I have "Champagne ideas…..but only beer money……………"

[Runs With Scissors]

My grandpa used to say that, and it seems to be applying to me, with this damn “Carriage stop” project.


Well, here we are, with a little “free time” and I decide that its time to conquer Mount “Carriage Stop”….

This will be my 3rd attempt……...

This appears to be a fairly simple project that should be “within arms reach”…….But I keep F’ing it up…...

Originally, I had these “grandiose plans” of a "micrometer stop” and such, but now I am just focused on something that “kinda fits, ok” on the lathe ways…….


Well, I drag out the “plans” once again, then lop off a hunk of steel……..

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Now in the past, I have tried to use a “large piece” of material, and get 2 parts out of it.

But that has proved problematic, by leaving me with pieces that are difficult to grab, since they are so small……So the “new plan” is to use larger pieces and have more “waste”, hopefully increasing my chances of success.


I am also trying to remove the part "as few times as possible" so I don’t have to “locate” the sides too many times, and I am also trying to do as many “operations” as I can at the same time.

I also decide to use my “Kurt” vise instead of the “Chi Com” one that I normally use. The thought here is that the “Kurt” will be more accurate, also increasing my odds of success.

I get everything set up and pick out a “new” cutter.

Using a dead blow mallet and my parrallels, I get the blank set up and machine 5 sides, AND mill out the “major part” of the “valley"

So far, so good…………And now its time to locate the finished sides so that I can accurately drill the bolt holes.

using the DRO, I use a “center drill” to start the holes, then keep working up to the finished heloe size.

ASIDE: I am beggining to like these “collets” more and more.

A little later on, there is an instance (pictured below), where the drill chuck simply would not have fit, so using collets, to "save space” was very helpful…….but I’m getting ahead of myself

Well here is the "tough part" for me.

I can’t figure out how to mill that 45 degree angle successfully without removing the part and resetting it.

I decide that I will try to mill the “deepest” part of the valley first, then the 45 degree angles.


BTW…….I have discovered that the “work order” thing is a big deal………Thinking through what should be cut first, second……is tougher than it seems.



Anyway, I chuck up my “Brand new” endmill…….and commence to “snap it off” in short order

@##$$%%%^%’er ……Sum-Bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a hard time with smaller endmills………..Sometimes, less is more I guess….

So now I switch to my “used” one…...

Well try as I might, this one is just not going to “cut it” (pun intended)

It’s just “plowing” through this steel, leaving a “trail of tears” in it’s wake.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I have to remove the piece, and I do have 45 degree jaws that I could have swapped out, But that would have necessitated lowering the mill head, and on a “round column” mill, I have found that to be “problematic” at best, when in the middle of a project.

Although looking back, I think it would have been worth it…..Oh well.



I decide that using my square to make the 45 cuts is the “best option”.

So, it looks “pretty ok”

And If it’s good, it should cut my 45 degree angles …….“good nuff"

I can’t figure out the best way to “double check it”, so I line it up by eye.

I start “hogging out” the middle of the valley.

It seems to be going pretty good, but I have such sh1tty writing, that I mistook that

1 for a 7, ……DAMN IT ALL TO HELLL

In my defense, I did stop before I F’d the whole thing up, so I decide it will now be a “little shorter” than planned…....

I get it to this point and decide to switch to my 45 degree cutter…..

But the last time I screwed up was because I forgot that the bottom is too wide for this project, so I “stop short” and leave a little materail


having “browser problems”……to be continued……..

 

[hagrid]

DAMN IT ALL TO HELLL

Easy there, Charlton Heston.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

DAMN IT ALL TO HELLL

Easy there, Charlton Heston.

Damn Apes………….

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I think my lathe has such an end stop.

I never used it.

What is the purpose of such stop apart from wrecking the gears when you do not stop in time?

 

[jimh406]

That equipment would buy a lot of either.

 

[Pawnee]

Here's an easy way to clamp your part at 45* using a 'V' block.
I didn't know about it until last week so maybe you didn't either.

 

[lynnmor]

The flat at the bottom of the V can be smaller or a radius, it only needs to clear the flat on the top of lathe ways. I would have taken an old end mill and hand ground an angle on the corners and called it a day.

For Hugo, the stop can be used to stop the cut at the point you want and it can be adjusted as required to get the needed dimension. Yes, you hand feed it up against the stop.

 

[Pawnee]

I use the stop exactly how Lynnmor described.
I only use power feed to cut threads and the stop is removed for that.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So I use the 45 degree cutter to take it “as close as I dare” to the final dimension.

My “brand new” endmill would have sorked great for this, so after some condsideration, I decide to use a collet to hold it and, it actually worked.

Now for the bottom piece.

I get it all secured down, and looking at it NOW, I think I could have done a better job.

That horizontal 1,2,3 block should have been vertical I think.

Well too late now.

I get set to find the edge, when I realize that I have mad it so I can’t change to tooling out to put the edge finder in.

So I resort to my newest trick. (that I learned here)

I use a piece of paper and slowly advance the cutter until it grabs the paper.

Now I am 4 thou away. (thanks @Yooper )

After a few more passes, and a little moving it around, I get an “acceptable” part.

I’m unsure if it’s an accepatble practice to use these “little step” to hold the work, but they sure have come in handy.

They seem to hold pretty good.

I locate the sides use “the paper trick” (This is quickly becoming my “goto” way to locate the sides…..It’s cheap, fast, and fairly accurate for what I am doing)

Then drill the holes

Then I use the Chi-Com mill to hand tap the holes.

Well……….It ain’t perfect.

But it works. Since I use the DRO for “accuracy”, I don’t see the need to have a "micrometer stop”.

Now that may change in the future, but for now, this will work.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now it’s off to the “obligatory” Black Oxide bath.

And then into the “rinse bucket"

Not exactly “Earth shattering”, but it works for me.

I’m going to stop off at the “hardware” today and grab some SS bolts and washers, and maybe polish them up.


The End………...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Here's an easy way to clamp your part at 45* using a 'V' block.
I didn't know about it until last week so maybe you didn't either.

Good idea!!!

I have ton’s to learn.

Thanks for that idea

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I use the stop exactly how Lynnmor described.
I only use power feed to cut threads and the stop is removed for that.

View attachment 169557 View attachment 169558 View attachment 169559

I like that stop!!!!

Maybe next time……For now, I’m going to take my “small victory” and move on to the next project.

 

[Lil Foot]

Now that you're an accomplished carriage stop maker, some design ideas for the next one:

 

[lynnmor]

So you are bumping up against the way wiper parts?

 

[Lil Foot]

So you are bumping up against the way wiper parts?

Replace a way wiper bolt with a longer shoulder bolt.
Or add a shoulder bolt to the stop to get past the wiper assembly.

 

[Lil Foot]

Pretty high tech on that rinse bucket also.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

So you are bumping up against the way wiper parts?

The screw head hits, yes.

Is this problematic?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Pretty high tech on that rinse bucket also.

Hahaha…….Had to improvise real quick...

I forgot, the deep sink was set up for the “water cooled” TIG torch…..sooooo

 

[lynnmor]

The screw head hits, yes.

Is this problematic?

I use the stop for a precision location, your screws are anything but precision. You might want to put a "button" on the carriage to stop against, of course remove the paint where the button sits.