# LOOKING FOR PROJECT SUGGESTIONS



## riversidedan (Jul 24, 2022)

BEEN PLAYING WITH this metal hobby  for around 18 months and made some pretty nice useful stuff with the lathe, ever since I got a mill  have gone blank thinking up projects, prolly cuzz all Ive done is lathe work all this time.....  looked on youtube several times still cant find much re lathe / mill projects however did run across a  site that involved "class room ed. projects that seemed to fit my style and were useful, so copied plans and made the part. If anyone here has ran across  more of those "Class Room Ed. projects go ahead and post it here..........am mostly interested with small 6061  12L14  and 1018  project exersizes........


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## Jim F (Jul 24, 2022)

http://www.thatlazymachinist.com/


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## Friendly non murdering Sword (Jul 24, 2022)

How about a Bonnell tool and cutter grinder?

This project involes many different aspects of machining and will not only keep you busy for at least a half to one year, it will also push your machining capabilities to the next level.


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## FOMOGO (Jul 24, 2022)

Come on over to my place. Could keep you busy for years. Mike

Quote:
LOOKING FOR PROJECT SUGGESTIONS​


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## Chewy (Jul 24, 2022)

MAKE TOOLS!!!  
If you have a lathe, you need a couple of drill/ tap,attachments for the tail stock.   You also need different types of live centers, big centers, pressure centers, and spring loaded center finders for offsets. Then there are ball turners. Knurling tools come to mind.  Make a tool holder dial indicator holder for both face and side indicating.  I use mine every day.  Took about 30 minutes to make it. I also did dial indicators that clamp onto the ways, using a 2" indicator. Currently building an indicator holder to measure cross slide.  Far beats using a mag base.  Precision carriage stops.

Mill: Top of vise stop.  Back of vise stop.  Table mounted stops.  Make keys for vise and rotary table. Make a tee-bar plate that drops into table slots.  Mine is 12" long and around 1-1/2" wide, shade less thae 3/8" high.  Held down into slots with 3 SHCS.  Gives you a prefect fast X reference for aligning on table.  Spring loaded tap follower with different points.  Make large size angle plates with removable stop pins.  Clickspring and Blondiehacks have cross drilling jigs.  Jo Pi has a octagon jig that clamps or sticks to an object to get angle cuts.  If you really want to torture yourself. spring $13 and get Lautards' Octopus.  4" chunk of cast iron bench block.  You will really need a lot of above tools to make it.  Different size vee blocks for round stock.

I am building Harold Halls sharpening jig in place of the one mentioned above,   Look at Pinterest  and home made tool sites for ideas. Pick out some fancy idea that you like.  Start collecting and building tools to make it. I haven't even scratched the list of stuff to make in order to make what you want.  You can easily spend the next year making tools before you ever do a steam engine or some widget or a Honey-do request.  next time you watch You Tube look at the background.  Those tool boxes are full of tools. 

I have hundreds of plans for most everything.  Been collecting books for years. Pick something that looks interesting and I will see if I can point you in the right direction or send a copy.


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## C-Bag (Jul 24, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> Come on over to my place. Could keep you busy for years. Mike


Ain’t it the truth. I don’t know if I’m discouraged I seem to be so inefficient or impressed they have cleared their todo list.


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## FOMOGO (Jul 24, 2022)

I'm afraid the staggering backlog of projects that I'm confronting is totally self-inflicted. Comes a time ( 71now) That you begin to realize that there is no way in hell you are ever going to complete them all before you shuffle off this mortal coil. Just keeping up with the maintenance of what I have up and running, along with property and buildings I still own, can be daunting. After many a sleepless night worrying about it, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to do some serious thinning of the herd. When you have spent most of your life putting in long hours, and acquiring all the things you think you need, you finally come to the realization that you are not going to live forever, and that it might be nice to have the occasional day off. Not that I will ever be good at just sitting around, but the body is definitely starting to say, whoa up there son. Mike



C-Bag said:


> Ain’t it the truth. I don’t know if I’m discouraged I seem to be so inefficient or impressed they have cleared their todo list.


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## Chewy (Jul 24, 2022)

I'm right there with you, FOMOGO.  Same age.  Same backlog of things to do.  Add in pinched nerves in my back screwing up my left leg.  I'm  in the process of seeing what can be done for that.  Right now, I am slowly accepting the fact that it takes two days to do a half days work. The last several years at the factory I took two Saturdays a month off along with Christmas (forced too, plant shutdown, and worked overtime the rest of the days.  I also started cutting way back on helping the kids, Ages 26 & 31.  Sounds mean, but the more you do to help them, the less they do themselves.


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## Doug Gray (Jul 24, 2022)

Hey River

Check out this great project for the mill and lathe.
And because you a member here if you enter the word "ten" at checkout you get 10% off your entire order.








						Toolmaker's Clamp Kit
					

Part of our Heirloom Series, this is a fantastic kit for the mill and lathe.                                Now Available in Inch or Metric! Complete materials, hardware and drawings to create a valuable tool for your Shop. This project requires a mill and a lathe. Even the smallest of lathes...



					d-gray-drafting-and-design.myshopify.com
				




Regards D. G.


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## C-Bag (Jul 24, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> I'm afraid the staggering backlog of projects that I'm confronting is totally self-inflicted.


I don’t know for sure but this might be the difference. I got machine tools because I needed to make some things for my biz and thought I could always get rid of them if I don’t need them anymore after I got done. So I didn’t get them because I wanted a hobby. So technically I was already behind the 8 ball before I even got them. And never had access to them was not trained or sure beyond what I needed to make some things I’d enjoy it. Once I started getting the hang of it I realized I could have used them all of my working life. And had been doing it the hard way forever. Another case of I didn’t have a clue and now can’t get by without them. I am always needing something I can’t get off the shelf somewhere(or I’d buy it) so in order to solve the problem I have to make it. And for the first time in my life I can make something properly.


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## riversidedan (Jul 24, 2022)

Doug Gray said:


> Hey River
> 
> Check out this great project for the mill and lathe.
> And because you a member here if you enter the word "ten" at checkout you get 10% off your entire order.
> ...


already made one aka Mrpete on youtube but can always make a spare >>>>>>>>thanx anyway


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## riversidedan (Jul 24, 2022)

hey folks  thought Id share some of the sickness ive turned out over the past 18 months not too mention countless model airplane spinners and intake venturis. also  many nuts/bolts etc. no formal  training just a "drive to make something  and be productive  in these later years

those hex drivers in the box with knurled ends are a breeze to make, try one..........


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## Ben17484 (Jul 24, 2022)

This is a nice thread. I’ve got a few things I want to build, but not loads. I’ll keep an eye on this thread for ideas. I also looked at ClickSprings YouTube channel at his ‘Home made tools’ playlist. There’s a bunch of stuff on there I’d like to make. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Winegrower (Jul 24, 2022)

I made a rotary broach just in case I ever needed it.   Still waiting.


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## Just for fun (Jul 24, 2022)

FOMOGO said:


> I'm afraid the staggering backlog of projects that I'm confronting is totally self-inflicted. Comes a time ( 71now) That you begin to realize that there is no way in hell you are ever going to complete them all before you shuffle off this mortal coil. Just keeping up with the maintenance of what I have up and running, along with property and buildings I still own, can be daunting. After many a sleepless night worrying about it, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to do some serious thinning of the herd. When you have spent most of your life putting in long hours, and acquiring all the things you think you need, you finally come to the realization that you are not going to live forever, and that it might be nice to have the occasional day off. Not that I will ever be good at just sitting around, but the body is definitely starting to say, whoa up there son. Mike


Oh jeez, I'm only 63 and have an extensive backlog.


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## C-Bag (Jul 25, 2022)

Winegrower said:


> I made a rotary broach just in case I ever needed it.   Still waiting.


so much of the original backlog was tools to make tools. The rotary broach was superseded by a ball turner for the lathe, a squeeze knurler, restore my old screw press to broach with, new stand for my arbor press/vise, sheet metal hood for my powder coat booth. Every one of those was proceeded by making or modding the machines to do each project. I describe it to my wife as I don't get to go from A to B. I have to go back around through Z to get to B.


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## macardoso (Jul 25, 2022)

Take a look at this site. They have lots of machinable models from excellent quality castings.






						PM Research | Model Engines and Accessories for Hobbyist and Machinist
					






					www.pmmodelengines.com
				




I did a PM#6 Steam engine. Such a fun project.









						Mike's P.M. Research No. 6 Steam Engine
					

Hi All,  Buddy of mine at work approached me to see if I could help him complete a P.M. Research No. 6 Steam Engine kit that he bought 10 years ago. He used to work as a high school shop teacher and had access to machine tools, however not long after he bought the kit, he was laid off. He had...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## Ben17484 (Jul 25, 2022)

macardoso said:


> Take a look at this site. They have lots of machinable models from excellent quality castings.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very cool. I’ll have a read through your thread later 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## riversidedan (Jul 25, 2022)

macardoso said:


> Take a look at this site. They have lots of machinable models from excellent quality castings.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


thats kinda what Ive been lookin for , hard to believe how they made those parts so small...........if nothing else it gave me some ideas...but one things for sure thier sure proud of thier prices.......


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## tjb (Jul 25, 2022)

Here are some suggestions that will give you some great practice and result in useful end products:

1.  Collet racks - If you don't already have them, sooner or later you'll be acquiring one or more collet sets for your mill.  You'll need a place to store them, and making your own racks that will custom fit in your tool box.  Simple projects; very geometric; great learning experience.



2.  Index plate and clamps - This comes in very handy for odd size/shape mill projects - especially if you're using a rotary table (you'll have one sooner or later).  Mine is a bit oversized because I made it for a specific project.  Doesn't need to be this big.  Very functional.  One of those kinds of attachments that when you need it, nothing else will do.



Tool racks - probably one of the best learning experiences I had early on was making racks for my rolling tool cart that hold just about everything.  This is one of those categories of projects where you thoroughly need to think through the project before you start machining.  These are very beneficial if you're an organization freak.




I can give you details on any of these, and I'm well aware that there are many members here with way more experience than I have that can throw some wise counsel your way.

Regards,
Terry


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## ericc (Jul 26, 2022)

If you have a lathe and mill and you like welding tools, here's a nice project I saw:






Note that the video uses a drill press, sometimes in creative ways.  It would be nice to make this with a lathe and mill.  One missing detail is the rotating joint between the pieces of steel.  This is an ideal opportunity for face plate work.


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## macardoso (Jul 28, 2022)

riversidedan said:


> thats kinda what Ive been lookin for , hard to believe how they made those parts so small...........if nothing else it gave me some ideas...but one things for sure thier sure proud of thier prices.......



So PM Research is known for having some of the best quality kits. Both in terms of complete drawings and plans (many other kits require some interpretation and engineering as you go) as well as very high quality castings (accurate, not extraordinarily oversized, and no voids/inclusions). There are cheaper options out there but you definitely lose out on quality.

They carry all their castings individually so when you inevitably screw up an important part, you can buy a replacement.

I think the PM#3 and PM#6 are the most popular engines. The PM#1, #2, #3, #5, #7, and #8 are all smaller engines. The have some *tiny* parts but nothing too big which is good for people with smaller machine tools. The PM #4 and #6 are 1:1 recreations of small late-1800's 1/4 HP steam engines. They have larger components and can actually produce quite a bit of power (1/4 HP @ 250 rpm). The smallest components are still relatively large (a 1/8" diameter, 1" long brass pin might be the smallest). The one issue is that a couple of the parts require a bit larger machine tool. I have a 12x36" lathe and a G0704 mill (6x18x9", XYZ travels) and would have struggled a bit to make the parts with too much smaller of machines.

Their hit and miss gas engine is a significant step up in difficulty and time commitment. I would not recommend as a first project.

They also have machine tool models. These are pretty small but often simpler and quicker projects. Joe Pie on YouTube has a great series on machining these.

These kits will really launch you much further in your machining skills. They require creative fixturing, maintaining tolerances, and a good understanding of how the whole thing will come together.

I'd budget 150-200 hours to complete a #4 or #6 steam engine along with a couple hundred dollars for specific tooling that you might not have (I need some specific reamers, angle blocks, and a few other odds and ends).


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