Recent content by john_reese

I think the diameter difference is the root of the problem. The larger drill probably screwed itself into the pilot hole destroying the cutting lips on the drill. For a pilot drill pick one just larger than the web thickness of the larger drill. If you are enlarging a hole by 1mm or less the...

Joe Pie rocks. If you don't want to mess with indicators make a sleeve with an ID equal to the diagonal of the bar. Split the sleeve. Put the bar in the sleeve and stick it in the 3 jaw.

Sometimes it is necessary to start with a longer tube. You need enough length on the back end to get a firm hold and enough to establish the tangent at the end of the bend. The excess can be trimmed off after the bend.

If using carbide inserts purchase those with a chipbreaker for light finishing. Attempt to run them at the manufacturers suggested feed rate. Depth of cut should be no less than the nose radius. If the chips do not break try a higher feed rate. Most hobby lathes probably lack the power or...

Have you considered selling casting kits with drawings? I would be interested in building one of these.

The best reference I have found for specifications and availability is here; https://www.mcmaster.com/copper-tubing. For short radius bends there are inexpensive tubing benders available. Check the auto parts stores or Amazon. I was never a fan of the spring type benders that slip over the...

When you start a thread with the die holder against the tailstock quill it is possible to let the die get ahead of the quill and get a cockeyed start. It is also possible to overfeed the tailstock quill and mess up the threads. I assume you are backing off the tailstock before you back off the...

Describe your setup, please. How are you holding the work? How are you holding the die? Is the die being guided?

A good friend of mine lost her finger in a similar way. She was jumping down from the bed of a truck when her wedding ring caught on the stock rack of the truck.

A few years ago a damned fool posted pictures. He had left the key in his lathe chuck. He put it through the windshield of his Porsche. Look at any of the photos of a machine shop from the early 20th century. Many of the workers were actually wearing suits, including vest and necktie...

Keep our tool sharp. Hone it until it shines. Zero or neg. rake, up to 5*. Small end radius. Keep the tool stickout as short as possible. You should be fine. You may want to rig a chip deflector close to the tool. Bronze sprays ships everywhere.

If changing the tooling does not work then investigate problems with the machine.

The material and the tool can be interacting to produce the pattern. Some bronzes require a very sharp tool to cut them. If you are using carbide inserts with a honed edge that might be the problem. As the tool is fed into the work it tries to penetrate the metal but doesn't, deflecting the...

Chinese vendors sell diamond tipped core drills in small diameters, 3mm, I think. They are very cheap. You would probably need a continuous flush of coolant through flush cuttings and prevent the aluminum from binding onto the diamonds.

I've had good luck with taps from Shars. YG tools from Amazon are very good.