MetalworkingFun Forum

No doubt quicker, molasses isn't fast, even in September, but I like the walk away and forget about it aspect. And I'm real good at forgetting.

I'm definitely a fan of electrolysis, but you're right: it does have limitations to line of sight. I did a drill press column, using a length of rebar as the anode. I rotated it every few hours but there were still "shadow lines" where it was more and less effective. Awesome process, in general, however.

Got some time in on the shaper today.
The handle that locks the ram to the yoke was broken.


Being short I suspect it was run loose and damaged the threads in the yoke.
Had to remove the ram to get at the part.



The damaged threads, don't look that bad but the stud was really sloppy in the hole.



Bored it out and cut 1 UNC threads.



Made a plug on the lathe, cut the threads for a tight fit, about 6 thou tighter than my cheat sheet said. With a coat of Locktite the plug went in with a pipe wrench.
Drilled the plug and threaded back to original 3/4 UNC



One part fixed, many more to go.

Made a new handle to replace the broken cast one. Seeing as I don't have casting abilities like someone I had to machine this one and assemble Dallen.
Another project for the list is another ball turner. The one on the handle was one I made years ago with the turner I'd made for a Taiwanese lathe I had, would't fit its replacement so let it go with the lathe.

Greg that's a nice looking handle that you whipped out. plus you got it done a lot faster then the one I casted for my Cinci.

looks like your caliper is like mine missing one of its doors.

DA

Thanks Dave.
A question for you, or anyone that might know.
Under the paint and in some odd places there is a granite looking layer. At first I thought it was some prehistoric filler used to smooth the casting before paint, but I found it in some unmachined recesses in the apron. Could it be some sort of coating they had on the moulds that they just left there and painted over it. In places its probably and 1/8 of an inch thick.
Thanks, inquiring minds need to know.

its probably some sort of prehistoric filler like your thinking, if it was something that they coated the mold with it would of burned off from the heat of the cast iron.

you have a picture of it?

I'll try and get a picture of it Dave. Filler was my first thought but it was inside cavities at the back of the apron, no reason to fill there, it wasn't visible or even painted.
It scrapes off as a dust, leaves a shiny surface and leaves your finger black when you rub it, just like a soft lead pencil. If its some sort of graphite mixture maybe it would the the heat.
Thanks

may be graphite from whoever had the shaper first cutting a lot of cast iron on it, or they may of been profiling EDM electrodes with it, which the ones I've seen look like graphite.

Got a photo of the layer in question Dave. Wouldn't have been from using the machine, its under the paint. I've scraped away a good bit of it here.