Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700, SteamboatEd Haas wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em
and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of
using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better
idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...0108521891/in/
album-72157673545442262/

Ouch! I normally just use a deburring tool or pocket knife, but that'd
be a pia on those. I'd guess the tumbler won't do it, but it doesn't hurt
to try.

Pete Keillor

SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

How about filing or sanding just the ends to get the fuzz off?

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/


Thats Delrin? Looks a hell of a lot like nylon to me.

Take a simple propane torch and hit a sample part gently and see if
the fuzz will burn off.

Becareful!

Gunner

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part. Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part. Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try again with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w laser cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out of plate instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all and that may wind up being the winner.

Thanks for that; matte finish not a problem; after deburring there will be a couple more operations so matte finish will be removed during that machining.

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 2:40:51 PM UTC-7, Cydrome Leader wrote:
How about filing or sanding just the ends to get the fuzz off?
--Not so bad for one or two but I'm gearing up to make a couple thousand of 'em! :-)

SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So
I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less
fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part.
Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe
it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the
thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try
again with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w
laser cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out
of plate instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all
and that may wind up being the winner.

Waterjet .
--
Snag

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 7:30:16 PM UTC-7, Terry Coombs wrote:
SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So
I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less
fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part.
Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe
it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan


Waterjet .
--
Snag
--Actually waterjet would probably be awesome but it's expensive. OTOH our hacker space just got that big laser and, after learning how to use it, I can walk in any time and knock 'em out with that.

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 10:08:45 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas wrote:


Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try again with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w laser cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out of plate instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all and that may wind up being the winner..

I thought table saw because that is what I would use on plastic. So you might try a table saw. I think a sharp blade would produce less fuzz than an abrasive saw. It might be cheaper to use a somewhat thicker blade if it eliminates the fuzz problem. If you are making several thousand parts , it would be worth trying many ways to cut the parts. One advantage of the table saw is that it can be very fast if you set up a stop for length.

Dan

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:08:42 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part. Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try again with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w laser cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out of plate instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all and that may wind up being the winner.

Watch out cutting plastics with a laser. The toxic smoke is a serious
problem with many plastics (I don't know which ones, but you could
find out).

I wrote an article about a shop in CA that does that, on weekends
only, with only the owner in the shop, and he opens all the windows
and wears a SCUBA rig when he does so. g

Waterjet is the preferred method these days.

--
Ed Huntress

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:12:16 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Thanks for that; matte finish not a problem; after deburring there will be a couple more operations so matte finish will be removed during that machining.
Damn, I spelled matt, er, matte, wrong again. If you decide to cut
with a laser be aware that Delrin, an acetal plastic, will give off
formaldehyde ( I spelled that right at least). Not only is
formaldehyde a lung irritant and poison it also is corrosive to
certain metals, most iron alloys being among them. So make sure the
laser cutting operation is well vented away from people and other
living things.
Eric

SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 2:40:51 PM UTC-7, Cydrome Leader wrote:
How about filing or sanding just the ends to get the fuzz off?
--Not so bad for one or two but I'm gearing up to make a couple thousand of 'em! :-)

They look pretty small, even a quick twist against a sanding machine might
do the trick. Spin it around and repeat. Might be a couple seconds a
piece if you can find the grit that will cut that stuff off.

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Got a weed burner? evil grinne Or ask the old lady for a cuticle
trimmer. Might work. What's your tolerance/qty/dlvy date?


the parts, are you now making -toy- steamboat paddles, Ed?

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 23:07:10 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 7:30:16 PM UTC-7, Terry Coombs wrote:
SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So
I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less
fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part.
Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe
it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan


Waterjet .
--
Snag
--Actually waterjet would probably be awesome but it's expensive. OTOH our hacker space just got that big laser and, after learning how to use it, I can walk in any time and knock 'em out with that.

Cool!

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:13:30 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 2:40:51 PM UTC-7, Cydrome Leader wrote:
How about filing or sanding just the ends to get the fuzz off?
--Not so bad for one or two but I'm gearing up to make a couple thousand of 'em! :-)

That's some serious machine time. Are you milling lengths, then
cutting to width? No, judging by the burrs, you're not, are you?
Which begs the Q: Why not?

Yeah, 6-up on your driveway and hit 'em with the weed burner at
regular walking speed. You'll be done in no time.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

On Thu, 13 Oct 2016 13:48:25 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:13:30 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 2:40:51 PM UTC-7, Cydrome Leader wrote:
How about filing or sanding just the ends to get the fuzz off?
--Not so bad for one or two but I'm gearing up to make a couple thousand of 'em! :-)

That's some serious machine time. Are you milling lengths, then
cutting to width? No, judging by the burrs, you're not, are you?
Which begs the Q: Why not?

Yeah, 6-up on your driveway and hit 'em with the weed burner at
regular walking speed. You'll be done in no time.


I sure as heck wouldnt be making them one at a time. Id set up a bar
of this stuff on a dividing head on the mill, machine the teeth, then
cut em off one at a time, using a very thin cut bandsaw, then do the
final thickness on a lathe.second ops machine. It would save you most
of the deburring time and it would be much faster. Simply put some
supports under the bar of material so it stays flat and square

Gunner

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This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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How about a deburing cutter on a fence and plate - corner sticking up
and run the edge(s) past the cutter. Might be able to automate the process.

Martin

On 10/12/2016 5:30 PM, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/


Thats Delrin? Looks a hell of a lot like nylon to me.

Take a simple propane torch and hit a sample part gently and see if
the fuzz will burn off.

Becareful!

Gunner

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On 10/13/2016 3:44 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 23:07:10 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 7:30:16 PM UTC-7, Terry Coombs wrote:
SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So
I am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less
fuzz in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part.
Bad description, but I can not think of a better way to describe
it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

I've cut acrylic and polycarbonate with a triple chip blade that came out very
clean.
Blade wasn't cheap. Have you talked to a plastic supply house?
Maybe they can advise.

On Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:15:02 -0400, Ed Huntress wrote:

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:08:42 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...0108521891/in/
album-72157673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So I
am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less fuzz
in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part. Bad
description, but I can not think of a better way to describe it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the
thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try again
with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w laser
cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out of plate
instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all and that may
wind up being the winner.

Watch out cutting plastics with a laser. The toxic smoke is a serious
problem with many plastics (I don't know which ones, but you could find
out).

I wrote an article about a shop in CA that does that, on weekends only,
with only the owner in the shop, and he opens all the windows and wears
a SCUBA rig when he does so. g

Waterjet is the preferred method these days.

No burrs with water?

--

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

I'm looking for work -- see my website!

On Sat, 15 Oct 2016 15:41:33 -0500, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:15:02 -0400, Ed Huntress wrote:

On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 19:08:42 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 5:26:14 PM UTC-7,
wrote:
On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 3:34:04 PM UTC-4, SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...0108521891/in/
album-72157673545442262/

Looking at the picture. it looks like the fuzz in one one side. So I
am guessing the parts were cut off on a table saw.

So maybe you could rotate the part as it is being cut off so less fuzz
in created. So the saw blade in always cutting into the part. Bad
description, but I can not think of a better way to describe it.

You might also try a different saw blade or maybe a brand new one.

Dan

Actually I cut 'em with a wet abrasive cutoff saw, as it had the
thinnest blade and so wastes the least material. I'm going to try again
with a cold saw tomorrow. I've also now got access to a 100w laser
cutter and we're going to take a whack at cutting the parts out of plate
instead of whittling round bar. Laser means no fuzz at all and that may
wind up being the winner.

Watch out cutting plastics with a laser. The toxic smoke is a serious
problem with many plastics (I don't know which ones, but you could find
out).

I wrote an article about a shop in CA that does that, on weekends only,
with only the owner in the shop, and he opens all the windows and wears
a SCUBA rig when he does so. g

Waterjet is the preferred method these days.

No burrs with water?

Not as far as I know. I saw one cutting shapes out of 1-inch UHMW,
which has produced lots of fuzzy burrs when I've cut it, and it came
out clean with the waterjet.

--
Ed Huntress

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.

On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Ed - I use a 4000 rpm, 10 in. "miter" saw with a carbide wood cutting
blade as a cut off saw for acetal (non filled delrin equivilent), acrylic,
aluminum, copper & brass. A vice is clamped to the saw's table and always
used, which may have an effect on the burrs generated. The burrs left on
the acetal & acrylic are removed with a stroke or two of sand paper.
As this is being written, a piece of machined acetal is sitting on the
desk which, I just noticed, hasn't had the burrs from one cut of the
cutoff saw removed. The 1/8 in. thickness of the carbide blade may yeild a
better cost economy than the thin abrasive wheel.

Hul

SteamboatEd Haas wrote:
Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea.. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...psxgwuln1x.jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which minimizes waste quite effectively. Upper right is the typical result after a vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing with a cloth wheel and fine compound. I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast. I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.

On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 01:10:57 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...psxgwuln1x.jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which minimizes waste quite effectively.

Cool!

P.S: I'm sending that link to the Neutrino Bass Cable to a musician
friend. He's a rhythm guitarist but sits in on regular bass guitar on
occasion. I think he'll get even more of a kick out of it, as he's
retired from the NRL in D.C. Y'know, I'll bet those sound even better
than those Oxygen Free Copper cables everyone is (was?) selling. g


Upper right is the typical result after a vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing with a cloth wheel and fine compound.

That's a lot of process work, but brass sure is pretty when it's
finely polished like that. I think it's my favorite metal. Your
finished product is beautiful. Is that a high-shore rubber sleeve? Or
maybe thick PVC?


I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast.

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?


I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.

It seems like almost all brush prices have skyrocketed lately. I tend
to use bronze brushes (toothbrush size) for cleaning gunk out of
threads. They tend to hold up considerably longer than brass. The
cheapies bend half their bristles on the first pass, and the good ones
have tripled in price over the last decade.

I have no experience with tampico wheel brushes, so I don't have
anything to offer there.

I was wondering how you hold those parts while cleaning. I hate
getting my fingers in the way of the high-speed bristles for some
reason, so I think I'd run weld the ends of a strip of sheetmetal to
opposite flats of a 3/8-24 nut, run it through the bandsaw to halve
it, clean up the cut threads, and run a piece of hose over the handle
to hold the halves together. I could 'clamp' it on the brazed end to
clean up the free end, then rotate it through the revolutions to get
all the threads cleaned. I first thought of using a long standoff, but
that wouldn't hold it for the free end threads.

Just thought I'd share that.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

"robobass" wrote in message
...

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1,
wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2,
wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on
'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm
thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless
someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon
brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm
bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout
for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do
anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...psxgwuln1x.jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which
minimizes waste quite effectively. Upper right is the typical result after a
vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went
wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after
using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing
with a cloth wheel and fine compound. I was happiest when running a drill
press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels
anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all
plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at
1100rpm, which is maybe too fast. I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too
much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean
it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle
wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look
good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.
================================================== ======

Did you try adding hydrogen peroxide to the acetic acid? Should do a much
better job of cleaning. Probably still won't be good enough to replace the
Stop Ox II, but maybe on pieces that need extra heat it would help.

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 3:29:49 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 01:10:57 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...psxgwuln1x.jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which minimizes waste quite effectively.

Cool!

P.S: I'm sending that link to the Neutrino Bass Cable to a musician
friend. He's a rhythm guitarist but sits in on regular bass guitar on
occasion. I think he'll get even more of a kick out of it, as he's
retired from the NRL in D.C. Y'know, I'll bet those sound even better
than those Oxygen Free Copper cables everyone is (was?) selling. g


Upper right is the typical result after a vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing with a cloth wheel and fine compound.

That's a lot of process work, but brass sure is pretty when it's
finely polished like that. I think it's my favorite metal. Your
finished product is beautiful. Is that a high-shore rubber sleeve? Or
maybe thick PVC?


I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast.

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?


I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.

It seems like almost all brush prices have skyrocketed lately. I tend
to use bronze brushes (toothbrush size) for cleaning gunk out of
threads. They tend to hold up considerably longer than brass. The
cheapies bend half their bristles on the first pass, and the good ones
have tripled in price over the last decade.

I have no experience with tampico wheel brushes, so I don't have
anything to offer there.

I was wondering how you hold those parts while cleaning. I hate
getting my fingers in the way of the high-speed bristles for some
reason, so I think I'd run weld the ends of a strip of sheetmetal to
opposite flats of a 3/8-24 nut, run it through the bandsaw to halve
it, clean up the cut threads, and run a piece of hose over the handle
to hold the halves together. I could 'clamp' it on the brazed end to
clean up the free end, then rotate it through the revolutions to get
all the threads cleaned. I first thought of using a long standoff, but
that wouldn't hold it for the free end threads.

Just thought I'd share that.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

Larry,
I hope your friend wants a cable, cause sales have been dismal. I have no idea why.

I do realize that I'm running the big brush way faster when looking at surface speed. I do need to experiment with this further. The brush should outlast many dozens of small brushes. I found it surplus.

I don't have an issue with holding the parts. I spend so much of my day holding these things to the various abrasive wheels that it is second nature. When I do on rare occasion touch knuckles with the man, I just step back and remind myself that I need to keep focus. That said, if you looked at my hands, your first guess at my profession would not be concert pianist. Ironic, since for most of my life I was an orchestral double bassist.

Oh, I forgot to mention. That black stuff is leather.

On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 07:06:12 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 3:29:49 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 01:10:57 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...psxgwuln1x.jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which minimizes waste quite effectively.

Cool!

P.S: I'm sending that link to the Neutrino Bass Cable to a musician
friend. He's a rhythm guitarist but sits in on regular bass guitar on
occasion. I think he'll get even more of a kick out of it, as he's
retired from the NRL in D.C. Y'know, I'll bet those sound even better
than those Oxygen Free Copper cables everyone is (was?) selling. g


Upper right is the typical result after a vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing with a cloth wheel and fine compound.

That's a lot of process work, but brass sure is pretty when it's
finely polished like that. I think it's my favorite metal. Your
finished product is beautiful. Is that a high-shore rubber sleeve? Or
maybe thick PVC?


I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast.

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?


I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.

It seems like almost all brush prices have skyrocketed lately. I tend
to use bronze brushes (toothbrush size) for cleaning gunk out of
threads. They tend to hold up considerably longer than brass. The
cheapies bend half their bristles on the first pass, and the good ones
have tripled in price over the last decade.

I have no experience with tampico wheel brushes, so I don't have
anything to offer there.

I was wondering how you hold those parts while cleaning. I hate
getting my fingers in the way of the high-speed bristles for some
reason, so I think I'd run weld the ends of a strip of sheetmetal to
opposite flats of a 3/8-24 nut, run it through the bandsaw to halve
it, clean up the cut threads, and run a piece of hose over the handle
to hold the halves together. I could 'clamp' it on the brazed end to
clean up the free end, then rotate it through the revolutions to get
all the threads cleaned. I first thought of using a long standoff, but
that wouldn't hold it for the free end threads.

Just thought I'd share that.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

Larry,
I hope your friend wants a cable, cause sales have been dismal. I have no idea why.

He'll probably want two. They're small.


I do realize that I'm running the big brush way faster when looking at surface speed. I do need to experiment with this further. The brush should outlast many dozens of small brushes. I found it surplus.

If you're arbored in the lathe, isn't that an easy solution?


I don't have an issue with holding the parts. I spend so much of my day holding these things to the various abrasive wheels that it is second nature. When I do on rare occasion touch knuckles with the man, I just step back and remind myself that I need to keep focus. That said, if you looked at my hands, your first guess at my profession would not be concert pianist. Ironic, since for most of my life I was an orchestral double bassist.

What? You played one with each hand? Double prehensile groinage,
too, I suppose?

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 11:24:04 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 07:06:12 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 3:29:49 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 01:10:57 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:25:44 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 13:23:22 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 1:59:47 AM UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:34:02 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
wrote:

Hey gang I'm making some parts out of delrin; they've got fins on 'em and when they're cut to length the fuzz is everywhere! I'm thinking of using my brass tumbler with walnut shells unless someone's got a better idea. Here's a link to the problem: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamb...7673545442262/
Walnut shells might work. If they don't then tumbling with abrasive
media and water will. I have deburred acetal plastics, both Delrin and
Acetron, in one of my vibratory tumblers. I used trianglar and
cylindrical abrasive shapes. The only problem is that the plastic will
get a matt finish. For your eventual use I don't think that will
really be a problem. Even walnut shells, if they can remove the burrs,
will give you a matt finish. You can tumble the parts after deburring
with polish but it takes a very long time, in my experience, to polish
acetal plastics in a vibratory tumbler. You might want to try an
abrasive filled nylon brush first to remove the majority of the burrs
first. I have had good luck doing this. It is easy to melt the plastic
if a light touch isn't used though. Even brass wire brushes tend to be
too aggressive.
Eric

Eric, can you point me to a source for fine abrasive filled nylon brushes? I spend a lot of time cleaning 5/16-24 brass threads. I use .2mm bristle brass brush wheels and tripoli. It works, but I'm on the lookout for something better.
Does MSC sell to your part of the world? They sell Weiler brand nylon
wheel brushes that have a filament diameter that is nominally .018 but
can be as small as .010. I have used these brushes and the ends can
wear to a point which is what you need to get into the root of a 24
TPI thread. Weiler does make good brushes and with that name may be
made much closer to you than me here north of Seattle. Have you
considered fine steel brushes? They cut fast and can be too aggressive
on soft metals like annealed brass. But a light and quick touch could
result in a roughing op. that leaves the surface perfect for a fast
tripoli treatment. You could try a jewellry supply company for the
brush but they tend to carry ones that are too small. I have had the
occasion more than once to polish small brass threaded parts and found
that E5 emery on the right buff will cut fast, get to the root of the
thread, and leave a finish that is usually already good enough and if
not then either tripoli are rouge can be used. For REALLY nice color
on brass I like Fabuluster. But that's probably more work than you
need to do if you are stopping at the Tripoli stage. BTW, did any of
the sprayer suggestions here pan out?
Eric

Eric,
I did try a .010 nylon bristle brush from McMaster but it didn't do anything. Here is a photo of what I'm doing:
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/o...sxgwuln1x..jpg
Now I am applying something called Stop Ox II with an airbrush, which minimizes waste quite effectively.

Cool!

P.S: I'm sending that link to the Neutrino Bass Cable to a musician
friend. He's a rhythm guitarist but sits in on regular bass guitar on
occasion. I think he'll get even more of a kick out of it, as he's
retired from the NRL in D.C. Y'know, I'll bet those sound even better
than those Oxygen Free Copper cables everyone is (was?) selling. g


Upper right is the typical result after a vinegar pickle in a ultrasound bath. Lower right is when something went wrong and I had to torch the part for way too long. Upper left is after using a .008 brass brush with tripoli, and lower left is after finishing with a cloth wheel and fine compound.

That's a lot of process work, but brass sure is pretty when it's
finely polished like that. I think it's my favorite metal. Your
finished product is beautiful. Is that a high-shore rubber sleeve? Or
maybe thick PVC?


I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast.

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?


I get good fast cleaning, but a bit too much scratching, and I can't just drop it in the ultrasound bath to clean it. Overall I'm in pretty good shape, but I'd still like to find a bristle wheel for the fine polishing stage. McMaster has Tampico brushes which look good, but I wonder how long they will last, as they aren't exactly cheap.

It seems like almost all brush prices have skyrocketed lately. I tend
to use bronze brushes (toothbrush size) for cleaning gunk out of
threads. They tend to hold up considerably longer than brass. The
cheapies bend half their bristles on the first pass, and the good ones
have tripled in price over the last decade.

I have no experience with tampico wheel brushes, so I don't have
anything to offer there.

I was wondering how you hold those parts while cleaning. I hate
getting my fingers in the way of the high-speed bristles for some
reason, so I think I'd run weld the ends of a strip of sheetmetal to
opposite flats of a 3/8-24 nut, run it through the bandsaw to halve
it, clean up the cut threads, and run a piece of hose over the handle
to hold the halves together. I could 'clamp' it on the brazed end to
clean up the free end, then rotate it through the revolutions to get
all the threads cleaned. I first thought of using a long standoff, but
that wouldn't hold it for the free end threads.

Just thought I'd share that.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

Larry,
I hope your friend wants a cable, cause sales have been dismal. I have no idea why.

He'll probably want two. They're small.


I do realize that I'm running the big brush way faster when looking at surface speed. I do need to experiment with this further. The brush should outlast many dozens of small brushes. I found it surplus.

If you're arbored in the lathe, isn't that an easy solution?


I don't have an issue with holding the parts. I spend so much of my day holding these things to the various abrasive wheels that it is second nature. When I do on rare occasion touch knuckles with the man, I just step back and remind myself that I need to keep focus. That said, if you looked at my hands, your first guess at my profession would not be concert pianist. Ironic, since for most of my life I was an orchestral double bassist.

What? You played one with each hand? Double prehensile groinage,
too, I suppose?

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass. As to my musical instrument, it is called the Double Bass because it plays an octave lower than written, doubling the cello line in octaves in the classical literature. You may know it better by colloquial terms such as "stand up bass", "doghouse bass", or simply "bass". Playing one in an orchestra is a wonderful way to make a living, but unfortunately, a living is only to be had by those who play it wonderfully. I had a good run, but didn't make it to the top rung of the ladder. At least my time is my own now, and I have time play with my kids!

On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 04:08:57 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 11:24:04 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:

I was happiest when running a drill press mounted 3" wheel at 2350rpm, but I simply can't get those wheels anymore. The suppliers will insist that they are brass, but they are all plated steel these days. I have a 10" brass wheel that I run on the lathe at 1100rpm, which is maybe too fast.

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.


As to my musical instrument, it is called the Double Bass because it plays an octave lower than written, doubling the cello line in octaves in the classical literature. You may know it better by colloquial terms such as "stand up bass", "doghouse bass", or simply "bass".

Yes, I always heard of them in jazz bands as "stand up bass". I love
'em. Music you can really feel in your bones, even if you're not the
one playing them.


Playing one in an orchestra is a wonderful way to make a living, but unfortunately, a living is only to be had by those who play it wonderfully. I had a good run, but didn't make it to the top rung of the ladder.

My friend, Rob, is now retired and in a theater orchestra, playing
background for really corny (IMHO) plays. But he's happy, even though
they don't pay well.


At least my time is my own now, and I have time play with my kids!

My time is my own now, too, and I can't believe how busy I am. It
seems I have time to do all those little projects I put off for 40
years, and I want 'em all _now_!

Instant Gratification Takes Too Long.

--
If government were a product,
selling it would be illegal.
--P.J. O'Rourke

Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.

I don't know why I didn't try to match the surface speed when I got the big wheel. I guess 550 just seemed so slow!

On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 06:49:58 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:


Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.

I don't know why I didn't try to match the surface speed when I got the big wheel. I guess 550 just seemed so slow!

I was going to mention that, but you said "everything works perfectly
now" so I let it alone. 705rpm is your ideal speed, unless the
density of the brush changes that.

--
I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you
have earned, but it is not greed to want take someone else's money.
--Thomas Sowell

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 7:24:41 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 06:49:58 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:


Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.

I don't know why I didn't try to match the surface speed when I got the big wheel. I guess 550 just seemed so slow!

I was going to mention that, but you said "everything works perfectly
now" so I let it alone. 705rpm is your ideal speed, unless the
density of the brush changes that.

Thanks for the calculation. I did it at one point, but have lost the data. With the belts on my lathe, it is quick to change between 550, 1100, and 2200, but a bit more involved to get other speeds. Yes, 550rpm works well for initial cleaning with tripoli. I think I will try a Tampico brush for the final finishing, as that is still a bit laborious. I use a super fine compound that is not rouge, and I use heavy sewing thread to clean it out of the machine threads. Yes, this is a process intensive operation, but my niche market seems to appreciate the effort. I'm still in business, anyway!

On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:50:14 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 7:24:41 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 06:49:58 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:


Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.

I don't know why I didn't try to match the surface speed when I got the big wheel. I guess 550 just seemed so slow!

I was going to mention that, but you said "everything works perfectly
now" so I let it alone. 705rpm is your ideal speed, unless the
density of the brush changes that.

Thanks for the calculation. I did it at one point, but have lost the data.

It is a simple formula. Pi x diameter in inches x rpm (or 2 Pi r).
You said that a 3" brush at 2350rpm was good, so 9.424778 is the
circumference and 22148.23ipm the speed. The 10" @ 1100 is 34557.52ipm
and @ 550rpm, it's 17248.76ipm. 705rpm brings it to the same as the
3", 22148.23, or 31.76fps. Something itchy in the back of my head
says that wire wheels are counted by the bristle rather than sfm.


With the belts on my lathe, it is quick to change between 550, 1100, and 2200, but a bit more involved to get other speeds. Yes, 550rpm works well for initial cleaning with tripoli. I think I will try a Tampico brush for the final finishing, as that is still a bit laborious. I use a super fine compound that is not rouge, and I use heavy sewing thread to clean it out of the machine threads. Yes, this is a process intensive operation, but my niche market seems to appreciate the effort. I'm still in business, anyway!

550 it is, then. What's the density diffenenc between the old 3" and
the new 10"? Most 3" wheels I've seen are pretty sparse, and large
wheels tend to be much more densely bristled. At 550rpm, you may
already have the same number of whiskers whisking per rpm as the 3".
I'll bet Tawm knows the actual term for that. snort And I know
from experience that faster and/or denser wheels are harder to get to
dig down to clean the root of the thread.

Just curious, did you ever try a die to remove the scale? I wonder if
that wouldn't clean it enough to simply polish the rest out. Seems
quicker, but would it leave a looser fit? Wire brushing can do that,
too. Six of one...

--
I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you
have earned, but it is not greed to want take someone else's money.
--Thomas Sowell

On Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 2:38:50 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:50:14 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 7:24:41 PM UTC+1, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 16 Nov 2016 06:49:58 -0800 (PST), robobass
wrote:


Y'think? That's 51.6% faster than your ideal. Why didn't you slow
down the lathe? Or did that speed work best with the density of the
larger diameter brush?

Jawohl, Herr Jaques! I slowed down the lathe to 550 for the 10" wheel, and everything works perfectly now. This wheel should last for years, so I will stop fretting about finding 3" wheels that are real brass.

Great. Glad I could help. It's amazing the simple things we can
overlook, or perhaps, are too lazy/hesitant at the moment to change
things.

I don't know why I didn't try to match the surface speed when I got the big wheel. I guess 550 just seemed so slow!

I was going to mention that, but you said "everything works perfectly
now" so I let it alone. 705rpm is your ideal speed, unless the
density of the brush changes that.

Thanks for the calculation. I did it at one point, but have lost the data.

It is a simple formula. Pi x diameter in inches x rpm (or 2 Pi r).
You said that a 3" brush at 2350rpm was good, so 9.424778 is the
circumference and 22148.23ipm the speed. The 10" @ 1100 is 34557.52ipm
and @ 550rpm, it's 17248.76ipm. 705rpm brings it to the same as the
3", 22148.23, or 31.76fps. Something itchy in the back of my head
says that wire wheels are counted by the bristle rather than sfm.


With the belts on my lathe, it is quick to change between 550, 1100, and 2200, but a bit more involved to get other speeds. Yes, 550rpm works well for initial cleaning with tripoli. I think I will try a Tampico brush for the final finishing, as that is still a bit laborious. I use a super fine compound that is not rouge, and I use heavy sewing thread to clean it out of the machine threads. Yes, this is a process intensive operation, but my niche market seems to appreciate the effort. I'm still in business, anyway!

550 it is, then. What's the density diffenenc between the old 3" and
the new 10"? Most 3" wheels I've seen are pretty sparse, and large
wheels tend to be much more densely bristled. At 550rpm, you may
already have the same number of whiskers whisking per rpm as the 3".
I'll bet Tawm knows the actual term for that. snort And I know
from experience that faster and/or denser wheels are harder to get to
dig down to clean the root of the thread.

Just curious, did you ever try a die to remove the scale? I wonder if
that wouldn't clean it enough to simply polish the rest out. Seems
quicker, but would it leave a looser fit? Wire brushing can do that,
too. Six of one...

--
I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you
have earned, but it is not greed to want take someone else's money.
--Thomas Sowell

Larry,
Yes, I know enough basic math to calculate surface speed. Calculating brush density is something I hadn't even considered, though. No, a die isn't an option. I want a tight fit, and the die probably wouldn't go fully to the joint, where the problem is most pronounced. Like I said, 550 rpm works well.. The main thing I see is setting up the torch operation so that I can get the solder liquid quickly on each part. I actually carve a 3mm hole in the bar and a matching projection in the stud:
http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/...ingerjoint.jpg
This saves me the problem of the parts moving around under the torch, and the shallow hole holds the solder nicely. When everything goes well, the solder creeps up just into the places I want it to go, and little gets onto the exposed thread. I can see exactly when the solder has gone molten and flowed through the joint. I still can't figure out what is happening with that 5% of the parts where I have to keep the heat on for longer, creating major fire scale which will be time consuming to remove. It's almost certainly down to how well I apply the flux, but I'm pretty careful about this as well. Anyway, it's gratifying to see progress at least. I think I invest less than half of the time soldering, cleaning, and polishing than I did a year ago!

Eric,
I did find some better implementation of the nylon brush wheel. It is 4" Dia., with bristle length of about 1.5". I made some 3" discs to close against the brush in the mount, allowing only a half inch of active flex. With fine polish this brush is now quite useful. Thanks for suggesting it!