Setting up my new shop

[Bogstandard]

John,

The spin indexer mod you have carried out is really a bit of a triumph, simple, but will do the job admirably. Just the sort of mods I like.

I will in fact be taking it a little further.
Like squaring it up on the outside of the base and cutting notches on the bottom of the base so that it can be dropped onto parallels in the vice.
Another little thing that needs looking at is the disc fixing, not just on yours, but all of this mark. I think I will be pinning it into position before the tightening ring goes on, just to stop it accidently turning out of register with the actual spindle.

Now if those mods could be done at the factory, you would have hell of a lump of more accurate and easily set tooling, way ahead of anything else on the market.

Another one of Arc's products I am really impressed with is the straight shank expanding mandrels (quick release).

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Expanding-Mandrels

If they work as good as they look, they are going to save me hours on set up and machining times.


John

 

[John S]

Yes John those expanding mandrels do work well, I have a couple of sets for jobs I get repeats of.

I am also impressed with these expanding 5C's

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Collets/5C-Collets/5C-Expanding-Collets

I have bought a few and turned them to fit special jobs with a known bore size and these are blind bores.
You can expand them from the allen screw on the end if you can get access but in blind bores the drawbar pulls the thread and the allen screw back so they expand.

I have now started getting a set of standard ones and using a split sleeve to get the size I want to save turning specials all the while.

This is also a handy bit of kit if you can hold 5C's

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/catalogue/product.aspx?prod_id=b01b4b54-5755-4cb3-8b34-e9dc6ca0180c

Gives you the means to use ER collets with more range.

To get back to workshop visits and calling in when on the road, I work from home doing emergency repair work and also CNC conversions. I'm just off the M1 at junctions 24 or 25 if anyone wants to break a journey anytime and get a coffee.

 

[Bogstandard]

John,

I have been using the 5c expanding collets for a few years now, and came to the same conclusion as yourself. Make split rings for them. I have done a few over the years, but unfortunately can't trace them at the moment, they were in a loose Lin-Bin, just hope the better half didn't think they were junk when she cleaned the shop out. She's already 'moved' one of a set of three cams on an engine I was prototyping, so another full set has to be made, as they were all made on a very tight, and I don't think, repeatable PCD.

Anyway, it was the making of 'extras' to tooling that made me go for the set of expanding mandrels. If all goes well I can just select and use rather than having to machine something up. I am expecting the largest two of the set to be delivered tomorrow. It looks like I will have to go to the 2MT sets if I need larger diameters.
My problem is, being a far eastern import lathe, the headstock starts off at 5MT, so stepdowns have to be used to get to the much smaller 2MT, so maybe inducing more tolerance errors, the straight shank ones will fit into my normal collet chuck.

John

 

[John S]

John,
Is this any good ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-5-Morse-Taper-Drill-sleeve-fully-hardened-and-ground_W0QQitemZ220254173848

 

[Bogstandard]

I looked on his site yesterday, but could only find the 4 to 2, I will get one bought tonight.

Thanks for that

John

 

[Bogstandard]

To get back on track with this long winded post, I will give you a verbal update. I don't think you need to look at holes to be filled in, and me sitting there for hours sorting nuts and bolts into their new homes.

So basically the new bit is crammed full of all sorts, just so that I can work in the shop without falling over things. In seven hours today, all I managed to do was put up four bin racks, one small shelf and assemble two collet racks. The rest of the time was spent sitting down and sorting over ten years of misfiling. Nuts, bolts, springs, bearings are all now in their new correct slots. Just got to finish the ad hoc stuff tomorrow. Then I can fill the holes and give it a coat of paint (only in the parts that really need it).

My mentor turned up this morning and he came up with a good idea. I was going to use the 10mm thick sheets of perspex that I was given, to make screens between the machines. He came up with the idea of cheap washable roller blinds mounted from the ceiling. We are both owed favours from a chap that makes household blinds (we have made him some special tooling for doing the job), so it looks like I will be getting a few freebie samples to try out and see if they work.

If all goes well tomorrow, I will take a couple of pics of the main shop to show you how it is progressing.

BTW, all the time I have spent in the shop, Bandit was never more than a few feet away, so it looks like he really approves of all the shakeup. He was scratching at the shop door at 5.30 this morning, so I had to let him in for a look round before we went out for a stroll.

Bogs

 

[Bogstandard]

I know you all like looking at pretty pics rather than reading, so a few shots of the minuscule progress I have made over the last couple of days.

I have taken out most probably about two hundred metal drywall fastenings over the last couple of days. Where I have put up a shelf here and there, as and when required.
The only problem is, you end up with walls that look like Machine Gun Kelly has been practicing.

What you see here is only a small portion of the holes that have to be filled and painted over.

So a few long shelves taken down, only to be replaced with more holes. These racks are covering up a load of holes, but what the eye can't see.......
Under these will eventually be where my workbench will be, so all the items I require have been brought into one area, rather than being spread around the shop.

So this is what I have been sorting out for the last couple of days. This is my bearing rack, still have a few more to add yet. Sorted into type, small, medium and large, plus prepacked. They are a mixture of imperial and metric, but that causes no trouble, because I can measure in both.

I also sorted a few springs and small nuts and bolts. So at least now, I only have to select what type, compression or tension, instead of searching for hours for one that will do the job.

The little Herbert Jnr grinder is in its new position, across the corner. It will have to be moved again soon, as I need to get behind it to fill holes and paint the walls.
The box to the left will not be there in the final shop setup, there will be a retractable blind hanging from the ceiling in that position, in an attempt to keep dust from spreading too far into the shop.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the new room at the end is full of all sorts. I have mounted my inside stash boxes onto rolling trays.

When my bench finally comes in, the stash boxes will be rolled underneath, to give me better access to the materials.

So basically, things are progressing, albeit slowly, aches and pains, plus coupled with finding I have more stuff than I thought I had, has delayed things a little, as I decide what I can safely get rid off.
I think visitors will be going home with more than they came with.

John

 

[JohnS]

Its looking good John - you are now into the enjoyable part of the job. I particularly like the roller blind idea, could be a good solution in providing a non bouncing wall in the polishing bay. I still havent found one of the parts for my radial engine that went AWOL three weeks ago during polishing.

I do think you should have a touch of Laura Ashley on the walls rather than plain old emulsion. I am sure Bandit would prefer it.

John

 

[Bogstandard]

John,

Laura Ashley my a**e. I have got gallons of the original paint, so Bandit will have to wear his shades for a bit.

How is this for service. Called up at just after 8 this morning, delivered just after 10.

Three roller blinds, custom made to fit. Cost - free samples, and they came with a smile, returning a favour.

It pays in the long run to help people out, they remember just who they can rely on, and who their friends are.

John

 

[John S]

I think visitors will be going home with more than they came with.

John

Please send spare engraving brass to :-

Poor John
C/O The Old Stable,
Hard up lane
Nether Hadany

.

 

[Bogstandard]

If that isn't begging John, I don't know what is.

In all honesty, if you need me to get you some, they do sometimes have it down at the scrappies I use. Not massive sheets but very useful sizes. Usually they have been cut very slightly off square, I also only take the bits that still have the protective coating on, saves hell of a lot of repolishing.

I managed to get Ralph some a while back, and I don't think he had any complaints at all.

You must remember though, scrap brass prices have shot thru the roof, but it still should be a lot cheaper than buying it wholesale or retail.

BTW, I took delivery of my 5 to 2 MT adapter yesterday, just got to cut the tang end off so that I can use a drawbar thru it. Thanks for that.

Another BTW, I am trying to get my mill brought in tomorrow, so it looks like I will be burning the midnight oil to get its location finished off.

John

 

[John S]

John, Just a wind up.

I am fortunate in that in a previous life I had 19 years working on commercial vehicles.
Because of the close knit community of scrappies, intermarriage etc we did most of the vehicles for all the larger scrap dealers in this area.

This got you on site and able to go anywhere in the yards even when H&S came into play.

Unfortunately many have sold out, been bought up and the fathers have passed away but I am still able to go round two of the larger yards in this area and still get reasonable deals given the current prices.

Nothing like the old days when they would 'weigh' a shoe box literally full of dial gauges in their hand and remark
"Don't weigh anything, you can have it "

The best one of which I became very firm friends with the two brothers who owned it and still are even though they have retired and sold the land off for building had the contract for Erricsons telephones, later Plessey.

These people had 7 tool rooms and made everything needed on site including their own taps and dies. Nothing was sold, everything went for scrap if not needed.
Two 32 tonners ran into the scrap yard every week with brand new offcuts of steel box, angle and bar.

When they moved off mechanical telephone exchanges onto electronic they started shutting toolrooms and just threw everything. You just had to be their at the right time. A mill might get thrown out for scrap and two weeks later all the tooling, vises, dividing head, rotab etc would get thrown out as well., many of them new and unused.

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[Bogstandard]

You had me hook line and sinker there John, don't worry, my time will come.

It now looks like Steve's time might be here.

Remember this backstabbing remark

John ain't got no tools!!.... John ain't got no tools!!.... Neener Neener Neener...LOL.

Steve

After a couple of hours frantically poking with a sharp stick, my first machine will hopefully be here tomorrow.

The area it is going in isn't finished off yet, but that will now have to wait. I will paint around it.

Just watch this space.

Bogs

 

[CrewCab]

Just watch this space.

Bandit's got that covered as far as I can see ;D

CC

 

[John S]

John,
Part of my metal rack if you or any of the UK guys get stuck.

The other rack holds the bars from 3" up to 8".

.

 

[Divided He ad]

John.... Bet you can't wait? Even less sleep than usual tonight I recon?
We await the pictures of the new baby ;D

Bandit looks like he is having fun.... He needs a sinister villan to be sitting in the chair stroking him :big:

************************************

Well Mr Stevenson..... holy S@#%

How many scrap yards did you buy?!?!?!?!

And how much room do you have in that shop.... Shop envy it is then!! ;D




Ralph.

 

[Bogstandard]

John,

That lot is absolutely obscene, no wonder there is a metal shortage, and I thought my stash was large.

BTW thanks for the offer, I will be over with an artic this weekend.
Freebies I hope.

John

 

[John S]

No room at all, the clear floor is only because that slotter was delivered the day the photo was taken.
At the moment it's all spoken for although the machines do move in and out as they are worked on.

This is my latest baby.

And not to be outdone by Bandit today I have been working on the headstock door flap which I feel is too big.

.

 

[Bogstandard]

AhA!!! Secret chinese weapon.

Dual fuel, electric or kitty power.

Bogs

 

[John S]

John,
How did Kevin get on with the mill ?
Enquiring minds want to know ?

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