Off-Topic: Machining Tips

[RickKrung]

Hi,

I hope this is not too off-topic to be tolerated.  But, as most who have read many of my posts know that I have come to the Tormek world more a machinist than a sharpener.  I am working on building my sharpening skills, etc. and hope to be more of a contributor on sharpening in the future.  But I have gotten swept up in applying my machining skills to several Tormek related discussions, hopefully to some benefit.

Along those lines, I have recently viewed a few machining related YouTube videos, by one particular guy, that I think are excellent and wanted to share them.  His name is Joe Pieczynski of Advanced Innovations.  The videos I have selected to share relate to some of the most challenging machining operations that I have experienced and therefore have been the most meaningful to me.  I have not viewed any of his videos on more basic operations, but based on what I have seen on the more complex ones, everything he says and shows has been spot, dead-true on.  I have not disagreed with anything he has said or shown (except for maybe the use of WD40 as a lubricant). I have learned something from every one, although some more than others.  I am confident that if anyone is interested in learning about machining, this guy should be a primary source.

The operations I have viewed are:

Knurling (I have always hated knurling. I feel confident I'll do much better at it after watching this video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zwi0ZAUCUc

Cutting Off (A basic yet very important operation. The one I knew the most about, so learned the least from.  Still, all that he says and does is the best info I've seen on the subject):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LtYzjR1JuM

Trepanning (this is where I discovered this guy, when I had the task of cutting 1/4"x1/4" rings at 2" diameter out of 1/4" thick aluminum plate.  Complete success.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edOt0gRH0Tk

Single Point Threading (I have single point internal threads upside down on the back side of the bore before, but his method of turning away from the headstock to avoid the stresses of trying to thread toward the headstock to a precise stop is very sound.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-dqOi_z5bk

Rick

 

[Ken S]

Rick,

Thanks for an interesting post. Yes, machininh techniques are generally considered off topic for a Tormek sharpening forum. However, this moderator believes that ninety plus percent of the topics should be on topic, which leaves a little (not a lot) wiggle room around the edges. In your case, you use your machinist skills for the benefit of the forum. I appreciate your willingness to share your skills. I have often wished I had machinist skills in order to make or modify something to assist my Tormek sharpening.

Most of us will not develop machinist skills, however, if posts from you and other machinists on the forum help us to communicate with a local machinist, we all benefit. The Tormek has great potential for tweaking to handle unusual jobs. We have seen that with projects like Herman's small platform jig and modifications to the knife jigs by members such as Jan, Wootz and you. These are often for niche sharpening, and would not be commercially viable for Tormek to produce. For a Tormeker tuned into that niche market, such modifications could be most useful.

Your post fits one of the things I really like about the forum structure. I am interested in machine technology, and want to enjoy your suggested you tubes. I spend a lot of time working on the forum. I finally had a chance to enjoy one of your three suggested you tubes this morning. (I am often, like this morning, up by four, the best quiet time in my household.) I enjoyed the single point threading you tube. I have a three wire kit, and only had the most basic idea of how to use it.

From that you tube, I found this you tube by the same machinist:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hXq_HfwG7dA

The practical, Tormek related application of turning a thin wall tube would be a 12mm to 5/8" reducing bushing for my two Norton 3X grinding wheels. A 46 or 80 grit 3X grinding wheel used wet with a Tormek makes a very useful coarse grinding wheel. It will reshape a turning gouge or skew in short order. Unlike using a high speed dry grinder with the BGM-100, using a 3X wheel Tormek style creates a water cool, dust and spark free work environment. And, a 3X wheel costs only around fifty dollars US. (I have both grits, however, only one, either one, will do the job.) The largest diameter available, eight inches, works very well with the T4 and as well as an SG or SB worn to 200mm with the larger Tormeks. They can be dressed with an inexpensive diamond T dresser. (The new Tormek diamond wheels or CBN are more convenient to use, however, the 3X remains a very workable low cost option.

Norton provides stacked reducing bushings from the one inch bore down to 5/8". I made a homemade reducing bushing from 5/8" down to 12mm using a piece of plastic water pipe drilled and slightly reamed with a 31/64" drill bit. It works, but is primitive. For coarse grinding, it is within tolerance.

I learned enough from the you tube to be able to talk with some knowledge to a machinist. A one piece machined plastic reducing bushing (1" to 12mm) with a shoulder to fit the Tormek exactly would be a much nicer job. The 80 or 46 grit wheel is not often needed with a Tormek, however, when it is, it makes the Tormek into a well controlled Turbo Tormek.

I don't want this to become a machining forum. We all know this. I do believe related knowledge can benefit a serious Tormek sharpener.

Thanks for the post, Rick.

Ken

[RickKrung]

Rick,

...snip...
Your post fits one of the things I really like about the forum structure. I am interested in machine technology, and want to enjoy your suggested you tubes. I spend a lot of time working on the forum. I finally had a chance to enjoy one of your three suggested you tubes this morning. (I am often, like this morning, up by four, the best quiet time in my household.) I enjoyed the single point threading you tube. I have a three wire kit, and only had the most basic idea of how to use it.

From that you tube, I found this you tube by the same machinist:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hXq_HfwG7dA

The practical, Tormek related application of turning a thin wall tube would be a 12mm to 5/8" reducing bushing for my two Norton 3X grinding wheels. A 46 or 80 grit 3X grinding wheel used wet with a Tormek makes a very useful coarse grinding wheel. It will reshape a turning gouge or skew in short order. Unlike using a high speed dry grinder with the BGM-100, using a 3X wheel Tormek style creates a water cool, dust and spark free work environment. And, a 3X wheel costs only around fifty dollars US. (I have both grits, however, only one, either one, will do the job.) The largest diameter available, eight inches, works very well with the T4 and as well as an SG or SB worn to 200mm with the larger Tormeks. They can be dressed with an inexpensive diamond T dresser. (The new Tormek diamond wheels or CBN are more convenient to use, however, the 3X remains a very workable low cost option.

Norton provides stacked reducing bushings from the one inch bore down to 5/8". I made a homemade reducing bushing from 5/8" down to 12mm using a piece of plastic water pipe drilled and slightly reamed with a 31/64" drill bit. It works, but is primitive. For coarse grinding, it is within tolerance.

I learned enough from the you tube to be able to talk with some knowledge to a machinist. A one piece machined plastic reducing bushing (1" to 12mm) with a shoulder to fit the Tormek exactly would be a much nicer job. The 80 or 46 grit wheel is not often needed with a Tormek, however, when it is, it makes the Tormek into a well controlled Turbo Tormek.

I don't want this to become a machining forum. We all know this. I do believe related knowledge can benefit a serious Tormek sharpener.

Thanks for the post, Rick.

Ken

Thanks, Ken,

I'm glad you have found the videos useful and have enjoyed discovering more. I liked the video you posted about, and learned stuff that will come in handy.

However, what I like more is that I learned two important things from your post. First, that the Norton dry grinding wheel can be used on the Tormek and could save me the trouble of setting up the BFGM-100 system, which was on my list.  (I was going to set it up to do preliminary grinding of relief angles on drills so there would be less to do on the Tormek. I have held off sharpening drills to have that available.)

Second, is that I may have reason to get one of the new Tormek diamond wheels much sooner than expected. 

Rick

[Ken S]

Rick,

I started using the 3X wheels with the Tormek after reading too many horror stories about reshaping turning tools taking forever. The 3X wheels offer an inexpensive (around $50US) solution which makes reshaping a several minute rather than a several hour project. Along this journey, CBN wheels were(are) a big step forward, at a considerably higher cost. The new diamond wheels, especially the larger ones with the side grit, seem like the ideal choice. They are also most expensive option.

As nice as the diamond wheels are, the SG and one 3X wheel will get the job done for a very reasonable cost for the thrifty users.

It is nice to have choices.

Ken