It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling machine,
I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2 inch
and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

"PeterM" wrote in message
...
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a
milling machine, I have no index machine, but have a small
4" rotary table w/o any accessories to turn the piece, and
have them right with 4 corners. Maybe there is an article
one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The whole
project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the
most 1/2 inch and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

A 3/8 round piece 2-3 inches long, with a 1/2 inch long
section square? Is the square
section at the end? Lay a V block on it's side, clamp the
piece vertical, and
mill the 4 sides?

On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:06:54 -0800, "PeterM"
wrote:

It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling machine,
I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2 inch
and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

Hold the piece vertically in the vise, sidemill the flats. V-blocks
are advisable. If you don't have any, it wouldn't take long to make a
couple of expedient ones.

On Nov 16, 7:06 pm, "PeterM" wrote:
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling machine,
I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. ...

I use 5C collets in square or hex blocks to cut wrench flats on
shafts.

Otherwise you could support the part in the milling vise on parallels
that will raise the cut above the vise. Cut one flat, turn it 90,
insert a piece of stock thicker than the depth of cut into the cut and
tighten. The inserted piece and the vise jaw will ensure that the next
cut is square to the first. You'll need two inserts for the last cut.

On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:06:54 -0800, "PeterM"
wrote:

It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling machine,
I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2 inch
and the rest is 3/8 or so round..
================
assuming your table is similar to the one shown below
http://littlemachineshop.com/product...1927&category=

suggest you get 2 pieces of steel or aluminum 3/4 to 1 inch
square and about 4 inches long. Square as required.

Drill one piece so you can bolt it to the table using slots that
are 90 degrees apart and so that the edge of the #1 block goes
over the center of the table. The second piece is drilled so the
two pieces can be bolted together to pinch the 3/8 rod, and the
first piece drilled and tapped to take the "squeeze" bolts. 1/4 X
20 SHCS should be adequate. Bolt the blocks together with a .005
[or so shim] between them. Very carefully center the rotary
table under the mill spindle. Bolt the block assembly to your
rotary table and drill/ream the 3/8 hole for the part. Leave the
first piece bolted to the table but unbolt the #2 block from the
first. remove the shims. Insert the 3/8 part and re bolt blocks
1 and 2, offset the table the required amount, and machine away.
The shim is used to generate a .005 "crush" when it is removed.
Put a punch mark on the ends of the blocks so they will be
reassembled the same way every time.

This is also good when you need to clamp on threads without
damage. Just drill and tap the center hole as required with the
shim between the blocks, and then clamp the part w/o the shim.

Bigger shim when drilling the hole = more "crush" when it is
removed. You can also mill off the block after machining for the
crush but this is more/extra work.

As in most machining, the less overhang or amount of material you
have sticking out of the clamp the more rigid the setup will be.

If you are a real cheap screw [ like me ] reverse the blocks and
you can drill another hole for a different size on the other
edge. It can be helpful to etch or stamp the exact size of the
holes on the blocks.

Let us know how everything works out.


Unka' George [George McDuffee]
============
Merchants have no country.
The mere spot they stand on
does not constitute so strong an attachment
as that from which they draw their gains.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826),
U.S. president. Letter, 17 March 1814.

Thank you all very much, I don't know how I get these brain farts every once
in a while, I could not see me doing it, now I know......Peter
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
On Nov 16, 7:06 pm, "PeterM" wrote:
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling
machine,
I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. ...

I use 5C collets in square or hex blocks to cut wrench flats on
shafts.

Otherwise you could support the part in the milling vise on parallels
that will raise the cut above the vise. Cut one flat, turn it 90,
insert a piece of stock thicker than the depth of cut into the cut and
tighten. The inserted piece and the vise jaw will ensure that the next
cut is square to the first. You'll need two inserts for the last cut.

"PeterM" wrote in message
...
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling
machine, I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2
inch and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

You ARE kidding, aren't you? No offense but....come on! I'm the dumbest
guy here and I can think of ten ways to do it.

On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:19:00 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, "Tom
Gardner" quickly quoth:


"PeterM" wrote in message
...
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling
machine, I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2
inch and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

You ARE kidding, aren't you? No offense but....come on! I'm the dumbest
guy here and I can think of ten ways to do it.

Isn't it quicker to take a file to the thing than to ask here and wait
for a response? g

P.S: Got a file card? You'll need it.

--
After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who
are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.
-- Evelyn Underhill

That wasn't fair of Tom, I just momentarily lost my ability to
think......Peter

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:19:00 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, "Tom
Gardner" quickly quoth:


"PeterM" wrote in message
...
It is about the size of a 3/8 bolt. How do I cut that on a milling
machine, I have no index machine, but have a small 4" rotary table w/o
any
accessories to turn the piece, and have them right with 4 corners. Maybe
there is an article one of you wonderful people here can send me.....The
whole project is 2-3 inches long, and the flat piece is at the most 1/2
inch and the rest is 3/8 or so round..

You ARE kidding, aren't you? No offense but....come on! I'm the dumbest
guy here and I can think of ten ways to do it.

Isn't it quicker to take a file to the thing than to ask here and wait
for a response? g

P.S: Got a file card? You'll need it.

--
After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who
are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.
-- Evelyn Underhill

"PeterM" wrote in message
...
That wasn't fair of Tom, I just momentarily lost my ability to
think......Peter

I have to defend my position of being the dumbest one here! Don't be
hornin' in on my action!

On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:00:14 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
"PeterM" quickly quoth:

That wasn't fair of Tom, I just momentarily lost my ability to
think......Peter

See Iggy post a few weeks ago Idiocracy.

Yeah, we all have brain farts and then get over 'em. So, what did you
end up doing to solve your flats problem, Peter?

--
After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who
are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.
-- Evelyn Underhill

Tom got to be a cool guy, he is funny alright, and now you have been
de-throned. I'm dumber then you Tom. Anyway, I will do the job tonight, I'm
with the grandkids for 2 days, and back home tonight. I think all the
answers are appealing to me, but I think I will read all the answers again,
and then decide. Some of the gray matter is appearing again. I have a
milling machine, a lathe a Shaper and a surface grinder. However, not too
much knowledge in using any of them. I promise I will try hard to use my
head, and report the results. No question shall be left unanswered. You guys
are great.......Peter

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:00:14 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
"PeterM" quickly quoth:

That wasn't fair of Tom, I just momentarily lost my ability to
think......Peter

See Iggy post a few weeks ago Idiocracy.

Yeah, we all have brain farts and then get over 'em. So, what did you
end up doing to solve your flats problem, Peter?

--
After all, it is those who have a deep and real inner life who
are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.
-- Evelyn Underhill