flat bar stock

[NortonDommi]

I'm with mikey lot less hassle just to buy what is needed but if I had to mill some bar stock like that I would clamp direct to the table with at most some thin paper underneath. Clamp along one side/edge of bar and mill the other then swap. Once one side was done flip over and repeat. The aim being to secure the part with even support and no flex.

 

[BGHansen]

Only thing I might have done differently is to pull the vises and clamp the piece directly to your table. How'd you determine the height of your jack in the middle? I'd probably height gauge the stock at one of the vises and adjusted the jack after the two vise jaws were tightened so the stock at the jack was at the same height.

Looks good, as mentioned above, depends on the tolerances you are after.

Bruce

 

[mcdanlj]

Recently, I clamped directly to the table in order to put a long D profile in a 8mm rod. I shifted clamps in short sections to avoid chatter, so I milled about 2" at a time. It was a stable setup, just required enough clamps to keep it stable while shifting clamps near the cut.

 

[middle.road]

But when the budget is tight - how much more does flat ground stock cost? Quite a bit more, at least a factor of three. . .
It would be nice to always go 'top-shelf' however it is not always doable.
It would also be nice to buy what is needed, and then we'd all have new factory fresh machines with a warranty and not have to mess around with repairs and the like.
I'm facing this same situ currently without any tolerances, just need to clean it up to around .160-.180"

 

[mikey]

But when the budget is tight - how much more does flat ground stock cost? Quite a bit more, at least a factor of three. . .

Almost all the flat ground stock I have is from ebay and at a fraction of its retail price. I am almost always using it to make a precision tool with and it needs to be precision ground so I have very flat surfaces that often has to lock two pieces with a single screw. All the stock I've gotten has been quite flat, although size has been nominal. Works for me, at a cost that is easy on the pocket. Beats the hell out of trying to mill it flat.

 

[mmcmdl]

The customer will pay either for the ground stock or he will pay my TIME to mill it . Either way , he's going to pay . If it were my G job , I would buy the ground stock and be done !

 

[NortonDommi]

My local situation is that the major steel suppliers are only to happy to get rid of any drops at a discounted price and a few have listed on their websites grade, alloy, dimensions and finish. I have had to wait 1 working day on occasion if coming from another city but it is worth a phone call or Email and there is that balance between cost and time. Having chewed up tips etc on Mysterium sometimes I save up if I have to to be working with a known quality.

 

[mcdanlj]

Almost all the flat ground stock I have is from ebay and at a fraction of its retail price.

Do you have sellers you trust, or is this just that you've had generally good luck searching for random drops and buying them?

 

[middle.road]

Almost all the flat ground stock I have is from ebay and at a fraction of its retail price. I am almost always using it to make a precision tool with and it needs to be precision ground so I have very flat surfaces that often has to lock two pieces with a single screw. All the stock I've gotten has been quite flat, although size has been nominal. Works for me, at a cost that is easy on the pocket. Beats the hell out of trying to mill it flat.

Can you put up some links?
With the exception of some acrylic and plastic - prices to me seem to be the same as retail.
The last material I bought in spring was some 1" dia. brass tube and rod, it was cheaper through a supplier on-line than eBay.

The customer will pay either for the ground stock or he will pay my TIME to mill it . Either way , he's going to pay . If it were my G job , I would buy the ground stock and be done !

Good to have disposable income for that, for some of us that is not always the case or perhaps frugality comes into it.

 

[mikey]

... just that you've had generally good luck searching for random drops and buying them?

Can you put up some links?

On occasion, I buy retail from Amazon; they often have stock for pretty good prices and Prime shipping. Most of the time, I buy what I need on ebay. Somehow, it almost always seems to turn up just about when I need it. My favorite seller is no longer on ebay for some reason or I would link you to him.