The Metalworking Thread

[Wilhelm]

Badass wedges. If those had a bolt on steel plate for hammering they would last a lot longer. Also that much texture will make those basically impossible to remove if the tree doesn’t tip.

Thanks!
These are prototypes, I mildly altered the milling program to address some excess post processing and I changed the texture a bit.
I guess better have a wedge stuck than have it pop out, no?!
Them getting banged up will not be much of an issue for me as I don't fell trees, those wedges will probably just help keep bucking cuts open.

rad

Thank You!

 

[64poncho]

Making part for a fixture to hold a final drive. Has a 28 3/4 inch diameter hole. Had to bore 1/2 of the hole at a time, plate is 59 5/8 square, 1 inch thick. Bolt holes are for a M30 bolt.
Got it finished today.

 

[Wilhelm]

OK, I learned something today and it is just past noon.

Stick electrodes, why do ones fire, hold a steady strong arc and melt like butter - yet others don't?!
Rutile vs Basic coating - Rutile is what the average Joe wants IMHO.

Left Rutile, right Basic, both 30+ years old electrodes been sitting on a shelf in the garage.



I can finally melt the Basic coated ones, but inverter welder 110Amps barely manages.
My 105Amp transformer stick welder can't even light the Basic ones, but melts the Rutile just fine.

I need to find "how to" info for setting up the inverter welder features, maybe then I will get a somewhat better welding behaviour with the Basic coated electrodes which I have a nearly full box of.

Little "Gorilla" did great on this first welding test.
The electrodes are 3.25mm btw.

 

[Wilhelm]

Hmm, the Basic coated electrode (right) seems to create a wider puddle than the Rutile one (left)!?



But the surface finish is nicer on the Rutile electrode bead.

 

[SimonHS]

OK, I learned something today and it is just past noon.

Stick electrodes, why do ones fire, hold a steady strong arc and melt like butter - yet others don't?!
Rutile vs Basic coating - Rutile is what the average Joe wants IMHO.

Left Rutile, right Basic, both 30+ years old electrodes been sitting on a shelf in the garage.
View attachment 457467


I can finally melt the Basic coated ones, but inverter welder 110Amps barely manages.
My 105Amp transformer stick welder can't even light the Basic ones, but melts the Rutile just fine.

I need to find "how to" info for setting up the inverter welder features, maybe then I will get a somewhat better welding behaviour with the Basic coated electrodes which I have a nearly full box of.

Little "Gorilla" did great on this first welding test.
The electrodes are 3.25mm btw.

View attachment 457476

Try drying the electrodes in a low oven for a couple of hours. They may have absorbed moisture while being stored.

 

[Wilhelm]

Turned the welders features up - WOW!!!

These Basic coated electrodes are now igniting quite well and melting fast generating a wide puddle/bead.

First pass


Second pass


Both times the electrode got too short.

The slack is neat too, clears the weld bead cleanly.
This was the above pictured first pass.

 

[Wilhelm]

 

[Wilhelm]

OK, I have found a liking for the Basic coated stick electrodes - all it needed was a welder packed with features I didn't know existed.

But, what is the consensus - which one is giving the better weld when used properly?

I seem to notice a deeper penetrating & wider melting puddle/bead on the Basic vs the Rutile coated electrodes.
It just needs more UMPH!!!
Not in "amps", but in welder "features".

 

[edisto]

First things first: I don't want to mess up this thread, so if anyone would like me to start a new one, I would be glad to do so. I have a feeling that I'm going to need a lot of advice!

Our university got funding to put together a shop, so that faculty would have the tools to fabricate things for projects. The first time I saw the what they were getting, I got very excited. Among other things, they have a Baileigh lathe (13" swing and 40" length), and a Baileigh vertical mill (NT 40 taper; 10" x 54" table). I have a comically small lathe at home, and have never had access to a mill.

Long story short, while I was plotting and scheming ways to access the equipment, I got asked to get the shop and the equipment up and running.

I'm not a machinist, and I know that I never will be more than just a hack with the equipment, but getting the opportunity to learn something that I have always wanted to do is pretty exciting.

At this point most of the equipment is useless, because the equipment is all there is. No bits, cutters, measuring, or layout tools. I'm going to be doing a lot of reading to sort out what I need, and how to get things done, but there is no substitute for experience.

At this point, my first question is, I hope, a simple one. The equipment still has packing grease/oil that I need to get off, but (at the risk of starting an oil thread) I was wondering what would be recommended to keep the surfaces oiled to avoid corrosion. I use Rem oil for my tools at home, because it is pretty thin and seems to protect well, but I was wondering what the experts use. I know that it is a dumb question, but I just don't want to use anything that will get gummy with age.

 

[srcarr52]

Generally my stuff gets enough use it stays covered with it's own lubricating oil or coolant enough not to have any rusting problems.

Back in the day at the machine shop lesser used machines raw surfaces would get wiped down with wd40 or marvels mystery oil.

 

[edisto]

Generally my stuff gets enough use it stays covered with it's own lubricating oil or coolant enough not to have any rusting problems.

Back in the day at the machine shop lesser used machines raw surfaces would get wiped down with wd40 or marvels mystery oil.

Thanks!

Ever since I was a teenager I get the urge to buy some MMO every time I see the old school labeling. Now I have an excuse!

South Carolina is ridiculously humid (my dehumidifier pulls a gallon or two of water out of my basement shop every day in the summer), and WD-40 didn't do a great job protecting. I use it to clean, but I have been using Rem oil on my tools and guns to keep the rust away.

 

[edisto]

More questions...

I have never run a mill of any size, and I'm trying to sort out tool holders. I didn't realize that it was so complicated!

The milling machine will likely be used by a number of people for a number of different things, so flexibility is the main goal.

The taper of the spindle is NT40. Looking over the options, we definitely need a drill chuck (precision keyless), and I was thinking perhaps a Weldon holder (or holders) and an ER collet holder would give the flexibility we need? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

It also seems more difficult to find NT40 tools. My understanding is that the threads for the drawbar are different Does anyone have any recommendations? Glacern seems to have a good selection for NT40, but I have read that the customer service can be an issue. I took a quick look at the MariTool site, but I didn't see NT40...it looks like they specialize in CNC tools?

Ideally I'd like to get the vise from the same vendor as the holders.

Again, I'm grateful for any and all advice.

 

[Squareground3691]

https://www.mscdirect.com/ , will have a large selection of what you might need, and Kurt vises are the standard for machining , unless you get into specialty machining,

 

[Wilhelm]

My vote goes to ER collet holders!

Will give You a wide range of cylindrical shaft tool clamping compatibility and You don't need to buy tapered tools.

 

[edisto]

https://www.mscdirect.com/ , will have a large selection of what you might need, and Kurt vises are the standard for machining , unless you get into specialty machining,

Thanks!

My vote goes to ER collet holders!

Will give You a wide range of cylindrical shaft tool clamping compatibility and You don't need to buy tapered tools.

Thanks! Do you think that it would be helpful to get a limited range of Weldon holders as well, or just add them along the way as they are needed?

 

[Squareground3691]

Thanks!



Thanks! Do you think that it would be helpful to get a limited range of Weldon holders as well, or just add them along the way as they are needed?

I use a combination of ER and Solid holders, the Solid holders are best for rigidity machining,

 

[Wilhelm]

Thanks! Do you think that it would be helpful to get a limited range of Weldon holders as well, or just add them along the way as they are needed?

Yes, Weldon is a good option.
I forgot about those.
At work we utilize collet vs. Weldon at a 100:1 ratio, as such it slipped my mind.

You will find Weldon holders practical only when You machine with tooling over 16mm OD.
We have them for ~1+" drills with replaceable cutters (23.0mm and up), and for a couple 25.0mm end mills with replaceable cutters.

Collets can cover a fair range of tooling diameters.

 

[Wilhelm]

Get different size & length collet holders!
Not sure about Your machines, but we use ER32/70 for 50+% of our tooling, but there is requirement for ER32/160 , rarely ER32/200.
Also for clearance reasons ER11/150 and ER16/150.

ER11 collets will clamp up to 7.0mm
ER16 collets will clamp up to 10.0mm
ER32 collets will clamp up to 20.0mm

We also have two ER40/160 tool holders, but I don't know their clamping limit.

 

[Squareground3691]

I use a combination of ER and Solid holders, the Solid holders are best for rigidity machining,

 

[Wilhelm]

I use a combination of ER and Solid holders, the Solid holders are best for rigidity machining,

Also, out of ballance throw is lower with solid/Weldon holders.
You may prefer them for milling.

Though quality brand collets are fairly accurate too.
The cheap ones not so much!