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I cut my reamer on Friday.  I reinforced the QCTP with my aluminum low profile vise that I built. This helped counteract the milling forces as much as possible, since the QCTP is only attached by a small T nut and screw.  As you can see, there was a bit of flex, so the cut wasn't super clean. I heated it and quenched it, but I didn't get it hot enough. I tried cutting with it and it just rubbed the metal. I will remake it when I buy some W1 steel.
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Aug 3, 2014 19:15
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hey brek, any idea if that silversmithing course is gonna run in the fall? I have the spare change to sign up if it is.
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Aug 3, 2014 20:56
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Ambrose Burnside posted:hey brek, any idea if that silversmithing course is gonna run in the fall? I have the spare change to sign up if it is. I assume it will. I'm going to sign up as well. You could email the department and see if they can give you any information. The web site says it starts Sept 17.
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Aug 3, 2014 21:20
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I have been lurking for a while so I figured out this would be a perfect place to start. OK so I am research metalworking as we speak as it has always interested me so I hope to become an active member of this thread. I don't know how expensive it is to get access to metals/scrap but I have been looking into http://www.govliquidation.com/ as I have had people confirm it as a legitimate site and it appears to offer access to a literally unlimited supply of both scrap and tools as a lot of stuff goes for literally nothing or doesn't sell at all. P.S. I am sorry if this post looks very lacking in content but I figured that I needed something to enter into the conversation with and I figured someone would find the site useful.
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Aug 4, 2014 08:39
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Missino posted:I have been lurking for a while so I figured out this would be a perfect place to start. OK so I am research metalworking as we speak as it has always interested me so I hope to become an active member of this thread. I don't know how expensive it is to get access to metals/scrap but I have been looking into http://www.govliquidation.com/ as I have had people confirm it as a legitimate site and it appears to offer access to a literally unlimited supply of both scrap and tools as a lot of stuff goes for literally nothing or doesn't sell at all. That site is pretty awesome; I just wish there was more stuff within driving distance. A table saw for $25 seems nice, but I shudder to think what it'll cost to ship 600 lbs across the country. I've decided that knowing how to weld would be a valuable addition to my blacksmithing skills. I'm already thinking about things to build, but I got to wondering... How do I get a good estimate of how strong something is? I'd like to find a site that says something along the lines of "a 1/2" square piece of iron can support 25 lbs over an unsupported span of two feet before bending, whereas a 2" square piece can hold 1,000 lbs" I don't need to pay someone with an engineering degree, but if I build my own forge, an anvil stand, or a park bench, I'd like to have a rough estimate of how thick the materials need to be. Pagan fucked around with this message at 21:42 on Aug 4, 2014 |
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Aug 4, 2014 21:34
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if I had a question of what some things were worth, or to sell them, would this be the place to ask, some tools, impact drill, bits and sockets, and some machine working things as well?
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Aug 4, 2014 22:51
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r00tn00b posted:if I had a question of what some things were worth, or to sell them, would this be the place to ask, some tools, impact drill, bits and sockets, and some machine working things as well? I don't think anyone in the thread wants to become the machine shop version of pawn stars, but if it was interesting I doubt anyone would mind laying down what they thought an item was worth. Really, ebay is your best bet for a quote though. It's been my experience that manual machine tools were about loving worthless 5-6 years ago, I was buying Bridgeports and Southbends for nothing, I saw one machine tool auction in 2008 sell a dozen J head bridgeports each for less than $1000. Ever since the scrap prices went through the roof they seem to have come back in value. Speaking of almost worthless, I was literally just given a rusty as gently caress Southbend benchtop heavy 10. I mentioned to a friend of mine that I had messed around with a lovely wood lathe and what a total piece of garbage it was.    I guess an old heavy 10 ought to make a pretty bad rear end wood lathe.  I'm just gonna dunk all that crap into an electrolysis tank and move on with life.
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Aug 5, 2014 05:18
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Hu Fa Ted posted:I don't think anyone in the thread wants to become the machine shop version of pawn stars, but if it was interesting I doubt anyone would mind laying down what they thought an item was worth. Really, ebay is your best bet for a quote though. Actually, Id like to learn to use it but don't even know where to begin. I got this all from my father inlaw, he used to build model air plane engines. I have a mini lathe, bench top drill press, grinder and an assortment of dies and bits and a metal band saw etc... And I would love to learn how to use it to make things for around the house. I also got a few hundred pounds of raw stock of various types, aluminium, steel, stainless steel and brass.
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Aug 5, 2014 05:47
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r00tn00b posted:Actually, Id like to learn to use it but don't even know where to begin. I got this all from my father inlaw, he used to build model air plane engines. Look up tubalcain on youtube he has a bunch of beginning machineshop stuff. For reading, look for Southbend's "How to run a Lathe" it's antiquated but it's free online and most if not all of the principles still apply. There are a few books out there, and plenty more videos. Start simple and just make some chips.
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Aug 5, 2014 13:13
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just posting a general observation that metal lathes are stupidly fun and everyone should own a small one and just gently caress around with it
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Aug 7, 2014 07:20
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rotor posted:just posting a general observation that metal lathes are stupidly fun and everyone should own a small one and just gently caress around with it Get the biggest you can handle. This one is my third.    Getting there:  Bare rear end Iron:  After rubbing with a hand pad it looks a lot better. I'm thinking of dropping it back in the tank and flipping it on its side to get more of the internal stuff, but after all this is a crappy old Heavy 10. I may not bother, I just want it for all the crap I don't want to do on my nice lathes.
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Aug 7, 2014 13:08
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rotor posted:just posting a general observation that metal lathes are stupidly fun and everyone should own a small one and just gently caress around with it Just posting a general observation that metal cutting lathes will loving murder you if you don't practice due diligence with them.
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Aug 7, 2014 19:10
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I did some more work on my radius turning attachment for my lathe tonight. I still need to mill the post to fit the carbide bit (not fun,) Make a handle and drill and tap that hole, and make it look a little prettier. You can see some chatter marks on the round part, because my mill slipped slightly when I was cutting the channel that holds the tool post.   It is an adaptation of the Steve Bedair ball turning attachment. I made it to fit my Sherline lathe with the riser block on the headstock.
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Aug 8, 2014 02:34
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so aluminium welding with gas is "kind of a nightmare" but I finally, finally got a weld to take, after maybe a dozen tries with flat bar and sheet. it's more like lead or tin sweating than conventional welding, at least with sheet; you need to play the torch so the flame is only momentarily in position maybe a third, a quarter of the time total, extending the weld bit by bit every time you come back around. ain't much of a weld, but it seems sturdy enough for thin-rear end sheet, so whatever, I have a ways to go. (don't ask me why I welded up a moebius strip instead of just doing a normal joint like a normal person)
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Aug 8, 2014 02:39
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Random Number posted:Just posting a general observation that metal cutting lathes will loving murder you if you don't practice due diligence with them. If you get a little one the worst that'll happen before the motor stalls is maybe you get a couple fingers degloved
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Aug 8, 2014 03:30
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Not if it's geared right. 
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Aug 8, 2014 04:14
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Ambrose Burnside posted:so aluminium welding with gas is "kind of a nightmare" Your post made me remember this video, which I think I may have seen here in the first place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF1Srs_e1Aw Witchcraft.
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Aug 8, 2014 09:55
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Random Number posted:Just posting a general observation that metal cutting lathes will loving murder you if you don't practice due diligence with them. I've seen a lot of wood shop teachers missing finger tips, over arm radial saws in my opinion are way more dangerous. Lathe safety consists of, don't stick your finger in it, don't wear loose clothing or gloves. No jewelry, and keep your goddamn hand on the chuck key. Oh, and don't stick your finger in it. There's probably more but that's served me pretty well and most of the machinists I've met.
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Aug 8, 2014 16:30
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Hu Fa Ted posted:I've seen a lot of wood shop teachers missing finger tips, over arm radial saws in my opinion are way more dangerous. Lathe safety consists of, don't stick your finger in it, don't wear loose clothing or gloves. No jewelry, and keep your goddamn hand on the chuck key. Oh, and don't stick your finger in it. There's probably more but that's served me pretty well and most of the machinists I've met. I have a scar on my thumb where a long chip sliced through and was hot enough to cauterize on the way through. If the cutting bit is anywhere near the work piece, my hands aren't. On the flip side, its common to have sand paper or a polishing cloth or even a file in there with the work piece spinning full tilt, with the tool holder fully retracted of course.
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Aug 8, 2014 17:04
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I interviewed at a shop that had an incident involving an extra digit in the rpm value. The door absorbed enough of the energy that the operator only had a concussion and some broken bones.
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Aug 8, 2014 17:34
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I'm no monument of safety myself. I managed to slice off the tip of my finger on a jump shear when I first got it. "Oh wow, this thing is sharp, cut paper, cut, cut, I should not have done that." In retrospect, it was really retarded, actually the moment I did it I felt monumentally retarded. Just cause it don't have power don't mean you don't have to be careful around it. I just looked at all my finger tips and there's no visible scar, but it bled like hell and I got dizzy, so no harm no foul right. Kasan posted:I have a scar on my thumb where a long chip sliced through and was hot enough to cauterize on the way through. If the cutting bit is anywhere near the work piece, my hands aren't. I bet that hurt like hell. Let's not forget lathe files (without handles).
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Aug 8, 2014 22:13
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Gigantic, spring-powered knives are the best! That's why I one less joint on my left index finger 
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Aug 8, 2014 22:55
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Hu Fa Ted posted:. Oh, and don't stick your finger in it. That's 50% of safety right there.
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Aug 9, 2014 05:26
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It's that time again! Time for the  Big Annual Show and Reunion at Pioneer Acres Not many pictures today, but I tuned up the tractor (first time I've ever topped up the batteries in the 5 years I've owned this thing, I am a bad electric vehicle owner) all the cells needed a little water, but hardly any, the charger is amazingly gentle with the entire bank.  I mostly shoveled coal through a screen to get those loving fines out, but now we have two oil drums full of good coal that will last us for a couple of years. But, I did get a request to make two bale hooks (for hay bales). One long, one short. I tried to duplicate the example we have in the shop, but with a little decorative twist on the handle instead of a forge weld. Mostly because I can't forge weld for poo poo.  Made a couple fire pokers too, haven't sold any yet this weekend. Total take for the day for me: 40$ gently caress yeah (donated to club because I used our communal iron stock for the hooks)
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Aug 9, 2014 05:59
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Crossposting from TFR Camping thread I made this yesterday, it is a grate to hang over a campfire to put your pots and pans on. It will hang off my cooking tripod. I saw a similar, albeit much larger one of these in a youtube video and wanted to make a pared down version. It weighs in at just under 4.5 pounds, so not ideal for backpacking, but for normal camping it should be great. I can't wait to try it out. Each side of the triangle is 16 inches and cost me about $9 after buying the angle iron and chain links. I had the expanded metal and chain. I just welded it up with the O/A torch since I had it out anyway. Welds look like rear end but they are functional.   Just a quick shot for scale, that is an old USGI canteen cup, a 7.5 inch pan, and a 5.5 inch pot on there. 
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Aug 11, 2014 06:42
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Just picked up the latest run of tankards from my coppersmith friend. We've had a lot of positive response on these and also enquiries about producing custom tankards with other regimental badges, which we're more than happy to do. If any of you guys have current or former serving friends and want a custom tankard, give me an email - limeyrock at googles fine mail system - and I can get the custom jobs in with the other batches we're doing. The profits will still be going into keeping a part of our local history alive for years to come. A picture of two of us from a local country show we attended on Saturday:  The South Show, as it's known locally has been running since 1908. It is safe to assume that 100 years ago the show would have been attended by men of the local militia, dressed as we were. We are reading a re-print of the local paper from Friday the 8th August 1914. Vindolanda posted:Amazing. I can't wait. You said there were ones without the badge, right? It would feel wrong to use one with a regimental insignia if I hadn't been in that regiment. Pagan posted:That is fantastic. How much, and will he ship the US? I have sent you guys PMs in case you don't check the thread for a while. iForge posted:Crossposting from TFR Camping thread Neat. The Germans have an outdoor grill design like that called a schwenker https://www.google.com/search?q=schwenker+grill You place the meat on and set the grill spinning slowly. As it spins one way then another the food all gets an even heat, you adjust the heat by raising and lowering the grill. In the public parks they have fire pits and you just bring your tripod and grill along. My friend has built a 10ft tall one with a 5ft steel grill big enough to cater a large wedding, it uses a cable winch for raising and lowering, and uses a tractor wheel rim for a portable fire pit.
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Aug 11, 2014 16:22
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I have been doing a lot of smithing, but it's mostly practice and experimentation. I don't end up with a lot of finished products, since I'm still learning. However, I did finish something. My woodworking leaves a little to be desired, and it's far from perfect. One of my kitchen drawers, the front fell off. I decided to make a replacement instead of just gluing particle board back together. I had some pine lumber sitting around, along with some wood working hand tools. This was made with handsaws, chisels, and a handplane. I forged the handle myself, which was the whole point of the project, but I wanted a decent looking wood surface, too.    The notch in the bottom is where it fits into the sliding part of the drawer; I got a little too enthusiastic with the handplane, trying to make the corners of the bevel all square. I need practice, obviously, but I am very pleased with how this came out. It's sturdy and looks good (to me). I need to work on riveting and peening rivets by hand, though. That's something I just can't get the hang of. The front looks alright, but the back is a mess. Pagan fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Aug 11, 2014 |
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Aug 11, 2014 20:49
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Man, that's lovely Pagan, nicely done. I see the twist edges are a little flattened on the right hand side there. Next time you need to straighten a twist like that, you can put a 2x4 on your anvil, and hit the piece with another block of wood. It'll take the kink out of the bar without wrecking your nice twists. You can do like a sandwich of wood with the iron in the middle and hit that with a hammer, but that always felt really awkward to me. Got to fulfill a couple custom orders while in the Pioneer Acres blacksmith shop this year. We always try to do odd jobs for folks around the park, help keeps things in theme I guess. Weirdly enough they almost always end up talking to me first, but I don't mind. First was that bale hook pair I posted last time. Second was this pit saw handle, it had broken in the middle and the owner wanted us to forge weld it back together. I can't forge weld for poo poo, but I helped out a guy who can. This thing's been welded 4-5 times over its life, and it has to be over 100 years old, made by some professional blacksmith back in the day. Fun project, our weld was in the middle-ish, you can kind of make out a joint there.  I think I made thirty of those little spoons this year, gave most of em away to kids 
Slung Blade fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Aug 12, 2014 |
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Aug 12, 2014 05:54
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Saw this on hackaday: Guy used a mix of silly putty+playsand as a greensands for foundry work. He also did an interesting method to melt aluminum in that he just used a carbon electrode and a graphite crucible with an arc welder, I'm not sure how safe that is since as I understand graphite crucibles are prone to explosive failure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3t-jBATM0w
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Aug 12, 2014 21:32
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Linux Assassin posted:Saw this on hackaday: His enthusiasm is catchy, I may actually try that but I suspect the saggy nature of that casting sand is a non starter. edit: Since of course you could only make an open face mold and would have to move very quickly. Pimblor fucked around with this message at 12:55 on Aug 13, 2014 |
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Aug 13, 2014 04:14
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Pagan posted:
Nice job Pegan. Looks good. For rivets I have tools that sit on the other side of the rivet. They are basically just small dish shapes. You can use a bob punch in a piece of tool steel to make one. or it is easier to drill a shallow whole the size of the rivet head and try to sand it smooth. That will protect the other rivet end so it stays domed. I would also suggest using a center punch to mark the twists next time so the end up exactly where you want them. Now you should do the entire set of drawers! Does anyone have experience making hatchets or wood axes? My husband and I are going camping and I need one soon. Most the professional smiths seem to forge weld two sides together with tool steel on the edge. I was thinking of making a quicker axe from 4140. I would basically forge it like a hammer head but put an edge on it. Is there a reason not to do it this way?
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Aug 14, 2014 18:56
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The 'wrap steel flat bar around mandrel, forge-weld shut with carbon steel bit at the end of the join' thing is a really old way of making axes that happens to be a fast and economical way of getting an oval/teardrop-shaped eye, plus metal mass distributed where you want it (with economical use of hardenable steel), all in one step.That's why it's associated with tomahawks- because they were often produced explicitly as trade goods, and so prioritized speed and economy of production. If you've already got a big chunk of hardened steel I don't see any reason to do it the old way, especially if you have the right drifts to put an eye through it. *tried to make an axe once and it didn't go so great so take my post with a small fistful of salt
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Aug 14, 2014 19:04
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I made an axe the old way (at the Crucible!) with a piece of mild steel sheet to make the part that goes around the handle, and then a forge weld to a piece of spring steel I pre-forged into roughly a blade shape. The forge weld was not perfect, the loop is not well shaped, it was kind of a mess in the end, but it was a learning experience. I think driving a drift through tool steel is the pain in the rear end part if you want to make one out of one piece of metal but I'm sure it can be done that way.
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Aug 14, 2014 19:35
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ArtistCeleste posted:
Can you elaborate on this? I don't quite get how this would help, but laying those twists out was tough so I'm open to ideas. If I did make more, I would want to rig up a jig that at least gets the curves matching. Getting things even, especially since they are tapered and drawn out, was very tricky. ArtistCeleste posted:Does anyone have experience making hatchets or wood axes? My husband and I are going camping and I need one soon. Most the professional smiths seem to forge weld two sides together with tool steel on the edge. I was thinking of making a quicker axe from 4140. I would basically forge it like a hammer head but put an edge on it. Is there a reason not to do it this way? Axes and hatchets are on my list, too, so good luck! Whatever you end up doing, let me know  I was thinking I could get a block of mild steel, cut a slit in the front, then drift from the top, and finally forge weld, and it would be the best of both worlds. I do imagine that driving a drift through a big piece of tool steel is going to be very hard work on your own.
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Aug 14, 2014 22:10
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Pagan posted:Can you elaborate on this? I don't quite get how this would help, but laying those twists out was tough so I'm open to ideas. It is hard to make hammers on my own. So yeah, it's difficult but it's also a thing that I already know and can do successfully. Let's say your drawer pull forged to length was 12", and lets say the jaws of your vice are about 1" high. Find the center of your bar (6") and make two marks 1/2" from center (at 5" and 7"). That will be the start of your twist on both ends. Then mark the length of the twist, lets say 1.5" out from those central marks (3.5" and 8.5"). When you twist the bar you will grab the center between those two points. Your wrench will grab outside of the other two marks. Presto, you have two centrally located twists of the same length. FYI,the twists will visually begin just above the jaws of the vice and finish just below your wrench, so I usually twist with those marks just above the jaws, and grab with my wrench just above that other mark. But it does not make a big difference.
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Aug 14, 2014 23:53
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It's worth adding that you must have an even heat across the full width of the twist you're making, if you want the twist to be even.
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Aug 15, 2014 00:54
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I finished my ball and radius turning attachment this weekend. It is hard to use. I have a few things to dial in to get it working perfectly. The screw that holds the round part to the base doesn't stay tight, which is no good. I'm not sure how to get the screw to act as a bearing surface without it backing out. 
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Aug 18, 2014 04:00
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Brekelefuw posted:I finished my ball and radius turning attachment this weekend. So to make sure I understand: the shaft that you're using for rotation is also the same bolt that clamps the rotating section to the base. Yeah, not ideal, the axial clamping load you apply creates friction that prevents rotational motion. If you loosen it, you've got no axial preload, that's really bad and the bolt is going to just back out as it inevitably wobbles all over the place (you could use a thread locking bolt or loctite or something, but that's not going to solve the wobbling.) You need to lower the friction without decreasing normal force. Try a thrust bearing, McMaster has a variety. You'll need one between the rotating "round part" and the base, and another between the bolt head and the "round part". I'd give needle bearings a shot, they should have the lowest friction of the reasonably priced versions, but make sure that you get the hardened washers on both sides, and that chips and other crap aren't going to get in to contaminate them. For two, you'll probably pay around $20. http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-rolling-element-thrust-bearings/=tbsast
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Aug 18, 2014 04:16
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http://bedair.org/Ball/ball2.html If you look at the 3rd set of two pictures on that website you'll see how my base is attached to the body of the tool. I copied this design, and because the bolt and underside of the base are tapered, I can't use a bearing. I guess I could make a new base and do a counterbored socket head cap screw with a bearing. First I am going to try to make a tiny insert for the bolt to tighten up against that sets the screw head exactly at the depth where there is minimal play between the bearing surfaces. Brekelefuw fucked around with this message at 11:16 on Aug 18, 2014 |
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Aug 18, 2014 11:14
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A needle thrust bearing would probably give the optimal performance, though you might get away with a pair of teflon shim washers if you don't have the vertical space. A jam nut would also be an option if you have space - use the lathe to shorten a second nut to about half the normal height and tighten it down onto the other nut when you have it tightened to where you want it. If space is at a premium you might get away with using two short nuts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam_nut EDIT: Oh I see how he's done it, that's pretty hacky. In that design the bolt is ground to length so it bottoms out in the hole and locks up at (hopefully) the right clearance, with thick grease used on the bearing surfaces to take up the slack. A Bad Design. I'm guessing your bolt isn't long enough to bottom out. EDIT 2: The easiest option might be to drill and tap all the way through the round tool holder piece instead of just a blind hole. Then put a short set screw down through from the top to apply pressure to the end of your bolt, this would allow you to get a nice tight, adjustable lock-up. You just need to make sure your set screw sits flush in the tool holder. ReelBigLizard fucked around with this message at 11:36 on Aug 18, 2014 |
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Aug 18, 2014 11:20
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