The Home Machinist!

pkeiser wrote:Thanks Kap !
I'm an idiot. I never thought of that. As a matter of fact ,I do have a .062'" key cutter.
Thanks again

Paul,
Come on now, You aren't an idiot!
I miss my share of things.
Well, maybe I'm an idiot too.
Beautiful work though.
Kap

Hi Paul, I would use a woodruff cutter for those slots. We used to cut keyways by the thousands for an industrial air conditioner company. Fought every one for size, and tool life, 'till using the woodruffs. Mcmaster has 1/16 inch wide by 3/4 diameter for about 21 bucks and change. Here is a little ...

Just a guess, but maybe they go in an adjustable shell reamer like this.
They are pretty useless without the body or shell.
Kap

I reciently made a spark arrestor for one of my engines. It is made of an upper and lower plate, both recessed for 1/16 mesh stainless screen from Mcmaster Carr. The upper has a male shaped cone on the lower side to deflect the sparks down and ease the smoke thru the unit. The lower plate has a piec...

Paulie,
You do such nice work. You, Pam, and Mike, are an inspiration to many of us out here in la la land.
Kap

Evan,

If your grandfathers rings don't work out, this company
has cast iron rings for a very reasonable price.
They are located in Elkton Maryland.

http://www.ringspacers.com/

I have no connection other than being a satisfied customer.

Kap

Bob,
Check out clock weight chain on line, especially grandfather clock weight chain.
Those weights are pretty heavy and some filled with lead.
If this is not just for looks, you may have to silver solder the links.
Kap

Here is a self guarding frog that will allow 7 1/4"- 7 1/2 " operation provided all wheels are machined the same. The wheel does not rely on the back to back dimension and guard rail to block the wheel from going the wrong way in the frog. If someone wants to run 2 1/2 inch per foot equipm...

Paul is correct. The scheme for the CALS tracksite was designed by John Brace. The frogs were self guarding like you see in yards and side tracks. The wheel width had to be held to the minimum width of 3/4" or it would bind. The frog is a short tangent (straight) section in the switch to ease t...

Riley,
Try Glenn at
gstrains@hotmail.com
or 410 six three five 8083.
He may be able to beat that.
Picture is of the "wheelarama".
That's wheels on my Prototrak lathe.
Kap

So obviously the casting from Mike was bad. Right? No, It is the machinists job to set the casting to best conditions and allow for any inaccuracies. Castings are not perfect. This takes years of experience. Large complicated castings will have a layout operation to be sure all critical machined su...

Here's how I machined Mike's bell. I milled a slot in a piece of junk material with a ball mill of similar size to the bell bracket bosses. Put the fixture in the vise so the slot is in a vertical position. Clamp the bracket with a tool makers clamp to the fixture block. Centralize the hole in the b...