Single class project ideas

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whateg0
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Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Our local makerspace has a small machine shop. The area lead wants to teach a milling machine class but we haven't been able to come up with any ideas for something the students could make in a single class that would let them use the basic skills they would pick up in a first class. Everything I did at first was stuff I needed at the time and was usually a project. Do y'all have any suggestions?

Dave
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mklotz
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by mklotz »

Center square for finding center on end of cylindrical stock

Center finder for finding center on edge of rectangular stock

Plans for both can be found here...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/27- ... ders-82451
Regards, Marv

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Bill Shields
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Bill Shields »

Notched stick wood puzzle. Can be made from metal..or wood...

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DCh ... g96BAgBEE8
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whateg0
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Good ideas. I've made those puzzles before. Those were fun. Only issue with that is it doesn't use many skills to make them.
Jon W
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Jon W »

How about a machinist’s scribe/pointer? Brass or aluminum handle, hardened steel point/tip that threads into the handle. The handle could include a rounded/ball end at the back (lathe), knurling (lathe), turned grooves (lathe), a hexagonal section or two to keep it from rolling when set down (mill/indexing), internal threads to receive the tip (tapping), maybe a rubber O ring or two to give good grip (lathe, working to tolerances), a centered hole perpendicular to the shaft at the back end for hanging (mill/centerfinding on a round blank).. the tip would involve creating a symmetrical point, exterior threads, perhaps hardening. Each student could customize their handle to suit their own hand/grip/aesthetic taste (drafting/design/dimensioning/tolerances).
Jon W
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whateg0
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Jon W wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:02 am How about a machinist’s scribe/pointer? Brass or aluminum handle, hardened steel point/tip that threads into the handle. The handle could include a rounded/ball end at the back (lathe), knurling (lathe), turned grooves (lathe), a hexagonal section or two to keep it from rolling when set down (mill/indexing), internal threads to receive the tip (tapping), maybe a rubber O ring or two to give good grip (lathe, working to tolerances), a centered hole perpendicular to the shaft at the back end for hanging (mill/centerfinding on a round blank).. the tip would involve creating a symmetrical point, exterior threads, perhaps hardening. Each student could customize their handle to suit their own hand/grip/aesthetic taste (drafting/design/dimensioning/tolerances).
That sounds like a days-long project for me. At least several hours. I don't see how a class of several students working on one milling machine (no lathe use!) could accomplish what you suggested in a couple hour's time. Thanks, though.
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Jon W »

My mistake, I completely misinterpreted the question.
How about a simple desktop pencil holder? 2" or so cube, with one face (bottom) angled. Drill top face for either one or an array (time dependent) of pencil-holding holes. Could either start with raw stock that student has to cut to length, or a rough cube to save time. Mill five sides parallel/square and the sixth angled. Chamfer some or all edges. Drill the top with the pencil hole(s). For "feet" on the bottom, could either just adhere felt to the whole face, or mill in four round recesses in the corners to accept little self-adhesive round feet. Skills used: clamping/alignment, order of operations, milling faces, milling at an angle, chamfering/deburring, determining the centerpoint of stock, drilling a blind hole (maybe ream it too if time allows), perhaps finishing with emery paper on a surface plate.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Bill Shields »

Wassa pencil?

Is that like a tablet pointer?
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whateg0
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Bill Shields wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:58 pm Wassa pencil?

Is that like a tablet pointer?
It's a tool for breaking little pieces of graphite into littler 1mm long pieces of graphite over and over.
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Jon W wrote: Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:46 am My mistake, I completely misinterpreted the question.
How about a simple desktop pencil holder? ...
I like that idea. I don't they have any reamers up there so drinking will have to do. At least they have the ability to make the drills drill now after I taught a class on drill sharpening. They have a big index of new drills that I can only assume came from harbor freight. So far I've found about half of them unusable out of the box, having been ground with the heel hanging below the lip or ground off center. Once sharpened they do seem to be better than cheese which I was a little surprised by.
Jon W
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Jon W »

50% usable is a pretty good percentage, in my experience (not that that has stopped me buying from HF).

It would be fun to see a post of what your first batch of students’ end products are, if you get a chance.
Jon W
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Mr Ron
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Mr Ron »

When I went to trade school way back around 1955, the project was to make a cube from steel that was 90°on all sides. This was done by hand; no machine. The object was to develop manual dexterity and not rely on a machine. It required using files to square up a block and checking with a square. Your students need to develop that skill.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
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