Do you guys want to talk machining here?

[jake98]

'ppreciate all the info. I'll have to watch some cooling utubes..

I had my second adventure into milling yesterday, the t nuts that go to my new rotary table needed a shave. I spent quite a while trying to figure how to clamp them good, then just cranked them in the vise with a parallel. Not much grip on the top due to the rounded edge, but everything stayed put. I assumed they were hard so I used a 3/4 carbide endmill, 3 flutes, 1100 rpm. Took .010 off each flat, they came out nice.

 

[Redneck in training]

Looks like the machining discussion is taking off.
I grew up in a machine shop. I used operate lathe when I had to stand on box to see the work. But after I left home at 15 I have not touched a lathe or mill. I am going to retire in near future and I am in process of building a shop. So far I have the 36X75 building built. Next I will buy few machines. My plan id to built a CNC plasma cutter from a kit and buy iron worker, lathe and milling machine.

 

[wdchyd]

I always considered metal working as simple mathematics:

welding....................addition
machining.................subtraction
cnc/production..........multiply
hiring it out...............dividing (ok that one ain't as good:laughing

 

[jake98]

I always considered metal working as simple mathematics:

welding....................addition
machining.................subtraction
cnc/production..........multiply
hiring it out...............dividing (ok that one ain't as good:laughing

What, are you kidding?? That's the best one! :laughing:

I ordered a chuck and back plate for my RT from Enco, should be here tomorrow..! Need to think subtraction..

 

[jake98]

Well, I got the chuck and adapter plate, but I ordered the wrong chuck, so I'm going to have two, 8" and 6". Doing some crash course thinking, about how to make an adapter plate to the adapter plate.. :confused2: It's all good experience, right? The 6" should be helpful making the adapter for the 8", I think.

 

[Grateful11]

Water soluble oil is so 20th century. I good full synthetic coolant mixed to about 3-5% coolant and 95-97% water will last for years without getting rancid. To get it right you need to check it with a Refractometer, I've seen guys get it mixed too strong and their skin starts to breakout with a rash.

It is correct that Cast Iron and Ductile Iron is usually always machined dry.

 

[Redneck in training]

I am in the process of planning a shop equipment. Here is my background: I used to operate lathe when I was still in elementary school. I spent my childhood in my father's machine shop. I left home when I was fifteen and didn't touch a machine for about fifty years. Since I am retiring in very near future I decided to built a hobby shop and possibly make few bucks making parts for local farmers to support the hobby. I have the building built and saving money to buy the machines. I would like to build a CNC plasma cutter from parts or kit, buy a milling machine, lathe, band saw, iron worker etc. I saw several CNC machines on ebay and other sites in range of 10K or new stuff like Tormach for about 20 to 30K. There was also used low hours Tormach 1100 for 6.5K. Should I buy manual machines or go for CNC and take classes. I am familiar with computers and various software. How steep is the learning curve. My budget is up to 60K but obviously I would like to spend only about half of that amount.
Need some word of wisdom from you guys. What do you have?

 

[wdchyd]

For repair work I would recommend manual machines, repair work demands larger capacities on your lathe/mill cuz you'll never know what people will bring in and you need to be able to cover all you bases...easier to shove it in the machine to tweek a part or two......make sure the lathe you buy can do standard and metric threading, you'll be amazed at all the metric threads out there, don't be crippled without

CNC's are great for multiple parts but sometimes just as easy to do one off's manually but it depends on the machine........newer cnc controls are easier to use than older ones, some older ones have only "G code" and some (newer) have conversational and g code progamming

in g code programming every individual single move of the machine is entered, whereas conversational programming can be faster to setup (unless you are very good at g code)......

The learning curve is steep with cnc if you don't have anyone of experience to call and whine when the stuff hits the fan or if you buy something that doesn't work......It does help to have technical advice

 

[jake98]

I picked up this chunk this morning, $36. 1"x8x8. Going to attempt an adapter, wish me luck.. :laughing:

 

[wdchyd]

Yeowser, that's one thick chunk cut with a shear...:thumbsup:

Looking forward to some "in the works" pix

You guys that are playing around with machining need to find a buddy that works at a machine/fab shop to scoop up some scrap chunks that would otherwise end up in the hopper....they throw the stuff out all the time

Sometimes just a six-pack of suds or a pack of coffees to go will go a long way