2015 POTD Thread Archive

[Franko]

I have a rotary table, Dan, in fact a couple of them. I've always found it difficult to index multiple close tolerance holes in different parts, especially when I can't use one as a template. The new DRO on my mill makes it easier, but it is still scary.

 

[John Hasler]

Dan...... I see you didn't cover the bed of your lathe while turning that nasty cast iron tsk.tsk.tsk. personally I wrap my lathe up like a condom leaving only the workpiece and tool post exposed, as well as have a vacuum nozzle pointed directly at the work. Are you not worried about the dust?

While gray cast iron swarf is messy I don't see that it's more of a hazard to the machine than steel. White cast iron, on the other hand, contains carbide.

 

[Dan_S]

Dan...... I see you didn't cover the bed of your lathe while turning that nasty cast iron tsk.tsk.tsk. personally I wrap my lathe up like a condom leaving only the workpiece and tool post exposed, as well as have a vacuum nozzle pointed directly at the work. Are you not worried about the dust?

You didn't watch the entire video did you?

About 20 minutes in I showed how I covered up the lathe for one operation. IT wasn't feasible for some of the operations, simply because the risk of protective material getting garbed and thrown about the place was pretty high. The plan for this evening is to pull the carriage & cross slide off tonight, to do some hardcore cleaning.

I have a rotary table, Dan, in fact a couple of them. I've always found it difficult to index multiple close tolerance holes in different parts, especially when I can't use one as a template. The new DRO on my mill makes it easier, but it is still scary.

I'd agree with that, I probably spend more time setting up the rotary table and getting everything aligned, than i actually did using it.

 

[Franko]

heh. It seems like 90% of being a machinist is rigging up fixtures and clamps.

 

[Dan_S]

heh. It seems like 90% of being a machinist is rigging up fixtures and clamps.

Yep, I had to make special step blocks to hold the plate to the rotary table, because regular ones wouldn't fit.

 

[chevydyl]

You caught me, I watched it until you showed the lathe with a bunch of dust on the ways then got a phone call.... I didn't know about the different cast iron grade stuff thanks for that tip. Even with all the precautions I took on my adapter plate I was amazed at where the dust ended up, creeping it's way into just about every nook and cranny


I used a lot of frog tape to hold my covers in place, and had it setup to where when I moved the carriage the carriage wrap would follow over the bed wrap...

 

[T Bredehoft]

Yep, I had to make special step blocks

That's what its' all about. anyone can run a machine, it takes special skills to know when to make something you need.

 

[sanddan]

Nice job on the video Dan.

I finished up the drilling and tapping on a mini pallet. This was the first time for me doing power tapping, went pretty good. I stamped the reference corner 00 incase I ever need it later.

 

[Franko]

I've never heard of a mini pallet, Sandan. Is is for clamping work on a mill?

 

[Dan_S]

I've never heard of a mini pallet, Sandan. Is is for clamping work on a mill?

The mill or the lathe, The first person I saw use one, was Tom Lipton.