Machine repair

[Larry$]

I just ordered 3 pieces of 3mm X 100mm carbide rod from AliExpress. $1.41 each + shipping. I also got a couple of other unrelated items.
I will be grinding a 60° point on one end and making a brass 12mm diameter piston for the other end with an O-ring. Super simple to make. I have a tool & cutter grinder so can grind the point in a few minutes. A short piece of brass from my junk collection.
This is a needle for a glue injection nozzle on a Koch dowel & insert machine, German.
Here's the kicker, the dealer wanted $780 + frt + sales tax. For this part.
I'll end up with a couple of carbide rods for stock also, unless I drop one.

 

[Martin W]

Nice fix Larry.
Martin

 

[fixit]

photo, please

 

[markba633csi]

Big savings!

 

[Larry$]

I made a temporary part while waiting for the carbides. Just turned 12L14 1/4" rod to 3mm, put a 60° point on. I turned about 10mm at a time and then advanced the rod further out and did it again until I had about 100mm done. No tailstock support. Diamond plate lapped.
The guys installed it today. It works, doesn't leak at all. I had to lap it just a bit more to get it to fit the packing. Just put the brass end into a 5C collet chuck and spun it against a diamond sharpening plate to lap about .3mm off.

They guys were struggling with the Castle pocket screw machine. It wouldn't compete it's cycle. They had it all torn apart but couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work. They finally broke down and asked the decrepit old man to look at it. The valves, air cylinder and micro switches all seemed to be working OK. I traced the little air lines and found a brass fitting in one that just had air in one end and out the other. No apparent moving parts. It was stamped 58. I took a SWAG that it was a restrictor and the 58 represented a likely .058 passage. We took it off and could see light through it. Took my gage pins and found the largest one that would pass to be .040. But it hit something inside and pushed out a black goo. Clue! I reamed out the hole with a small drill bit and we put it back on the machine. Adjusted the air flow to the cylinder and the machine now cycles! Simple fix and the gage pins proved to be useful again.

Gage Pins - I find them way more useful than I had ever thought they would be. I can measure holes very accurately from .011 up to 1" with a set to .500". I can check clearances between parts. I put them into the drill chuck or collet on the mill so I can accurately locate existing holes.