On May 18, 5:59*pm, "DoN. Nichols" wrote:
On 2010-05-18, Searcher7 wrote:
On May 17, 9:34*pm, "DoN. Nichols" wrote:
On 2010-05-17, Searcher7 wrote:
* * * * [ ... ]
I have it in front of me as I type this. It slid down on the toolpost
about a half inch without use of tools, so I guess it fits.
* * * * Assuming that the locking lever is in the released position,
it should slide all the way on with no difficulty and certainly no need
of tools. *If it only goes on a half inch, then it is likely to not be a
proper fit -- unless your lever is closer to the locked position.
* * * * Looking at your photos, I don't *see* the locking lever
installed on the toolpost. *The ring which surrounds the nut which holds
it down should have a threaded hole in it. *(I think that I see hints of
it at about 10:00 o'clock, which is certainly the wrong place for it.)
It should range between about 2:00 o'clock and perhaps 8:00 o'clock. *It
actually locks around 6:00 o'clock, and frees by 3:00 o'clock.
* * * * Anyway -- there should be a threaded rod which screws into this
ring, and a handle (perhaps a ball knob) on the other end. *Moving the
lever counter-clockwise should release the holder, and moving it
clockwise should lock the holder *firmly* in place. *It does this by
moving the shiny parts of the dovetails up and down, thus changing the
effective width of the dovetail.
I think I'll e-mail Shars about this. I added a couple of pics with
the tool holder as far down on the post as I can get it. (Without
using a hammer). :-)
* * * * It should simply drop on by gravity as long as the lever is in
the unlocked position.
It's probably nothing, but If you look at the second pic there is a
screw that isn't *complete* screwed in flush against the bottom.
* * * * The second picture shows the Aloris tool holder tilted, which
would keep it from sliding on as it should. *Try straightening it up and
see whether it will slide on. It might do so. *Looking at the position
of the visible wedge (the part with the screw) it should be far enough
up so the Aloris tool holder will slide on freely.
I played with it some more and the toolholder finally started to drop
low enough.(As far as the stop on top of the toolholder would allow).
* * * * Oh yes -- another point. *You need to use a solvent (WD-40 will
do) and paper towels to clean off the Cosmolene from the dovetails and
the wedge. *Those are there to prevent rust in storage, and are too
sticky to work in normal use. *Clean it off with the solvent, then
lubricate the surfaces with Vactra No. 2 way lube and see how things go.
* * * * As for that screw -- I'm not sure what function it serves,
though it could set a limit to how far down the wedge can go. *There is
certainly nothing like that on my Phase-II series-200 clone of the
Aloris BXA toolpost.
* * * * Is there a similar screw in the bottom end of the other wedge?
Nope. Just that one.
* * * * I see that you don't have it on your lathe yet, either.
* * * * And -- you might need to take it part-way apart and re-start the
wedges at a different rotation of the lever so it is not hitting the
chuck when it is in a locked position. *Start by removing the big nut at
the top and pulling out the rod with the (as yet unmilled) T-nut blank.
* * * * Then, you can rotate the collar CCW with the lever (which should
be somewhere with the toolpost packaging) until the wedges slide out the
bottom of the post. *Then try re-assembling it with different starting
positions of the lever until you find one where the lever travels from
about 2:00 (with the wedges near the top) to about 8:00 (with the wedges
near the bottom). *Hopefully you can find such a position and they have
not simply drilled the hole for the lever in the wrong place.
Ok, I think that perhaps you might not have seen if clearly, so I
partially unwrapped the threaded rod and screwed it into the toolpost.
This should show that the orientation is correct. (The toolholder is
located about the middle of the toolpost).
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/l...slander/Tools/
But the bar only turns about an inch between unlocked and locked. (The
difference in position of the bar between those first two pics show
how far I can turn it when the toolholder is on the post).
* * * * [ ... ]
* * * * [ ... ]
I might need to do some chamfering, so chamfering angle consistency
from one piece to the next will be important.
* * * * As long as you can accept either 30 degree or 60 degree -- use
what I suggested above. *If you want 45 degree, then the adjustable
angle insert may be the way to go.
45 degrees is exactly what I was thinking. :-)
* * * * If you need only that angle, get a shank for the inserts which
will hold them at the 45 degree angle, and put it in a #1 tool holder.
Ok, so I guess there is still no reason to get the AXA 22. (And it
looks like I'll just have to change the toolholder every time I have
to do a different operation). :-(
* * * * [ ... ]
* * * * It depends on what you mean by a "ball turner". :-)
* * * * If you mean a tool ground to a specific female radius, it will
be a killer.
* * * * However, if you mean the kind with a tool pivoted on an axis
corresponding to the center of the workpiece, and with a single-point
cutter, you can do it with that.
* * * * The trick is to not take of material from too wide an area at
one time. *A narrow point is what you need.
Thanks.
So I guess that is more in the grinding than the angle.
* * * * Yes -- or the purchasing of inserts with the smallest radius
available. *(Typically there are three point radii -- and you want the
smallest with that lathe. *Larger radii make it possible to get a nicer
finish with a faster feed -- but not if your lathe does not have the
rigidity to handle them. :-) (Actually -- you can probably get away with
larger radii with plastics, but certainly not with SS.
Speaking of a bench grinder. I have a Ryobi 6" Thin Line Bench Grinder.
(BGH615 120V AC, 60Hz, 2.1A 3600RPM/TR/MN, 1/2" Arbor), and have been
doing some research on aluminum oxide wheels to get for it. *And think
I found a good supplier:http://www.abtec4abrasives.com/
* * * * In the UK? *Shipping may be a killer. *And are you seeing the
price in UK Pounds and mentally treating it as US dollars? *Look up the
exchange ratio -- and take into account the shipping costs across the
Atlantic.
Actually I was thinking in terms of the buying experience of another
who raved about their service and the wheels performance when he got
them.
* * * * O.K. *Make sure you know what kind of wheels you need. *I'm not
a good source for that information.
* * * * [ ... ]
I probably won't be trying to thread 316, which is only a possible
material. Metal(and sweaty hands) will probably come into contact with
it, so I'll probably use a different type if I can find something in
S.S.
* * * * 416 is not ast stainless, but is easier to machine.
* * * * I meant to say "not *as* stainless" above. :-)
It's really the stainless steel look I'm after. But like I said sweaty
hands may cause problems over time.
So can I assume this is what you'd use if you were making a one piece
ball-top joystick out of stainless steel?
* * * * Actually -- I probably would not try to make one. *How big is
the ball? *That will determine the diameter of the steel stock you will
need, since you are making it one piece. *And what I would probably try
there is to cut it to length (or a little longer), chuck it by the end
where the ball will be, and use a live center to support the other end,
turn down until I got the needed shank diameter, then reverse it, and
chuck it up as close to the ball as I could and still clear the radius
cutting tool.
Thanks. The ball-top will be 1-1/2" in diameter, and the shaft will be
3/8" in diameter. The total length will be 5-1/2".
* * * * Then -- you will probably need cloth wheels and various
compounds to produce the nice shiny finish you want (a different cloth
wheel is needed for each compound) and a *lot* of time to produce the
polish.
* * * * [ ... ]
The threads will only be 1/4' to 1/2" in. Though some future projects
will involve much longer and coarser threads on mild steel rods.
* * * * O.K. *Learn to thread on 12L14 first, and you will then know
that you can do it and what it feels like, and only have to worry about
how much more difficult 316 SS is. :-)
Is 12L14 good for something like a lead screw?
* * * * Yes -- assuming that it is running in a bronze bearing and does
not have to resist bending.
* * * * [ ... ]
So I guess that even in mild steel threading would be difficult.
* * * * Depends on how deep a thread. *I think that you can do 12L14 to
20 TPI. *28 TPI or finer would be easier.
Thanks. Standard threads are all I can see myself doing in the near
future.
* * * * 20 and 28 TPI are both standard threads on 1/4" shafts. *They
would be a bit too fine if the shaft is 1/2" diameter.
* * * * But for leadscrews -- you don't want *standard* V threads, but
rather Acme threads.
* * * * As for setting the angle, get a fishtail rule. :-)
???
* * * * A short steel rule with the proper angle for threading tools.
It looks like this (view with a fixed pitch font to avoid distortion,
Courier is a good choice):
* * * * *|\ */|
* * * * *| \/ |
* * * * * * *| * Typically about 1" wide, and 3" long.
* * * * *| * *|
* * * * * \ */
* * * * * *\/
* * * * The male angle at the bottom and the female angles at the top
and the sides (there are actually two side ones of different sizes) are
used both for gauging the angles of the threading tools when you grind
them from HSS blanks, and for making sure that the tool is presented at
the proper angle to the workpiece.
Ok. Center Gauge. :-) I thought that's what you were referring to.
* * * * [ ... ]
(But I do have a bench block and taps).
* * * * Good for threading holes, but not rods.
Yes. I wouldn't try I.D. threading on my lathe or bother with O.D.
threading by hand. (O.D. is all I can see doing in the near future
anyway).
* * * * O.K.
* * * * And if you are going to try to use a die on SS, you will need
some way to grip the rod without marring it. *316 SS, even with a good
choice of thread cutting lubricant, will generate serious forces.
Yes. I'm about to pick up some way and spindle lube via eBay, and will
be looking for a good cutting/tapping fluid.
220604490776
* * * * O.K. *Those sound pretty good -- for small quantities. *I order
5-gallon lots of Vactra No. 2, and 1-gallon of different spindle oils
for different machines.
And though I'd never get it I thought this one was funny: 220606254543
* * * * The hydraulic oil and a light spindle oil are similar enough so
that might work. *But not Waylube or cutting oil in the same product.
In particular, a cutting oil contains additives which weaken the metal
bonds making it easier to cut, and are also frequently high film
strength lubes (something like Rigid pipe threading oil for example.)
Perhaps I should order larger(gallon) amounts. I'm just trying to keep
things simple for both lathe and mill/drill. Oil for the ways. Oil for
the spindles. cutting/tapping fluid. The lead screw(lithium grease?).
General rust preventative. And something for when I *attempt* to turn
S.S. :-)
BTW.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...PMAKA=422-2416
And it's free shipping this month with the code.
* * * * However -- threading Stainless steel is going to be tricky with
your machine. *I've threaded 416 SS without problems. *But I'm not at
all sure what would happen if I tried 316 SS. *I don't have any, so it
does not matter at the moment.
I think that Aquamet might be a form of 316, but I don't know of it's
work properties. (It might have been a propeller shaft of something
similar). But smoothing it up will be all I need to do anyway.
* * * * Well ... you'll find out how it machines, anyway. :-)
* * * * Based on what someone else posted, it will be a real bear to
machine -- depending on just which alloy it happens to be.
Then I guess for all intents and purposes it is 316...
* * * * Good Luck,
* * * * * * * * DoN.
--
*Email: * * | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
* * * * (too) near Washington D.C. |http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
* * * * * *--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
Thanks again.
Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.