Machining copper tubing

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SteveM
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Location: Wisconsin

Machining copper tubing

Post by SteveM »

Had to cut some short pieces of copper tubing and face the ends to length.

Copper is a pain to machine, as it is soft and gummy. I've touched tools to copper tubing and had the tubing collapse on me.

This time, I used a split sleeve so that the tubing would be supported all the way around. That will help keep it round as well as providing lots of grip.

I turned the OD of a piece of 3/4 aluminum to ensure that it was round, then drilled it almost to size. I bored the soft jaws to the OD of the sleeve, split the sleeve, clamped it in the chuck and bored the ID.

Another thing I learned is that when you are facing it off, make your cut outwards. That way the burr on the outside can be easily removed. If you cut inwards, you can end up with a big burr that is hard to remove.

I did all the tubes at one end. To trim them all to the same length, I will install a collet with a 1/2" rod in it to act as a stop behind the chuck. Then I will chuck up the one that is trimmed to length and set the carriage stop with the tool against the end.

Steve
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spro
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by spro »

Hey Steve. Good job.
Magicniner
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by Magicniner »

Good technical solution!
If only you'd had an ER40 Collet Chuck for your lathe ;-)
SteveM
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by SteveM »

Magicniner wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:02 am Good technical solution!
If only you'd had an ER40 Collet Chuck for your lathe ;-)
I have an ER32 with a 1" straight shank and a large enough thru hole, so I could have used that.

Steve
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I bought a set of 5C collet blocks long ago from Enco.
They have proven to be quite handy. I still want to get a real collet chuck though....would be handier!

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/detai ... 59#target4

MSC looks a little pricy....I think I paid about 30 bucks for my set, also Interstate brand.

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
earlgo
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by earlgo »

Steve, you are right on by pulling the burr out. If it is pushed in then removing it with a chamfer creates another burr, and so on infinitum.

Collet blocks are like 1-2-3 blocks. You never need them until nothing else will do.
I paid $42 for mine. Hex and square, 2 nuts and a lever closer.

--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
SteveM
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Location: Wisconsin

Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by SteveM »

The disadvantage with collet blocks for this is that you can't get to the locking ring when the collet block is in the chuck, so making 8 parts would be a pain.

I have a 5C collet chuck, but I need to make a backplate for it.

I'm going to look at a South Bend heavy 10 - it will be nice to have the large spindle and 5C collet capability right in the spindle.

Steve
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by warmstrong1955 »

SteveM wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:45 am The disadvantage with collet blocks for this is that you can't get to the locking ring when the collet block is in the chuck, so making 8 parts would be a pain.
Which is why, I want a 'real' collet chuck!

You can cheat a bit. I did some batches of parts in the lathe with the hex block. It won't fit into the bore of the chuck, so that stand-off dim is fixed by the hex hitting the face of the chuck. And I used a collet stop. I had to R&R the parts in the block, and the block in the chuck each time, but....better than a lot of other options....

:)
Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
RSG
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Re: Machining copper tubing

Post by RSG »

Nice going Steve!
Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they will be.
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