Home made large diameter fixed steady

**nearnexus** · 5th May 2013, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Pete F

Rob, that's quite a long bar you have their for that diameter, if I had that much hanging out I'd definitely want something more solid I think. Did you have any issues with chatter etc when taking the deeper cuts?

Could you give some more details on the tacho you're using on that lathe? It will probably be a while until I get a DRO on my new lathe, but with the VFD I think a spindle RPM readout would be extremely worthwhile as I'm starting to get more concerned about using "correct" speeds and cuts than I used to. I have a handheld tacho and it certainly works just fine, but its a hassle to drag out so i tend not to use it, and something more permanent would be good.

Pete

Hi Pete,

I would have liked to use my heavier carbide tipped bar, but it wouldn't go down the hole, and my small carbide job was too short, so I used this one which came with the Schaublin.

I watched I didn't push it too hard, and it did spring down somewhat under heavier cuts, but no chatter. It was very sharp, and I had the RPM down for the diameter and all went well.

The tacho is what remains of my DC conversion. It's actually quite handy and better than trying to figure out the drive belt chart.

I have another DC motor ready to go, but I'm still looking for a decent fan to stop it cooking like the last one.

The lathe wiring etc is in a state of chaos at the moment as it's jury rigged back to the old AC setup until I re-jig the DC side of things.

It's a good little tacho and easy to read, stable etc. I also have a hand held laser one, and an old type with counter wheels that you put on the shaft

They both work quite OK as well.

This is like mine, but not the same seller.

0.56" DIGITAL Red LED Frequency and Tachometer Rotate Speed Meter DC 12-24V | eBay

and I used a Hall effect pickup like this to read a small rare earth magnet off of the spindle :

Hall Effect Sensor Module Ideal Arduino PIC ARM RPI Robotics | eBay

The whole deal is pretty inexpensive.

There is a huge thread on this whole DC motor conversion adventure if you can find it back a ways in this forum.

Ewan also sent me a sensor he made up which works well.

Cheers

Rob

**nearnexus** · 5th May 2013, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

I like the bronze fingers, adjusters, whatever they are called Rob. Hercus supplied steel plungers and the concern I have is that heat generated either through their contact with the work or as a result of the machining can cause galling when the work expands. Guess how I know.

I'm with Pete about the length of the boring bar. Must be nice easy steel to bore. A bit of 4140 and that bar would be howling or I should say, would be if I was trying to do it.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Yes it's only basic black rolled mild steel. I wouldn't want to try it with bright steel.

I had a devil of a job getting a good external finish at first and ended up getting the excellent result in the video by spinning the job at 800 RPM and going in heavily with a 33 degree profiling tip. Bizzar, but it worked out good.

The cuttings were coming off as long continuous (blue from the heat) streamers. Other more subtle attempts with HSS produced feathering.

When I used the HSS boring bar I had no such issues and got a perfect finish dead easy.

Strange what works at times.

Cheers

Rob

**nearnexus** · 5th May 2013, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dave J

Hi Rob,
I have to many jobs that need doing before I will make one, as it's only the one off jobs that I need a bigger one for.

Nice job on the video.

Dave

Hi Dave,

By getting motivated, I didn't mean to make a steady, I just meant get in the shed and play with your toy.

The video is a just a bit of a fun thing which may help give lathe junkies their daily fix if they can't make it to the shed

Cheers

Rob

**Pete F** · 5th May 2013, 06:27 PM

Thanks for that link Rob, I will get on to this straight away. I'm very reluctant to buy stuff from mainland China as I've found it sometimes takes forever to arrive. I ordered an inexpensive pulse oximeter last year 6 weeks before I was leaving for Nepal. In the meanwhile the six weeks passed, I'd flown to Nepal, walked 200 km and hauled my a$$ up a 22,000 ft mountain and flown back again, all within the time it took for them to post a lousy 20 buck device to me! Needless to say it's not a whole pile of use to me in Australia now

Does anyone know if there may be a local retailer for something like this tacho? Jaycar or similar??

Pete

Edit: Disregard request for alternate suppliers. By the time I mess about trying to find one locally, go collect it, etc etc. it's best I just order it asap and hope it doesn't take forever. I went with your suggestion Rob; Hall Effect sensor and a magnet on the spindle will be a much easier installation than other sensor options. Thanks again.

**wheelinround** · 5th May 2013, 06:39 PM

Rob thanks for posting the video

Dave J · 5th May 2013, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Hi Dave,

By getting motivated, I didn't mean to make a steady, I just meant get in the shed and play with your toy.

The video is a just a bit of a fun thing which may help give lathe junkies their daily fix if they can't make it to the shed

Cheers

Rob

Hi Rob, I have never made a video myself, but think there would be a bit of work to t with editing etc.

I am working away in the back ground even though I am not posting about it, what started out with fitting the taper attachment has turned into a full clean up of the lathe saddle, apron, removing the feed rods, and maybe even a complete re paint that I have been wanting to do for years, LOL
The trouble is with the lathe down I could do with turning stuff, so it will be a re assembly to do the jobs and then go at it again.
Maybe I should just buy a second lathe?

Dave

**nearnexus** · 5th May 2013, 08:59 PM

.

Originally Posted by Dave J

Hi Rob, I have never made a video myself, but think there would be a bit of work to t with editing etc.

I am working away in the back ground even though I am not posting about it, what started out with fitting the taper attachment has turned into a full clean up of the lathe saddle, apron, removing the feed rods, and maybe even a complete re paint that I have been wanting to do for years, LOL
The trouble is with the lathe down I could do with turning stuff, so it will be a re assembly to do the jobs and then go at it again.
Maybe I should just buy a second lathe?

Dave

Video's are easy Dave. Plan ahead on what you are going to say, and film it in one or two clips. Then join them, compress them, and put on YouTube.

I think a second lathe may be a good idea if you want some down time on your favourite.

You can always buy a good value second hand one and play with it and then move it on when you don't need it any more. Shouldn't lose much or anything if you do it right.

The BIG problem is that you may not want to get rid of it later ;-)

Cheers

Rob

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