- Joined
- Nov 21, 2019
- Messages
- 3
Hello everyone!
Quick summary: I need to properly equip a Bridgeport clone mill and engine lathe for teaching the basics of machining to high school and college students. Budget is pretty good. What should I get and where should I get it from?
In more detail: I am the coordinator for the mechatronics program at a state college (think community college but offers a few 4-year degrees) in south central Florida. For my sins, they have asked me to teach the CNC I class next semester. I had convinced the folks that be to purchase a new manual mill and lathe in addition to our EMCO CNC mill and CNC lathe, but that plan came to a screeching halt when I found out the maintenance department had kept a JET JTM-1 Bridgeport clone and GH-1340T geared head lathe from when we used to have a machining program, but weren't using them anymore (nobody left who knows how to run them) and would have no problems letting me use them for teaching (probably so they can learn as well). The catch is, they didn't keep any of the tooling apart from what was on or in the machines themselves. Since I managed to get a huge chunk of cash dedicated to machining under this year's budget, I'm going to spend a bunch of it on equipment and tooling before I have to release the funds for something else.
Here's where I need your help. What all do you think I should be buying for this? I've got a list of things below that we have on hand at the moment, and a list of everything I've thought of that we could use, but I know I'm missing stuff (especially on the lathe side), and would also like advice on what brands and where to buy. I can spend the premium on good equipment (i.e. I don't have to purchase the cheap Harbor Freight stuff), but I do have to show value for money. Online sources are preferred, if possible. New equipment would also be preferred, as it makes getting approval by higher-ups a little easier.
As for what projects I'm planning on, the students are not going to be spending a lot of time on the manual equipment, but just enough to get a sense of what's going on before I put them to work writing programs for the CNC machines. The student's main task on the mill will probably be to take a chunk of flat bar aluminum (probably 1/2" x 2" or so), square it up, and center, drill and tap a hole in the center. I'm not sure yet what I want to have them do on the lathe - probably turn a piece of aluminum down to a particular diameter, smooth out the front face, drill and tap, and cut the part off. I don't want to limit the tools to just those operations, though, as the CNC machines we have are small benchtop units that are limited in what they can do, and I'd like to be able to make other things as required (and also show off the capabilities of said machines to the students if convenient).
Current tools for the mill:
-R8 collets in 1/8" increments from 1/8" to 3/4"
-20 pc Harbor Freight end mill set
-Jacobs chuck on 5/8" rod
-6" wide Chinese vise on turning base
-4 V-blocks (2 6"W x 3.5"H x 2.5"D, 2 4"W x 2.75"H x 1.75"D)
-Some clamp-down stuff (not a full set)
Current tools for the lathe:
-1/8-3/4 Jacobs chuck on Morse taper for tailstock
-3-jaw chuck
-4-jaw chuck
-Faceplate
-Steady rest
-5pc Harbor Freight cutting tool set
-6" Dial Calipers
Things I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase:
-Set of thin parallels
-Full set of drill bits (fractional, numbered, and lettered)
-Nice set of taps and dies
-Tap holder
-Lever dial indicator
-Regular dial indicator
-Micrometer set (0-1", 1-2", 2-3")
-Edge finders
-1-2-3 blocks
-Live center
-Centerdrills (lathe and mill)
-Machinist's tool chest
-Machinist's squares
Things I think I'd like to purchase, but may not be able to justify under teaching:
-Boring tool (~2")
-More collets
-Center finder
-Reamers
-Rotary table
-Dividing head
-Knurling tools
-Granite surface plate
-Height gauge
-Face mill
So? Any ideas on what exactly I should get and where?
Garrett Lee
Quick summary: I need to properly equip a Bridgeport clone mill and engine lathe for teaching the basics of machining to high school and college students. Budget is pretty good. What should I get and where should I get it from?
In more detail: I am the coordinator for the mechatronics program at a state college (think community college but offers a few 4-year degrees) in south central Florida. For my sins, they have asked me to teach the CNC I class next semester. I had convinced the folks that be to purchase a new manual mill and lathe in addition to our EMCO CNC mill and CNC lathe, but that plan came to a screeching halt when I found out the maintenance department had kept a JET JTM-1 Bridgeport clone and GH-1340T geared head lathe from when we used to have a machining program, but weren't using them anymore (nobody left who knows how to run them) and would have no problems letting me use them for teaching (probably so they can learn as well). The catch is, they didn't keep any of the tooling apart from what was on or in the machines themselves. Since I managed to get a huge chunk of cash dedicated to machining under this year's budget, I'm going to spend a bunch of it on equipment and tooling before I have to release the funds for something else.
Here's where I need your help. What all do you think I should be buying for this? I've got a list of things below that we have on hand at the moment, and a list of everything I've thought of that we could use, but I know I'm missing stuff (especially on the lathe side), and would also like advice on what brands and where to buy. I can spend the premium on good equipment (i.e. I don't have to purchase the cheap Harbor Freight stuff), but I do have to show value for money. Online sources are preferred, if possible. New equipment would also be preferred, as it makes getting approval by higher-ups a little easier.
As for what projects I'm planning on, the students are not going to be spending a lot of time on the manual equipment, but just enough to get a sense of what's going on before I put them to work writing programs for the CNC machines. The student's main task on the mill will probably be to take a chunk of flat bar aluminum (probably 1/2" x 2" or so), square it up, and center, drill and tap a hole in the center. I'm not sure yet what I want to have them do on the lathe - probably turn a piece of aluminum down to a particular diameter, smooth out the front face, drill and tap, and cut the part off. I don't want to limit the tools to just those operations, though, as the CNC machines we have are small benchtop units that are limited in what they can do, and I'd like to be able to make other things as required (and also show off the capabilities of said machines to the students if convenient).
Current tools for the mill:
-R8 collets in 1/8" increments from 1/8" to 3/4"
-20 pc Harbor Freight end mill set
-Jacobs chuck on 5/8" rod
-6" wide Chinese vise on turning base
-4 V-blocks (2 6"W x 3.5"H x 2.5"D, 2 4"W x 2.75"H x 1.75"D)
-Some clamp-down stuff (not a full set)
Current tools for the lathe:
-1/8-3/4 Jacobs chuck on Morse taper for tailstock
-3-jaw chuck
-4-jaw chuck
-Faceplate
-Steady rest
-5pc Harbor Freight cutting tool set
-6" Dial Calipers
Things I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase:
-Set of thin parallels
-Full set of drill bits (fractional, numbered, and lettered)
-Nice set of taps and dies
-Tap holder
-Lever dial indicator
-Regular dial indicator
-Micrometer set (0-1", 1-2", 2-3")
-Edge finders
-1-2-3 blocks
-Live center
-Centerdrills (lathe and mill)
-Machinist's tool chest
-Machinist's squares
Things I think I'd like to purchase, but may not be able to justify under teaching:
-Boring tool (~2")
-More collets
-Center finder
-Reamers
-Rotary table
-Dividing head
-Knurling tools
-Granite surface plate
-Height gauge
-Face mill
So? Any ideas on what exactly I should get and where?
Garrett Lee