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2013 POTD Thread Archive
- Thread starter HMF
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2012
- Messages
- 549
I had free time Sunday afternoon, and I've been mulling over replacing a flash hider/muzzle comp on one of my rifles, so I went out to the shop and played for a few hours on this part. Fit's like a glove - just needs some blue or black to complete it, and maybe a new crush washer, as it tightens just a tad to much over indexed for the slots as it is right now.....anyhow, minor issues. I'll post a pick of the blued / blackened piece soon.....
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Milling without a milling machine
I bought an AXA quick change tool post and toolholder set from CDC tools. I am very pleased with the set - it looks and works nice.
Of course the T-nut was not machined as it fits many types and brands of lathes.
I decided to give a try to milling the T-nut on my South Bend.
First I had to narrow the entire "blank" which was to become the nut.
Yes, I did mount the cutter directly in the chuck, a no-no by many standards. Unfortunately the workshop is filling up with packed boxes for moving thus eliminating access to the left end of the lathe preventing me from using a collet.
I used one of the few milling tools I have - a fairly large keyway cutter to mill both sides off the blank. It worked well mounting the blank in the old toolpost. Note the toolpost setscrews on the right.
Next I milled the cutaway sections to create the T shape.
I used the same cutter to mill the cutaways. This time I mounted/bolted the blank directly to the cross slide using the old T-nut and a shim to get the depth of cut right.
The finished product ---
----- End View as finished 
It fits very nicely, perhaps a little better than the original, slides smoothly, and works great in general.
My biggest learning experience was that climb milling can be tricky as the cutter may bite too hard, especially with some play in the feed mechanism (cross slide). It tends to pull the workpiece into the cutter. I had to get creative to allow non-climb milling with the crude setup as I was limited by cross slide travel.
Not bad I feel for an amateur with no mill !!!
---
I bought an AXA quick change tool post and toolholder set from CDC tools. I am very pleased with the set - it looks and works nice.
Of course the T-nut was not machined as it fits many types and brands of lathes.
I decided to give a try to milling the T-nut on my South Bend.
First I had to narrow the entire "blank" which was to become the nut.
Yes, I did mount the cutter directly in the chuck, a no-no by many standards. Unfortunately the workshop is filling up with packed boxes for moving thus eliminating access to the left end of the lathe preventing me from using a collet.I used one of the few milling tools I have - a fairly large keyway cutter to mill both sides off the blank. It worked well mounting the blank in the old toolpost. Note the toolpost setscrews on the right.
Next I milled the cutaway sections to create the T shape.
I used the same cutter to mill the cutaways. This time I mounted/bolted the blank directly to the cross slide using the old T-nut and a shim to get the depth of cut right.
The finished product ---
----- End View as finished It fits very nicely, perhaps a little better than the original, slides smoothly, and works great in general.
My biggest learning experience was that climb milling can be tricky as the cutter may bite too hard, especially with some play in the feed mechanism (cross slide). It tends to pull the workpiece into the cutter. I had to get creative to allow non-climb milling with the crude setup as I was limited by cross slide travel.
Not bad I feel for an amateur with no mill !!!
---
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- Joined
- Jan 29, 2013
- Messages
- 114
Yes, there are inserts that have a range of threads they will cut. By the way, they work better when driven straight into the work rather than going in with the compound at the usual 29.5 angle. At least that has given me the best looking thread with these carbide inserts and threading up to 3/4-16 in aluminum and 1/2 28 in steel (4140).
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 5,596
Barry,
As it turns-out, I purchased a bunch of those Carmex inserts in different syles etc and now use the daylights out of them. Havn't had a single problem and I'd venture to say, they "enable" me to tackle far more threading jobs than I'd normally consider. They work great on stainless.
Ray
As it turns-out, I purchased a bunch of those Carmex inserts in different syles etc and now use the daylights out of them. Havn't had a single problem and I'd venture to say, they "enable" me to tackle far more threading jobs than I'd normally consider. They work great on stainless.
Ray
I have a garden tractor Ive been working on for a while. Got it running the other day and the wheels on the unit are too narrow on the axles. Dont have the new wheels painted yet or have the funds for the tires I want to put on it. So I made these bushings for it today. The rims are about 040 too narrow.
Last night I made a miniature black powder signal mortar for the 4th on my Big Dog 7x14 mini-lathe. It is a little under 1" in diameter with a 3/8" bore and 1/8" touch hole for a fuse. Bore length is 2-1/8". The chunk of 4x4 is just to hold it vertically for firing blanks. I figure about 10 to 15 grains of powder and a wad should make a good bang.
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2013
- Messages
- 114
Very nice!
What's the OAL (Overall Length) of the mortar, and what powder are you using?
Barry
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Ya have to love 'em. I'm afraid they're almost all I use now, but I need a little bigger one for some plastic, so I might just make a standard old HSS one again!
About 40 years ago my neighbor's son in law, who was from New York and worked in a foundry cast a thunder mug as he called it, out of gun Brass. It was the size of a German beer stein with approximately inch and 1/4 bore. He would use 1 to 2 ounces of black powder under a wad of tissue paper. When it went off you would swear it was going to break every window in the house. A true boy toy.