2015 POTD Thread Archive

Sorry I didn't take any pictures.
Last night I was turning some 4140 for a Rotary Broach and the lathe started making all kinds of noises. Growling and vibration. Thought the spindle bearings were going. Shut it down and started checking things. Spindle was nice and tight with no play what so ever. So I checked the pulleys and belts. Started with the lower left outside and they were tight, no play. Opened up the door underneath the headstock and the belt from the motor to the lower set of pulleys was running left of center. Released tension on belt and the pulley on the motor fell off. LOL That definitely was not supposed to happen. It seems the setscrew loosened itself and the key fell out. 2 hrs later after using Emory cloth on the motor shaft, new setscrew, key, and new belt. I got it back up and running and it seems to be running better than before. A whole lot quieter for sure.
What took so long was because the whole time I was practically standing on my head to do all of this. They could have made that door about 4 inches taller.
 
I got the vise used off Craigslist, for $277, it's like new. I purchased it from a used machinery dealer in Wisconsin. He took it apart and shipped it priority flat rate mail in two separate boxes, all the way to alaska for $35
 
chevydyl said:
I got the vise used off Craigslist, for $277, it's like new. I purchased it from a used machinery dealer in Wisconsin. He took it apart and shipped it priority flat rate mail in two separate boxes, all the way to alaska for $35
Click to expand...

WOW!!! That is a smokin' deal. Nice.

Mike.
 
I have to take a short break on the utility trailer project but at least I can push it outside and now that it is painted I don't have to worry about it rusting.

I need to fabricate some new suspension links/control arms for my Jeep. I have a BDS long-arm suspension system on it but the bushings they used are proprietary and I have had to replace them twice, this will be the third time, in less than 50k miles. Not acceptable so I am building new links to accept the OEM style Clevite rubber incapsulated bushings at the axle and then I am going to use Currie's Johnny Joints at the frame connection. These are proven to be a much more durable setup.

I started by cutting some thick walled mild steel tubing to size with the horizontal bandsaw before chucking it up in the lathe.
6joebq.jpg

Boring the I.D. to size. This will also have a .039" step machined into it as the bushing itself has a two step ridge. I have calculated for a .002" interference fit at both ridges.
2dtreox.jpg

Now that the inside bore is to size I will turn the O.D. down to 2.750" giving me a little over .200" wall thickness.
11qmj2g.jpg

Two down and two to go.
30lceiv.jpg

All four are completed.
9zr9tc.jpg

24b9pbk.jpg

Next up is to get the uppers machined and then I am ready to measure out some tubing and get to fabricating the new links.

Mike.
 
I'm getting down to the last cuts on this project.

This pic shows the parts as finished today. The wooden part is a template I made to round the corners. After cutting the big radiuses on the mill, I screwed a piece of MDF on it and cut a duplicate with a straight router bit and guide bearing on the router table. Then I removed the wooden template and used a disk sander to round the corners. Then, screwed it back on the part and ran the part on the router table with a pattern cutting bit. Then softened the edges with a round over bit.

The thing in the top right is the original we are sort of copying. The aluminum block on the left top is the fixture I made to hold the parts in the mill.

grooved headrest_0396.JPG

Screws held the part to the fixture when I cut the big radiuses. To cut the groove for the brackets, I had to make steel pins to locate the part and clamp them down, since the screw holes were where I had to run the end cutter. The original holes are the mounting holes for the brackets. I had a tall stack of hold downs for this operation. A little piece of slippery plastic (unknown — might be teflon) protected the parts from clamp scars.

grooving headrest_0389.JPG

Next on the schedule is to make a base for the finished gizmo and bend the aluminum brackets. I may ruin a few of the aluminum brackets, because making things end up where they are supposed to be after bending has always been a matter of trial and error and luck.

It seems like there should be a formula, like from a set point at the beginning of the inside radius of the bend plus the radius and the thickness of the material, but it's never worked for me. If I can get it to within a quarter inch of the proportions of the original I believe they'll salute it if I run it up the flagpole.

The original, including the bracket was surely done with CNC equipment which I don't have. It would have made it much easier, except for the paying for the CNC rig aspect of it.
 
Last edited:
I finished building a temperature controller with timer. I’ll use it to regulate the cheap toaster oven I use to bake powder coated parts. The heat sinks are a little over the top but they’ll work.

Temp Controler (7).JPG Temp Controler (16).JPG Temp Controler (18).JPG Temp Controler (19).JPG
 
Last night I got the two remaining sleeves machined. These are a bit smaller and will reside at the upper rear axle location with similar Clevite style bushings.
zklc2p.jpg

Sleeves completed.
2gxhhnd.jpg

All six sleeves completed and ready to start measuring, cutting and fabricating new suspension links/control arms.
2u91i11.jpg

Hopefully tonight after work the Jeep goes on the lift and work commences.

Mike.
 
Finally! I completed the first of the headrests. Bending the aluminum bracket almost ate my lunch. I went through and ruined 6 feet of the .25 x .75 aluminum bar stock and had to go get another stick of it. Everything that can go wrong bending something, did. I spoiled two of the three that I had radiused, polished and tapped yesterday. I'll go into that later.

Anyway, here it is. I finished one for the client to test to make sure it's all hunky dory. I'll paint the base in the morning with textured truck bed spray paint, and secure to the base with allen head machine screws and T-nuts.

1st headrest_0401.JPG
 
CrossSlide said:
I finished building a temperature controller with timer. I’ll use it to regulate the cheap toaster oven I use to bake powder coated parts. The heat sinks are a little over the top but they’ll work.
Click to expand...

To heck with worrying about "over the top"! They make the controller look absolutely fantastic!!!

Neat looking buzzers, too ... and if you ever retire the controller, they'd make great tops for a salt-and-pepper set ;~)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top