ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

This is the product of a few afternoons work. This seemed like something quick and fun when I knew there wouldn't be enough time to knock out any serious work, like working on my NG-EZ that hasn't really gotten started yet.. Anyway, I stole one of my kids cheap toys and ripped the wheels off for my latest DNU and after taking a beating at the field for putting "bling-bling" chrome wire wheels on it, they broke on the first landing. Having a set of aluminum mags oughta really get them.[>:]

Now that the jigs are finished, it's time to grind a cutter and get busy on the wheels!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Patrick, are you gonna do a photo essay here? I lost the usable link to your home machinist site, if I try to type it in, nothing happens......but if you leave a link, we're in like Flint.

burtcs

ptulmer:

Thats what I'm talking about. Groove the OD for an o-ring and you're (or me at least) in business. If you like those, get your hands on some MAG, but careful with the chips... Or do the center with ply and 0-ring wheels.

regards - Steve B.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

CP, my other site is www.homemachinist.net but there's not much to show about this. But, you are missing some very nice threads from Dickeybird there, though. I can show my cutting solution if it might save someone the hassle of figuring it out. The plan is to use the compound slide set at a very shallow angle to cut the dish, reverse the wheel and repeat.

Steve, one of the things I need to do is source some good O-rings. Not too many, but a dozen or so would be nice. For these particular wheels, the rubber from the toy wheels will work.

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

try www.allorings.com or www.mscdirect.com You'd end up with more than enough, but they don't look to be terribly expensive.

burtcs

Ptulmer:

Look at paint ball o-rings and also if you have access to a well stocked hardware store try there.

- Steve B.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Well, in my rush to complete everything last night I missed some rather bad tolerances. When I started to turn the wheels it started chattering like hell. On inspecting the fits they were embarrassingly bad! Instead of just parting off some new wheel blanks, I decided to make a new steel holder so I could use a regular 3/16 bit on the blanks. Well, made it too tight and stuck the aluminum spacer on it. Now I'm out of CRS.... and can't find the old piece for new wheel blanks. ****! I've run out of time on this "quick" project and am starting on PBJ's cast motor mounts. I'll get back to this next week fer sure.

burtcs

Ptulmer:

to aviod or minimize chatter use a sharp pointed tool with maybe a 1/32 radius negative rake, and drop down to maybe a 1k-2k rpm, slow feed and light cuts. It should cut clean.

- Steve B.

lukesp

Nonsense! To minimize chatter you simply send the wife to her mother's place for the day.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Luke, that would work for most guys, but in my case both live with me...[]

Steve, I generally turn aluminum pretty slow. In this case it was 160 FPM. That's about half of recommended finishing speed. The chatter was due to a five thou difference. The wheel blank would just jump back off the cutter continuously.

Rick W

My Feedback: (20)

[>:][>:]

Lukesp,

OUTSTANDING answer....

Rick

burtcs

ptulmer:

You can safely ignor recommended cutting speeds for more aluminum items. It cuts well at faster speeds (often exceeding your machines rpm). Wind it up. Proceed with caution other materials.

- Steve B.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

SUCCESS! (sorry probrojoe... got sidetracked) I walked into the shop earlier and put my hand right down on the first holder. A few quick measurements and I was holding the correct number drill and it was ON! It took a few minutes to make another aluminum backer for the holder (gotta love my mastery of machining terminology) and parting a couple of new blanks off. What you see here is just the first efforts at dishing the rim. I can go much further in next time and really cut the weight down. Not that it would even register on my postal scale...

Oh yeah, Steve, I upped the RPM and got rid of several problems that were plaguing me. Thanks!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

That turned out looking great!

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

They look really cool! and should outlast any plane. Since O-rings don't have tread what did you use for the tire?

David

hogflyer

Stole them from his own kids toys???????

Those are nice. How about some pictures on how you have this set up on your lathe.

Hogflyer

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Well sure I stole 'em from one of his toys! It's sure gonna be hard waiting for him to break another one, though. Think he'd miss another? You know, it might be a good idea to raid the dollar general for some cheap*** toys. They might be even cheaper than o-rings!

Here's a couple of pictures of the jig all chucked up and a blank mounted. The reason for using the compound is that the dish is angled. I did lock the main cross slide in place for this job.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Hmm, I've never attacked the work from that angle, my HF cross slide is not very user friendly.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

A dab of Crisco on the tool makes cutting Al even smoother.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

CP, if you haven't done it already, replace the set screws in your compound and cross slide! Just doing that really changed my 9x20 into a more accurate setup. (stupid pot metal Chinese screws[>:]) The four-way toolpost is a real pain to use, too. These days the Phase II QCTP makes things much simpler. But the biggest thing is the four jaw chuck. None of this is possible without that. Repeatable setups down to .0005 with a fairly cheap digital gage on a magnetic stand.

Toad

WoW! I didnt realize that the smithy lathe has the drive motor right in the path of the chips behind the chuck. I would build a sheet metal cover for the cooling end of that motor so you dont get coolant and chips in that thing, just a hood hanging spaced an inch off the end would do it. I ve seen what a metal chip can do inside an electric motor besides causing sparks.
Do they make a collet assymbly for that lathe? That would save a huge amount of time if ya didnt have to dial in the part stock each time you chucked it up, they make what is called a "zero set" three jaw also that you can dial in the stock to center, one time, then after doing that the rest of the run it loads on center making life more fun also
Just thought I would suggest a few things that make it funner to play on a lathe
Nice wheels

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Toad, you know, I never thought too much about the chips being a problem. It does move air through the motor in that direction, but last night when I took the pictures it was covered in oily mess. I've got the cooling system, but was considering turning the motor around first.
A sheet metal hood would be easy and quick enough. Sounds like a plan! It would be nice to install the flood cooling finally.
They do have a collet chuck, or you can use one from Enco. Everything on the Smithy is pretty much standard. But it takes something I don't have much of at the moment... money! New septic drain field, heat pump troubles, etc. You get the idea.

GrahamC

I don't know what the spindle is like on the Smithy (3MT 4MT ? or whatever). My chinese lathe has a 4mt. There are many places that list 2mt 3mt 4mt ER collet chucks that work a treat. I have a 4mt ER32 collect chuck that I got from an eBay Dealer and it works a treat. I will post a picture later. I like the ER32 collets - not as big as the ER40 but will hold larger stock than say the ER25 or ER20.

I will have to do something to keep chips out of the motor on mine as well. - another item on the the "to do" list.

cheers, Graham in Embrun near Ottawa Canada

SGC

OK , not being from a machinist background , what are collet chucks used for ? ummm besides holding bits. I mean what type of work ?examples of use ?
Stewart

Toad

"MT" stands for "Morse taper" a standard in taper lock-in type mandrels, the "2" or 3 to whatever represents the size. they make sleeves to adapt from one to the other, the mandrels are used in tail stocks, sometimes head stock (smaller machines) to which drill chucks or 3/4 jaw chucks are added or the sleeves are used for useing larger drill bits in tail stocks. just a std type quick lock in tool holder really is all they are, got to have em though
they use them to hold all kinds of things and gadgets.......clear as mud? In most shops they are called simply a #3 shank or whatever, it is asummed that the guy is speaking about a morse taper #3. For instance, my lathe, takes a #4 mt for the tail stock, so I buy my keyless jacobs chuck with a #4 taper and the other end is the #3JT that fits into the albright or jacobs keysless drill chuck. The #4 shank MT end fits in the quill of my tail stock.