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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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More mini lathe issues
I am trying to make my first real part. A replacement pivot pin for a lock
blade knife. It's a cheap knife. I could have thrown it away and bought 50 of them for the time I have spent so far, but it's a learning process. Its taught me a lot so far, and the knife was a gift from my son a couple years ago for Christmas. Here is my problem. I Can turn down to about .250 with no problems. Since the cap on the pin is .383 that part is easy. The shaft of the pin is .204 however. Whenever I get down to about .225 - .230 the tool bit wants to climb down under the work piece. At this point several things go wrong all at once. My tool post tilts towards the work piece no matter how tightly I have adjusted the slide tension bolts (and the slide will still move) forcing me to have to adjust it again. And it usually bends the work piece. Also, sometimes I get nasty gouges and galls on the stainless steel rod I am working with. Also it chips the carbide cutter and I have to resharpen it. Not sure what I should do. Obviously finding a way to stiffen the tool post would help, but I am not sure how to do that. The first idea I have had is to put the slide tension adjustment bolts and spacer on the back side of the slide. Then there is no mechanical room for the tool post to lift up on the front side. That in itself will require some work on the mill. It would make it more difficult to adjust tension on the slide, but I think it would need to be adjusted less often as well. The other idea I had is to make a tool holder for a good quality flex shaft handle, and chuck it up in the tool post with a small end mill. I would have to watch the speed very carefully as in one direction I'll get a combined cutting speed of the lathe and the end mill. By cutting in two directions simultaneously I should get a very good finish, and with the cutting surface at the middle instead of the top edge of the tool should greatly reduce the tendency of the tool to try and climb under the work piece. I'm wondering if this is one of those things where a combination machine might be able to do the job faster and easier. Or maybe I am totally missing the point. |
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