I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

All that Saint-Gobain says about turning it is that the tools need to be
sharp sharp sharp and the lathe needs to be clean clean clean. I'm more
wondering if there is a tool set up that's best or if a tool that's good
for aluminum will be good for Rulon, and if there's anything special I
need to do to put a good finish on one (other than using my own damn
tools, or borrowing the shop of someone who actually has a round-nose
finishing tool).

Thanks in advance.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

All that Saint-Gobain says about turning it is that the tools need to be
sharp sharp sharp and the lathe needs to be clean clean clean. I'm more
wondering if there is a tool set up that's best or if a tool that's good
for aluminum will be good for Rulon, and if there's anything special I
need to do to put a good finish on one (other than using my own damn
tools, or borrowing the shop of someone who actually has a round-nose
finishing tool).

Thanks in advance.

--
Tim Wescott

Nothing much to say about the tooling other than the "sharp, sharp, sharp"
thing is deadnuts accurate.

However, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!!!!!

The fumes are bad, both for short- and long-term exposures.

Short-term can cause BAD headaches, nausea, burning eyes and a nose that
only Rudolfs mom would love.

Long-term can cause a couple kinds of cancers and other never-get-overs.

Luck

Mike

On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:23:53 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

All that Saint-Gobain says about turning it is that the tools need to be
sharp sharp sharp and the lathe needs to be clean clean clean. I'm more
wondering if there is a tool set up that's best or if a tool that's good
for aluminum will be good for Rulon, and if there's anything special I
need to do to put a good finish on one (other than using my own damn
tools, or borrowing the shop of someone who actually has a round-nose
finishing tool).

Thanks in advance.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html


I am in Saint Gobain in California almost daily and can tell you ,all
tooling is custom ground ( high speed steel)
There are very few inserts used if any.
If you need me to ask any question or need an email of a machine shop
supervisor let me know.

Regards
Daveb

The Davenport's wrote:
I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

Tim Wescott


Nothing much to say about the tooling other than the "sharp, sharp, sharp"
thing is deadnuts accurate.

However, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!!!!!

The fumes are bad, both for short- and long-term exposures.

Short-term can cause BAD headaches, nausea, burning eyes and a nose that
only Rudolfs mom would love.

Long-term can cause a couple kinds of cancers and other never-get-overs.
Huh? This stuff is Teflon and rust, as far as I know. Unless
you are really going at it in high speed production, you
shouldn't be heating it anywhere near the decomposition
temperature of Teflon, which is 450 C. Rust doesn't sound that
poisonous, although the dust might be nasty.

Is there something else in there?

Jon

Tim Wescott wrote:
I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.
Where did you get it from? What sort of stuff are you making?

It has been recommended as the best seal material for Stirling
engines, which I've been wanting to do some work on, so I've
been keeping my eye open for info on the stuff.

I have machined a fair bit of plain Teflon, however.

Jon

On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:00:40 -0500, Jon Elson
wrote:

The Davenport's wrote:
I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

Tim Wescott


Nothing much to say about the tooling other than the "sharp, sharp, sharp"
thing is deadnuts accurate.

However, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!!!!!

The fumes are bad, both for short- and long-term exposures.

Short-term can cause BAD headaches, nausea, burning eyes and a nose that
only Rudolfs mom would love.

Long-term can cause a couple kinds of cancers and other never-get-overs.
Huh? This stuff is Teflon and rust, as far as I know. Unless
you are really going at it in high speed production, you
shouldn't be heating it anywhere near the decomposition
temperature of Teflon, which is 450 C. Rust doesn't sound that
poisonous, although the dust might be nasty.

Is there something else in there?

Jon


I watch pure teflon being compression molded all day and the only
thing that is dangerous is ingesting the raw material , no one wears
any protective devices.

After the material is molded it goes into the oven at 500 deg. or so
for about 4-6 hrs......I will pay more attention tomorrow.

My customer makes about every type plastic known and I have never
heard of anyone getting sick or any long term effects.

I usally spend 20-30 hours a week there doing plc and special machine
design as well as the repairs of the cnc equipment.

One side effect of teflon is the "Teflon Flu" which is not nice and
takes a few days to get over.

I will check out the rulon in the morning.

Regards


Daveb

Jon Elson wrote:
Tim Wescott wrote:
I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although
you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.
Where did you get it from? What sort of stuff are you making?

It has been recommended as the best seal material for Stirling engines,
which I've been wanting to do some work on, so I've been keeping my eye
open for info on the stuff.

I have machined a fair bit of plain Teflon, however.

Small Parts, Inc., where it costs $$ (but this is a small part of a
commercial machine, so it's OK).

We're using it for a sliding bearing.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:00:40 -0500, Jon Elson
wrote:

The Davenport's wrote:
I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

Tim Wescott


Nothing much to say about the tooling other than the "sharp, sharp, sharp"
thing is deadnuts accurate.

However, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!!!!!

The fumes are bad, both for short- and long-term exposures.

Short-term can cause BAD headaches, nausea, burning eyes and a nose that
only Rudolfs mom would love.

Long-term can cause a couple kinds of cancers and other never-get-overs.
Huh? This stuff is Teflon and rust, as far as I know. Unless
you are really going at it in high speed production, you
shouldn't be heating it anywhere near the decomposition
temperature of Teflon, which is 450 C. Rust doesn't sound that
poisonous, although the dust might be nasty.

Is there something else in there?

Jon
I watched it being made today.....no rust, however some Rulon has
bronze in it. This makes sense for a bearing surface.

This product is only made by Saint Gobain and there are quite a few
variations of it.

There is no danger associated with this material except when it's
heated like you say and then only minor complications.

If you need any specific information about Rulon let me know.

Regards

Regards
Daveb

I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although
you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

Tim Wescott


Nothing much to say about the tooling other than the "sharp, sharp,
sharp" thing is deadnuts accurate.

However, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!!!!!

The fumes are bad, both for short- and long-term exposures.

Short-term can cause BAD headaches, nausea, burning eyes and a nose that
only Rudolfs mom would love.

Long-term can cause a couple kinds of cancers and other never-get-overs.
Huh? This stuff is Teflon and rust, as far as I know. Unless you are
really going at it in high speed production, you shouldn't be heating it
anywhere near the decomposition temperature of Teflon, which is 450 C.
Rust doesn't sound that poisonous, although the dust might be nasty.

Is there something else in there?

Jon

Sorry...I was being a little flip as to the long term effects...shouldn't
have done it, but I did...sorry.

The short term effects, however, I'l stand by what I said.

Mike

On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 03:05:38 +0000, DaveB wrote:

On Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:23:53 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff, although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

All that Saint-Gobain says about turning it is that the tools need to be
sharp sharp sharp and the lathe needs to be clean clean clean. I'm more
wondering if there is a tool set up that's best or if a tool that's good
for aluminum will be good for Rulon, and if there's anything special I
need to do to put a good finish on one (other than using my own damn
tools, or borrowing the shop of someone who actually has a round-nose
finishing tool).

Thanks in advance.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html


I am in Saint Gobain in California almost daily and can tell you ,all
tooling is custom ground ( high speed steel)
There are very few inserts used if any.
If you need me to ask any question or need an email of a machine shop
supervisor let me know.

Regards
Daveb

That's a hansom offer. I appreciate it and I'll take you up on it if I
need to.

At the moment what I've learned here, and the fact that our application
isn't terribly critical, should let us be effective with the stuff for the
time being.

After all, if a systems engineer whose only an amateur machinist can do a
good enough job with it, how challenging can the job be?

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

Tim Wescott wrote:
Jon Elson wrote:

Tim Wescott wrote:

I turned some Rulon today to make some bearings. Nice stuff,
although you
really have to keep the cutoff tool close to the chuck.

Where did you get it from? What sort of stuff are you making?

It has been recommended as the best seal material for Stirling
engines, which I've been wanting to do some work on, so I've been
keeping my eye open for info on the stuff.

I have machined a fair bit of plain Teflon, however.

Small Parts, Inc., where it costs $$ (but this is a small part of a
commercial machine, so it's OK).

We're using it for a sliding bearing.

Thanks, didn't know they carried it. I'd be using it in small
quantites, too, to make piston rings and rod seals for a
Stirling engine. I'm planning on making a larger, high-temp
Stirling engine, and need some durable seals that can run dry.
Rulon was one of the most widely recommended materials. Now, I
see there are a bunch of different formulas available.

Jon