Pushing the Sherline envelope

[EricB]

Sometimes I like to try crazy stuff just to see if it will work.

So, I have a clock to restore that is missing the top of its brass case. A friend was kind enough to send me an oversize sheet (7"x7") of .080" unknown brass to use as a replacement.


I needed to cut it down but do not own a band saw. Instead I worked out how to use my 2000 mill as a table saw.


First I had to figure out how to make a long cut, and then how to mount the work to the table. I started by mounting the tooling plate perpendicular to the right end of the table so that I could use the full 7" of Y travel of the mill. Then I built a bridge of aluminum bars to bring the work up to the saw and clamped it and the brass to the tooling plate. A couple of taps with the mallet were needed to align the layout lines with the saw blade and then it was off to the races.


I had to plunge the saw down to start each cut, and supported the free end with a clamp as the cuts progressed.


Now I have a top plate that's only slightly oversize and a bit of filing to do.


I don't think I would try this with any other metals. Brass is forgiving but it even grabbed the blade on the second cut. I usually have no trouble cutting brass dry, but in this case a bit of lube was probably needed. In the end it got the job done and I didn't break anything.

Eric

 

[ggbutcher]

Looking to saw thin strips of brass, have futzed a bit with a saw blade chucked into the lathe configuration of my Sherline combo setup. Hadn't considered turning the head horizontal in the mill...

I did finally break down and procure a band saw, a DeWalt portable mounted in a stand. I've used it a bunch now for all sorts of cutting, haven't yet hog-cut metal down for final machining which is what I bought it for.

 

[EricB]

I've used the lathe as a cutoff saw before.