Author Topic: Zee Needs Popcorn  (Read 57404 times)

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #255 on: August 06, 2018, 10:58:34 PM »
Mosey (Still kicking) :old:

Good to see you Mosey.
Thanks Eric.

Well I got my machines and benches moved but the shop re-arrangement is not done. I'll get pictures when I'm a bit more proud of my work.  ;D
Mainly I'm thinking of either a half-wall of plywood or perhaps a curtain to separate the machines from the rest of the shop in order to better control the swarf.
I have to get some shoes too so I can swap as I go from one area to another.
I'm not sure this will work but it will be better than I had.

As a side note...I apparently have taught my grand-daughter well. She came by the other day and stood outside my shop rather than tromping in.
She kicks her shoes off when she comes to the house and I'd warned her that the metal on the floor in my shop would/could hurt her.

That's not to say I hadn't been doing a little carving...

I worked on the crankshaft supports. Pic attached.
The left one took quite a bit of file work and while it's functional (and somewhat acceptable given my filing skills), I knew while working on it that there had to be a better way. But I thought it was close enough (for now) and continue.

But when I started on the other one, I realized I had made a non-recoverable mistake. That one differs from the other in that it has to have a bit of metal off to the side to connect to the crosshead guide. But I had removed too much metal in the first place and wouldn't have enough to connect.

So I will redo the parts. Which is okay because...

Going back to 'the better way'...I worked on my CAD drawing and figured out a way to minimize, if not remove the filing work. So I'm looking forward to redoing these parts.
It's mostly rotary table work and the DRO is going to make things a whole lot easier.

I say that knowing that it usually takes 3 tries to get what I want and this is only the 2nd attempt.  ;D
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline crueby

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #256 on: August 07, 2018, 12:06:52 AM »
When I had my mill on an island table in the middle of the room, I put up some plexi sheets in a U around it to catch the flying chips, worked pretty well. It was held with wood blocks at the corners, and was not attached to the table so I could shift it to the side if needed for long parts.

The reject holders look like little people - turn them into figures for the kids?

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #257 on: August 07, 2018, 12:15:13 AM »
When I had my mill on an island table in the middle of the room, I put up some plexi sheets in a U around it to catch the flying chips, worked pretty well. It was held with wood blocks at the corners, and was not attached to the table so I could shift it to the side if needed for long parts.

That is indeed part of my thinking. I have the plexi and some wood to hold it. I'm lazy.

The reject holders look like little people - turn them into figures for the kids?

 ;D I had the same thought.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #258 on: August 07, 2018, 02:05:21 PM »
I have a tough time with swarf tracking upstairs to my main living area. About 8 years ago my wife decided to have all of the upstairs and hall recarpeted.--Then she decided it would look really nice if the flight of stairs leading from the main floor down to my office/machine-shop were also carpeted ---in dove grey. I argued. I used all of my manly persuasive skills. Then, with only a small whimper, I said okay.--Theory was that I changed my shoes everytime I come out of my machine shop to go upstairs. This of course went over like a fart in a space-suit. My wife failed to notice that I go up and down them damned stairs about 25 times a day. Fast forward 7 years, and the center of the nice dove grey carpeted stairs looked like a hog wallow. We got professional carpet cleaners in to do all of the carpets.--They looked at the stairwell and said "Lady, you gotta be kidding!!"--so--Carpet in stairwell got ripped out and replaced with darker composite flooring. My life is worth living again. I finally had to agree that shoes would only be worn in my shop/office, the stairwell, and the main floor upstairs which is all hardwood and composite flooring. No shoes up in the carpeted hall or bedrooms.--Seems to be working so far----

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #259 on: August 07, 2018, 04:16:50 PM »
Same problem. When my shop was in the basement and before we had carpeting (some horrible deep blue) removed from the stairs, the carpeting got pretty sparkly.
Even with a mat for wiping my feet at the bottom of the stairs.
It was better, though not ideal, once the carpeting was removed.
Most of the stuff was gotten rid of on the mat and then more of it as I went upstairs.
Decent enough so long as I swept the stairs once in a while.

The thing about basement stairs is that they are often a tad shorter than the usual steps.
I don't recommend carpeting for such stairs. I fell down twice.
Now I have ridged metal strips along the edges (no carpet) and it's much safer going up and down.

Now the shop is upstairs and it's much easier to track stuff around the house.

In addition to rearranging the shop, I intend to start using a separate pair of shop shoes but that's going to require a change in my pattern of operation.
That is, I go in and out fairly often (not just to machine, but all my tools are nearby) and I'm not enthused about changing shoes every time.

Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #260 on: August 12, 2018, 10:07:30 PM »
Had a second go at the crankshaft supports.
Usable but still not very pretty.

1st Pic: I squared up two blanks (making them the same size) then drilled/reamed for the crankshaft and then milled out between the legs.
The little vise stop I'd made some years ago came in handy.

2nd Pic: More of the same. Milling out the sides.

3rd Pic: Using my little rotary table, I milled the sides of the support and around the 'head'. I did this in two steps. a) On one side I plunged cut, milled towards the top, then rotated about half way around. Then I did the same on the other side. (Did I say I love that DRO?). What I should have done was a) mill one side, b) rotate the full rotatoin, then c) moved to mill the other side. You'll see why in the last pic.

4th Pic: One of the supports is different in that it has a tang that connects to the crosshead guide. This differs slightly from the plans. In order to keep the roundness of the top, the tang had to be lengthened slightly to the right. That means the corresponding hole in the crosshead guide will have to move. Basically about 1/16 inch.

5th Pic: Machined the top of the feet which also needed a bit of rotation to meet up with the main holes milled early on.

6th Pic: The supports. You can see how the outer diameter of the crankshaft hole isn't very symmetrical. I think I can improve that by making some filing buttons. You can also see a bump on the sides. That should easily be taken care of with a bit of filing.

My 1st go at this was a complete failure. And even though this round isn't very good...I was happy with the process I came up with and it gave me more experience with my seldom used rotary table.

Uh oh. I think I forgot something. Rats. Two things. (Five if you want to be really technical. More if you really want to beat me down.)
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #261 on: August 12, 2018, 10:28:14 PM »
As long as they are dimensionally good Zee, you can always pretty up the rest. Not easy parts to make so well done.

Bill

Offline steamer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #262 on: August 12, 2018, 11:38:43 PM »
Well done Zee!

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Online Kim

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #263 on: August 12, 2018, 11:52:19 PM »
Those certainly look good to me, Carl. And as Bill said, if they are dimensionally accurate, you can dress them up later.

I have always had difficulties making round overs like that work well on the RT.  Maybe I just don't get it centered well enough, but I find I have to do slight adjustments as I go around a curve.  One edge will be a few thou further out than the other one, so I try to 'blend' the difference around the whole corner.  I've found that using filing buttons works much better for me.  I may try it again sometime, as I hope I'm getting better at the setup and in drilling the center holes.

As long as you're happy enough with them.  That's what counts!
Kim

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #264 on: August 12, 2018, 11:54:52 PM »
Zee--You've done a lovely job on them. Don't beat yourself up. I still have problems making a part with an inside corner radius and then milling a flat to meet it without either going too deep or not going deep enough. Files and emery paper are wonderful things.---Brian
« Last Edit: August 13, 2018, 12:04:57 AM by Brian Rupnow »

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #265 on: August 13, 2018, 12:07:09 AM »
Thanks guys.
While the outer diameter could certainly have been better...I was pretty happy about getting that tang as part of the process.

I haven't decided on the next part.

I have to admit...the crosshead guide scares the bejeepers out of me and I've been putting it off.
(All the parts do...I'm such a...I won't say newbie...let's just say 'scaredy-cat').

Sigh...I don't even know if 'tang' is the right word for what I'm describing.

The upside is...as a hobbyist...it doesn't matter.

That's somewhat of a lie.  ;D

I take so long to write my replies...I get more comments to comment on...  ;D

Thanks Dave.
Thanks Kim. I think you described the issue perfectly. Right now...I'm happy (ecstatic) that they're usable.  ;D Even better...I think I can make them look better.

You know...I don't think there's anyone here who thinks they can do the 'perfect job'. I think they go at it hoping to do a job that satisfies them...that they're proud of.
Many are very good at that...but they have the same thoughts..."gosh, I hope this works out".

If it wasn't for this forum...I think I would have quit some time ago.

Thanks.

I'm still taking a while to finish this reply.  ;D Thanks Brian.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline Art K

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #266 on: August 13, 2018, 02:42:51 AM »
Carl,
I am just catching up after being gone the last two weekends. Those parts look great! Remember what Brian said. They are usable parts and you can beautify them later. I tend to do the parts I think will be hardest first then it's all downhill from there. :old:
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #267 on: August 13, 2018, 02:55:09 AM »
Don't feel alone, Zee. I have no trouble making functional things, but I have a lot of trouble making nice looking things. I look at most of the work done by the folks on the board as high goal to attain and I couldn't face the day with out my MEM fix.

Keep yer stick on the ice,

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

Offline propforward

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #268 on: August 13, 2018, 02:47:40 PM »
Those are some very complicated parts - frankly I think you've done very well. I do understand the gulf that occurs between the image in our minds and what we actually make - heaven knows I always struggle with this, but the fact is if you've achieved accurate and functional parts on shapes like that, then you're doing fine. I guess it's all practice and learning that takes your abilities further. I know I have suffered on much simpler parts on that, and had to put projects aside for a time while I go and think things through, but I really respect your tenacity, because the engine is coming along great.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: Zee Needs Popcorn
« Reply #269 on: August 15, 2018, 05:53:57 PM »
Not easy parts to make Zee and they look ok to me.  If you don't have one, $50 buys you a one inch belt sander at Harbor Freight, the perfect tool to blend rough edges and smooth contours.  I'd be lost without mine.
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

 

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