Thread: More chuck jaws

Originally Posted by BobL

The deal with the workshop is (set by me as I am the boss); use scraps or pay, log use and materials, use proper OHS, keep the workshop clean, machines in good order, and supplies up to the mark, always replace broken bits etc. (there are security cameras so no one can fiddle things too much) .........I also chip in on general servicing like last month I cleaned out the cooling oil sump and pump on the big lathe - no one likes that job so I scored brownie points with that one. The techo that runs the place keeps an eye on me even though I am his boss, nothing I do is ever up to his standard and he is amused that I like working in the shop.

Great job Bob, it is good to see a boss that realises example is still the best way to get true respect from others.

Cant wait to see what the next "project" is.

Wonderful stuff Bob!!

Now, About a set of shark jaws for................

Originally Posted by artme

Wonderful stuff Bob!!

Now, About a set of shark jaws for................

OK - how about these!

I could use a set of those for (I'm not telling)

Given what you have got out of that skip, I for one would be interested in guided tours

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

I could use a set of those for (I'm not telling)

Given what you have got out of that skip, I for one would be interested in guided tours

Now I actually paid money (~$2) for that handle from a forum member - its WA karri! The 1/2" high tensile steel bolt cost about $2 and the spray paint cost about $1.

The steel hook was cut from a piece of 1/2" thick steel plate from the base of an old x-ray machine while the rest is fashioned from some 2" galv water pipe I picked up during council clean up. Twas a hoot using the oxy to cut out the hook.

Originally Posted by scooter

Yer making me sick, Bob.

Great work, mate.

So please tell us, Bob: How much do they charge you for letting you work there?

Joe

Originally Posted by joe greiner

So please tell us, Bob: How much do they charge you for letting you work there?

Joe

Well, without sounding too melodramatic, what I can tell you is the the folks in my university unit work their butts off on shoestring budgets, and it's one of my continual jobs as a unit head to convince my bosses of that. Some of the staff have to regularly take time out of their regular duties to raise funds just to buy their own computers or other equipment, and any small perks that we have are more than well deserved and I wish I could offer them much more than we do.

Originally Posted by BobL

Well, without sounding too melodramatic, what I can tell you is the the folks in my university unit work their butts off on shoestring budgets, and it's one of my continual jobs as a unit head to convince my bosses of that. Some of the staff have to regularly take time out of their regular duties to raise funds just to buy their own computers or other equipment, and any small perks that we have are more than well deserved and I wish I could offer them much more than we do.

Warning Rant

Bob maybe if they cut funding to interstae & OS trips and all these dinners and functions to pat themselves on the backs giving out awards their would be more money for the staff and real needs. Not any different to corporate.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Warning Rant

Bob maybe if they cut funding to interstae & OS trips and all these dinners and functions to pat themselves on the backs giving out awards their would be more money for the staff and real needs. Not any different to corporate.

Yeah - some of it is external with the feds wanting this monitored and that logged etc needing an army of minions but a lot is internal. Here's a figure you may find interesting, in our area, of the fees and charges that the students bring in, less than one third is spent in teaching the students. The rest goes on central admin and IT, maintenance, gardens, library (of course we need that), marketing, planning, audits, etc. I don't know of any other outfit where it takes 2/3rd of the income to administer the operation!

BTW I travel interstate and OS about a half dozen times a year but the university rarely pays for these, the vast majority comes from external research grants or other sources.

I've started making a new dust handling system for my new shed using 150 mm PVC pipe. I cut up a few segments of pipe and took them to work to square off and tidy up the cut ends using the big metal work lathe. This lathe grips the pipe well, (If anything - too well) but if the cutting tool grabs it pulls the pipe out of line and even can tear the pipe apart and make you jump a bit. To minimize this problem I had to tighten the chuck less so that if the cutting tool grabbed the pipe, the pipe would turned on the chuck but because the chuck is made of steel it then scratched the inside of the PVC pipe.

To help with this problem, and so I could trim and tidy pipe ends at home on my WW lathe, I made some 150 - 166 mm soft jaws using some HDPE. I looked at the Nova soft jaws but they only open out to ~135 mm on a Nova G3 chuck so they were too small. Mine start at 150 at the outer lip and expand to 166 mm to cope with trimming the 150 mm pipe couplings which are around 160 mm ID.


I used the same method as the chucks shown earlier in this post.
The two steps hold 150 and 100 mm pipe. Even though it is slippery stuff HDPE grips the pipe enough to apply a decent cutting pressure, but if the cutting tool grabs the pipe turns on the soft jaws and does not damage the pipe..

To steady the pipe at the other end I made up an internal steady from 3 discs of PVC left over from making some blast gates. The discs ride on a pair of bearings inset into each end of the set of discs.


Here's how the stead sits away from the end of the pipe so that I can square and bevel the ends of the pipe.


Here's a shot from the other end.


So far it works OK but my steady is a tad sloppier than I would like and I think I will turn up an new one.

Pics Bob?