"Existential Angst" wrote in message
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"PrecisionmachinisT" wrote in message
news:4NydnRA1LNiZGjLMnZ2dnUVZ_vydnZ2d@scnresearch. com...

"Pete C." wrote in message
.com...

PrecisionmachinisT wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
. com...

lathe does 2,400 RPM (kinda scary) and I've

I run "small" work at 10,000 rpms

Not on a basic 13x40 Taiwan manual lathe, and I presume not in an 8"
chuck...

12mm swiss.

Anything over a few inches I send out; because the need arises so
infrequently that buying a largish lathe would be an exceptionally stupid
business investment on my part.
=================================

AND, iirc, you just recently got a..... SAW.... lol
Saws are a pita, tho....


I've had the saw for quite some time now, and although the problems with
having parts pre-sawn by my metal supplier were several, cost was not a
factor....

1) Delivery (lead time)
2) Their coolant corroded the aluminum if left on for any length of time
xusing problems with the anodizing.
3) Sawing myself allowed me much more flexubility.

One of our main product lines consists of about 12 detail parts which are
all made out of 1/4 thick aluminum bar, in 1-1/2, 2, 3, and 4in widths...but
since they are cut to several different lengths, it was previously necessary
for me to keep a fairly large inventory of pre-sawn blanks in inventory
whereas nowadays all I have to do is order more bar stock when I run low on
any given width.

Most important is probably the flexibility aspect--whereas I used to have 12
setups on the vertical mills for these parts, today I run all of them and in
any combination in Chick multi-station tombstone vises on a multi-pallet
horizontal cnc and the only thing needed to "change over" from one part to
another is I'll add the part into the que which takes all of about 10
seconds, whereas it used to take a week or more just to get the material on
the floor.