Minilathe Overhaul and Upgrades

thanks. sure is fast and easy.

 

How is it that you're able to maintain a consistent pressure on the lapping tool to allow for an accurate dimension on the part? By feel or by watching your markings wear off the part?

Pete

 

I liked your video but it would be very confusing to anyone that didn't have a background in measurement.

your stiles Verdict indicator mesures in .0001"
your plunge Mitutoyo measures in 0.01mm
your digital Mitutoyo caliper mesures in 0.01mm
then... pull out.........
your 0-25mm 0.001mm Mitutoyo mic. (which = .00004")

you refer to micron a lot.... which I am ok with. But... if your referring to a micron metre, temperature of the measured piece is relevant. The piece should be measured at 21°C+-.5°C.

SS grows/shrinks about 0.0013mm/1°C/25mm .

But, I guess we're talking about stuff that nobody will ever know any better. What are you an aerospace engineer???

 

The whole metric thing pretty much just screws me over.

I'll never understand you cuntinental types

 

Inches, metres, I really don't care, as long you don't attempt to mix the two, it's all easy.

 

I grew up in NZ, which converted to metric in 1971, when I was a kid. My Dad's a boiler maker, and he never converted, so I learnt metric at school, and imperial from my Dad. I joined the Air Force, and much of aviation is imperial, so I'm pretty comfortable in either system. Dad gave me a lot of his imperial measuring equipment (hence that nice Verdict 1/10,000" DTI), but the equipment I have bought, like the micrometers and Mitutoyo dial indicators, are metric. I have both 1/100th and 1/1000mm (1µm) reading dial indicators.

For this stuff the units are pretty irrrevelant, as you are just doing comparison measurements. In metric a 1/100thmm is pretty big, but a µm is so small as to be a PITA. The imperial 1/10,000th (tenths) are a pretty nice sized unit for this sort of work. Once I got close to finishing the test bar, I did stop and let it cool, although in this case, I wasn't aiming for a specific diameter, but just trying to lap to a constant diameter within 0.002mm (2µm). I gave up at 3µm as close enough.

Remember Jason, if god had meant us to use the metric system, he would have given us 10 fingers
Mark

 

I put a pretty thick rubber band around the lap to provide more even presure, but once you get down to 1000 grit paper, it gooes pretty slowly, so you can concentrate on the high area. My lap was only 20mm (3/4" for Jason) wide by 24,2mm (about an inch) diamter. It probably should have had a greater width to diameter ratio. I also think that a metal lap gives you the "feel" of where the high spots are. With a plastic lap it all feels the same, so you have to measure more.

 

Yes.

 

nothing wrong with it, it's always good to have a levelheaded engineer.

 

Unless he designed the mounting setup for the EPU on the F16! If I ever get to meet that dumbass, he's HISTORY!
I swear they built the friggen airplane around that! I had to change one in turkey years ago and I'll never forget that nightmare!

 

Early pregnancy unit?

 

Nope. Never a design engineer.

 

When you get that thing out of its hole, it's like giving birth but TIGHTER!

Emergency Power Unit. They run on bleed air or hydrazine. Gives a small amount of electricity and hydraulic power.

 

Just for Jason, episode 6 is brought to you by "Inches - the the logical dimension"


Mark

 

Since the bed is only as stiff as a wet noodle, it got a quick and dirty reinforcement.



Mark

 

Nice work on the punch Mark. Piloted counter-bore bits! Now that's a winner!

Pete

 

50% stiffer is always a good thing.

 

Thanks guys. Stiffening up .... blah, blah, .....bed....blah, blah

 

Given the increased need for entertainment at this time, here is episode 8...



Mark