@Ray My over all goal with this thing is to get something a lot closer to the prototype then the crimper stuff. Wish me luck.
@Dave T - Yes, your SWMBO’s Kiln would be a good tool for annealing.
Yes, the annealing process comprises heating the material to a specified minimum temperature. I would think that so long as the temperature remains below the plastic state of the materials there would be no harm no foul. To the best of my knowledge there is not way us laymen could determine the metalurgical differentiation.
I would also offer a caution in that the cans do have an inert plastic liner that will incinerate with the annealing so good ventilation should be considered mandatory. I have tried to separate the liner on a couple before annealing with out any success.
Keep us up to date, I am interested to see how your machine works and what the finished product will look like.
Bob C.
You can get rolls of shim stock in brass, aluminum, copper, steel, etc. If Amazon has it, that’s the cheapest.
Steel being the least expensive. Copper could be used on a fancy building.
I have no idea why my posts are double spacing.
Dave Taylor said:
@Ray My over all goal with this thing is to get something a lot closer to the prototype then the crimper stuff. Wish me luck.
Put me down as a future customer, Dave.
Dave Taylor said:
My over all goal with this thing is to get something a lot closer to the prototype then the crimper stuff. Wish me luck.
Dave,
How does the crimper scale out to the smaller scales? I’m guessing your 22.5 or 20.3?
Is the crimper better or worse in 1/29, 1/32?
@Craig I know that the ridges are only .150 apart, and only .036 deep for 1:20.3, for 1:24 they would need to be even closer together, I have thought that if this works then I might try and make the smaller size. Don’t even know if this will work yet. Stay tuned.
The Learning process has begun. I started to mill the parts for the jig. I’ll post pics along the way to let you know what I’m doing, and to hopefully have someone keep me from doing something stupid.
Now remember this milling thing is all new to me, I’m hands on learning my new machine. I bought a couple of softcover books that i’m learning from.
Referring to the drawing. I started with the four side support pieces. 3/8 x 2" x 6" long.
I milled the two long sides square to each other.
I then blued one side of each piece, and layer out the lines for the groove down the side.
Did the set up for the 1/8" wide x 1/8" deep groove, using a 1/8" mill.
After milling all four side pieces with the groove, I then set up to do the top ends with the same groove.
Tonight I go for the center spacer blocks with the mating part to the side pieces.
This is turning out to still be fun… I like the precision of the process. BTW 1/8" mills are really easily broken when you get overly self confident and a little aggressive on the cut, I still have 2 of the 4 left.
Progress is being made.
Dave
Aluminum likes 2 fluted endmills better.
Also if you can, get a stream of air blowing on the endmill and it will help alot.
Rodney
I live vicariously through you Dave. I did a machining class in High School and always enjoyed doing it. Someday I might get a mill and lath and play around.
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/Catalog/Group/438
I hope this will come to the correct page, check out
Stock Drive Products
Dennis
in the above site go to the left side of the page and click in the spur gear stock
Dennis
Up date on the roller machine.
Got most all the body work completed.
Out of 1.5” stock milled the sides flat and cut the tang to fit the side slots.
Cut the spacer blocks and the bearing blocks down to size and machined to the same length:
To make the top bars I needed to cut the two sides apart and instead of sawing and then milling, since this is a learning lesson, I chose to use the slitter.
That thing is a bit scary! Caution is needed to keep from getting hurt.
And the two halves.
Started on the bar stock, (1018) cold rolled for the dies.
Wish me luck. Remember this is my first major turning project.
@Dennis Thanks for the link. I got way lost in the unknown terms in a hurry. Pitch, pressure, etc. I did figure out how many teeth per gear. Using that technology would mean that both rollers would need to be synced with matching gears. Way over me head at this point.
Hey Dave,
A couple of suggestions from a machinist of 18 years. If you want a precise groove use an endmill smaller then the finish width and rough out your groove first. Then do a finish pass on both sides at your finish depth and only take off a few thousandth. Cut your finish pass by climb cutting at a steady feed.
Like Rodney said earlier, aluminum likes a 2 flute endmill better then a 4 flute. Keep your 4 flute endmills for mild steel. And either use air or a fine mist to keep the chips cleared out and it also keeps your cutter cooler and it will last longer.
Finally, I do not recommend you cut material in half using a slitting saw like your picture shows. That how people get killed or lose body parts. Cut your material on a metal cutting band saw and then mill the sides flat. I’m just glad to see that nothing happened.
I’m watching your project with great anticipation as it brings back very happen memories of my days in the Navy Nuclear Industry in So. Cal. Good luck.
Chuck
@Chuck… In 50 years of doing, I have never drawn a drop of blood from a power machine, and I fully plan on keeping that record in tact. Screwdrivers, plyers, hammers, hand saws, and even a vice once, but never a power machine. About 2/3 of the way thru the cut, I stopped and thought it thru on the potential of what could go wrong slitting that piece. I flipped it around and finished the cut from the other side so that there wasn’t even an 1/8" of blade depth to get thru, I cur it down to leave about.010 holding the two haves together. I slowed the blade to <100 rpm and thru cut about 1/2 of the piece. Stopped and clamped the two haves together w/ a shim thicker then the cut to prevent binding, and then finished the cut after duct taping it alltogether to try and keep it from flying apart.
Thank you for the caution, But I figured out that I should NOT be doing this. And I will asure you that I won’t do it again.
Why didn’t you warn me ahead of time. Any other tips to keep me from doing something to stupid?
Question. I have been getting some “chatter” while cutting on the lathe. Speed, to high or to low?
Feed rate, to high or to slow, Both? Blade set, to high, or to low. [ 1.25" cold roll 1018, new index cutter]. Would having the blade too far out from the holder contribute to the chatter.
Here’s the stuff we’ve been waiting on.
Got the Male die turned. For a first project i’m pleased.
Then spent the rest of the day turning the female die. It had to be rather precise to mate up to the male.
I haven’t finished turning the bearing journals to final size, as I have’t gotten the bearings yet. Today a trip to the bearing shop.
It sure looks like it is going to work. Wish me luck!
They both look great Dave.
Chatter can be caused by several things. A loose set-up, tool sticking out to far, rpm and feed rate to fast or to slow, taking off to much material in one swipe. Unfortunately sometimes its just trial and error. You said that you got several books on machining. Is one of those books a Machinery’s Handbook? Pick one up if not because this book covers everything you can imagine about machining. It will give you starting points for rpm and feed rates based on the material you are using along with tips on how to do things. Basically it’s a machinist’s Bible.
Have fun but also be safe.
@Chuck - Machinery’s is a great reference, but it would do Dave well to learn the terminology and what it means before trying to read Machinery’s. I would think Dave’s chatter is most likely the result of dry cutting steel. I have never seen anyone cut steel without fluid/coolant with out some chatter sneaking in there somewhere.
Ya you’re right Bob, I didn’t think about the terminology that we’re use to. I also forgot to mention the coolant thing, but i’m glad you thought of it.
Chuck
Dave - I am not a machinist, but have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. I am sure Chuck can chime in with far more accurate info than I can, but a question … did your machines come with a fluid feed system? If so, you will need to look into which coolant will be usable for all the common materiasl we will be working with. I would think steel, stainless steel (to a lesser extent) aluminum and brass/bronze.
My company just received a brand new Haas six axis mill (no I don’t have ANY access to it other then official work). That think can throw chips and fluid like you wouldn’t believe.
Other than my first comments, that is impressive machining for a beginner. Good work Dave!
Dave,
Your die looks very good, especially you being a novice machinist.
Next time you need to use round stock, do yourself a favor and use 12L14 instead of 1018. The “L” means it has a small amount of lead in it and it machines like a dream without coolant.
Rodney