Machining A Washer

Skowinski

Skowinski

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Still new to all this - I need to remove a few hundred thousandths from both the ID and the OD of a washer that's about 0.1" thick. What's the best way to hold this thing for turning? I was thinking to just put it in the 3-jaw chuck, holding the ID for OD machining, and vice versa. But, that seems too easy and probably wouldn't be secure enough?
 
I expand the ID of a washer often. My three jaw has little grooves. Just locate the washer in these and gently tighten. Use a boring bar or old end mill.

For OD put the washer in a bolt with nut tightened to make an arbor. then turn.
 
Maybe glue it to one or two washers of the desired inside and outside diameter, and use hand files?
Joe Pieczynzki, on YouTube, has a very nice video on making washers of the type you described, but he makes a few dozen at a time. He starts by stacking small pieces of sheet metal (or even aluminum foil!) and compresses them into a specially make tube built for the purpose... Great video. Let me know if you are unable to locate it. Maybe which approach is better depends upon your intent. Good luck!

Bill_729
(metalworking newbe)
 
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I do exactly the same as Karl quite often if it's just a small number of washers. I know the grooves on the jaws aren't a precision surface but it works plenty fine with both my 6-jaw & 3-jaw Bison chucks. Not sure if a cheap generic chuck will do just as good but probably, good enough for a washer.

For turning down OD quickly using a bolt & nut, if I don't feel like indicating if I need the OD to run fairly true with ID I'll use a bolt one size smaller than the washer ID & make a close fitting stepped bushing to register the washer ID.

If I need to do a bunch of them or need higher precision I'd take the time to make a mandrel & sandwich them to machine them all at once.
 
How precise do your tolerances need to be? If it only needs to be a washer then do as Karl says. If it has to have precise fits then things get more complicated.
 
If you have a 5C closer , bore out a soft collet for the od and drill or bore the ID . For the od , turn up a spud .
 
Karl's got the ticket. 0.1" is pretty thick and should be fairly easy; I've done thinner than that with the same technique- Sometimes using the lip of a twist drill as a mini-boring bar- blasphemy but it works
Mark
 
Thanks everyone - I think the washer is thick and rigid enough to follow the simple approach Karl outlined. If I'm not too aggressive with the cuts it should stay put. This isn't a precision operation, anything within +/- 10 thousandths is fine, and there's only one needed.
 
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