Some advise please

[Ray C]

Right on... Carbide needs a faster SFM than HSS. Also, seems every lathe likes to be handled a little differently -probably because of how rigid it is or if the belts slip etc -so experimenting a bit with feeds/speeds is necessary once you get in the proper ballpark range.

Just the other day, some guys helped me with feeds/speeds with milling cast iron and it was very helpful. Once they got me in the ballpark, I tweaked my way around and finished in a jiffy w/o damage to the endmill.


Heat treating... That's an important topic and it's possible those bucket pins that Vince is working on might indeed need to be heat treated. One thing for sure, if a bucket pin cuts loose, somone can get hurt and at the least, the other pins will get cocked and be a pain to punch out. One thing though, if you don't use the right recipe of temperature, soak times and quenching technique, you'll almost certainly end-up with a weaker piece of metal than what you started-out with.

I'm by no means an expert, but as a rookie, 1045 steel seemed to be easyer to turn with carbide cutters, I have a lead screw, and found that my cheapo craftex 7 x 21 or (19?) worked a lot better with smoother cuts if I turned it pretty fast with a slow feed and the cutter I was using also helped. I usually get it real close and then finish with some emery cloth to really make it shine, if I'm going for super accurate, I test with a dial indicator, seems the more I learn about machining the more fussy I get...lol

I seen a you tube video about a guy that made some really heavy duty pins, and then heat treated them in a wood stove, then cooled them down in water for the temper, keep in mind, use a metal pail if your going to drop any hot steel into water.

 

[Vince_O]

Bill

Am I doing damage to the machine buy turning it by hand?

Heres some pics. This is a drive shaft out of one of my old tractors. Maybe jeff will know what type of steel it is cause he has the same type.

the pics are like 430 rpm and I think 6 something, Ill have to look in my manual. This steel turns nice, but if I do cold rolled its real choppy looking.


Heres a link to the loader Im building http://www.p.f.engineering.50megs.com/

 

[Ray C]

Vince,

You must have a live-center (or dead center) to support the work. That will fix 90% of your problems.

I'm in the office now and can't respond fully but, others will help I'm sure...

And thank you for posting pics... Really, really helps.

BTW: You're not doing half bad at all but, we can help speed you up..


Ray

Bill

Am I doing damage to the machine buy turning it by hand?

Heres some pics. This is a drive shaft out of one of my old tractors. Maybe jeff will know what type of steel it is cause he has the same type.

the pics are like 430 rpm and I think 6 something, Ill have to look in my manual. This steel turns nice, but if I do cold rolled its real choppy looking.


Heres a link to the loader Im building http://www.p.f.engineering.50megs.com/


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[Jeff in Pa]

Jeff

I will. I was looking to see if I still had your number to try and call you about this. Wish I lived back in Pa and was close to ya, I could learn alot.

Then we could get in trouble buying tractors and tools!

I get in enough trouble myself, I don't need any help. :rofl:


As Ray C replied, you do need a live (or dead) center, It will support the piece and make it much easier to cut. It actually doesn't look that bad, the center will be a major improvement.

 

[Vince_O]

Well then guys thanks a bunch! I was chatting last night with Gator and he was too giving me some ideas. The live center I bought is the wrong taper so Im saving to get another one. Really saving for the starter kit from Little Machince shop as it will have one in it.

I stopped by the machine shop in town today to tell them thanks, thats from another post, and the guys there said just keep turning. Then the owner said wait here take this. He gave me an eight foot piece of round stock. I dont know what it is, nor did he but someone brought it up years ago and they never used it. Its heavy I know that!

Im going to make some pins tomorrow for one of my lifts on my tractor Ill post a few more. Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[Ray C]

Hey Vince... that guy was mighty generous. A 1" piece 8' long is about 50 bucks worth of metal -depending on what it is.

Yes, another poster guided you well and suggested to shorten the stick-out of the bit as much as possible. Also, take a look at this and try to fashion your bit like it. Never mind I'm showing you carbide, the shape is the same. This style of bit takes cuts from right to left. Only use it in that direction. If you make a mirror-image bit, you can cut left to right.

Another thing. Make sure your bit is centered on the piece. It's too hard to do by eyeball so, either use a live center point in the tail stock to line it up (works OK but not great) or, do a face cut on a short piece of stock. If you get to the center and there's a little dimple, adjust bit height until it snips it off when you reach the center.

Rule of thumb: Any piece of stock that sticks-out from the jaws by more than 1.5 times it's diameter should be supported with a live or dead center. You can't see it with your eye but the pressure is bending that piece more than you can imagine.

Ray

BTW: I presume that's your son. Fine looking helper!

 

[Vince_O]

Yes ray that my youngest Danny. Hes like my tool room guy, he dosnt like to work, just sits around all day, LOL. My other, Little Vince, is a real worker. Hes almost 11 and he can part out a tractor with the best of them. Hes also very good to work with me in the shop, untill he discovered that there are girls that live next door. Now hes wondering off like a tom cat! :nono:

As far as the bits go I have made some left and right some funky ones to turn alum. Also made some 60 deg centers for tool hight.

 

[Ray C]

Ok, you're off & running on your own now. Good luck...

And one more thing. Make sure you use a good material for those bucket pins.


Ray

 

[Vince_O]

Ray

Wold you like to recomend something for them?

 

[Ray C]

1040, 1045 or 41xx (4140-4145). Parts like that are often heat treated too because they take a pounding and must endure a lot of sear forces. If it were my personal machine, I'd be comfortable trying without heat treating because I could load the bucket carefully and not use it for digging etc, until I had a good feeling it was holding-up well. If it's for someone else, I'd have my concerns about handing them the part.

Ray

Wold you like to recomend something for them?