So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on
a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On Nov 17, 2:33*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on
a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? *They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. *Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? *What do
they do?

Anyone know? *Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form
the very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside
form can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Dave

Tim Wescott Inscribed thus:

So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm
on a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

I would guess that they are pressed blanks, edge turned over, then
polished. The perforations around the inside edge of the rim would be
done before the edge is turned over.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33Â*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? Â*They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Â*Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? Â*What do
they do?

Anyone know? Â*Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this case
there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the very
central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form can spin
it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center of
the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then had
a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get the
look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:56:33 +0000, Baron wrote:

Tim Wescott Inscribed thus:

So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

I would guess that they are pressed blanks, edge turned over, then
polished. The perforations around the inside edge of the rim would be
done before the edge is turned over.

The original Moon disks (not the snap-on ones) were just flat aluminum
that had been dished on a spinning machine (somehow). You were then
expected to drill and tap your wheels for itty bitty screws to hold the
disks on at speed.

Whatever the original process was, it was low tech and I want to
replicate it (or at least get the look!) in 1.5" diameter on my lathe.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this case
there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the very
central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form can spin
it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center of
the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then had
a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get the
look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a tailstock
holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the sharp point.
It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between the center and a
wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes made
for the work have big thrust bearings.

--
Ed Huntress

Tim Wescott Inscribed thus:

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:56:33 +0000, Baron wrote:

Tim Wescott Inscribed thus:

So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
this http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes,
I'm on a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun
_all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do
they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What
do they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

I would guess that they are pressed blanks, edge turned over, then
polished. The perforations around the inside edge of the rim would
be done before the edge is turned over.

The original Moon disks (not the snap-on ones) were just flat aluminum
that had been dished on a spinning machine (somehow). You were then
expected to drill and tap your wheels for itty bitty screws to hold
the disks on at speed.

Whatever the original process was, it was low tech and I want to
replicate it (or at least get the look!) in 1.5" diameter on my lathe.

I recall seeing some 35mm dia, dome shaped, polished control knob
inserts kicking about. They were stamped out of 0.2mm thick aluminum.
I'll see if I can lay my hands on them.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

On 11/17/2011 4:13 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:
.....
Whatever the original process was, it was low tech and I want to
replicate it (or at least get the look!) in 1.5" diameter on my lathe.


Ive heard of people making these for RC cars from the bottom of an
aluminum soda can.

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the
very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form
can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then
had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get
the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the
sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between
the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes
made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and Indian.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

Tim Wescott wrote:
On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:56:33 +0000, Baron wrote:

Tim Wescott Inscribed thus:

So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?
I would guess that they are pressed blanks, edge turned over, then
polished. The perforations around the inside edge of the rim would be
done before the edge is turned over.

The original Moon disks (not the snap-on ones) were just flat aluminum
that had been dished on a spinning machine (somehow). You were then
expected to drill and tap your wheels for itty bitty screws to hold the
disks on at speed.

Whatever the original process was, it was low tech and I want to
replicate it (or at least get the look!) in 1.5" diameter on my lathe.



The originals were done in a 3 step process. The blanks were laid out
and cut and the holes drilled. Then they were mounted to a spinning form
with screws and spun into the form with a wheel tipped tool. Then they
were removed and mounted to the finishing form and spun to the final
shape and finish on the face. The two forms were basically mirror image
wood initially, then they turned steel ones.

For what you want the easy way would be to press spin them. Make a two
piece form out of steel. The outer form will have a dish in the shape
you want, this one will be attached to an adapter that will fit a drill
press chuck. Now make a mirror image one that will get mounted to the
vice/table. To use take your aluminum stock and with the press running
at a middle speed, just act like you're drilling holes. Coating the
aluminum with some LIGHT lube will make it easier.

--
Steve W.

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the
very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form
can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then
had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get
the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the
sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between
the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes
made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and Indian.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ===============
[reply]

Oh, sure. Any lathe can do some light spinning. The heavy thrust business
pertains to lathes that are dedicated to it, or that do heavy pieces. As the
stock gets thicker, the forces really multiply. Look at old photos of
spinning lathes from the '30s through the '50s, when they were spinning big,
thick disks, and you'll see that the forming tools had handles that were
four or five feet long, working against a pivot with just a few inches
hanging out on the working side. The leverage was huge.

My uncle was a good spinner and did a lot on the SB 10L that he passed on to
me, including some beautiful lamps me made from German silver.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to spinning as he was teaching me, before he
died. I've tried it but I create a lot of wrinkles. That means I'm not
putting enough pressure on the work as I work the tool out from the center.
You have to put so much pressure on it that you actually shrink the stock as
you go, at each increment of travel as you move the tool outward. It takes a
lot of skill.

You'll see what I mean when you try it. Don't get discouraged easily. They
tell me that everybody makes wrinkled messes until, all of the sudden, it
starts to work. Spinning tubes down to a neck is easier than spinning disks
into a cup.

--
Ed Huntress

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on
a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

Tim - these show a bit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5Gq...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25OlcOSZOsg

On Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:54:58 +0800, Dennis wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like this
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/prod...roducts_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

Tim - these show a bit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5Gq...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25OlcOSZOsg

All I needed to know.

Man, I love watching metal spinning videos. It's just like magic.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:51:46 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:



"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the
very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form
can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then
had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get
the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the
sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between
the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes
made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and Indian.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================= ================
[reply]

Oh, sure. Any lathe can do some light spinning. The heavy thrust business
pertains to lathes that are dedicated to it, or that do heavy pieces. As the
stock gets thicker, the forces really multiply. Look at old photos of
spinning lathes from the '30s through the '50s, when they were spinning big,
thick disks, and you'll see that the forming tools had handles that were
four or five feet long, working against a pivot with just a few inches
hanging out on the working side. The leverage was huge.

My uncle was a good spinner and did a lot on the SB 10L that he passed on to
me, including some beautiful lamps me made from German silver.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to spinning as he was teaching me, before he
died. I've tried it but I create a lot of wrinkles. That means I'm not
putting enough pressure on the work as I work the tool out from the center.
You have to put so much pressure on it that you actually shrink the stock as
you go, at each increment of travel as you move the tool outward. It takes a
lot of skill.

You'll see what I mean when you try it. Don't get discouraged easily. They
tell me that everybody makes wrinkled messes until, all of the sudden, it
starts to work. Spinning tubes down to a neck is easier than spinning disks
into a cup.
My first attempt at spinning was to make 1/12 scale drop light shades
for a client. I used a unimat 3 lathe with a hardwood dowel form held
in the chuck and a pressure plug on a live centre in the tail stock.
My forming tool was apiece of 1/4" rod cut at 45 degrees then rounded
and polished. I started out with the cupped bottom of a soft drink can
and it was only after I had finished that I realized I had been using
steel instead of aluminium cans. I suspect that these cans were of
special soft alloy. Anyhow these turned out very nicely and sure
impressed the client.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:51:13 -0500, Gerald Miller wrote:

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:51:46 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:



"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes,
I'm on a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun
_all over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding.
Do they spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest?
What do they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form
the very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside
form can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and
then had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably)
to get the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without
the sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it
between the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings.
Lathes made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and
Indian.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================ =================
[reply]

Oh, sure. Any lathe can do some light spinning. The heavy thrust
business pertains to lathes that are dedicated to it, or that do heavy
pieces. As the stock gets thicker, the forces really multiply. Look at
old photos of spinning lathes from the '30s through the '50s, when they
were spinning big, thick disks, and you'll see that the forming tools
had handles that were four or five feet long, working against a pivot
with just a few inches hanging out on the working side. The leverage was
huge.

My uncle was a good spinner and did a lot on the SB 10L that he passed
on to me, including some beautiful lamps me made from German silver.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to spinning as he was teaching me, before
he died. I've tried it but I create a lot of wrinkles. That means I'm
not putting enough pressure on the work as I work the tool out from the
center. You have to put so much pressure on it that you actually shrink
the stock as you go, at each increment of travel as you move the tool
outward. It takes a lot of skill.

You'll see what I mean when you try it. Don't get discouraged easily.
They tell me that everybody makes wrinkled messes until, all of the
sudden, it starts to work. Spinning tubes down to a neck is easier than
spinning disks into a cup.
My first attempt at spinning was to make 1/12 scale drop light shades
for a client. I used a unimat 3 lathe with a hardwood dowel form held in
the chuck and a pressure plug on a live centre in the tail stock. My
forming tool was apiece of 1/4" rod cut at 45 degrees then rounded and
polished. I started out with the cupped bottom of a soft drink can and
it was only after I had finished that I realized I had been using steel
instead of aluminium cans. I suspect that these cans were of special
soft alloy. Anyhow these turned out very nicely and sure impressed the
client.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Gerry -- I had been wondering where I might find the right aluminum, and
hadn't even considered pop cans. D'oh. That's perfect!

--
www.wescottdesign.com

On Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:47:32 -0600, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:51:13 -0500, Gerald Miller wrote:

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:51:46 -0500, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:



"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474,
only without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes,
I'm on a mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun
_all over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding.
Do they spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest?
What do they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form
the very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside
form can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and
then had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably)
to get the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without
the sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it
between the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings.
Lathes made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and
Indian.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

=============================================== ==================
[reply]

Oh, sure. Any lathe can do some light spinning. The heavy thrust
business pertains to lathes that are dedicated to it, or that do heavy
pieces. As the stock gets thicker, the forces really multiply. Look at
old photos of spinning lathes from the '30s through the '50s, when they
were spinning big, thick disks, and you'll see that the forming tools
had handles that were four or five feet long, working against a pivot
with just a few inches hanging out on the working side. The leverage was
huge.

My uncle was a good spinner and did a lot on the SB 10L that he passed
on to me, including some beautiful lamps me made from German silver.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to spinning as he was teaching me, before
he died. I've tried it but I create a lot of wrinkles. That means I'm
not putting enough pressure on the work as I work the tool out from the
center. You have to put so much pressure on it that you actually shrink
the stock as you go, at each increment of travel as you move the tool
outward. It takes a lot of skill.

You'll see what I mean when you try it. Don't get discouraged easily.
They tell me that everybody makes wrinkled messes until, all of the
sudden, it starts to work. Spinning tubes down to a neck is easier than
spinning disks into a cup.
My first attempt at spinning was to make 1/12 scale drop light shades
for a client. I used a unimat 3 lathe with a hardwood dowel form held in
the chuck and a pressure plug on a live centre in the tail stock. My
forming tool was apiece of 1/4" rod cut at 45 degrees then rounded and
polished. I started out with the cupped bottom of a soft drink can and
it was only after I had finished that I realized I had been using steel
instead of aluminium cans. I suspect that these cans were of special
soft alloy. Anyhow these turned out very nicely and sure impressed the
client.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Gerry -- I had been wondering where I might find the right aluminum, and
hadn't even considered pop cans. D'oh. That's perfect!

Try a Monster can.

They are incredibly thin aluminum. So thin..that one has to be careful
handling them or dropping one. Floor lint will pop a hole in one if
dropped on it.

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch

Ed Huntress wrote:


"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the
very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form
can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then
had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get
the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the
sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between
the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes
made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and
Indian.

Ed,

In spinning wrinkling usually results from trying to move the material
to much in a pass and it wrinkles rather shrinks. It can be recovered if
not excessive but best to avoid it altogether. Shame your uncle died
before you got to spinning as it's quite an enjoyable thing to do I find.

"David Billington" wrote in message
...

Ed Huntress wrote:


"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:33 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:35:16 -0800, Dave__67 wrote:

On Nov 17, 2:33 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
So, I'm kinda thinking it'd be cool to make some moon disks, like
thishttp://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=474, only
without the snap-on features and for model airplane use (yes, I'm on a
mission).

These are obviously spun -- but how do they do it? They're spun _all
over_, which leads to some obvious problems in part-holding. Do they
spin part of it, then change the holder, then spin the rest? What do
they do?

Anyone know? Anyone have a good guess?

--www.wescottdesign.com

I've seen some vids where they glue to a wooden form, maybe in this
case there is a small center piece that clamps tight enough to form the
very central part and also imparts enough pressure the backside form
can spin it.

Or, central part is formed in a special op, then it is transferred to
another machine.

Glue might work. The ones I've seen are "spun" right up to the center
of the disk, although they may have been formed by other means and then
had a tool run over them (as yet another operation, presumably) to get
the look.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== ==========

Holding disks for spinning shallow cups typically is done with a
tailstock holding something like a ball-bearing center, but without the
sharp point. It's pressed up against the disk, sandwiching it between
the center and a wooden form block held in the headstock end.

It puts a fair amount of thrust load on your headstock bearings. Lathes
made for the work have big thrust bearings.

I was figuring that since I'm doing it with thin material for an itty
bitty part, I could get away with it even if my lathe is cheap and Indian.


Ed,

In spinning wrinkling usually results from trying to move the material to
much in a pass and it wrinkles rather shrinks. It can be recovered if not
excessive but best to avoid it altogether. Shame your uncle died before you
got to spinning as it's quite an enjoyable thing to do I find.

Yes, it's something I'd like to learn some day, because it does look like a
fun and useful aspect of the hobby. When I tried it I could feel (and see)
the metal shrink at the start, and then, when the curve became steeper as I
progressed toward the wide end, I reached a point where it wouldn't shrink,
but just wrinkled.

I tried removing the piece and annealing it (it was 3003 aluminum). I could
move a little farther down the die block without wrinkling, then it would
start to wrinkle again.

Although I didn't learn spinning, I was glad that he had time to teach me
faceplate work with toolmaker's buttons and lapping, both of which seem to
be disappearing skills.

--
Ed Huntress

On Sat, 19 Nov 2011 09:14:01 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"David Billington" wrote in message
...

Ed Huntress wrote:


Although I didn't learn spinning, I was glad that he had time to teach
me faceplate work with toolmaker's buttons and lapping, both of which
seem to be disappearing skills.

What are toolmaker's buttons?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 19 Nov 2011 09:14:01 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:

"David Billington" wrote in message
...

Ed Huntress wrote:


Although I didn't learn spinning, I was glad that he had time to teach
me faceplate work with toolmaker's buttons and lapping, both of which
seem to be disappearing skills.

What are toolmaker's buttons?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

================================================== =======

Try this:

http://www.neme-s.org/Model_Engineer...%20Buttons.pdf

....and this:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ttsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA196&lpg=PA196&dq=toolma ker's+buttons&source=bl&ots=1H2wbV4Krv&sig=XLCSEXM lUkU6DZYkOH7ux8sBMU0&hl=en&ei=HlPITtj0OKnc0QH7ypD7 Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CHU Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=toolmaker's%20buttons&f=false

I have two sets of Starrett buttons from the early '50s, but you can make
your own without a lot of trouble. It's good lapping practice in a small
lathe.

Before Dick Moore invented the jig borer, toolmaker's buttons were used for
the highest-accuracy drill-jig work, such as making master plates for clocks
and watches. Those old geezers could produce sub-tenths accuracy with them.
Precision drill jigs were on the same order of accuracy as custom gages.

They're used (or they were -- they were much too slow for commercial work
today) any time you need really accurate relative hole locations.

--
Ed Huntress