Re: Machinists Corner
 

It's a good thing the family is off on vacation...I see a lot of late nights in your future :ror:

Very cool to see you finally get this! I know you've been talking about it for a long time.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Abso-friggin-lutely. Gotta get that garage cleaned up though. Gonna hit it hard this afternoon after work.

Last night I went out for one last smoke before bed, grabbed my piston ashtray, dumped it out, and remembered that I never liked the way I cut the skirts off of it. So, onto the mill it went. :ror:

There are still some things I need to pick up before I can actually make anything, so I'm going to just do a bunch of dumb stuff just to get used to operating it.

I picked up a grizzly mill recently and been to lazy to square the work surface on it - I have still managed to make some pretty sweet stuff with it.
Can't wait to see what comes off yours.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Chips? I wanna see chips :ror:
Not really, take your time, it will eat you :shock:, but enjoy "thumbsup".

Re: Machinists Corner
 

nice machine duuuuuuude! Have fun learning how to use it, once you learn the basics the flood gates open wide as to what is now possible to build! "thumbsup"

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Funny thing, it looked huge when I first saw it. A bit smaller the second and third times, a bit smaller when we loaded it up, and now I've gotten used to it so its not shrinking any more. :ror:

I was seriously worried about making everything fit in my allotted space in the garage, but its going to be ok. I'm purging a bunch of crap that I really have no use for and filling up the garbage cans. Should be nice and tidy when I'm done.

Oh there's chips. I keep sucking them up in the vacuum though. I'll try and save you some next time.

Did a bit of custom machining to my ashtray. I'll get some pics up later on. Got some organizing to do first.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Sounds like a kid with a new toy :ror:, I know how you feel :mrgreen:.
I'm trying to get up the courage to sink a end mill in my new 65:1 gearboxes ;-).

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Thanks for the pins Bob. Dont worry bout those cases just start cutting. You may could trace the cases on some paper to pre plan your cuts.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Here's the ashtray. Had to take about 5/15" off of it to get the nasty stray Sawzall marks out of it. Also cut some precision butt holders. Nothing too exciting, but its good practice to get my self familiar with the machine.

http://i45.tinypic.com/359msgn.jpg

On the bottom I cut grooves so that it would sit nice and snug into the table and not rattle around or fall off.

http://i47.tinypic.com/21bnqcl.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/2agosuf.jpg

DRO install is coming up next....

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Your a master machinist "thumbsup".

Re: Machinists Corner
 

So last night I'm out in the garage organizing and cleaning and whatnot, and for some reason my 24" dro keeps being in the way. The only logical solution was to stop what I was doing and install it before it got damaged.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :flipoff:

The end brackets as they were installed made the unit too long for the table, so I had the brilliant idea to flip them around. That made them the right length, but now I had no holes to mount them with. What to do....what to do.....Oh yeah! Mill new holes!

First I had to make a jig to hold the brackets. Easy enough, just bolt them down to some plastic.

http://i47.tinypic.com/25tbzao.jpg

Eyeball it all up and cut some slots.

http://i46.tinypic.com/671gnb.jpg

Back in its home.

http://i46.tinypic.com/ac8sx0.jpg

Since I've got gobs of 3mm bolts, that is what I drilled and tapped the table for.

http://i47.tinypic.com/auw86e.jpg

On to the sensor mount. I made this out of grey pvc and it bolts onto the front where there was some sort of mount for an indicator or something.

http://i47.tinypic.com/2gxpxdl.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/11lha8h.jpg

Works like a dream. "thumbsup"

Re: Machinists Corner
 

They are cool for the cost. You can cut the scales to any length to fit the application too.
I can say one thing, I have'nt got burnt out on playin' with my machine, it's a blast to "have to" make stuff "thumbsup".
Now ya gotta start a mill thread.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Yeah, the guy that I bought the mill from was floored when I told them how cheap they were. I expect I'll see one stuck to his lathe fairly soon. :ror:

I didn't know you could cut them. Oh well. My method was more educational and interesting anyway.

If I start a mill thread, what would the topic be? General type mill talk or should I title it "The Fine Art of Precision Eyeballing and Measured Hackery" ? :ror:

Re: Machinists Corner
 

I was thinking something simple,,,,,,,,like;

"DUUUUUUUUDE'S EYEBALL ENGINEERING"

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Duuude, who makes the DRO unit, my friend is looking at one for his Rockwell lathe but even the cheap ones aren't cheap and his machine is LONG :roll:

Re: Machinists Corner
 

iGaging. Ebay seems to be the cheapest place to get them.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

I think the longest they make is 36".

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Holy crap! Are those really under $100?

Re: Machinists Corner
 

Yup. I think I paid less than $80 for the pair I have. Both were shipped free.

Pretty damn sensitive too. Just the teeniest tiniest little nudge on the crank and they'll pick it up.

Re: Machinists Corner
 

I'm getting a couple. Are yours the 12" or 24"?

*EDIT* re-read and saw it's the 24".