afford - they might give you a break when they hear about your project. Just say "here is what I am using it on, do you think I could do that" and then if (when) they say yes, ask if they would accept 500 in cash for it.
In the meantime, work on the instructors who can oversee the shop area. Some of them might be teaching other classes over the summer and could be convinced to do their grading in the shop while you use the machines. If there is no overlap with the summer staff, the same instructors might know some of the summer staff who would do this. It is key to talk to the teachers themselves: the administrators are going to be worried about insurance and liability and things costing more money, but the teachers are going to be more interested in helping a motivated student accomplish a significant and worthwhile goal, and they will then work with the administrators to get things squared away. And remember, if you pull this off, the school comes out looking good - they'll be showing pictures of your project to parents for decades, saying "look what we taught one of our sophmore students to do!" (yes they will take all the credit, and none of us here will get any).
I don't think leasing machines is even possible for low-end stuff, so I won't propose that. But a corrollary to the "working on the instructors" angle is to borrow tooling from the school shop so that you don't have to buy it. Of course if you break it you have to replace it, so be careful there, but they might furnish you with stuff like safety equipment, faceplates, clamps, tool holders and the like. Really depends on the instructor, it would have to be under the table as no administrator would go near the idea
EDIT: oh, and don't forget the GoFundMe route. You're not asking for a lot cash, maybe 300-500 to make the project feasible.
Now that I have a full-sized mill and lathe, I mostly use the lathe, and the mill really does seem optional.
The point here is that it all depends on the equipment: the benchtop lathe I got was unusable out of the box, and the benchtop mill worked right off the bat. That is an important thing to keep in mind: these benchtop lathes are widely considered to be a kit rather than a get-it-and-go piece of machinery like a drill press. I would definitely say that the cheap import benchtop lathes should not be anyone's first lathe.
But you shouldn't get discouraged. Take a couple weeks to scout out what used machinery goes for in your area (craigs list, etc). Maybe even talk to the sellers of the ones you can't quite afford - they might give you a break when they hear about your project. Just say "here is what I am using it on, do you think I could do that" and then if (when) they say yes, ask if they would accept 500 in cash for it.
In the meantime, work on the instructors who can oversee the shop area. Some of them might be teaching other classes over the summer and could be convinced to do their grading in the shop while you use the machines. If there is no overlap with the summer staff, the same instructors might know some of the summer staff who would do this. It is key to talk to the teachers themselves: the administrators are going to be worried about insurance and liability and things costing more money, but the teachers are going to be more interested in helping a motivated student accomplish a significant and worthwhile goal, and they will then work with the administrators to get things squared away. And remember, if you pull this off, the school comes out looking good - they'll be showing pictures of your project to parents for decades, saying "look what we taught one of our sophmore students to do!" (yes they will take all the credit, and none of us here will get any).
I don't think leasing machines is even possible for low-end stuff, so I won't propose that. But a corrollary to the "working on the instructors" angle is to borrow tooling from the school shop so that you don't have to buy it. Of course if you break it you have to replace it, so be careful there, but they might furnish you with stuff like safety equipment, faceplates, clamps, tool holders and the like. Really depends on the instructor, it would have to be under the table as no administrator would go near the idea
EDIT: oh, and don't forget the GoFundMe route. You're not asking for a lot cash, maybe 300-500 to make the project feasible.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
- Messages
- 880
Here's a sample search (I chose Tampa): CL Tools: "lathe -wood". Not very inspiring, to be sure, but there are two small lathes for 500 or less.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
Absolutely. The school will bask in the success if you actually complete this project. Not only this, but if you actually do a project of this magnitude it'll make the news to be sure. This is no small project you've taken an interest in.
And yeah, give the GoFundMe a shot:
Here's your story.
You, (in the video presenting your case), are trying to help save engineering from the past, (a large picture of the Curta Calculator behind you).
You want to build a Curta Calculator and make a video of it to encourage young engineers all around the world to encourage and support these dying technologies of the past. (everyone wants to save the past
)You've been talking to machinists and they have told you that you can build one for as little as $2500 in machines, tooling and supplies. (always ask for more than you think you'll need) Besides, by the time you buy all this tooling, AND the raw stock you'll need, you'll easily use up the $2500 legitimately on this project.
Or if you think it might be better to ask for a smaller amount just ask for $1000 and see if you can squeak by on that.
And remember, you aren't asking this for yourself. You're out to save dying technologies!
You'll be the HERO! Saving the poor dying Curta Calculator and all its ancient siblings.
What have you got to lose? Worst case scenario is that it turns out to be a flop and no one will be interested in saving old technologies.
As as high school student you just might attract some funding.
What you should really be looking for right now is someone to help you set up your GoFundMe video. Have any teaches in the arts? Or in communications? Of even a social studies teacher. Tell them you need to make a professional looking GoFundMe video. Maybe they'll help you with that.
We're all behind you. We want to see you succeed.
If you can get the equipment we'll be more than glad to tell you how to cut metal. You'll give you so many ideas on how to cut metal that you won't know where to start.