MetalworkingFun Forum

Had some prototypes to make for our forensic test equipment customer this week.

These are some aluminum handles, one of each style for a new machine they have in development. We had to make two of each style but I just put one of each in the picture so I could get close up with the detail of the parts.


Personally, I am hoping they go with the two "tangs" version of the handles, and definitely not the three or four!! Those were a bit of a challenge holding onto when machining off the holding stock.

I have some video.........(would I let you guys down!)......but it will take me a few days to get all the edits done and get it posted, so for now I hope you just enjoy the pictures.

Best Regards,
Russ

Nice finish on those pieces. How did you achieve that?

Thanks,
Ed

(02-21-2013, 06:36 AM)EdK Wrote: [ -> ]Nice finish on those pieces. How did you achieve that?

Thanks,
Ed

Hi Ed, Thank you.

Those finishes with the exception of the top surface are as they come out of the machine. The top surface gets face milled. When it comes out of the machine it is lightly belt sanded to remove tool marks and then it is buffed on another belt sander with a "scotch brite" red belt.

Best Regards,
Russ

Aluminum? The finish on the sides is very good too. Freshly fluted endmill at full depth?

Nice work Russ - personally, I'd go with the four tang ones

(02-21-2013, 08:16 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: [ -> ]Aluminum? The finish on the sides is very good too. Freshly fluted endmill at full depth?

You are correct my good man, the material is indeed aluminum.

The endmill used is a Lakeshore Carbide tool. Great endmills at a very good cost! For those pcs I was using a .500" solid carbide variable 3 flute endmill with a zirconium nitride coating.

http://www.lakeshorecarbide.com/standard...errad.aspx

It was not new by any stretch of the imagination, and in fact is my roughing endmill which has most likely been in the machine for a few weeks.

As I said......they are GREAT tools!! Even when a flute corner gets chipped, we run them until the load meter in a deep cut tells us we best get it outta there or else!

Those tangs are .730" high, but the profile was roughed out with a 2" cutter, then semi-finished at half depth (2 cuts) and finished with the solid carbide em, full depth.

I have some video coming up here soon, but I have to warn you, it was the first piece with a new program, so it is AGONIZINGLY slow to watch.

After it's a proven part and program, the feeds and speeds are ramped up considerably.......but even watching it slow.........it's still machine porn nonetheless!!

Best Regards,
Russ

Nice work Russ

DaveH

Russ, lovely work!. I was a bit curious about the tooling you mentionned but then I thought. Hey, this is done on CNC machinery.
Am I right?

(02-21-2013, 03:09 PM)stevec Wrote: [ -> ]Russ, lovely work!. I was a bit curious about the tooling you mentionned but then I thought. Hey, this is done on CNC machinery.
Am I right?

Hi Steve,

Thanks, and yes, these were done in my Haas VMC.

Working on the video as I write this. Stay tuned!

Best Regards,
Russ

Have some more interesting little pieces we made a few days ago in our Haas VF0.

These again are some prototype parts.....no clue as to their use....was WAY too busy at the time to chat with the engineer, just got'em done!

Pictures can always be deceiving with regard to size thus the Sharpie in the back ground for reference.

These parts are a one piece construction, made from 303 Stainless Steel.

The small post diameter you see is a .249"/.2495" dia. with a #10-32 tapped hole in it. We interpolated the .249" dia. and you may not even notice it, but at the shoulder there is a .032" wide x .010" deep relief groove as well that was interpolated using a .032" wide keyseat cutter.

The other hole thru you see is a .187"/.1875" dia. which we simply reamed. The rest of the part geometry was nothing critical, but the large radius (size being a relative thing) was a .270" radius MINIMUM, so we had to mill that to size rather than simply use a corner rounding end mill.

Workholding can always be a thoughtful and interesting challenge when working with small parts, especially when configured in an odd shape, such as these pieces.

Overall it was a fun job, and really only took a few minutes a piece to make once programmed and all set-up.





Best Regards,
Russ