2020 POTD Thread Archive

[Tim9]

A few small plates to fit chucks so thin stuff can be properly loaded. Next is to drill the chuck and do the Joe Pi method of mounting 1” aluminum round stock and a quick facing...then you’ll really dead nuts on the mark.
I made two for the 5” chuck on 9” lathe and one for the 8” chuck on the 12” Clausing
Here’s a link to Joe Pie’s video. Good stuff. Simple too.
Chuck modification-Joe Pie

 

[devils4ever]

That was a close one! I've only broken one cutter in the last year or so and it was a similar issue - recutting chips until they weld onto the cutter, then PING. Don't know how close you got to breaking it there!! You need to clear the chips from the slot using coolant or air. More WD40 might have helped a bit. Also, you need to use uncoated cutters for aluminum. The yellow coating doesn't repel aluminum, it can actually help chips to weld to the cutter.

Is that correct? Using uncoated end mills? I bought there because they were coated. So, just use a vacuum or compressed air to use on a slot with aluminum? And no WD40?

 

[silverhawk]

Is that correct? Using uncoated end mills? I bought there because they were coated. So, just use a vacuum or compressed air to use on a slot with aluminum? And no WD40?

I had no idea the gold coatings did that, either. I think wd40 would still be effective, but you might need pauses to clear the chips and wd40. I look forward to another response.

joe

 

[pontiac428]

Is that correct? Using uncoated end mills? I bought there because they were coated. So, just use a vacuum or compressed air to use on a slot with aluminum? And no WD40?

He's right, in general you should never use a coating that shares an element with the work. So TiN shouldn't be used on titanium, TiAL shouldn't be used on aluminum. The consequence is chip fusion. It's not a hard rule, but more of a best practice, or so I've read.

 

[Ianagos]

I had no idea the gold coatings did that, either. I think wd40 would still be effective, but you might need pauses to clear the chips and wd40. I look forward to another response.

joe

Tin coating is the typical coating you see on Chinese endmills. I tend to find it gums up in aluminum but on higher end brands I seem to find it’s ok but not optimal. Now another gold coating called zrn is great for aluminum and is intended specifically for aluminum but I have had best results with high polish un coated carbide endmills.
My favorite endmills for aluminum are yg1 aluma power endmills I have had one cut enough aluminumto fill up a couple 55gallon barrels till the edges were worn. Seller roguetoolsystems on eBay also sell some good aluminum specific endmills and cheap aswell.

 

[FOMOGO]

Had some pieces of 1/2" plate from a large purchase of used steel I picked up last year, so decided to use it to cover my 16' 8" x 11" trench drain in the new shop. Most of it was torch cut, and pretty rough, so I re-cut it with my 40 amp plasma cutter to around 3/16ths over size. Pretty much right at the limit of the little Hobart, but got it done. Had two triangular pieces I had to weld together to have enough for the whole length. Next step, clamped them to the mill table, 7 pieces in all, and milled them all to finish size. Most were milled on three sides, some on all four to get them cleaned up. Somewhere close to 200' of milling in all, multiple passes, at .050 a pass using a 3/4" tin coated Enco end mill. The end mill looked a little rough by the time I was done, but I think it can be salvaged when I get my hillbilly sharpening system set up. Next I cut up some 1/8th x 1" strap and welded spacer pieces to the bottom side of the plates to get the 3/4" depth needed to come flush to the floor, and provide a path for the water. Had my young lady helper practice her welding on these, and had her doing de-burring on all the plate. made a handle out of 1/4" round for the smallest section in the middle of the run to facilitate removal for cleaning out the drain once or twice a year. Nice not to have to worry about stepping in the drain anymore. Excuse the mess in the shop, we had earlier unloaded a 16' box van I had been using for storage so we can build some shelving in it for potentially more space, for more stuff, that I probably should be getting rid of, but we all know how that goes. Cheers, Mike

 

[mattthemuppet2]

finished fixing the "Worlds Ugliest Worklight" from a recent roadside find (it had been runover a bunch), involved lots of fiddly soldering of surface mount resistors and general fab work. it's bloody bright and the heatsink gets good and warm after 1/2h or so. That might be due to me overdriving some of the LEDs as I couldn't find the right resistor values (they're the really bright ones in the pic)








then I used it to put in new rear sway bar links and swap the rear suspension bolts that my friend had put in the wrong places

 

[Shootymacshootface]

Just made this bushing installation tool on my 120 year old lathe that I set up at work.
Check out that sexy belt guard that they made me put on it. Fragile flowers, an old machine shop would have leather belts flying everywhere!

 

[MikeWi]

@Shootymacshootface I don't know, you're fingers etc. could still get caught in the drive train that's left exposed. And there's a pinching hazard between the cutting tool and the work. Better take care of that too!

 

[Shootymacshootface]

I hope that they don't want me to use rubber chuck jaws.
I do think that the back of the jaws swinging around on a chuck is the most dangerous thing on a lathe. Plenty of other things too! Respect, respect, respect.