What did you do today?

[Euph0ny]

I spent the afternoon clearing space in the garage, so I could finally put my Myford ML7 lathe back in service, some three years after moving house. The lathe was well oiled before moving, and kept covered with a rubber tarp (actually a punctured air matress - slit open, it makes a great tarp) during and since the move, so other than a wipe down with WD40 and re-oiling, it looks like it'll be just fine. The only snag was that the new garage has a distinctly sloped floor, so I need some jacking feet for the lathe stand (the headstock end is much too low). I bought an old-school set on German eBay, which look like they'll do nicely, and they should even match the looks of the old Myford metal stand. I hope they arrive quickly!

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Maschinenfuse-M16-/131496115155

The first items on the turning to-do list are a set of hole-centre transfer points (for a little woodworking job), and making some acetal/delrin/Polyoxymethylene spacers for a wheelbarrow axle...

[dmartin]

I read a lot on this forum, don't post very often. I knew there was a lot of knowledge and skill gathered here but did not realize how great the total of both really is. I spent hours of the past 2 days reading this thread and am impressed and amazed at very many, actually most of the projects and skills shown. I will now not miss keeping up with this thread and maybe post some of my own stuff sometimes if I feel it is worthy. Great site glad I can login and view any time. Have a good day.

Dwight

[vpt]

Going to look at a Lagun FT2 today!

Can't tell much from the single blurry distant pic but there is mention of a dro which has a non working keypad and a vfd with a non working screen. lol Seller does mention a little slop in the middle of the ways, we shall see what "a little" is.

I bought a mill! Go to pick it up within the next couple weeks!

[MrFluffy]

Got round to this, ignoring the kanttwist clamp stepper bracket it was coming together nicely, but during testing the drive ratio is too high at 2:1, it only has 12lb/ft holding torque on the spindle, which was predictable.
I did look at harmonic drives but I think I am going to go to 6:1 or so on the htd route depending on what htd pulleys I can rustle up and fit in, and swap the 1000oz/inch stepper for a 1800oz/inch unit because I have also got a machine xy table off a warco to arrange shipping on and I want to make it into a trunnion table.

https://youtu.be/efnqily6NlA

Edit, that machine state makes me look like a slob, next project to remove all the chips and tooling I guess!
I also did this, its a mount for a supereye b005 inspection microscope and because my cnc control on the bridgeport is linuxcnc, I could just intergrate it into the control using mplayer at 5fps so it didnt load things up. I just click on the camera tab and there it is, this is some of that slob swarf.

[oldtiffie]

This thread - to me anyway and I suspect (hope) to many others too - is a top-class thread that covers many aspects of interest to many people under the general heading of "HSM-ers".

I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Thank you one and all for it.

[vpt]

The reason I started the thread is because I (and I am sure others) simply like to see what people are doing. Doesn't have to be any great project, or new amazing operation, just simply like to see anything being done. Even the simplest of "things" that may seem general knowledge or very basic to the poster might be of great help or influence a greater idea to another user.

Also many times I know I will make or do something I feel isn't worthy of its own thread but still would like to show it. This type of thread is perfect for that.

I as well am thankful for everyone that shares!

[Cuttings]

This was actually yesterday.
I was working on the lathe in the afternoon making parts for a fancy whirligig I am making for my wife.
Stopped for a while to have a cup of tea and when I went back out the lathe was dead, no power.
Started some troubleshooting and finally found that the start push button switch was not making contact.
I took it out, looked it over and discovered a couple of latches that hold the push button in.
I managed to unlatch these and get the switch apart. The contact plate that rides on a couple of pins with springs underneath was stuck in cockeyed position.
I pulled it off , freed everything up, it all looked in good shape and stuck the whole thing back together.
Presto, she is working again. I was lucky with this one because you usually can't get these things apart.

[Ripthorn]

Over the weekend I made some good progress on my wife's Mother's Day present (a necklace holder made from wood that she has been wanting for a while). I also tore down my sorry excuse for a milling machine to clean it up and get it adjusted. Right now it is sitting all disassembled, but clean, on the bench, waiting for me to get it back together and lubed and all.

[vpt]

Drawing up some parts to be cut since I am stuck on the couch.

[Dave C]

Made a handle and nut for the qctp. Decided it would be cool to make it from some scrap 316 stainless I had been saving for ten years or more. Now I remember why I hated machining stainless. It looks nice and will not rust but what a pita. I think maybe the material for the nut may have been A20 because it was some tough stuff to machine.

[mattm]

Made a new handle and pin for my SB tailstock handwheel.

[Mark Rand]

Made a new handle and pin for my SB tailstock handwheel.

Nice work. Freehand with a graver, skiving tool or turning handles on the carriage/cross-slide? I've got some to do when I can decide how.



I started the day going to the plumbing store to get another set of drain rods because we had a blocked foul drain and I couldn't find my existing set. Having done that, I realised that I couldn't find the keys for lifting the manhole covers either. A couple of M12 hex-head machine screws got their heads modified on the shaper to make some new keys that fit the oval holes in the covers. After cleaning out the drain and putting everything away in a non-forgettable location I, of-course, located the missing keys. The missing rods are still missing though.

After that, I used an SDS+ hammer/drill to drill holes in the workshop floor so I could screw down some form-work around the base of my surface grinder.

The next full day I get off work (today was a public holiday in the UK) I'm going to pour grout into the space under the grinder. This is because my concrete floor is not perfectly flat and is a bit soft on the surface. If I jack the grinder up on its jacking screws, they wear into the floor and then the grinder can rock. Once it's grouted in it isn't going to move.



Finished the day by cooking Steak Diane for the family and washing it down with a bottle of 8 year old Rioja. Happy now.

[mattm]

Nice work. Freehand with a graver, skiving tool or turning handles on the carriage/cross-slide? I've got some to do when I can decide how.

I had the apron handle off of the wheel so I set it up in the chuck. Used a dial indicator on the handle and one on the saddle. Moved the saddle 0.050" and got the reading off the handle, repeat across the handle. Then with a piece of stock I used a parting tool to cut in for each of those steps. Then some file work and sanding to polish. It turned out a little smaller than the apron handle but I think the original was slightly smaller anyway.

I meant to take a picture of the jagged stepped out part but I forgot.

[vpt]

Made a new handle and pin for my SB tailstock handwheel.

Nice job! I had to make a couple of these for my lathe as well when I got it. I feel free hand (I am assuming this is what you done) is a good thing to practice on a lathe. With some practice a guy can make some very neat and nice looking designs, curves, tapers, and whatnot when situations allow.

[dp]

I uploaded a video of our band performing at a local fair on May 1 and May 2. I play the washtub bass.

http://randybattlebluzband.com/?p=129

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDARL5fmViQ