The Home Machinist!

Harold--

Elegant!

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to explain this to me.

--Bill

Harold-- Thanks! You've given me a lot to think about. Especially the carbide vs HSS issue. Good thing I am never in a hurry to complete--or even start--one of these projects. Even at my level, I always like to know what I am going to do before I do it. Sometimes (often) I have to modify the procedu...

J.Ramsey--

My mill is manual. All my work is in aluminum and I SHOULD have qualified that the deepest cut I have ever taken with that 3/4" end mill is 0.050"!

Duh on me.

--seal killer

Richard-- but whatever you do, don't give up! I don't think you will, I think you are having too much fun with this. Ha! You nailed me! Do you remember the bearing blocks I constructed to build my current robot, Ugly Buster ? The bearings slipped in--not snug--and were Loctited. Ugly Buster is a ver...

Carl-- My bad. I am cutting an internal groove. The snap ring groove will retain a bearing in a 3/16" to 1/2" thick piece of aluminum. I have not decided the thickness, yet. I want to have the bearings in hand, first. I imagine that to have enough clearance to cut a groove for a snap ring,...

Old Biker UK--

I like the avatar. But, I liked the other one better. Takes a REAL man to post one like the first one!

I showed all your stuff to a CSI that rides with me. He was fascinated. What sub were you in (on?)?

--Bill

J.Ramsey-- I cut aluminum in my mill: 6061-T6. The chart to which you provided a link indicates that with a 0.75" cutter the spindle should be turning 840 RPM. In my "work", I usually just leave the spindle set at 1960 RPM . . . far faster than what is recommended by the chart. I wond...

Harold and Jose and Carl and J.Ramsey and Mike and Bill-- I may be simplyfing this too much in my ignorance. But, why wouldn't one of my ChiCom boring bars, ground in the proper "L" shape as Mike and (maybe others) suggested, work? Take a look at this before and after "photoshopped&qu...

All-- Thank you for all the excellent advice. As always, there appears to be more than one acceptable way to skin a cat. Carl , I have built several robots in the past, but that was long ago. My current machine, Ugly Buster , is a five-processor skid-steer. I am experimenting with a joint transmissi...

Mike and Jose-- Gee. Why didn't I think of a simple plate bolted over the bearing to hold it in place. Double-duh on me! That Narex boring kit is RATHER expensive! I don't know why I can't use my boring head if I can grind the tool correctly. (Still the retaining plate is the easiest and fastest sol...

Jose and Bill and Steve and doogdoog-- Right now, without parts in hand, I am thinking flange on one side and snap ring on the other with a snug bearing fit. I am not exactly sure how I am going to mill the snap ring groove. Perhaps, a small boring bar with the tip reground to cut like a lathe tool?...

Jose and Steve--

You have given me things to think about. After I have done so, I will have more questions! I would prefer not to use Loctite. So, it is nice to know that machinists do not use it, either!

--Bill