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First DIY tool for taig lathe


WeekendMiniaturist

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I literally picked up a piece of 6061 aluminium for my first scratch tool to make on my mill this morning from a local Steel company.    I will post about it, if I can figure it out.

 

Quote from Greenie,

 Watch out for the aluminium sticking to the milling cutter, it can stick real easy if you are using too little, or, too much revs and specially if your heavy handed on cranking the work-piece into the cutter.  Use a spray bottle with Kerosene in it, as a misting spray,  just give a small squirt every now and then, aiming directly at the cutter, the kerosene does NOT let the aluminium  stick to the cutter AT ALL. You DO NOT have to flood the workpiece with Kerosene, only need to hit the cutter with the spray, that way there's no big mess to clean up, just a wipe over of the workpiece when you pull it out of the vice.  Sometimes if you get the revs right and can use an even easy pressure on the cutter, then you might not need the spray, each bit of aluminium works a little differently, it's one of the "suck it and see" thingies. I used to be a machinst for the last 15 yrs before I retired, found out the hard way, that you have to be a bit carefull when working with aluminum,  because of the way it can 'clog' up the cutter. Better to be forewarned on what to look out for  ------

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Greenie, thanks for the advice on Kerosene, I had tap magic for aluminum and Wd40, but I do not have any kerosene.  I will get some before I complete the milling operation.  It is a big piece of aluminum for my little indexing fixture it was 12" x 48", so I need to cut it first to a smaller size.  Hopefully, I will work on my drawing for my indexing fixture as time permits this week.

I love the spray bottle recommendation, though.  I need to encapsulate my mill in acrylic, as it lives in our woodworking shop and we have a lot of lumber in storage in the shop, so this will require some planning, or I can wheel it out of the workshop.  I have been fortunate to go Guild School a few times and this has effectively taught me the lesson about lubrication for metal machinery.  The verbal instruction was helpful, but a screeching lathe in a class of 10? students sent me over the edge, so I have bought various formulas of small bottles of tap magic, and I keep some bees wax on my bench for wood turning on the tail stock end.  I think I need some kerosene anyway, as I want to clean my new to me set of 1940s Pratt & Whitney gage blocks that have a little oil on them and a little too sticky for my comfort, they need some maintenance.  I wish I had 15 years experience of using metal working equipment!  I am glad that you are here!

 

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The goal is to make an indexing plate for the headstock on the taig lathe.  Eventually,  the stand-a-lone lathe will be used for spindles, and perhaps duplication of spindles.  I am still undecided if I can have some degree of success with a duplicator.  But clearly, re-setting up one lathe for each operation has been time consuming, especially if I make a mistake.   The thought of creating a lathe just for creating wooden spindles has been running around in my brain for a while.   If one doesn't experiment they are just thoughts, so I'm working on implementation.  I love the concept of indexing.

In order to work on the dream staircase, there are two obstacles that I need to remove before I even work on the geometry of the stairs... I need spindles...  I think at least two floors, maybe 3 floors of spindles for the stairs and hall, and then I can work on the geometry and finally prepare the volute for the handrail.  Of everything in this process the geometry seems to be the easiest for my brain, the calculations are just math, and fully documented in multiple books and articles.  

I am sure if you have participated in the modeling world, and you are in touch with your mini-self, let's say the stairs of Winterthur haunt me; this is the stair to reproduce as the spindles are very simple... but no, have to create a Georgian, Colonial or Federal staircase with pretty vase shaped spindles... so back to the books to study pictures.

Running around in my head, is the concentric nature of switching a part from one lathe to another - so I will have to work on how to control this too.

 

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The plan is to slow the speed rate down appropriately and to 'peck' with a 2 flute center drilling end mill for the hole patterns in 6061 aluminum.  I am still undecided on the visual presentation to mark the holes.  I would test in wood first, because it is very plentiful in our shop.  I selected 48 for this test, because I know I need a number divisible to 16...  The 14 spoke wheel will require an separate row of drilled holes.  The alternate idea is to drill 24, 16, 14 each in their own row, but I would not be able to label as easily.  So after having slept on the concept, I think 48 holes will allow, 3, 6,8, 16 patterns of indexing, and then a separate row of 14 on the inside of the indexing fixture.  Then I think I will use Tony Jeffree's spring pin design.

This piece is overall 4" diameter.  I am considering the tick marks on the opposite side of the wheel, so I would flip it to engrave the back side and make this a two sided tool.  I have not added the center hole so it can be attached between the pulleys and the lathe bed.

Although the aluminum was very inexpensive, I will use a waste board, and will also use wood to do my test runs.

I welcome your experience and thoughts as I work through this process.

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Thanks for these options.  I could use these to index the holes for my brass wheels on the hub and rim?   My brain is without caffeine this early in the day and the application of a horizontal rotary table, could allow me to make a compound taper - as the unimat DB / SL 200 allows also, but I want a flat side and the ability to cut flutes.  Fluted Bed posts are beautiful.

14 spokes division results in measurement of 25.714269 degrees, so I think a 2nd set of holes drilled in the simplest option for an indexing fixture.

Is this similar to Taig's radius turner?  Part number 1210?  Although this accessory does not have the necessary degrees;  I need tick marks or degrees and calibration please, and your solution is marked.  So, I can attach it to the mill accessory for the lathe in a vertical position...  and stop the spindle; however, I need my divisible marks. 

I would also need the distance where the proposed option is attached to a cross slide to know if it will fit on my taig.

 

 

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I'll agree that the 14 spoke division is a bit of a bugger, but I'll ask you if you can tell the difference between 25.714269 degrees and 26 degrees? Even with a microscope you would not be able to tell that small a difference.

By coming up with that type of long winded measurement, your just throwing brick walls up around yourself.

Instead of attempting to try and get it exactly spot-on, just go to either the nearest degree, or cut that degree in half, simple as, eh.

Your only attempting to get spoke holes in about the right spot on a MODEL, your not attempting to hit the moon.

Ever heard of the K-I-S-S principle ?

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Now this might get you hot under the collar, it's something that I wrote years ago.

Did you check out what  K-I-S-S means yet ?

 

Well this is so simple, cheap and easy to do and it's extremely accurate for something so very simple.

 

See below -------------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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nope... still not hot under the collar. ?   Yes, I am aware of dividing and drawing on a cylinder, but I am determined to make something with my CNC mill... you know the threat of making me sleep in the garage... it would not be a happy life.  oh, the moon, this makes me smile....Do we really think they landed on the moon, or was it an excuse to spend lots of money and buy cool tools?  I like the theory that it was a TV production and an excuse to buy cool tools... hopefully I do not have any NASA engineers reading the site;  I'm just kidding.  Maybe I can use the moon analogy and buy more tools?  Yes, incorrigible.   My dividing fixture already exists; I can buy it on eBay in brass, but want to diy, because I want numbers on the back of mine.  

Oh yes, I also realize the casual observer will not know that I am off +/- a half a degree from 25.714629 and 26 degrees, but it just seems easier to drill 14 holes into my fixture.   If it goes well, the job will be done very quickly... perhaps I should run it in thin air and see how the mill behaves.  You are absolutely correct, that in a 1" brass wheel, no one will be able to detect that I am off .2857 inches.  I had not thought of that.  

Initially when I got the Mill, I was going to dis-assemble it and turn it back into a manual mill, but now I think of cool things to program instead, and this is really a simple tool for me to tip toe into my first do it yourself project.  I think a brass embossing plate for stationary would be fun to create too... in mini and life size.  

Keep It Simple Stupid... yep, my Dad used to tell me this... but I like complex; it is a lot more fun.  I know all the military acronyms... Dad was in the military for 24 years and when he didn't define, I googled.

If only I could get the blasted pulley off the spindle to measure; I left it on my bench tonite with a drop of machining oil and hope that tomorrow I can get it off, without having to find a gear puller. I don't want to damage the spindle.  

 

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At 0.2857" I reckon I could even see that without my glasses,  that is a tad over a quarter of an inch, or did you mean to type 0.02857"?

Before you start on the  pulley and spindle, better find out if it is pressed on, or is the spindle threaded ? ?

 

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Yes, you are correct, it is a typo, and the pulley is pressed on.  I also double checked with info from Tony Jeffrey's book for the proper assembly of the headstock.  He indicated a flat portion needed to be filed to the spindle to enable you a place for the set screw to 'set' against.  (I paraphrase) or you will have problems dis-assembling the pulley from the headstock after the set screw has set into the metal.   I have been able to get it to move, but can't get it off, and of course if I damage the spindle it will not be accurate, so I attempt to be as gentle as possible.  I purchased it used, locally off craigs list, so it is what it is.  

I am guessing about this, but I think with proper geometry, I would get a paper drill pattern like this for a hub.  This is how I imagine one would drill if I were making wooden wheels - this is of course a 12 spoke wheel.  The paper pattern concept is hard for a spoked wheel that is about 1/16" wide rim, so the perceived reason why I wanted to make an indexing fixture for my lathe.

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