Mill/Lathe

[Dan]

LOL @ THROW A CHUCK KEY!, BA. Caused myself a near code brown a time or 3 with that one.

The new QCTP (quick change tool post) came today. Really nice and well made. Little Machine shop, so really well packaged. Really like them folks. I had ordered one set that was on sale and it would have been a bad fit. Could have been done but they took the time to let me know and saved me some hair pulling.
That, and this one was also sale and just went back up 25 bucks.
(I have nothing to do with them folks. I'm just a customer. Or if you ask them, a really, really annoying customer)

Really crazy thing about this tool. It always needs tools. Next is a 4 jaw chuck and have to fab a table for the mill component.
Didn't, dang come with one or a way to reach the table. not kidding.

 

[Dan]

Any thoughts on this keyway/broach kit? Seems way to inexpensive but is perfect for my needs.

http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pr...BRQGMXbXg0pP2EpemC84HR86ec6q5Ai_B6Sc-59fw_wcB

 

[DaveC]

LOL @ THROW A CHUCK KEY!, BA. Caused myself a near code brown a time or 3 with that one.

The new QCTP (quick change tool post) came today. Really nice and well made. Little Machine shop, so really well packaged. Really like them folks. I had ordered one set that was on sale and it would have been a bad fit. Could have been done but they took the time to let me know and saved me some hair pulling.
That, and this one was also sale and just went back up 25 bucks.
(I have nothing to do with them folks. I'm just a customer. Or if you ask them, a really, really annoying customer)

Really crazy thing about this tool. It always needs tools. Next is a 4 jaw chuck and have to fab a table for the mill component.
Didn't, dang come with one or a way to reach the table. not kidding.

I watch a machineist on youtube named Keith Fenner. He's a pro and one thing he says is if your wrench is in the chuck keep your hand on it. Sounds like good advice Keith Fenner and Abom79 are two guys I recommend all novices watch, these guys are good.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDmxnPem-pPfJQATIkfgY2Q

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw3UZn1tcVe7pH3R6C3Gcng

Good watching

 

[Davezilla]

Definitely some good advise there... As much as that self ejecting chuck annoys me it's the safest way to make sure the key is out before turning the lathe on... I took the spring off my self ejecting key long ago but I'm the only one who uses the machine and that key is either in my hand or on it's storage hanger. I've threw a key before and it barley missed my face... lesson learned there for sure...

 

[Davezilla]

Any thoughts on this keyway/broach kit? Seems way to inexpensive but is perfect for my needs.

http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pr...BRQGMXbXg0pP2EpemC84HR86ec6q5Ai_B6Sc-59fw_wcB

Looks like a nice set for the hobbyist where it don't get used on a daily basis everyday. Most stuff like that will last as long as you keep everything lubed and don't push them to do what they weren't built to do. Of course, if you can replace the individual broaches when they do wear out then it's definitely a good set.

 

[Dan]

Thanks Dave & Dave.

In school, I suggested spring loaded chucks. Some really scary stuff at times. There were folks who smoked and/or dank their lunches. One guy, his breakfast as well.

LOL, this one kid was a future rap star. Not making this up, he walked away while threading a some bar stock. The tool drives into the chuck. Made some really interesting sounds as it got destroyed. So I wrote him a rapper's theme song. (Can't be posted here, snicker)

But anyway, thanks again. Very much appreciated.

 

[Davezilla]

No prob... I got a small lathe here and a small CNC router on the way as well as a healthy collection of tooling and welding equipment etc etc.. Most of it I've collected over the last 25 years or so from being an aircraft mechanic, but now I got all the tooling here at home and use it for my many hobbies.
I do tend to like the machine stuff the best because I can make parts or do some serious mods to my parts without leaving the house. I got the CNC router with intentions to making my artwork but after seeing all it can do I'll definitely be making a few goodies for these little engines as well once I get used to the software.

 

[tooljunkie]

Any thoughts on this keyway/broach kit? Seems way to inexpensive but is perfect for my needs.

http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pr...BRQGMXbXg0pP2EpemC84HR86ec6q5Ai_B6Sc-59fw_wcB

Have used a similar set, dan. It certainly
Does the job. I use it in my hydraulic press
So im not beating on it with a hammer.
The nice thing is you can control how
Tight/ loose you want the keyway.

 

[Davezilla]

I really like the idea of using a press for the broaching operation, it'll definitely save your tooling

 

[cj8675309]

Im spoiled lol. We have 2 bridgeport vertical milling machines, one with a rotary table and digital readout and both with automatic feed tables. For lathes we have a smaller southbend and a bigger gunsmithing lathe. We also have 2 vertical band saws one with automatic feed. Also a hydraulic punch/press, 3 belt sanders, shear and brake, drill press, mig, tig, and arc welders, and countless accessories and hand tools. For our wood production area we have a 4'x8' shopbot cnc router, a 12 inch compound miter saw a 12 inch sliding compound miter saw, drill press 5 horsepower table saw, band saw, scroll saw, planer, jointer, bench grinders, wood lathe, and countless accessories and hand tools.

 

[Davezilla]

Im spoiled lol. We have 2 bridgeport vertical milling machines, one with a rotary table and digital readout and both with automatic feed tables. For lathes we have a smaller southbend and a bigger gunsmithing lathe. We also have 2 vertical band saws one with automatic feed. Also a hydraulic punch/press, 3 belt sanders, shear and brake, drill press, mig, tig, and arc welders, and countless accessories and hand tools. For our wood production area we have a 4'x8' shopbot cnc router, a 12 inch compound miter saw a 12 inch sliding compound miter saw, drill press 5 horsepower table saw, band saw, scroll saw, planer, jointer, bench grinders, wood lathe, and countless accessories and hand tools.

That sounds like what I want in my garage eventually... I got some good tooling, mostly for metal, but I'd love to have a bridgeport mill... Hopefully if my artwork sells good I can upgrade some more...

 

[massdrive]

I really like the idea of using a press for the broaching operation, it'll definitely save your tooling

I've used a mills to broach. Some had broaching heads and some didn't. Just yank the handle up and down while feeding in the dial. Once I just used a bench vise to hold the part and used the broach tool like a hack saw. Got the job done...

 

[Dan]

Was thinking of using a vice with a broach. would work OK, but thinking it would be awkward.

Is (hopefully) for a production piece so trying to find the happy middle of ease and cost.

Looking at this arbor press, but not sure if it will work with the larger broaches.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-arbor-press-3552.html#pr-header-back-to-top-link

http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pr.../product_name/18-Piece+Keyway+Broach+Set+(WT)

The reviews for the press are funny. People are using it as a food press.



Only thing more fun then tool shopping is when ya get to play whit 'em....

 

[rogergendron1]

one of my first major tool buys was a miller/lathe combo !

i feel like to introduce yourself into machineing one should get a small miller lathe combo, they usually come with a 1/2 in chuck miller/drill head and a small vise that doubles as a tool post for the lathe head, all you need to do is swing the miller head out of the way and thread on the 3 jaw chuck and put the tool post on the vise and your in lathe mod then unscrew the chuck and tool post and swing the miller head baxck and instant mller ..

mine is a no name brand generic machine with a 3 speed miller head and a 3 speed lathe head .....

i retro fitted it with a digital read out and a coolant systam with a large fishtank pump and iy all has been working flawlessly for what it is...

its acurate to withing the half thou wich is good enough for most work and hobby stuff and will turn steel stock up to 6 in in diamiter on the chuck and the miller head will mill with a half inch fluted cutter about .1250 deep through mild steel all day at 600 -800 rpm with the coolant on

i highly recomend a dual purpase miller lathe combo for all starter machininsts and hobbiests !

link to what i am talking about ... this one is a bit larger than mine but you dont need anything that fancy i bought mine used from a guy on e bay !

http://www.smithy.com/granite/product-uses

 

[rogergendron1]

all you need now is some ggod tools !

i recomend the starrett 799 digital vernia for quick measurments
a good 3 set box of dial calipers for precise measuring to the .0001 place
a set of expanding bore gauges up to 6 in
a set of parralell bars
and a set of 3-4 v blocks
and a set of sign blocks for milling circular parts and stock they are vital for setup !

with those tools and a good 6in scale and a dual purpace miller/lathe combo you can make any small psrts up to 6in in diamiter or 12 in milled

 

[rogergendron1]

here is one brand new 1200$ probably one of the best buys anybody can make !

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_7171_7171

 

[Dan]

That's the one I have, Roger. Mine is green though. The drill chuck came in a Chinese food box that rice comes in, lol.

The tool post is useless and needs to be replaced with a QCTP, IMHO. But other then that, a pretty cool little machine.
bad cell pics;
http://motorbicycling.com/showpost.php?p=298269&postcount=47

 

[mapbike]

I have a Smithy combo set up, its an older one that is a little smaller than the one in the pic and mine is blue...

Im no machinist but can dabble around and do a few things on it, my dad however is a good machinist and can really do some good work on the machine.

Map

 

[Davezilla]

I got that same arbor press and it really comes in handy when you need to push out a bearing or do light pressing jobs where speed is more important than power... For me it was a good buy and once you get one and mount it, you'll find yourself using it a lot.

For my lathe, I got a Harbor Freight 7x10 mini lathe which was fairly accurate right out of the box, and after some tweaking I got it to where it could stay within .0001 turning down on a piece of 1/2" x 6" soft aluminum round stock to test it out. I've used it a lot for correcting the cranks and jugs on the HT engines and it can handle the job a lot better than I first expected. I can do some minor milling with it by mounting the work on the toolholder, but I plan on getting the medium size mill that Harbor Freight sells, but I decided to get the 4 axis CNC router first since it can process aluminum and other soft metals... there's no way I'd try to process steel with it, but I'll get the mill soon enough after selling a few pieces of my artwork that the router will help me with. I was wanting to get a combo mill/lathe like the Smithy but decided on getting stand alone machines. My air tool collection is quite extensive with several die grinders, drills of all sizes, air ratchets, impact guns, rivet guns, etc... and I got an 80 gallon compressor in my garage to feed everything. I'm also fully equipped to paint with several air brushes and paint guns along with all the polishing and finishing equipment, then I got a plasma cutter, TIG, Mig, and both inverter stick and a huge Century buzzbox for welding as well as a carbon arc torch for brazing...

I'm no machinist, but it's always been something I've wanted to do so each time I get a new machine tool I gotta learn how to use it before trying to produce any real work out of it, and I'm glad for the internet when it comes to that... I've also used the net to teach me the proper ways to use the TIG welder and my skills went up considerably after watching several hours of welding videos from weldingtipsandtricks.com

I am getting more proficient with the lathe but still need to find a good machinist forum so I can use it to it's full potential, right now I can turn down or true a crank and do most the basics but wouldn't try to cut threads just yet etc.. but I'll get there eventually...

 

[cj8675309]

That sounds like what I want in my garage eventually... I got some good tooling, mostly for metal, but I'd love to have a bridgeport mill... Hopefully if my artwork sells good I can upgrade some more...

Good luck finding one. they were made in Connecticut so they are plentiful around here but not anywhere else. no one wants to give them up because they're the best mill you can buy.