Arch

The gentleman who wrote the article did not intend the SS to be a heavy duty
metalworking tool. He understands the limitations of the machine and knows
how to engineer some interesting solutions. In the process he does come up
with some ideas that are applicable to metal and wood. One of his concerns
is the cost of real estate to set up and use multiple tools. If this is not
one of your problems, then multiple dedicated machines would be an obvious
way to go.

Thinking thru problems and coming up with unusual solutions makes life more
interesting. I am reminded of listening to Ed Moulthrup
(http://www.jra.org/craftart/awards/2001/moulthrop.htm ) give a
presentation on his work. He turned huge vessels (big enough for kids to
hide in). Ed was an architect and could have bought an existing lathe, but
instead he created his own slow speed lathe from used truck parts. Well
after checking out the reference: "he would pare a 1600 pound log into an 80
pound vessel", I guess he did not have much choice (but I do think a large
Oliver lathe would have worked).

Yes Arch, I have used my dental drills to do a lot of stuff. Probably the
most important task has been to remove broken bolts in steel punches after
drilling with standard techniques and twist out tools did not work (think
broken, hardened twist out below the surface that has to be removed. Think
portable ultra high speed milling machine with diamond tooling and 2 hours
of time to salvage the punch).

Charles Friedman DDS
Ventura by the Sea


"Arch" wrote in message
...
Hi Charles, Have you considered writing a series of articles on
converting an old dental drill into a milling machine? Makes about as
much sense to me as making a shopsmith, even the original iron ones,
into an engine lathe. As I see it, each SS multiuse module is a
compromise so I guess one could add yet another, but why put lipstick on
a pig? Understand, I like pigs, they are smart, but they are not draft
animals.

I remember that many woodturners, notably Mel Lindquist, now deceased,
but once a member of my N. Fl club, have turned fairly large and heavy
wood blanks and some have likely spun soft metals on these machines, but
for machining metal not only would rigidity seem to be a problem, but
also precision and accuracy seem to be in question. However maybe the
author can carry it off.

I'm not against multiuse machines. I've turned wood on my little Atlas
horizontal mill and I still have a shopsmith at my Maine camp, but I
don't turn gun barrels on it. I can see why this unusual endeavor would
pique your interest. Mine too. Keep us posted as the series unfolds. I
may have it all wrong and can learn something yet.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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