# What goes on in my shop



## vapremac (Mar 2, 2014)

Thought it was time for me to share a few pics of the custom tooling and work holding
solutions I machine for engravers , knife makers , jewelers , metal artists and blacksmiths.


----------



## valleyboy101 (Mar 2, 2014)

Yes I think maybe it was time to share.  You do some beautiful precision work and must use a surface grinder to get that degree of finish.  A surface grinder and MIG welder are the last 2 items on my wish list - the shaper  came yesterday.  Do you do it full time or as as a side job?
Thanks for sharing,
Michael


----------



## 12bolts (Mar 2, 2014)

Very nice work. What sort of tolerance do you have on the guide bars? And do the jig pins have any method of holding them in place?

Cheers Phil


----------



## darkzero (Mar 2, 2014)

That is very nice! I've always admired those pin vises engravers use. I use a cheap import version for when I used to build light engines for custom flashlights.


----------



## dave2176 (Mar 2, 2014)

Very impressive work. Thanks for sharing.
Dave


----------



## vapremac (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the kind words !

Valleyboy  -  Yes , I make my living from my machine shop .Always been a job shop but the
                        tooling I manufacture is fast becoming a large core of my business.
                        I have a mig welder but rarely use it .Tig, now that's another story my gas
                        supplier loves me.

12bolts.  -   Given what this tools purpose is I maintain as tight a tolerance that I possibly
                     can and still function silky smooth. As for the jig pins they are a snug push/pull
                     fit.

William


----------



## markknx (Mar 3, 2014)

William, Man I could not have come closer to ripping of you design even if I had seen it. Wow!! The whole great minds thing comes to mind. Yours is much nicer though. I do like the pins on top. How deap did you dill the holes for the dowl rods? Thanks for sharing your photos that does take it to enother level. Mark


----------



## Dave Smith (Mar 3, 2014)

William--thanks for sharing some super nice pictures of your superb quality work--Dave


----------



## vapremac (Mar 3, 2014)

Mark and Dave , thanks for the compliments !

  Mark , the hole depth for dowel pins is 0.265" ,flat bottom.

William


----------



## Ray C (Mar 3, 2014)

Really nice work...  I've got a CNC job coming-up in a few months to make a holding fixture that has a dedicated purpose inside of another machine.  The holding area has an oblong shape.  The tolerances won't need to be quite what yours looks to be but, it's a similar part and about the same size.  It's a part of an automated mechanism and will need to be in Rockwell 55 range.  Can't wait to start on this.

In any event, really nice looking work and thank you for showing us...  We all like looking at these things.


Ray


----------



## vapremac (Mar 3, 2014)

Ray ,

    Thanks for the compliment.  Sounds like an interesting job you have coming up , I've 
always enjoyed engineering fixtures/jigs and the challenges it poses.
    I've built work holding solutions for customers around the world but unfortunately I don't
get to showcase them very much due to the fact they are specific to the customers 
competitive advantage in the market.

William


----------



## markknx (Mar 9, 2014)

Hey William,Can I pick your brain on your cutting of the V-grooves and the square reliefe at the bottom of the grooves. Do you use a 90deg. drill point cutter and then a small end mill? or do you tilt the head or use a sine plate/vise and then re-indicate on the center of the groove? Or most likely since you area pro CNC.  My block had a 1/8 deap V-groove. I could have used a drill point mill but did not have one so I had to use a angle vise. any thoughts on better way to do this? I have a couple of projects coming up were I will need more V-groove and would like to feel I am doing things in the best way I can. Thanks again for all your kind words a nd help. BTW really liked the ball pin vise you posted. Pin vises do have some great advantages in holding od shapes.       Mark


----------



## vapremac (Mar 9, 2014)

markknx said:


> Hey William,Can I pick your brain on your cutting of the V-grooves and the square reliefe at the bottom of the grooves. Do you use a 90deg. drill point cutter and then a small end mill? or do you tilt the head or use a sine plate/vise and then re-indicate on the center of the groove? Or most likely since you area pro CNC.  My block had a 1/8 deap V-groove. I could have used a drill point mill but did not have one so I had to use a angle vise. any thoughts on better way to do this? I have a couple of projects coming up were I will need more V-groove and would like to feel I am doing things in the best way I can. Thanks again for all your kind words a nd help. BTW really liked the ball pin vise you posted. Pin vises do have some great advantages in holding od shapes.       Mark



  Mark ,

 Personally I am not a big fan of the drill point cutters in a large v such as this ,for smaller grooves
yes. I use a sine plate that both halves are clamped to , actually six halves. The halves are arranged
so the  v is cut continuously across all using the x-axsis. You can indicate from the groove center
you have marked , just remember if you're going for a certain depth (i.e. 0.750") you need to find the
"across the corners measurement" to be able to move your cutter to proper setting.
  I use as big and as short a cutter that I possibly can get away with , just watch your climb milling and
have a rigid set-up.
 Once the v is done I lay the fixture flat and come across all with the specified end mill for the size v that
was cut to make the relief.
 Your angle vise will work fine ,no need in buying something when you don't have too. I would just verify
the angle with an angle block and indicator.

William


----------

