Author Topic: Drilling nickle....  (Read 1673 times)

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Drilling nickle....
« on: February 02, 2018, 07:04:20 AM »
I can now say that, for the first time in my life, I have "machined" pure nickle.

After considerable fondling of the lumps I decided that drilling and tapping for a screw would be the best way for me to attach the wires required for these lumps to become the anodes in my soon (hopefully!) to be nickle electro-plating set-up.

Nickle is much like soft aluminum. It will squish a bit in the vise, cut easily with a file, etc. But the cut finish is like a mirror.

The d&t is 8-32 and the tap (spiral pointed) kept wet with Tap-Free. Yep, still have a couple of un-opened pints of that.

The chip spirals come out very nicely with the one side shiny. Thread finish is like a mirror. I did not notice that I was putting more torque into the tap than I would with, say, 5086 aluminum.

So, I can say that nickle cuts well in the small shop, no fancy guzzler grease required.

Pete

http://lister-engine.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=126&pid=7411#top_display_media

Oh, I found the lumps on eBay.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 10:46:00 AM by 10KPete »
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline crueby

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18559
  • Rochester NY
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2018, 01:19:34 PM »
Interesting, I would have guessed that it was a much harder metal than that. Must be very different in alloy with iron. Where did you find chunks of nickle?

Offline Mcgyver

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 394
  • Toronto
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2018, 02:25:51 PM »
interesting, I've not yet machined any, or even held onto a lump afaik.

Is there, or will there be, a thread on the electroplating?  I'd be interested to see how it works/what you come up with.  I have a distant recollection of reading that nickel plating produces hydrogen gas, but there's also something about doing so at a low voltage and a slow cycle to minimize it? 

Offline b.lindsey

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13860
  • Dallas, NC, USA
    • Workbench-Miniatures
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2018, 03:37:10 PM »
Interesting Pete! I have never seen nor touched a piece of pure nickel and would have thought it quite hard also. Curious as to where you sourced it and also more about the plating process. I have also heard of an electroless nickel plating process, sometimes referred to as "poor" man's chroming.

Bill

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2018, 08:39:49 PM »
I'll take some pics of the lumps and add them to the post.

If there's some interest, I'll try to put together a posting on the plating. It might be a few weeks before I get all the stuff together.

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline crueby

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18559
  • Rochester NY
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2018, 08:50:23 PM »
Definitely interested!

Offline Mcgyver

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 394
  • Toronto
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2018, 09:21:00 PM »
If there's some interest, I'll try to put together a posting on the plating.

Yup!

Offline b.lindsey

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13860
  • Dallas, NC, USA
    • Workbench-Miniatures
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2018, 10:11:55 PM »
Yeas please Pete.

Bill

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: Drilling nickle....
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2018, 02:14:41 AM »
OK, I surrender!   :ROFL:

It will be interesting.... real time FUBAR. :lolb:

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal