The Home Machinist!

Awesome Job Glenn!

Now you wish you did it years ago

RONALD wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 8:49 am Here are the commercial expansion collets. not that expensive.

I have Royal that i bought a long time ago:

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn?sea ... on+Collets

Brilliant! Thanks for the idea, I had no idea they made them.

I usually just cut a lump of rod to an interference fit. It works if you don't take deep or hard cuts, and if the work doesn't heat up enough to expand and get loose. That can work with some components and I have used it in the past however in this instance I need it to hold accurately for precisio...

Looks like the idea cam from Harold, not Glenn. One thing-----when one needs an internal collet, it's made easy enough by just tapping with a tapered pipe tap, then a pipe plug can be used. No real need to make a special bolt as you did, but then that doesn't surprise me. The hole is tapped before ...

Working on a one-off watch and need an expansion mandrel to work-hold from the inside. This is what I made for the first batch of cases last year. It was labor intensive but since I planned to make many watch cases the same over the years I didn't mind making it. Now, I need one for a one-off and do...

Thanks for the kind words Harold! I only speak from experience as I'm sure you, Glenn and many here have had at least a few times as well. You spend a great deal of time crafting something that requires an outsourced process only to find they failed to execute it to the level of quality you expect. ...

That's not unreasonable! My laser cost almost that, but to have control of what and how I do something is priceless. Not having to deal with an outsourced vendor adds a lot of value to me. There's lots of small shops that might benefit from having one in-house giving them the opportunity to explore ...

The wearing of gloves on a lathe (in particular) is rather risky. While those rubber gloves tear easily, they offer an opportunity for chips to grab them and drag your hand in to the work. I use them all the time and have found this to happen a few times, however I believe they offer that thin marg...

KellyJones wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:56 am Do you have any idea how expensive brass is these days? Sheeesh!

Actually I do! I ordered a piece of brass from MMC at 6" x 6" x 3/8"....they sent me 6" x 6' x 3/8" God thing I didn't have to pay for the extra

Looks great!

Looks good! Get to work!

Harold_V wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 5:09 pm If you intend to buy the material, you won't go wrong selecting phosphor bronze.

Good choice! I was going to suggest that too...I like to work with it as well.