Disappointment in the shop

Cadillac

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Mar 12, 2018
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This all started while making a grinding wheel balancing arbor. I’ve purchased a whole bunch of wheel arbors so I wanted to mount all my wheels and balance them because they will not be taken off for the life of the wheel. Turned the arbor between centers everything went great. All I need to do is the taper. So I wanted to check runout in arbor.
I just made a 3point stand for my surface plate so I wanted to check level before I checked arbor. I pull out the level and do a quick check on level. When spun 180 it was two lines off so I decide to adjust level. I noticed that I wasn’t getiing consistent reading so I investigate. Find bottom of level isn’t flat it’s rocking on 3 corners. You can see just by spinning on plate the rubb marks. Guess I’m gonna have to scrap in:( 7C91128D-5302-4909-ACF2-1B523707B0C0.jpeg
So I end up going forward and check runout on arbor. Pull out a set of V blocks that are brand new. Suppose to be match set within .0002. Well either my plate and gauge is way out or these are out of spec. I got a difference of .0045 between surfaces. Corner to corner on each block was within .0005 but to each other was .0045.
Arbor runout was .0003 with the unreliable blocks.
So now it looks like I’m gonna have to grind in these v blocks. Scrape my level and check all my other stuff. Both level and v blocks were bought from cdco tools. Guess quality isn’t there. I never checked and wouldn’t have thought so bad but it’s true buying offshore stuff is just buying the material which requires fine tuning to meet advertised spec.
I do love the challenge and will get within spec but just added more to the list:cool:
 
For some reason the other pics are to large to upload even though they’re the same as others will post more pics later.
 
Bummer man, I have had pretty good luck with CDCO except for a bench block
that had the vee cut about 1/8"off center.
When I get my new to me mill drill set up I will make my own.............
 
Yeah they looked good until putting a gauge on them. I also noticed when getting bxa holders from them the tool slot was a ruff finish and were not square to mounting face. I went through and had to touch up tool slots on the mill. Tools had a rock to them and noticed tool wouldn’t seat on both side and bottom it would tilt tool when tightened down.
I buy from all industrial tool supply their holders are ground on mounting surface and dovetail and not black oxide coated on surface which I do not like on the cdco holders. I had bought them because the bostar qctp they sell is nice and I bought some other holders at the time. No more.
In the end you get what you pay for I guess.
 
It's hard to figure with CDCO because like you said, the Bostar QCTP is amazingly awesome. Why can't the rest of the stuff be up to that standard?
 
For some reason the other pics are to large to upload even though they’re the same as others will post more pics later.
This has happened to me also. I find if I crop the pic down a little the file will then upload.
 
Good quality engineers levels are adjustable. Just flatten the base and adjust bubble to level.
 
Good quality engineers levels are adjustable. Just flatten the base and adjust bubble to level.
Yes it is adjustable but when it rocks on 3 corners accuracy goes with it. Yes I will scrape it in and make it accurate.
To update I started checking the v blocks a little closer. On the flat surfaces their is a .0045 difference. But when I put a gauge pin in the V and compare there is only.0002 to .0001 difference side to side but equal on both. So I flipped to the smaller V and is the same just opposite sides since flipped.
So I might have jumped the gun on those. I did mark high sides to know.
Other good news is the balancing arbor I made has only.0003 runout. I think a touch of that is me when spinning shaft. A touch maybe from V block inaccuracies. I’m happy with it now I’m gonna set and cut the taper on a test piece first and hope the luck keeps comin.
For some reason any photo I try uploading is to big and theirs no options before or after???worked sat. Once nothing since.
 
Yes it is adjustable but when it rocks on 3 corners accuracy goes with it. Yes I will scrape it in and make it accurate.
To update I started checking the v blocks a little closer. On the flat surfaces their is a .0045 difference. But when I put a gauge pin in the V and compare there is only.0002 to .0001 difference side to side but equal on both. So I flipped to the smaller V and is the same just opposite sides since flipped.
So I might have jumped the gun on those. I did mark high sides to know.
Other good news is the balancing arbor I made has only.0003 runout. I think a touch of that is me when spinning shaft. A touch maybe from V block inaccuracies. I’m happy with it now I’m gonna set and cut the taper on a test piece first and hope the luck keeps comin.
For some reason any photo I try uploading is to big and theirs no options before or after???worked sat. Once nothing since.
I had a problem posting pictures about that same time, I contacted Nelson, and he fixed the problem, I have posted a bunch of pics since, and it all worked fine.
 
It's hard to figure with CDCO because like you said, the Bostar QCTP is amazingly awesome. Why can't the rest of the stuff be up to that standard?
I agree that the Bostar is excellent however I too have had trouble getting quality additional toolpost which met that standard of the Bostar. After a few failed purchases I now buy the Accusize Industrial Tool brand from Amazon. These tool holders are absolutely beautiful quality both fit and finish. At 18.00 each from Amazon you will not be disappointed. They actually are better than the tool post holders which come with the Bostar IMO.
 
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