According to :
O.K. The first of the ones which I got also as e-mail.
*Please* don't send me e-mail copies of your postings.
Especially so, since the "From: " address is bogus, so a reply would be
wasting my time.
Ok. This was definitely the resultof problems with the library
computers, which I rarely use to post to the newsgroups unless my home
system goes down.
O.K. As it urned out, I saw both in the newsgroup, and only one
seemed to require an answer, so you got that.
[ ... ]
No -- the plate which slides into the T-slot on the compound has
to be milled to fit. You don't *have* a T-slot on that lathe, unlike
most larger (and some smaller) lathes.
So, you unscrew the center rod from the T-head blank, and screw
it into the threaded hole in the top of the *modified* compound which
you purchase.
There *may* be a different center rod, which should be part of
what comes with the modified compound.
OK. I ordered one, so I'll re-read this when I have it in my hand.
O.K.
Hmmm. Ebay: 7593078186
[ ... ]
Now -- you *could* use this in the spin indexer which you
mention somewhere below (from what I remember from reading the e-mail
earlier in the day). But that spin indexer is probably not as small as
you think it is. :-)
That's exactly what I was thinking. But when I get around to getting a
mill... :-)
O.K.
Neertheless, if I'm lucky and can fit the spin indexer(with collet and
work) over my lathe's bed in front of an endmill(located inside of an
end mill holder), I'd be able to bolt it to the geared elevation
platform I'm designing. :-)
O.K. Note that a spin indexer does not have the worm gear drive
which either a rotary table or an index/dividing head have, so trying to
rotate the workpiece while you are machining may get rather exciting --
it may get away from you and rap your knuckles with the hand crank.
[ ... ]
I definitely won't be using the collets for tool holding and plan to
bid on a set of endmill holders: 7552009436
O.K. I see a problem with those. They have tanged ends, rather
than ends drilled and tapped for a drawbar. You will have a risk of
things coming loose still.
BTW. Since I am getting a lot of stuff from a single seller I decided I
might as well pick up a set of collets also. I previously asked the
seller if he combined for shipping and he said yes. But at over $50
shipping I still think thats kind of high...
[ ... ]
7582356634 5/8" DRILL CHUCK W/ STRAIGHT / MT / R8 SHANK ARBOR NEW! 1
US $18.95
What are you going to use this (above) on? It seems too big
for a tailstock chuck for your lathe, and way too big for a chuck for a
drill press which you could carry up the stairs. It *might* work in the
headstock, I guess.
[ ... ]
They can. Taps, under power, are asking for trouble. I tap
under power in my lathe, but:
1) It has a bed turret, so the tool holders are always on center.
2) I have some releasing tap holders to mount in that turret.
When the tap reaches a pre-set depth, it pulls part of the
holder to release the coupling to the rigidly mounted part in
the turret. This allows the tap and part of the holder to spin
freely until I can stop and reverse the spindle to back the tap
out of the just made threads.
You don't have the releasing tap holders, and I don't think that
your spindle can be run at reasonable speeds and torque for
this -- depending on the size of the tap, of course.
Thanks. You've convinced me to stick with manual tapping. At least for
now , and with the equipment I have. Or should I say, don't have. :-).
BTW. I don't see going much larger than 5/8" in the near future.
I don't have a mill or drill yet but this looks interestiung:
7537997365
Be aware that it *must* be used in a rotating spindle. You
can't use it in the non-rotating spindle of your lathe tailstock.
[ ... ]
O.K. Two-flute or three-flute plunge fairly nicely though
either may take more power than you have in stainless depending on the
diameter, so you may need to pre-drill the holes to depth at a smaller
diameter first.
Since stainless is still the *back-up* plan, two-flute should be
sufficient for Delrin.
O.K.
[ ... lathe dogs ... ]
Ok. I assume that each will encompass a small range of diameters so I
won't have to buy one for every 1/16" of an inch. :-)
Correct. The range is limited in part by the length of the
screw which grips the workpiece -- though there are other thing which
also play a role in deciding.
I have lathe dogs somewhat covered: 7594607844. I didn't see the one
lathe dog on the Micro-mark page as being too useful. But I may now
have to custom make a face plate so I can use them.
O.K. These look reasonable.
My idea is actually a little different. Basically all I need is a plate
with 36 equally spaced holes and another with 10 holes. Actually it
probably would be best to just make what I need.(The only other end
mills I'll need will be for gear cutting).
Hmm ... 36 and 10. How about 36 and 40? The index head for the
Emco-Maier C5 mill (not to be confused with the 5C collet size) has
those two, plus two other counts -- all build into the one fixture. You
simply shift the spring-loaded pin from one threaded hole to another to
select the number of positions available.
And even the really tiny index head for the Unimat SL-1000
(long out of production) had available four index hubs with those four
hole counts. But they typically came with only the 36 hole one, and you
had to buy the others as accessories.
Though 36 and 40 would quadruple the position opptions, there is not
enough room for that many holes inthe space I set aside.
I was talking about things which are available pre-made which
are close to what you are thinking of making -- but with provisions for
the things which you have not yet thought of.
[ ... ]
I'll still keep my eyes open, but I guess my priority should be getting
a compatible 5" 4-jaw chuck for those sqaure pieces.
Yes -- which *could* include a separate back plate and a
plain-back chuck, so you can adapt it to your machine.
BTW. Since it was cheap and I'm getting a lot of other stuff from the
seller, I bought a little 5C spin index to experiment with.(#)
O.K. You may find it larger than you think. :-)
I'll let you know the dimensions when I get it. :-)
I think that I know the size of the typical spin indexer.
BTW -- you can divide parts to any integer number of degrees.
There are 36 holes in the plate, and ten holes for the locking
pin so you can between them get any of 360 positions. Look that
over and learn how to use it before you buy an index head. (Of
course it won't do for things which don't divide evenly into 360
degrees.)
And as far as milling machines go. I was going to get the Micro-Mark
cousin to my lathe, but I've seen too many of them show up on eBay
broken.(So I'll wait).
The plastic gears, I suspect. I've seen lots of postings about
those giving way in some of the import milling machines.
I guess that's why their ad for the lathe says in bright red letters,
"Now with metal gears on the spindle shaft!". But of course that'll
just shift the weak link iun the chain to another location. :-)
Of course. :-)
[ ... ]
I have still not figured out the corresponding tap diameters for those
numbers under 1/4".
Buy a *good* drill index filled with number-sized drills. You
will find a table embossed into the metal of the top tray which lists
the body and tap drill sizes for common number-sized screws.
Or -- look up the proper table in your _Machinery's Handbook_.
Or prepare to compile (language is 'C') a program which I wrote
some time ago:
================================================== ====================
number-screw 3 56
For a #3-56.000 screw:
Clearance diameter: 0.099
Tap drill diameter: 0.081
================================================== ====================
And you'll still need the drill index to convert those decimal sizes to
the number size. :-)
I'm in the process of searching for a good book on this subject to add
to the other's high on my list.("Machinery's Handbook", "Machine Shop
Practice"(Moltrecht), and some other book with the word essentials in
it). :-)
O.K. The Moltrecht two-volume set is excellent, but
_Machinery's Handbook_ is the place to look up sizes and things like
that.
[ ... weight of good vertical metal-cutting bandsaw ... ]
600?!?
Yes -- in part just to find a bandsaw which will run slow enough
to cut stainless steel. Most inexpensive (and light) bandsaws have
speeds only appropriate for wood or metals like brass or aluminum. They
are *way* too fast for mild steel even -- let along stainless.
What about 4" long cuts through 1/16" thick stainless steel?
The same rules apply. It is the blade speed which is the major
problem. (Actually, you *might* be able to get away with the
horizontal/vertical bandsaw in vertical mode -- if you don't need to cut
too far from the edge of the workpiece, as the clearance for the other
side is rather limited.
Well the idea was to cut 4" squares out of the 4" wide, 4'(or is it 6')
long pieces. But if it is easier(though not cheaper) to just get it
completsly precut, then I'll have no choice.
It will be cheaper up until a certain number of pieces, and you
really have no place to put something capable of handling the stainless
steel.
Or -- you can perhaps find a sheet metal shop locally with a
shear capable of cutting the 1/16" SS. This is the same as 16 gauge,
and most reasonable shears are good up to 16 gauge in *mild* steel, but
only to something like 20 gauge (or even thinner) in Stainless Steels.
Enjoy,
DoN.
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