Patio's projects

The Photo Album is a place for "Shop Shots" as well as pictures and descriptions of projects that we are working on. Show off your Shops, Machines, and your Projects!

Moderator: Harold_V

User avatar
neanderman
Posts: 896
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:15 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Re: Patio's projects

Post by neanderman »

As always, bravo!

I go to the grocery store, the liquor store, and, occasionally, to the home/hardware store!

Online purchasing is my friend! (But I sure miss Enco!!!)
Ed

LeBlond Dual Drive, 15x30
US-Burke Millrite MVI
Atlas 618
Files, snips and cold chisels

Proud denizen of the former "Machine Tool Capitol of the World"
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Patio's projects

Post by BadDog »

When I was working on my (not yet finished :oops: ) hydraulic tracer adapter plate, I made a MASSIVE fly cutter in order to cut the whole width in one pass after carefully squaring the head. I was told in no uncertain terms it wouldn't work out, but it worked great. When/if I ever get back on that, now that I have a surface grinder, I'll likely (re) finish that plate on there.
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Harold_V »

BadDog wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:00 pm I was told in no uncertain terms it wouldn't work out, but it worked great. When/if I ever get back on that, now that I have a surface grinder, I'll likely (re) finish that plate on there.
I'd be interested in reading the reason it wouldn't work out.
Exceptionally flat work can be accomplished with a fly cutter. So long as the head is at a true right angle, flatness can be achieved that is in keeping with the ability of a mill to track a straight line. One must keep in mind it is a mill, not a jig borer, not a surface grinder, so hoping for less than a thou deviation can be wishful thinking, but a thou over several inches can be quite forgiving.

In Patio's case, the work piece has been given a full furnace anneal. It should be relatively stable, and he has been instructed on acceptable roughing and finishing practice. If he does his work well, he should be able to achieve a level of flatness that is very functional. It most likely will not rival the flatness of a surface ground piece, assuming the individual doing the grinding has an understanding of how to achieve flatness. Many do not. In the hands of those with a poor understanding, a surface grinder may not help. It's more about technique than many wish to admit.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Patio's projects

Post by BadDog »

It was ~10" long with 3/4" arbor, exactly balanced. Made from a bar about 1.5" thick, 3" wide, and ~10" long (all from memory). I was told it would overwhelm the spindle and bobble/chatter like mad. Starting slow in back gear, then picking up speed to whatever I calculated I would want, and it ran smooth as butter the whole pass.
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Harold_V »

Thanks.
I'd agree that chatter is a distinct possibility, but that, too, can be overcome. Needless to say, reduced speed is helpful in such a situation. A limited radius on the cutting edge helps, too. I can see the possibility of failure-- as well as success. One does what one must. One never knows what just may work!

One thing to consider is that a response for a situation as you described may be the result of experience from someone who has faced such a challenge and is all too familiar with the pitfalls. Success can be measured in many ways, with one man's success considered a failure by another, if for no other reason, the degree of precision that is possible may not have been achieved, yet the results served the purpose of the individual in charge. As is commonly said, one's man's trash may well be another man's treasure. Not said to diminish, in any way, your success. I suspect that you truly achieved your goal, and it was reasonable. You've always appeared to be like that.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Patio's projects

Post by BadDog »

Thanks. And I completely agree both that it could have turned out differently (and I feared it would), and the warning was certainly based on bad past experience. There is also that the dire warning caused me to be very thoughtful in how it was constructed so that it stayed very balanced, and I accelerated it smoothly from a very slow start so as to minimize opportunity for introducing wobble. Once it spun up smoothly, I imagine it acted like a flywheel to stabilize itself.

It did exactly what I wanted exactly one time. I haven't used it since, and may well experience a different result if I try to use it again.

Here is an image of the beast. It's completely symmetrical. As you can see, I may have built it for producing a good finish, but I didn't worry so much about the tool itself. :P
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Harold_V »

A nice looking fly cutter, and I took note that it has two brazed carbide tools for cutting. Unless you took great pains, the cut was defined by only one of them. Do you recall if that was the case?
I strongly suspicion that the tools used were a C5 grade of carbide (determined by the color of the shank). The cut must have been in steel.

The 3/4" shaft is certainly a source of problems, but it's amazing how much hard work can be accomplished with that size. Those of us who are restricted to the use of the R8 collets have little choice otherwise. I have one of the 7/8" R8's, but they're rather fragile.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Patio's projects

Post by BadDog »

Yes on all points.

I checked when I took the picture, and the shaft is actually 7/8. Chosen as the practical limit of a typical R8 collet, and keeping it as close to the spindle bottom bearing as possible (quill fully retracted, ram slid back as far as practical).

And the cutters were configured specifically with the knowledge it would be unlikely for both to cut the same in any real world scenario. So one was set a few thou high ground as a roughing cutter with small radius. The other was mounted lower and had a larger radius to act as a wiper, and it alone defined the surface finish. I tuned it to my liking on the first rather long path, then used those settings to finish to desired dimension. Right or wrong, I was very satisfied with the results. I must say, that big monster spinning inches from my body wasn't a completely comfortable sensation...
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Harold_V »

Cool! Good judgment was very much a part of your reason for success. I don't recall the incident, but then I also don't recall what I had for breakfast.

Thanks, Patio, for allowing us to have this extended discussion in your thread.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
LIALLEGHENY
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
Location: Bohemia, NY

Re: Patio's projects

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

I have an almost identical shop made flycutter, 10" as well. It however has a 1-1/4" shank so it doesn't fit in a collet. I have to use a 1-1/4 arbor to hold it when being used on the Bridgeport but it works quite well even extended out further from the spindle. I bought a pair of insert type holders which work quite well and can extend the cut path up to 12". Great for resurfacing cylinder heads among other things.

Has anyone seen or used the fly cutters sold by Suburban tool?

Nyle
Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Patio »

The other day I had a job replacing a explosion proof light fixture. The light fixture was outdated and there is a new model to replace it. The new model of fixture would not mount on the old style box, so it had to be changed. Simple enough and a previous person had added a union in the rigid pipe, used for the wiring. Simple is not always simple. I found all the wire had been there so long with 300 watt incandescent lamps, that the wires were cooked throughout the circuit. I ended up replacing all the wires and had to order a new lamp. When I went to install the lamp, a few days later, I discovered I had not replaced one of the access covers for the box. I took one of the existing covers home, and made a new one.
Here are the pictures.
I did not have any round stock large enough or small enough, so I started with square stock. I measured the original cap with the over wire method to duplicate the pitch diameter.
20210220_133320.jpg
20210220_151935.jpg
20210220_171649.jpg
20210220_171653.jpg
20210220_171723.jpg
More down the page.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Patio's projects

Post by Patio »

Another simple project, that took me two tries to get right.
I had acquired and Rivet nut tool with a large lot of 5/16X18" Rivet nuts. The tool did not come with a mandrel for the 5/16" rivet nuts, so I made one.
I had almost completed the first one when I crashed the tool into the collet. Next pass on the threads, split the threads. It worked well enough to do the job, but the tool was quite ugly and I wasn't sure how long the treads would hold up, so I made a new one. In the pictures the black mandrel is a stock part. It has a 1/4" shaft and is installed from the top of the tool. The 5/16 tool needs to be installed from the bottom, as the 5/16X18 thread will not pass through the tool, so it requires the two knurled nuts for a stop, once installed.
Here it is.
20210327_191829.jpg
20210327_191548.jpg
More to come as I get it done.
I start a welding class tomorrow, so not sure how much time I will have, for awhile.
I hope everyone is well.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
Post Reply