George, Are those encircling disks the sun at all 12 months, looks like "June" and "December" are placed accordingly?
I apoligize for brief detour.
Contributor
George, Are those encircling disks the sun at all 12 months, looks like "June" and "December" are placed accordingly?
I apoligize for brief detour.
Member
Originally Posted by Patrick Chase
Fair winds and following seas,
Jim Waldron
Member
Well, it's entirely true inasmuch as it doesn't say anything about *taking* an edge :-).
Member
Not you, and no one in this thread. It was more a general observation, and one that I've seen you and Warren make as well :-)
[OP]
Contributor
Practical Machinist is where people who love the Internet go to have their minds changed.
Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of bench.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
A little authority corrupts a lot.
Member
You speak with wisdom,Steve!!
The reason I really do wonder if some are machinists is due to the volume of incredibly basic questions that get asked there. The antique machinery forum is inhabited by a friendlier and more aesthetic minded group. I love antique machines myself. BUT,if I'm trying to make a dollar,I'll keep my modern HLVH and other more efficient machines. I think my oldest machine is a perfectly restored(and never worn out( Ca. 1950 Walker Turner 20" drill press. The MODERN ones seldom run slower than 300 RPM,which will quickly totally destroy HSS drills. Mine CAN drill 1 1/2" holes at a sufficiently low speed to actually work. I doubt there are many NEW drill presses that can do that without a VFD installed on them. But,that Walker Turner is the most beautiful drill press I have seen(not a fan of the old camel back jobs.)
Last edited by george wilson; 06-29-2017 at 3:16 PM.
[OP]
Contributor
Sounds like you have seen some of my posts.
I like old machines, but I get tired of the propagandizing from the old Yankee Doodle laid-off union guys who invariably say all machines that aren't American are crap. When I was shopping for a mill, they kept telling me to just go out and buy one of the $1000 like-new Bridgeports people were always giving away. I don't know what world they live in, where such things exist.
I bought a used 12" Clausing lathe because I listened to them (and used a crooked machine dealer machinists recommended), and I got a worn-out beater that didn't do metric threading and had virtually no tooling. Lost money selling it. After that, I got mad and spent about $12K on a new Taiwan lathe with rests, a DRO, 7.5 horsepower, and a 2-1/4" spindle bore. I have never had a problem with it that I did not cause, parts are easily available, and it has a real D1-6 spindle and a coolant system. I also bought a Taiwan mill assembled in China, and it works flawlessly and is probably more rigid than a Bridgeport. It weighs more.
You should have seen the Kennedy-era American garbage that was available locally for the same money. Artificial reef material, at best.
I have a Rockwell 17-300 drill press which is ancient, and I rigged it with a bigger Ebay motor and a VFD. It's great. But then it's not a precision tool! If it were a mill, I would have thought twice.
Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of bench.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
A little authority corrupts a lot.
Contributor
Loved the story George! Tell us more!
Fre
Member
Steve,don't feel bad. I have had a Grizzly 16 x 40" lathe that is still nearly like new since 1986. It has earned me much more than I paid for it(I think it was 3K at the time. A really cheap lathe for its size. But,it turns dead treue and faces dead flat. The latter is unusual. most lathes FACE about a thou and a half concave. That is beneficial for large pipe flange work,which I never do. I want it to face flat to put a new surface on a battered piece of 1/2" brass I might find at the junk yard. New brass is so expensive.
I got a job making a new brass box housing for an 18th. C. lock on an historic house(Gunston Hall in va.) They were all cast,of course,but this is my 2nd such job. I lay out the dimensions and notch the corners and file their surfaces to about 45º. Then,I fold up the corners and silver solder them with a skimpy amount of silver solder. NO RUNS WANTED!! After that,I can peen the corners if any gaps are open. I just left the multitude of tiny little dings on the surface,and polished the shallow box shape. The little dings gave a very authentic 18th. C. looking surface. I was shocked to find that to buy another square foot of the same 260 alloy brass was $100.00 ! So,I have always relied on the junk yard. The metal may not be pristine,but what is nice about ANY metal,is that there is always bright NEW metal just beneath that dinged surface. Often I don't really need things to be exactly a certain thickness in mechanical antique parts replacement like the brass and ivory bobbin below. Or the surveyor's 1802 compass(I DID use new brass on it,but it is never free of scratches and little dings anyway.
That is why I need my lathe to face flat,anyway.
So,as you can see,most of my work in metal is made from old junk!! The bobbins: One is my repro. The lady(with micrometer eyes) had to ask which was original. The surveyor's compass was made on a museum request for the now late David Brinkley,the famous newsman.
Last edited by george wilson; 06-30-2017 at 2:35 PM.
Member
Nice stories, thank you!
Out of curiosity, why would you prefer a lathe to a surface grinder for that sort of thing? Is it less work to bring the surface to final finish quality starting from a turned surface?
Member
Patrick,I have a tool and cutter grinder,but never have had a true surface grinder. I can grind surfaces about 4" x 12". The T&C grinder is primarily used to sharpen my end mills. Not the best surfaces result when I do grind surfaces with it. Probably needs higher class bearings in the motor. I slip stone the very cutting edges of end mills after they are sharpened. That is because a ground edge I can make(without very fine wheels) doesn't cut as nicely. All this is less than perfect also because I don't use coolant,spraying and splashing all over the place Too many things nearby I don't want to get the stuff on.
Besides,we're talking about grinding brass here. Brass can be ground,but I have no experience with it. Takes special wheels.
Last edited by george wilson; 06-30-2017 at 2:18 PM.
[OP]
Contributor
Yeah, I do pretty impressive work, too. I made a new pull knob for the microwave door.
Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of bench.
I was socially distant before it was cool.
A little authority corrupts a lot.
Contributor
I get a get a good chuckle out of threads at times. When people try to make conclusions about a steel which is described as "Chrome Vanadium", what is really meant?
Personally, I have made steels with Chrome and Vanadium which have huge variations in those and other elements. You could have large variations in C, Mn, Si, V, Cr and a bunch of others.
My point is that you can not make generalizations about steel properties when you say it has some Cr and V in it. You need to know a lot more.
Contributor
What is this the AEBC?
David
Confidence: That feeling you get before fully understanding a situation (Anonymous)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote