Doing Big things !!!

[dougroundup]

photo uploaderimg[url=http://postimage.org/][img]
Well Big heavy thing for me!
I finally overcame so many obstacles to obtain, deliver and setup this lathe! The final challenge was getting it wired up properly with no schematics. The control box was smashed and motor wiring ripped apart on delivery….. LONGGGG STORRRYYY!
Got it wired without letting too much smoke out of the motor on the first several tries.
Without a lesson, instruction or any idea what I was doing, (oh ignorance is bliss) I immediately went for it and managed to produce a aluminum front bushing nose cone thingy for my condor. Not bad for an hours work and breaking two cutters!
Big Deal and Big Thing indeed for me!

[dougroundup]

Doh , I dunno why I have so much trouble getting my pics to place on here.
Anyways, here is the pic of the front barrel bushing I made. My very first machined creation made by my own hand. I dont think i amgoing to be rivaling any of the fine work of the others here anytime soon! It sure isnt as easy as it looks. I certainly felt clumsy, but I am happy with the results for the very first time. My family and friends thought I was crazy to bring home a piece of machinery, with absolutely no knowledge or experience using it!.

[dougroundup]

I dont know what makes me feel more clumsy, uploading the pictures or operating that lathe. It sure isnt as easy as these guts make it look. My hats off to those who are so proficient.

Well long story short, my very first handcrafted machined part is a big thing for myself. Going need to practice practice practice! :biggrinn:

[the-starlingassassin]

im no machinist either,

but that looks damn good for a first try!

[dougroundup]

Thanks man. It sure beats the old way I was doing things,,, using a dremel, files and tryong to jig things into the chuck of a hand drill!
I have alot to learn!

[on-the-edge]

LOL! So I am not the only one who has used a drill as a lathe!

Way to go there! Do be careful with that thing, it can mess up your whole day. Think before you do and then think again.

Enjoy!

[knifemaker]

Your going to love that machine. Wish I had the room for one. My shop is so stuffed with equipment that I can hardly move in there! 😆

Mills and Lathes are very very dangerous. WOK posted a pic, or some pic’s of what can happen with a lathe. One of the most sickening things I ever saw. 😯

Be extra careful, and learn a LOT!!! 😉
Lot’s of good info avaliable on the web. 😀
Knife

[dougroundup]

Oh I do appreciate the cautionary advice. Believe me I’d rather have you guys remind me of the potential for hazard than have the machine remind me or teach me that lesson that ys never forget! Who wants to be the example and prove that even common sense isnt so common.
If I seem complacent or clueless in my actions, I prefer I hope someone would be critical of my judgement!
That said, I indeed appreciate and repect the potential for destruction this tool is capable. It wasnt so difficult to damge two cutting tools . Sometime turning too slow might not be so good or safe too.
I am pretty green and its better not to pickup too many bad habits.
I feel pretty cautious, but as I said ignorance can be blissful and there must be some sort of thing such as dumb luck! Just dont wanna be handicapped by the odds!

[knifemaker]

Yep! I get by on it quite ofter! Better to be lucky than good sometimes. Especially “IF” you can do it with precision!!! :8: :rofl:

Knife

[roland]

Looking great for a first try.
Then you can always improve on it.

I am no machinist either but here is one I did. It has two heavy o- rings on the inside (one on each end) to dampen things up.

[dougroundup]

Exceptional piece of work Roland!
As I mentioned before… I doubt I will be rivaling most of the stuff the guys here on this site do.
Even with practice, I may gain proficiency, but doubtful I will obtain the sheer talent that some of the others posess.
It”s pretty damn cool to have so much diverse ingenuity gathered here in one place sharing innovation and evolving like we do.

So Roland, did you make similar bushing with O-rings for inside the shroud as well?
Was there a noticable percieved difference with your part?
I know that my front bushing I made has a much tighter tolerance than the stock plastic. No sideload or tension on the barrel from the setscrew bearing down upon the difference made up from the o.d. of the bushing and i.d. of the frame. Regardless, I cant say that I actually notice any change in the performance. My Condor shoots so good right out of the box, I doubt that at my level of sophistication is going to be cultivated enough to discern or disciminate the subtle differences anyways.

[roland]

The front bush has two o rings on the outside and two on the inside.

My frame ID measured 25.74 mm and the original bush OD measured 25.58 mm.
That difference was rectified to a friction fit dimension with the new bush. The o rings on the outside of the bush are just bling as I don’t see
much use there as that part is held in place finally with a grub screw. But it does give a good feeling when the bush is pushed into place with a smooth assuring snap.
Now the ID of the bush is about 1.0 mm greater than the barrel OD so you have a free floating barrel with just the o rings cushioning the vibes.
How much this helps? Don’t really know but it’s just my personal preference over a standard bush.

[dyotat100]

I make them the same way. But I use 90d .103″ o rings to hold the barrel firmly. I cut the hole .010″ larger then the barrel. Then cut the grooves for the o ring around .030″ shallow so the o ring fits the barrel nice and snug. Some I use 2 o rings on but put the o rings only on the end where the barrel exits. Then I remove .020″ in the rest of it so just the o ring end touches the barrel.

Works good to align the barrel in the center of the frame.

[dougroundup]

Ok, this will kinda really show my ignorance . But what tooling/methods do you guys use for your inner or inside cuts. Obviously one could simply drill a hole thru some stock. I have a small assortment of boring bars which I used on this bushing . But what are you using to cut your inner o-rings ? I am sure there is many ways to cut a groove but what is a good way to cut inner grooves and how is the best way to measure the o rings radial profile and reproduce that radius acurately within the walls or canyon of the groove you are cutting. Do you custom shape a radius on the cutting edge of your tooling? Can you make any sense of my questions?

1. Best method/tool to cut inside, drill bore or face? (Maintain concentricity with inner and outer circumference?
2 Method /tool to cut a proper tubular profile o-ring groove ?
3. Method/tool to cut grooves inside of a bore such like inside of the bushing?

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