I needed to make a copy of this brake part. The 100 year old original
was probably made by a blacksmith, but I don't have a forge handy.
I carved this out of 50mm steel rod. I cut the slot with a metal
bandsaw and did the other end on a lathe.
But how to cut the sides down? That would be difficult on a milling
machine. So, out with a rather large angle grinder!
I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

I still need to drill a 5/8" hole when I can find the drill.

Matty F wrote:
I needed to make a copy of this brake part. The 100 year old original
was probably made by a blacksmith, but I don't have a forge handy.
I carved this out of 50mm steel rod. I cut the slot with a metal
bandsaw and did the other end on a lathe.
But how to cut the sides down? That would be difficult on a milling
machine. So, out with a rather large angle grinder!
I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

I still need to drill a 5/8" hole when I can find the drill.

Very impressive result.

Today's Technology students would not even be able to drill the 5/8"
hole. If the Armageddon ever does occur they will have many problems.

On May 17, 10:14 pm, PJ wrote:
Matty F wrote:
I needed to make a copy of this brake part. The 100 year old original
was probably made by a blacksmith, but I don't have a forge handy.
I carved this out of 50mm steel rod. I cut the slot with a metal
bandsaw and did the other end on a lathe.
But how to cut the sides down? That would be difficult on a milling
machine. So, out with a rather large angle grinder!
I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

I still need to drill a 5/8" hole when I can find the drill.

Very impressive result.

Today's Technology students would not even be able to drill the 5/8"
hole. If the Armageddon ever does occur they will have many problems.

I usually don't have the tools I want so have to invent solutions.
Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg

and after cutting the slot:
http://i41.tinypic.com/290rjmq.jpg

Another view of the almost completed part.
Unfortunately it will be painted black and almost nobody will ever see
it!
http://i41.tinypic.com/2mf1ana.jpg

In article
,
Matty F writes

I usually don't have the tools I want so have to invent solutions.
Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg

and after cutting the slot:
http://i41.tinypic.com/290rjmq.jpg

Another view of the almost completed part.
Unfortunately it will be painted black and almost nobody will ever see
it!
http://i41.tinypic.com/2mf1ana.jpg

Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?
--
fred
BBC3, ITV2/3/4, channels going to the DOGs

On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:
In article
,
Matty F writes



Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg

Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

On 17 May, 12:53, Matty F wrote:
On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:

In article
,
Matty F writes

Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg
Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

Hmm , could have done with a saw like that the other day - I had to
cut a chunk off a 2" diameter bar of steel before turning it. Just as
well I had some other tasks in hand and could multitask between sawing
for 5 minutes and doing another wee job.

Rob

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Matty F
saying something like:

I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

Rather good.

In article
,
Matty F writes
On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:
In article
,
Matty F writes



Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg

Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

Thanks, I thought of the hole bit just after posting but the flat bottom
to the slot had me.
--
fred
BBC3, ITV2/3/4, channels going to the DOGs

Matty F wrote:
On May 17, 10:14 pm, PJ wrote:
Matty F wrote:
I needed to make a copy of this brake part. The 100 year old original
was probably made by a blacksmith, but I don't have a forge handy.
I carved this out of 50mm steel rod. I cut the slot with a metal
bandsaw and did the other end on a lathe.
But how to cut the sides down? That would be difficult on a milling
machine. So, out with a rather large angle grinder!
I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

I still need to drill a 5/8" hole when I can find the drill.

Very impressive result.

Indeed - well done!

On May 18, 1:42 am, Grimly Curmudgeon
wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Matty F
saying something like:

I finished it off with a flap sanding disk in a small angle grinder.

http://i40.tinypic.com/suxesn.jpg

Rather good.

Thanks. I've just discovered flap disks. I get the really cheap ones
and use them for wood and metal.

http://www.tooled-up.com/MicroCatego...=572&MCID=2566

Matty F wrote:
On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:
In article
,
Matty F writes



Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg

Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

should have used a diamond tile saw ;-)

"Rob G" wrote in message
...
On 17 May, 12:53, Matty F wrote:
On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:

In article
,
Matty F writes

Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg
Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

Hmm , could have done with a saw like that the other day - I had to
cut a chunk off a 2" diameter bar of steel before turning it. Just as
well I had some other tasks in hand and could multitask between sawing
for 5 minutes and doing another wee job.


Pansy!
When I wasa first year app', if the instructor caught us using a m/c tool
without goggles
he would make us hacksaw through a 3" diameter steel bar. When I was 16 I
was about
5 stone wringin wet.

But I sure do miss the smell of a machine shop.

Arthur

On May 18, 12:59 am, Rob G wrote:
On 17 May, 12:53, Matty F wrote:



On May 17, 11:25 pm, fred wrote:

In article
,
Matty F writes

Here's how I used the cutoff bandsaw to cut the slot.
I used a drill press vice to hold the rod at a suitable angle:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2uyso4h.jpg
Was it multiple passes with the bandsaw to get the slot width? How did
you stop the blade from wandering on successive cuts?

Originally I just made two cuts for the slot, then drilled a hole near
the bottom of the slot. I tried to file the end of the slot, but this
steel was very hard and the files would scarcely touch it. So I made
about 8 cuts with the bandsaw and managed to file the bottom after
some time.
The bandsaw didn't wander at all. I took it very slowly and used
cutting fluid.

Hmm , could have done with a saw like that the other day - I had to
cut a chunk off a 2" diameter bar of steel before turning it. Just as
well I had some other tasks in hand and could multitask between sawing
for 5 minutes and doing another wee job.

I think that bandsaw would cut anything up to about 2 feet by 1 foot
in cross section.
It seems the steel I used was 4140 Chromium-molybdenum steel, just
because there was some lying around, and no mild steel of the right
size. It was very slow to file it or cut with a hand hacksaw, but the
power bandsaw cut it OK. Now I'd like to buy or make some kind of
swivel vise for the bandsaw. Something like what's on a camera tripod,
so I can make other things out of steel using the bandsaw.