Pull My Finger

[Hugh Currin]

We haven't worried about doing mail order. It makes more sense to do that than go to the store, social distancing. Also adds a little to the economy.

We have a pile of boxes from Amazon in the garage.

Thanks.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks all.

Jim and Chris...what did you make your tommy bars from? I have 303 stainless, some drill rod, and maybe some 12L14 steel.

[crueby]

Thanks all.

Jim and Chris...what did you make your tommy bars from? I have 303 stainless, some drill rod, and maybe some 12L14 steel.

I just took the stock bars, and added a few inch length of brass to the end. The stock bars are hardened enough not to bend, so best to adapt them.

[Mike R]

Not sure about what is available for the Sherline size machines but I had a hard time sourcing slitting saw arbors or any arbor for that matter (i.e. for gear cutters).  I wound up making my own, several times as a matter of fact but it taught me a lot.  I'm quite sure that I ended up with more accurate arbors than I would have purchased (being a cheapskate).  Main down side to my shop made ones are they are not hardened but - meh.  So what.  Not like I'll wear them out.  And if I do, I'll make a new one.  First one took probably an hour plus of fumbling around, by my third arbor I was getting rather professional at it and had it down to less than 45 minutes which is amazingly fast for me.  Lots of you tube videos on people making their own saw arbors too.  Now I make arbors any time I need to hold parts nice and concentric - was well worth the time learning in my opinion.

[Flyboy Jim]

Thanks all.

Jim and Chris...what did you make your tommy bars from? I have 303 stainless, some drill rod, and maybe some 12L14 steel.

I used some 1/4" brass brazing rod.

[Alan Haisley]

I use just the stock Tommy bars and have had no issues. You may be over tightening the chuck. Generally if I need to hold something better I will use the independent 4 jaw. It takes more time to center stuff but as with anything you improve with practice.
Stay safe, stay sane, stay in.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks all.

Mike: I have arbors for the Sherline. If I made one, it would need a Morse taper on it as well as tapped for a draw bar. I should be able to find slitting saws and should get them anyway. The ones I have are no doubt beat up.

Jim: I'm thinking of using some hex brass on the tommy bars. A bit over-the-top but I'm thinking it would stop them rolling around.

Alan: Yeah. It's hard to know how tight is too tight. I do tend to be ham-fisted but twice now the stock slipped in the chuck and one time a part got pulled out of the chuck. The 4-jaw is a good idea.

Otherwise very little progress. I made a run on CamBam but couldn't get it to generate a tool path. Still learning! I'm also trying to learn a bit about Fusion 360.

[crueby]

Every once in a while the longer bars come in handy on my mill, the screw-on chuck and mill adapters sometimes get run on very tight by the cutting motion and need a bit more pop to get them to break loose. When tightening the chuck I use the original length, the extensions come in handy for loosening it again. I like the hex bar idea, would save chasing them across the tabletop when the shop elves start log-rolling contensts on them.

[Flyboy Jim]

Jim: I'm thinking of using some hex brass on the tommy bars. A bit over-the-top but I'm thinking it would stop them rolling around.

Well geeez! Why didn't I think of that. I'm always chasing mine somewhere. 

Jim

[crueby]

Jim: I'm thinking of using some hex brass on the tommy bars. A bit over-the-top but I'm thinking it would stop them rolling around.

Well geeez! Why didn't I think of that. I'm always chasing mine somewhere. 

Jim

Hey Jim, what happened? We both learned something from Zee?             

[Art K]

Chris,
I think it's called a paradigm shift. Or was that quantum flux, hm....
Art

[crueby]

Chris,
I think it's called a paradigm shift. Or was that quantum flux, hm....
Art

Paradigm shift without a clutch!   


 

[Flyboy Jim]

Jim: I'm thinking of using some hex brass on the tommy bars. A bit over-the-top but I'm thinking it would stop them rolling around.

Well geeez! Why didn't I think of that. I'm always chasing mine somewhere. 

Jim

Hey Jim, what happened? We both learned something from Zee?             

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Hey Jim, what happened? We both learned something from Zee?

If that's true (and I know you guys lie), I can't think of a better compliment.

Thanks.