The job for today is -----

[Bogstandard]

This is a job that I did this morning, it really pushed my little old mill/drill to the limits. I had to machine some 20mm slots in the rear of the frame to make the rear wheel adjustable. The chap was changing this rigid chopper frame from one with a shaft drive engine to a billet engine with chain drive.
Just managed to get the cutter in, and it took 1 1/2hours to set up and machine each slot. There wasn't a single point on the rear end we could use for a datum, so we had to make our own before we could cut the slots

And here is Bogstandard eyeing up whether he can make a steam engine to fit the frame.

John

 

[rake60]

One thing about having a home machine shop is all your friends and
neighbors seem to find out.

They will bring you things that are broken or not exactly what they need
with the words, "Can you make this?" And we DO!

They think we do it to help them out. Actually it's to prove to ourselves
that we truly CAN. The limits of a machine is between our ears.
As John points out there is always a way to do what you need to today.

Excellent work John!

 

[Bogstandard]

Hi Rick,
There was a nice twist to this story, the chap who I did it for is a landscape gardener, and payment for the job is a full landscape on my front garden, and he pays for all the materials. A fair exchange is no robbery. To be done at a professional shop with a few custom SS and ali bits came to a quote of over $1,000.
All it has cost me is a few hours work.

John

 

[rake60]

Isn't that a shame!

The average commercial machine shop in my area charges $1 a minute
for machine time. $60/Hr in machine time alone for a magical
mystery transformation of metal into parts.

Well it's not like some guy could do it in his garage or basement! :wink: