You can’t "drink all day” unless you start early!

[Runs With Scissors]

So here we are.

I have a day off and decide to do a “fun project” instead of the 246,956 other things I should be doing.

On my list, is a “easy” carriage stop that I would like to have/do/make.

So it’s off to the scrap pile to root around for the material.

I decide on this piece due to the fact that I can also “cut off a hunk” for the bottom part, hence less waste.

I secure it down in the “horizontal bandsaw” and a few minutes later, I have 2 viable candidates.

Now its time to secure it in the “Chi-Com mill"

So a little “back-story” here.

I am getting tired of using a wrench to “tightn and loosen” the drawbar by hand. So I get this bright idea to use the 3/8 Dewalt impact that I just got, to do the “dirty work” for me.

Well I don’t wanna strip anything, so I give it a short “burst” to secure the drawbar.

It seems fine……………at first.

Then I start to carve out the “big groove”, and as it happens, I decide to run the cutter on the back side of the piece, and use my “trusty DRO” to make sure I am cutting the right amount.


Everything seems to be going “swimmingly” Until I take out the piece to “admire my work”….


Well apparently that “short burst” did not tighten it enough and as I was cutting, it was "pulling the cutter out” as it was cuttting.

It never occurred to me that this could happen, but the "proof is in the pudding"

You can see the “steps” in the piece…….DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it’s still early, and not nearly close enough to “Rum O"clock", so I decide to give it another “whirl”.


I lop off another hunk and commence to secure it down and ’square it up”.

This time I hit the drawbar with the impact and "let it rip” for 3 or 4 seconds, then double check with my wrench to make sure it’s torqued properly…….you know that German torque spec………."GoodNTight"

I also switch to this curtter. I believe its called a “roughing cutter” (just for "kicks and giggles” and because I have never used one)

I was kinda surprised at the decent finish the roughing cutter produced.



Now that I have the “basic shape” cut out, I proceed to the “hard part"

I am unsure of how to get the "45 degrees flats” cut out properly, so I decide to “carve out the middle” first.

The “print” calls for a .190 wide “valley” so I use a 3/16 cutter and then move the cutter left/right about .002 using the DRO.

So far, so good

It’s kind of a “slow go” cause in the past I have not had the best luck with small cutters. I tend to break them off when I get impatient.

This, by the way, is where that drive motor really shines. no more “cranking my ass off, just set it and let it go!!!!!

Lov’n that thing.

Now that I get the “flat” cut out, I have to figure out how to cut the 45 Degree flats?????

This is kinda ‘perplexing”……………..I can’t figure out how to hold the piece AND not hit the holdowns with the cutter.


Then it hits me like a “sack of hammers"

I bought a “Dovetail cutter” about 20 years ago and never used it…...

About 10 minutes later I finally find it.

So I chuck it up and its “off to the races"

I am getting pretty “stoked up” at this point. I have about 5 hours into this bad boy and it's looking sweet!!!!


I take some light passes cause the corners of that cutter look pretty fragile.

I eventually get there

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now to pop some holes in it.


I really like this DRO on the mill. It makes things WAY, WAY, WAY easier/faster.

Caution Random thought: Although I don’t think I would get the “magnetic tape” kind of DRO again.

The “glass scale” kind is bulkier, however you don’t have the problem of “steel chips” sticking to them like you do with the Mag tape design.

AnyWhoo………..now its time to see how this badboy is gonna fit!!!!!!! WhooooHoooooo!!!!!!

DAMN IT -------M#$%%$#$$%%%R—WTF??????????



Well I obviously F’d up somewhere along the line……...

I think I should have tried to hold the piece at an angle, instead of using that cutter………It didn’t occur to me that the “Flat part” of that cutter was too wide.

Yes it’s perfectly obvious NOW, but…………….


Welp now I guess it’s “Rum Thirty”……..

And YES, it was still better than being at work……………DAMN IT!!!!!!

 

[Lil Foot]

For each of those "missteps", BTDT.

 

[Lil Foot]

 

[Lil Foot]

 

[Hugo Habicht]

For each of those "missteps", BTDT.

How true. Me too

 

[skeets]

WOW

 

[Flintknapper]

 

[Runs With Scissors]

View attachment 167079 View attachment 167080 View attachment 167081

Aaahaaaa!!!!!

Thank you sir!

The second picture “jogged my memory”…….

Now these “spare” vice jaws that I just acquired in my latest "auction score" make a hell of a lot more sense.

 

[Yooper]

When you are ready to establish the depth of your cutter, use the strip of paper trick. That is, with the cutter rotating, slowly advance it until it grabs the slip of paper that you have on the surface you are trying to mill to. Just hold it lightly and let the cutter pull it out of your fingers. Then measure the thickness of the paper and add to the number where it grabbed and you have your depth established without marring the work piece.

 

[Henro]

When you are ready to establish the depth of your cutter, use the strip of paper trick. That is, with the cutter rotating, slowly advance it until it grabs the slip of paper that you have on the surface you are trying to mill to. Just hold it lightly and let the cutter pull it out of your fingers. Then measure the thickness of the paper and add to the number where it grabbed and you have your depth established without marring the work piece.

It’s obvious from the cup in the last photos that the issue is you’re drinking the wrong beverage!

 

[Sidekick]

Time to start casting. Make a sand mold of the 3d printed part, melt down your scrap and chips then pour . Perfect part in under a hour. Chinesium collets can be far from perfect.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

When you are ready to establish the depth of your cutter, use the strip of paper trick. That is, with the cutter rotating, slowly advance it until it grabs the slip of paper that you have on the surface you are trying to mill to. Just hold it lightly and let the cutter pull it out of your fingers. Then measure the thickness of the paper and add to the number where it grabbed and you have your depth established without marring the work piece.

Thank you sir, that sounds a great “trick”!

I am definitely going to try that next time.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Time to start casting. Make a sand mold of the 3d printed part, melt down your scrap and chips then pour . Perfect part in under a hour. Chinesium collets can be far from perfect.

Careful there Amigo; Even “suggesting" that I start another hobby could get you "hunted down” by my wife