First Machine Shop Project!

As I was learning to use the Mini Mill, I learned that constant feed rate is both important AND hard to do when you’re turning the axis wheel by hand.  It’s also tiring if you have to keep going back and forth over a reasonable length on the table.

Reading up on various machinist’s fora, there were two recommendations for early add-ons to any mill purchase.  The first is to add a Digital Readout, which is needed to get around the normal backlash in the table positioning controls.  I knew this right away and added that upgrade as part of the initial installation.  The second recommendation is to add a power feed on the X axis (the long axis).  So this addition was expected and I ordered the parts and raw material right away.

It was necessary to use the Mill and the Lathe to make the custom parts so was, on the whole, a great first project for the ‘Machine Shop’.

Here is the design that I first captured in Sketchup, a 3D CAD program I’ve used for years.

Click to view larger photo.

Exploded Sketchup model of the power feed assembly.

Here are the pieces before assembly:

Click to view larger photo.

My first ‘machined’ part! The drive pin from the power feed to the table X axis lead screw.

Click to view larger photo.

Power Feed Parts ready for assembly. All but the gear motor, bearing, and coupling were machined in the ‘machine shop’.

Finally, here is the final power feed.  It works well, although I have to admit that I had to upgrade the motor to a slightly more powerful gear motor.

Click to view larger photo.

Completed Power Feed attached to the Mill Table. Electronics box below the power feed.

 

 

Totally new addition to workshop!!!

After years of hemming, hawing, lusting, and frustration, I finally bit the bullet and invested in some machinist’s tools.  I bought a mini Lathe and mini Milling machine from The Little Machine Shop with a full complement of accessories. I did add a Digital Readout (DRO) as this was a recommended add-on to get around the problem of backlash in the leadscrews.

It took some creative rearrangement of other items in the workshop, but, having had a few years in the shop, I was able to determine what’s needed all the time and what can be tucked away and pulled out only when needed.  Consequently, here is my new ‘corner machine shop’!

Click to view larger photo.

Complete machine shop in a corner.

I’ll now be able to work on metal!  Not just cutting on the plasma cutter or bandsaw, but actually milling, drilling, and turning accurately!

Making name tags for Kate’s Wedding Reception

When Kate started planning her wedding WAY back in the Winter of 2019, she asked me if I could make the name tags for the Wedding reception.  Well, after an extra year to prepare for it, I, fortunately, started in the spring of this year and, working with Kate, came up with  a wooden card, laser engraved with a Lavender flower (the reception was held at the Lavender Farm in Durham), and CNC engraved script names.

To cover prototyping and last minute additions and changes, I made over 200 blanks.  Good thing, too!  There were a few cutting mistakes, some name misspellings, some last minute additions (subtractions weren’t a problem), marriages, divorces, and even a ‘he’ becoming a ‘she’…

Here a couple of ‘random’ examples of the tags I made…

Click to view larger photo.

Examples of the name tags I made for Kate’s Wedding reception. The stands are made from HDPE that I machined in my workshop. The gold one is after Paul painted all the ones used at the reception. Pretty fancy!

New Carved Top Boxes, now made at LHV

Now that I have a CNC Router at the Little House in the Village, it’s time to see what I can do with it!

So, I decided to make a Corian Carved top on a wood turned box as a gift for one of my sisters.

 

Click to view larger photo.

Completed Carved top box.

Click to view larger photo.

Magnolia Box opened.

Click to view larger photo.

Carving the Corian top.

Click to view larger photo.

Turned Cherry box showing inside and back side of carved top.

This came out so well, I had to do another!

Click to view larger photo.

Turned Box with Carved top

Click to view larger photo.

CircleFish Carved Corian top, Maple wood turned box

 

 

WordPress theme: Kippis 1.12