Garage Likely to Get Smaller
January 19th, 2009Machine Tools
While Marv and I enjoy his “out” time, I am reading about machine tools.
They’re very confusing. I have figured out a couple of things, though, analogizing from woodworking. I think a milling machine is pretty much like a router for metal, only mounted in a really nice fixture that does great stuff with it. And a lathe…is a lathe.
It’s very tough, figuring out what size machine would be useful for me. Jet makes something called a JMD15, and it only weighs 400 pounds, and it appears to take up about as much room as a drill press. A thing like that, I could conceivably accommodate. But what can it do? Is it worth the aggravation?
Many years ago, I used Vise Grips to break stone crab claws, and they were wonderful, but I had to adjust them over and over, because crab claws are not uniform. I thought it might be fun to make pliers just for the purpose of breaking claws. I drew up a design and bought a piece of tool steel and tried to make them, using a drill press. You can imagine how well that worked out. Then I paid a local machinist to make the pliers. They might have worked, had he used a better grade of steel. Will a JMD15 make an item like that?
What if I want a steel fence for my table saw, so I can use magnetic jigs to hold work down? How big a mill would that take? Say I want a piece of steel 48″ long, with T-tracks in it. Can I do that? Can I make something as big as a typical shop vise? Can I make myself a new drill press table from cast iron?
I have no idea. I guess there is no such thing as bulk cast iron, ready to be milled. I suppose they only cast it in shapes that are already dedicated to some purpose.
I have to make a mobile base for the bandsaw. I keep reading depressing things about HTC bases. The one I got for the table saw is great, but I read that adjustable bases flex too much for tall tools. I could buy a welded base, but it would surely cost $200, and that’s insane.
I should be able to make a frame from 1 1/2″ angle iron and then fabricate some kind of attachments for casters. The whole thing might run me $85, even assuming I use overpriced Home Depot metal. I’m wondering if I’ll be able to drill the necessary 3/8″ holes in the base with my hand drills. When you don’t have the right tool, sometimes the answer is the wrong tool and incredible patience.
I apparently caused myself some problems by buying a 19″ saw. I figured lots of people had them, but it looks like a good number of the parts and accessories out there are only available for smaller saws. Maybe that means only hobbyists are dumb enough to buy trinkets and doodads; I’m not sure. I can’t buy zero-clearance inserts, except for the ones the manufacturer sells, so I suppose I should learn to make them from plastic. I guess I could resaw it to the right thickness on the table saw, cut circles with a fly cutter or maybe even a hole saw, and add hex screws to keep the inserts level.
I’m definitely making progress, though. I have finally reached the point where I can go in the garage and just MAKE things.
January 19th, 2009 at 9:28 PM
The JMD15 is actually the mill I own. I bought it for some production runs at a tube fab shop I used to run. Step pulley drive system. On/Off pushbuttons are stiff. Highly accurate using the dials on the cranks. If you want to slot a long rail, you end up walking it through the vise, same as a large mill. Nice way to get into milling. I mainly use it as a drill press. Good hobbyist mill. I could probably do everything you described short of making a vise.
January 19th, 2009 at 10:35 PM
…but ’tis a lovely point to arrive at.
January 19th, 2009 at 11:43 PM
“Jet makes something called a JMD15…But what can it do? Is it worth the aggravation?”
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I guess it depends on what you want to mill. The pliers you mentioned could be done on the JMD15 (or even the Sherline for that matter). I might choose 6061 aluminum for something like crab claw pliers (easy to machine, corrosion resistant, and it should be strong enough for crab claws).
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The fence could be done if you section the work (or buy pre-dimensioned material and only mill the through holes). By sectioning, I mean mill a section at a time and then move the piece to mill the next section. You’ll need plenty of x-axis clearance to handle the 48″ long T-slots. I wouldn’t recommend sectioning on your first milling project though…you’ll want to get used your tools first.
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I’ve only had to section my work a few times, but the one critical item I tend to run into is Y-Axis depth. Most home/shop mills are limited to 6″ or 8″, and milling a center-stack faceplate (12″ x 14″) took some creative sectioning, with the Y-axis depth of 6″ being the biggest limitation. This was one of the reasons I went with the Sherline, since I could “expand” it with an 8-Direction Upgrade and 14″ table (I have yet to upgrade though). The Jet Mill has a more powerful motor, though.
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Any chance you might get into CNC machining? I use TurboCAD with the CADCAM Plug-in for example. If so, you might want to find a Mill that is “CNC-Ready”; meaning you would just need to add Stepper Motors and a Controller (and then connect it to a PC), to have a full CNC-Mill.
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Okay, enough already…tell me to shut up!
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On other news, Barb now demands that I bake her a Chocolate Cheesecake next weekend…since I am allergic to Chocolate, the only measurement for success will be her reaction (I’ll be looking to see if her eyes roll back in her head! 😉 I’ll post results on the forum later…
January 20th, 2009 at 8:02 AM
“it should be strong enough for crab claws”
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Stone crab claws are extremely thick-walled. Unless you swing really hard, the little wooden hammers they use for blue crabs just bounce off.
January 20th, 2009 at 8:26 AM
“Stone crab claws are extremely thick-walled. Unless you swing really hard, the little wooden hammers they use for blue crabs just bounce off.”
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Okay, maybe 4140 Steel then? It’s okay to machine (just take your time) and it can be welded (if needed).
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See 6554K873 at http://www.mcmaster.com/
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If you type in “steel” in the search box at McMaster, you should get a page that has a chart with some of the common steel alloys and their properties. Stay away from alloys that have only “fair” machinability.
January 20th, 2009 at 8:54 AM
I miss Marv – and Maynard.
Please let them know that Mr. Mollo, Miss Shelly and Sunny say “hi.”
January 20th, 2009 at 9:33 AM
JeffW< don’t get him started on CNC. I was talking to my machinist about Steve and learning to mill. His opinion (and mine): Milling these days is “one off” stuff. I can’t see a CNC for non-production work.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Tractor Supply steel is cheaper, though still pricey.
January 20th, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Steve,
We’ve built mobile bases for both the Electric Carpenter and our little 12″ planer. Used 4 pieces of 3 X 3 X 1/4″ angle iron, welded to give an underslung effect. Used with 3″ casters, the machines were raised only 1″ from the floor. Dirt simple to make. As I had to buy new iron, I had the fab shop cut it to length, at least for one of ’em. Casters came from Harbor Freight, we have a store in Toledo.
Look here:
http://www.oldengine.org/members/jdunmyer/woodshop/index.htm
scroll down until you find the pics of the Electric Carpenter.
January 20th, 2009 at 10:01 PM
J, when you commented on the virtues of owning quality tools, I had to wonder if you remembered that you owned an Electric Carpenter.
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One bonus for me: I can actually cut 3″ angle iron.