The Hobby-machinist Die Filer

I Tried just a little of this but my overlaps did not hide the previous circle not sure if I need to press harder, hold longer, or speed up spindle. A the videos on line are using abrasives. I want to learn to do it the Billy way. I will tot some more. But I have to go easy in the shop right now.
Mark
 
These two pictures are important. Fig. A shows small black triangles. These are caused by the swirls being too small. There are two ways to compensate for this: #1 and easiest, make the swirls larger and #2 make the dimension "B" smaller. Either way is trial and error. Name your poison.

"Billy G"

102_0976 (900 x 598).jpg 102_0977 (900 x 598).jpg
 
Mark;

My Drill Press is running at 1500 RPM for "Engine Turning". The speed has to be there because I don't use abrasives. You need to turn fast enough to burnish (Burn) the swirl onto the surface. Lots of pressure also.

"Billy G"
 
Bill,
Material is 6061. The dowel is 3/8oak. Spindle speed is 610 rpm. The finish is rough more like light grooves or scratches. And when I do my second row the full circle of the first row can still be seen. I am holding the dowel to the part for about 10 seconds. Any advice?
Mark
 
Sorry Bill I left this window open and it didn't up date with your post. I will kick up my speed and see where that gets me.
Thanks again for your post and input.
Mark
 
Thank you Bill that improved things a lot. I will clean Up a piece of scrap tomorrow set a fence and see how I do.
Mark
 
Oil -- Norton Honing Oil. In a hurry, use Toothpaste.
Tool -- This time an Oak Dowel but I try to get Walnut. I turn my own from square stock.
Speed -- Minimum of 1500 RPM
Time -- This is a judgement call. It can take any amount of time to get the Swirls to fade. I do it in 15 second intervals. I have had it smoke before it was right.


"Billy G"
 
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That is a pretty table though.

A couple years ago I went to West Virginia to pick up a three axle dump truck for a friend who bought it. when I saw this truck I couldn't believe it . The complete dump bed was aluminum and the WHOLE bed tail gate and all was done with these swirls. It was fantastic. how in the world would someone do this and I can't imagine what it cost. ( the cab was custom painted with huge eagles on each side) .
 
I've seen larger SS panels with this finish touched up with abrasive disks. might be the same for the truck.
 
I sat in on a company seminar when I was in college, they made cleaning and bottling equipment for the beer industry (they still use returnable bottles in other countries). They showed a picture of a bottle cleaner they sold to a brewery in China, the entire front of it was engine turned stainless steel, it must have been 10' x 20'. Probably a good thing they didn't have to do the whole thing, since it was something like 100' long.
 
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