- Joined
- Jan 11, 2018
- Messages
- 308
I bought an import 13"x40" gear head lathe a couple years ago (https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/new-to-me-yangzhou-ty-co632-13x40-gear-head-lathe.65871/). As others have noted the compound on these lathes isn't very rigid so I decided to try making a solid tool post riser. I made some measurements and came up with a design in Fusion 360. I designed it so that there aren't any ledges for chips to get caught between the tool post and holders.
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I still need to add an L shaped plate to lock the tool post in at 90 degrees.
I wanted to use cast iron or steel for the riser but I couldn't find new stock anywhere nearby and buying a block and having it shipped was going to be about $150. I decided to try looking through the scrap at the local metal dealer. The only block I could find that fit my minimum dimensions was a block of scrap A36 steel 7.25" wide, 2.75" tall and 6.3" long. None of the sides were flat. It was only $15 though, so I don't mind doing a couple hours of machining.
I don't own a metal cutting band saw and the block was too big to fit on my Evolution Rage 2 chop saw. So I loaded it up in my CNC converted G0704 and milled away 48 cubic inches of steel (~13.5 lbs.). I used a 3/8" 4 flute carbide end mill at .630" DOC, .025" WOC, 4000 rpm and 40 IPM. That's roughly .5 cubic inches per minute. Two hours later I had a huge pile of chips (at least by my standards).
Once I got the block down to a reasonable size I thought I'd try facing the ends on my lathe. This is the largest piece I've turned with it. A 25lb block spinning at 300rpm was a bit scary at first, but it was reasonably balanced and the ends cleaned up nicely.
At this point I have a block that's the correct width and the sides are parallel. The top and bottom aren't perfectly flat and the end faces are neither parallel to each other nor perpendicular to the top and bottom. My plan is to face the bottom, the top, and then reface the ends. That should give me a nice square block. Then I can start milling the final shape out.
Front:
Back:
Top Down:
I still need to add an L shaped plate to lock the tool post in at 90 degrees.
I wanted to use cast iron or steel for the riser but I couldn't find new stock anywhere nearby and buying a block and having it shipped was going to be about $150. I decided to try looking through the scrap at the local metal dealer. The only block I could find that fit my minimum dimensions was a block of scrap A36 steel 7.25" wide, 2.75" tall and 6.3" long. None of the sides were flat. It was only $15 though, so I don't mind doing a couple hours of machining.
I don't own a metal cutting band saw and the block was too big to fit on my Evolution Rage 2 chop saw. So I loaded it up in my CNC converted G0704 and milled away 48 cubic inches of steel (~13.5 lbs.). I used a 3/8" 4 flute carbide end mill at .630" DOC, .025" WOC, 4000 rpm and 40 IPM. That's roughly .5 cubic inches per minute. Two hours later I had a huge pile of chips (at least by my standards).
Once I got the block down to a reasonable size I thought I'd try facing the ends on my lathe. This is the largest piece I've turned with it. A 25lb block spinning at 300rpm was a bit scary at first, but it was reasonably balanced and the ends cleaned up nicely.
At this point I have a block that's the correct width and the sides are parallel. The top and bottom aren't perfectly flat and the end faces are neither parallel to each other nor perpendicular to the top and bottom. My plan is to face the bottom, the top, and then reface the ends. That should give me a nice square block. Then I can start milling the final shape out.
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