|
Did my first real blacksmithing today, made a coat hook and and a dinner triangle + a striker (which we designed on the fly in the last twenty minutes using all we'd learned). It was both harder and easier than I'd imagined, in many ways, namely getting the right colour without burning while buried in coal. Most fun I've had in a long rear end time though!  Totally going back for more when the museum reopens in January. (Those old standing forges with crank blowers are hell to work with).
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2014 23:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 21:22 |
|
|
Rime posted:Did my first real blacksmithing today, made a coat hook and and a dinner triangle + a striker (which we designed on the fly in the last twenty minutes using all we'd learned). Why wait? Make your own forge and practice at home! All you realistically need is an air source, a tuyere and something to hold the charcoal/coal. A hair dyer, small length of pipe and a hole in the ground work. And a large flatish rock, or a log chunk works for an anvil til you can get a hunk of steel or an actual anvil.(if using a log, use a hardwood and understand that every time you strike a piece, it's slowly becoming concave, so rotate 180 degrees instead of 90 when striking) The epitomes brake drum forge is essentially just that (except bottom fed instead of using a side blown tuyere).
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 02:49
|
|
|
The community laboratory that I'm a member of has two propane forges, two anvils, and an assortment of tools in their metal department so I'm actually pretty well set up! Still going to take more courses from the museum when they re-open though, the dude was an amazing teacher.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 03:39
|
|
|
I haven't kept up with this thread lately. http://www.pureiron.co.uk/ This is the only way I know of to get pure iron. I was under the impression until recently that pure iron is essentially wrought iron, it is not. I was also warned to only forge this hot, hot, hot. Like at a welding heat. I hear it is very nice and buttery to work with but presents it's own challenges. I have not yet had the money to experiment myself. I also did hear that it does not rust easily, but have no verifiable sources for that claim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9K_thWUBIw Also, if you do want to go a little deeper in metalluragy I found that this video gives a very nice basic overview. Of course this is only an overview of the iron-carbon phase diagram. But it may help you read and understand the same thing for other alloys.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 19:50
|
|
|
Dang, those are 'almost reasonable' prices for sheet. Shame about them being in the UK, I don't want to even think about how much itd cost to ship big sections of iron sheet overseas. e: Or their minimum non-UK order quantity being like $400 american lmao, i'm down for some 30 cm sheet squares you assholes, let me throw money at you Ambrose Burnside fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Nov 2, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 20:03
|
|
|
Ambrose Burnside posted:Dang, those are 'almost reasonable' prices for sheet. Shame about them being in the UK, I don't want to even think about how much itd cost to ship big sections of iron sheet overseas. In that video I posted, we literally picked iron ore off the getting for free at an old abandoned iron mine. You can probably find something similar in California. We smelted it down to iron, but it has a gift silica and carbon content than 'pure' iron because we used a bloomery instead of a blast furnace.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 20:39
|
|
|
I hear you can find stuff like that on the east coast. I don't know where to start here. I haven't heard of any iron mines. But I should do some research. I really want to work with some. Yeah Ambrose, I would love to try it first before committing to $400 of it. Ideally I would find a person who'd want a big traditional sort of commission and they would foot the bill. Speaking of commissions, I am trying to secure one for a folding security gate in front of a beauty salon. It will take more engineering than I am used to, but I am excited to learn enough to create one. My bigger concern is being able to deinstall the old one and then put this one in it's place. I basically told the owner (whom I have worked with before) that I would probably want to contract out an installer for that part of the project. We will see if she commits. I am working on this other commission below, but again am waiting on a client to make some decisions. They are going to be part of some shelves.  
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2014 21:44
|
|
|
So my weekend was pretty fruitful. If anyone recalls, I finally finished fixing the boiler to the commercial espresso machine by brazing up the bad tube. I put it all back together, and realized I didn't have a tamper, so off to the lathe:  The boy decided it need to look like a mushroom:  I realized the finish kinda sucked after I polished it and put it in good light, oh well:  Clear epoxy isn't clear   Not strictly metalworking, but the end result:  And I helped a friend fix up an old 10" SB (mine is still in progress):  Bonus AL TIG welding practice (how am I coming along?): 
|
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2014 16:26
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:The boy decided it need to look like a mushroom: That's aluminum, yea? In the future I'd recommend taking a finish pass at .002in depth with the sharpest tool you have. Those scratches are pretty deep and would be very difficult to sand or polish out.
|
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2014 17:58
|
|
|
CarForumPoster posted:That's aluminum, yea? Yeah, this is the first time I've used my lathe to make something nice so I'd never really paid attention to finish. I did do a finish pass at .002 but the tool I used had a nick in it apparently. I actually made the fit a little too tight, I was thinking about knocking off a thou so it fit in the basket without creating a vacuum seal.
|
|
#
?
Nov 3, 2014 18:38
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:Yeah, this is the first time I've used my lathe to make something nice so I'd never really paid attention to finish. I did do a finish pass at .002 but the tool I used had a nick in it apparently. I actually made the fit a little too tight, I was thinking about knocking off a thou so it fit in the basket without creating a vacuum seal. BTW Uncoated or Diamond\TiB2 coated carbide for aluminum. Most of the TiN/TiAlN coatings that come on carbide isnt good for aluminum.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 02:45
|
|
|
CarForumPoster posted:BTW Uncoated or Diamond\TiB2 coated carbide for aluminum. Most of the TiN/TiAlN coatings that come on carbide isnt good for aluminum. Agreed, but go uncoated or HSS, you're on a manual lathe. Your machine can't take advantage of the fancy coated carbides, and definitely not PCD. If nothing else, you can't turn the hand wheels fast enough. I'm working on switching our shop over from TiB2 to uncoated inserts since we can't realize the performance increase anyway, uncoated are cheaper, and the grade we'll get can handle steel turning, too. Also, it's used by college students: our primary failure mode is catastrophic, not wear. Probably the case for most home shop machinists, too. Speaking of which, still gotta try to get that 55 degree insert out of the holder... Probably just have to scrap the whole assembly. Don't you love scrapping $100 holders when someone breaks a $30 insert?
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 03:27
|
|
|
Karia posted:Speaking of which, still gotta try to get that 55 degree insert out of the holder... Probably just have to scrap the whole assembly. Don't you love scrapping $100 holders when someone breaks a $30 insert? Yes, because I'm not the one paying for it.   How is it stuck? Take a hardened punch you don't care too much about and crack the insert. Once you get it into enough pieces they'll come out and you can deal with the screw/clamp from there.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 03:56
|
|
|
This will definitely out me as a rank amateur, but I have been using un-coated C5 carbide lathe tools for basically every metal. Should I be using something else for Aluminum? I buy these like I buy candy: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=383-0055
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 04:06
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:This will definitely out me as a rank amateur, but I have been using un-coated C5 carbide lathe tools for basically every metal. Should I be using something else for Aluminum? For my lathe at home I used these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Piece-1-2-Indexable-Carbide-Tool-Bit-Sets-C6-/150662862220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231434d58c Immediately throw out the insets, literally the worst inserts ever. I think I got some TiN coated Kennametal old stock bits on eBay for them too. MSC has 134 different options for TCMT3252 inserts, starting at $8 per. And you get 3 cutting edges with them so they're actually cheaper than those things. CarForumPoster fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Nov 4, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 04:24
|
|
|
CarForumPoster posted:For my lathe at home I used these: Hey thanks for that, I've actually steered away from insert tooling because I was completely lost in the sheer infinite variety of inserts and never being able to find the right thing. I have no idea at all on how to buy inserts. For instance, I have two indexable cutters that I got for nothing at an auction for my Brown & Sharpe #2, one is missing all the inserts and the other is missing a bunch of inserts so I am completely lost.    I don't remember if I've posted this before, the B&S #2 light milling machine, almost tipped over my forklift moving it  
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 04:56
|
|
|
Oh...yea.. Thats a real problem. If googling the part number on the holder doesnt tell you what insert it uses youre basically hosed unless you have a tooling rep come by or whanna email the company. Luckily those say they use TCMT 32.51s. The geometry of tool bits is actually a pretty standardized system, which you can also find by googling.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 05:27
|
|
|
Unless you're doing a ton of machining it isn't worth spending too much time worrying about insert selection. TiN or TiAIN is a good all purpose coating. Great for carbon steels, pretty good with aluminum and with the right speed/feed will cut yellow metals, superalloys, composites, etc. well enough. Get used to calculating surface speeds and make notes of what works well in what materials for that insert. A lot of manufacturers will run specials where you buy a box of 5-10 inserts and they give you the cutter body free. Find a local metalworking supplier and see what they've got. Or call a big online supplier like MSC and ask them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 05:39
|
|
|
oxbrain posted:Unless you're doing a ton of machining it isn't worth spending too much time worrying about insert selection. TiN or TiAIN is a good all purpose coating. Great for carbon steels, pretty good with aluminum and with the right speed/feed will cut yellow metals, superalloys, composites, etc. well enough. Get used to calculating surface speeds and make notes of what works well in what materials for that insert. Pretty good advice for the home shop.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 06:35
|
|
|
oxbrain posted:Unless you're doing a ton of machining it isn't worth spending too much time worrying about insert selection. TiN or TiAIN is a good all purpose coating. Great for carbon steels, pretty good with aluminum and with the right speed/feed will cut yellow metals, superalloys, composites, etc. well enough. Get used to calculating surface speeds and make notes of what works well in what materials for that insert. Insert tooling is literally the best thing. As long as you don't outright crash the tool badly, you can gently caress up over and over again and only be out a $5 insert or two. Especially on CNC lathe applications. If you screw up just a little bit and manage to chip the face of one of the facets, you still have faces 2 and 3 to use, and on some inserts faces 4, 5 and 5 as well.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 08:24
|
|
|
CarForumPoster posted:Oh...yea.. Thats a real problem. If googling the part number on the holder doesnt tell you what insert it uses youre basically hosed unless you have a tooling rep come by or whanna email the company. Luckily those say they use TCMT 32.51s. The geometry of tool bits is actually a pretty standardized system, which you can also find by googling.  I never looked closely at the cutters. One has the damned insert number stamped right on it, RNG-42 (somebody scribed an H in front of that which the internet has no idea wtf) and the other one a quick google search on the part number popped up with an ebay auction with the same cutter and RNG-63 for the inserts. That big B&S now has a life again to hog out nasty steel in a hurry.
|
|
#
?
Nov 4, 2014 14:29
|
|
|
I've been grinding my own hss tools like a sucker 
|
|
#
?
Nov 7, 2014 06:18
|
|
|
rotor posted:I've been grinding my own hss tools like a sucker Single point turning with your own hss is the most satisfying way to do things.
|
|
#
?
Nov 7, 2014 13:11
|
|
|
I actually have no idea how to grind a lathe tool bit. I mean, I've watched videos but that poo poo looks like some sort of dark art of touchy feely stuff. Doesn't matter, cause boy howdy, I got a new set of indexable lathe tools to try out! In other news, I have continued to attempt to TIG weld aluminum, I wanted to see if I could weld up a casting. It so happens my buddy gave me a bucket of old car air conditioning compressor parts that I had planned on melting down with the Gingery blast furnace. I figured this was a perfect test, since car parts are nasty and dirty and oily, and this particular part was in contact with freon and compressor oil for 20 years. I sawed slits through them and proceeded to try and weld them back. This cut I hit with a SS brush, and then with a scotchbrite pad:  This cut, I just hit with the scotchbrite pad (maybe not hard enough?)  And then, I whacked the poo poo out of it with a big ball peen hammer:  I had to wale the poo poo out of it to break the weld, to break the casting itself I didn't have to work so hard. The weld is still pretty crappy, but I'm happy with my progress and I think I am closer to getting the machine dialed in.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 01:57
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:I actually have no idea how to grind a lathe tool bit. I mean, I've watched videos but that poo poo looks like some sort of dark art of touchy feely stuff. Doesn't matter, cause boy howdy, I got a new set of indexable lathe tools to try out! I know how and never do it because it is not a useful skill, IMO. Congrats on the welding progress. I recall welding a 356 alloy wheel and laying down beads on it was easier than I though it'd be. Not having to worry about burning through because it was a thick section made my life easier.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 03:51
|
|
|
Knowing how to grind a tool bit is super useful. Ever need to make a profile cut and you don't have the right bit? Ever need a radius? Or do you need to reach inside some hole that a boring bar won't fit? If you don't need a fancy carbide setup, grinding your own bits saves money and you get exactly what you want. Same goes with learning how to regrind a drill bit.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 04:16
|
|
|
Brekelefuw posted:
I'm sure those of you who know what you are doing have other/better ways of doing this, but a $100 "Drill Doctor" is the best drat thing you can spend your money on after a good set of bits.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 04:22
|
|
|
Motronic posted:I'm sure those of you who know what you are doing have other/better ways of doing this, but a $100 "Drill Doctor" is the best drat thing you can spend your money on after a good set of bits. My opinion may not be worth much, given my relative skill level, but a drill doctor is a pile of poo poo. Save your money for a used Black Diamond drill grinder (or something similar) if you have actual drill bits that cost real money. I have two that I bought at auctions that cost less than a new drill doctor and actually function. Otherwise a hundred clams will buy a shitload of cheap drill bits.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 04:37
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:My opinion may not be worth much, given my relative skill level, but a drill doctor is a pile of poo poo. Save your money for a used Black Diamond drill grinder (or something similar) if you have actual drill bits that cost real money. I have two that I bought at auctions that cost less than a new drill doctor and actually function. Otherwise a hundred clams will buy a shitload of cheap drill bits. I'm all ears to a better solution. There is no doubt that drill doctors are kinda lovely, but it's the only thing I'm aware of to do the job at my scale (I was handed one and didn't question it). Oh, is this the $6000+ replacement you are suggesting for a $100 tool that does the meager poo poo I need? http://www.blackdiamondgrinder.com/95series.html If so......I really don't know what to tell you. If there is something under $300 that is significantly better I'd like to know. But I'm not sharpening drill bits professionally,and 6000 clams buys a lot more drill bits than 100.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 04:58
|
|
|
rotor posted:I've been grinding my own hss tools like a sucker Grinding your own tools by hand is cool. HSS is for suckers. This is how you make a flat bottom .125" diameter by .500" deep hole with a .030 groove cut in the bottom. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:11
|
|
|
Motronic posted:I'm all ears to a better solution. There is no doubt that drill doctors are kinda lovely, but it's the only thing I'm aware of to do the job at my scale (I was handed one and didn't question it). Yes, a black diamond drill grinder does cost $6000 if you buy it from the tool man or the rep. That is what a real drill grinder costs. However I think you'll find I said I bought two used at auction for under what a drill doctor costs. This may not be feasible, the two I got were rusty as poo poo and I spent a lot of time fixing them. If I had to grind drill bits and I didn't have one, I'd still not buy a drill doctor, cause it's cheap consumer poo poo. edit: You will also note I said, "if you have real drill bits that cost real money" a drill doctor won't do 1" drill bits for instance, and who gives a poo poo about the drill bits you bought at home depot. Throw those in the drat garbage, they're junk when they dull out. Pimblor fucked around with this message at 05:38 on Nov 8, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:31
|
|
|
Motronic posted:Oh, is this the $6000+ replacement you are suggesting for a $100 tool that does the meager poo poo I need? No, this is the $650 that I've seen for sale as low as $400 replacement part: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/301366127993?lpid=82 Edit: $250~ http://www.ebay.com/itm/BLACK-DIAMOND-DRILL-GRINDER-SHARPENER-No-3-/201200293354 Edit 2: These things also sharpen end mills? I think I know what I'm getting myself for Christmas. Kasan fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Nov 8, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:40
|
|
|
Kasan posted:No, this is the $650 that I've seen for sale as low as $400 replacement part: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/301366127993?lpid=82 It's the collets that are the most expensive. But you really don't need a complete set to just grind your cheap drill bits. I missed your edit! Yes, they sharpen endmills and reamers. Black diamond grinders are actually really nice.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:44
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:I actually have no idea how to grind a lathe tool bit. I mean, I've watched videos but that poo poo looks like some sort of dark art of touchy feely stuff. i just made one of these http://toolingaround.ca/ltsj.html on the mill and put the keystock in the things and push it against the grinder
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:50
|
|
|
oxbrain posted:Grinding your own tools by hand is cool. HSS is for suckers. what should i be using?? I really want to be cool, am willing to do what it takes.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:51
|
|
|
rotor posted:i just made one of these http://toolingaround.ca/ltsj.html on the mill and put the keystock in the things and push it against the grinder I have to be honest, I never really thought about making a jig. I have seen the old guys hand grind lathe tool bits and just said maybe some day I'll figure that poo poo out.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:52
|
|
|
Hu Fa Ted posted:If I had to grind drill bits and I didn't have one, I'd still not buy a drill doctor, cause it's cheap consumer poo poo. well I'm a cheap consumer so the drill doctor suits my needs pretty well for the rare occasions that I use it
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:53
|
|
|
rotor posted:well I'm a cheap consumer so the drill doctor suits my needs pretty well for the rare occasions that I use it I guess? I try not to pay retail if I can, and I like things that don't break or are fixable. A drill doctor doesn't fill a useful niche for me at the price point of a hundred bucks. I feel like it's a waste of money for what it is. If someone gave me one I guess I might use it, but a real drill grinder does the same thing.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 05:57
|
|
|
To be fair, it's one of those products that you can pretty consistently get at like half of MSRP. Amazon has it for $50.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 06:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 21:22 |
|
|
rotor posted:what should i be using?? I really want to be cool, am willing to do what it takes. Get a Baldor 522 tool grinder with diamond wheels.  The 500 is also good, but will require some work to get it running true enough for the diamond wheels.
|
|
#
?
Nov 8, 2014 08:58
|
|