Attempt to make a Taper Crimper on my new Lathe

[DoctorBill]

The only mistake I've made so far is leaving the Key in the Chuck and
turning the Lathe on....

Went flying, luckily. Didn't hit the Ways !

Right now I am in the process of making a Spindle Hand Crank to manually
thread with.
I've tried using the Leadscrew and gears, but they are just too damned
fast for me.
No time to react for a 'beginner' like me !

I found a Used (beat up) Aluminum Machine (Lathe ?) Hand Wheel at a local Machine Shop
(Bixby Machine Tools) for $5.......7.5" (19 cm) with a hole for a handle.

Here is what I have done so far.
Using a 1/2" Black threaded Water Pipe and a Flange which I faced and cut down in diameter.









Here I am turning some Hot Rolled Mild Steel to construct the "Ram" that will
be forced into the internal end of the pipe to expand the slotted portion to
hold the pipe inside the Spindle.


I can't figure out how to make a very slight (1° to 2°) Taper on the rod.
I wanted to make a slight but long taper - maybe a 3 inches long....threaded inside.
0.625" one side up to 0.635" on the other end by 3 inches long.

A LONG, slight Taper will make more of the flanges contact the inside of the spindle.

The Tail Stock holding the Live Center gets in the way of the Compound holding the tool.
Even if it didn't get in the way, its travel is too short !

My thought is...I'll have to use a file and file down one side on a slight taper.
Maybe make steps with the tool then file that into a taper....not much metal to remove.
I'm too ignorant of Lathes to know any other method.

DoctorBill

PS - THAT is YOUR live center, Buckshot ! I use it all the time !

[dragonrider]

Have you tried offsetting the tailstock to cut the taper???

[DoctorBill]

I don't understand the offset Tailstock business !

That requires the Faceplate and Dogs, does it not ?

How can you spin a rod out of alignment with the Chuck ?

DoctorBill

[dragonrider]

A dog yes, faceplate no. I don't know about your lathe but most lathe tailstocks are adjustable from side to side. To make a taper one can move the tailstock to one side or the other depending on which way you want the taper to go. You can use your chuck to hold a piece of scrap stock, turn a sixty degree point on it, and that is your center. attach a dog which can be anything that will drive the piece by resting against one of the chuck jaws. Now you just you just turn your taper as you would a straight piece. This link will give you a good idea of how it's done.
http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/mlathe3.htm

[HollowPoint]

That's good work DrBill:

When I started learning how to thread with these small lathes I ran into the same problems you have. I just couldn't engage the threading lever fast enough to get my threading tool to fall into the same groove every time.

I thought about making one of these hand cranks until I came across an internet link that explained Step by Step how to cut threads with the 9x19 metal lathes. For a straight uninterrupted run of threads, the info supplied by that "link" really worked out great.

Now I'm revisiting the idea of making a fixture like yours to cut threads where a shoulder is involved. When your part has a shoulder that the threads have to butt right up against, I think that your hand crank set up would be the way to go. At least for me.

I'll have to rummage around my junk parts out back to see if I have any thing I can use.

HollowPoint

[DoctorBill]

The Crank Wheel with or without a handle is your choice and whatever
you can find to use.

The Crank Spindle or Rod can be a pipe or turned metal rod.

If Pipe, then probably what I did.

If turned Rod, then you'd probably go with the bicycle handlebar clamp
with the 45° or 30° cut on the rod with a long screw to tighten it.

Some guys drill & tap the Belt pulley and put on a simple crank.

Inelegant, modifies the pulley and I prefer to have a wheel to turn by hand
for the finer work.

The Internet is FULL of links to various and sundry Lathe hand cranks. (Google).

I decided to make a short 2.5" threaded taper and just cut a taper on the
end of this rod while still in the Chuck.

I have drilled it out with a 15/64th drill, then drilled half way in with a 5/16ths
preparatory to tapping it for a 3/8ths by 16 bolt half way thru.



Then I will taper it, cut it off, flip it over and drill 1/2 thru with a 13/32" drill.

The bolt will thread on the threads and if it goes past them, it will be free to go on.

That way I can pull it in as far as I want w/o having to thread the entire taper.



My only problem is that I don't know exactly what max vs min taper to cut.

Guessing right now. "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome" -Gunnery Sgt. Tom Highway.

If it is too big, I may file the slits on the pipe so they lay flat inside the spindle.

I will either make a set screwed bushing for inside near the crank or spot weld a
washer there so that when I loosen the bolt, the taper is forced back out
w/o the bolt coming back out the Crank Wheel end.

I won't have to tap out the taper like some folks do.....

DoctorBill

[Longwood]

The part the tool holder is bolted to will turn. Right?
If it will, set it at one degree and feed it manually, with the silver knob we can't quite see, to make the taper, instead of the feed.
If that is not enough taper, set it at two degrees and make another cut to see if it is more to your liking.
It is not set in stone, you can make the taper about any length you want.

[DoctorBill]

Yes - that is the Compound set to ~ 2° (more or less).

It does not travel very far....

Yes, I know not to traverse - I would just be cutting the rod lengthwise...
which I have been doing.

(As an aside - how do I get the slowest Feed Speed out of this Lathe ?)

The Compound hold down clamp is loosie goosie as far as exactly where the two T-Nuts will go.

Setting a good exact angle is a joke with this set up !



LittleMachineShop sells a 4 bolt Compound Hold-down for this Lathe for $55.
http://littlemachineshop.com/product...ory=1963256897

I am sorely tempted to buy it so I can set angles better and have the compound be more stable.

Like I've heard said - a Lathe is a money pit....

DoctorBill

[Longwood]

I could not tell how your lathe was made by what you were showing us until the last photo.
You may need to tighten the gibs a tiny bit if the compound is loose. Trying to set them with no tight spots, on these cheap lathes, is not always possible without some way scraping.

[Longwood]

[QUOTE=DoctorBill;1731382]


(As an aside - how do I get the slowest Feed Speed out of this Lathe ?)[/B][/I]


Simple,,, start at motor with smallest pulley/gear to biggest to smallest to biggest etc etc,

[Longwood]

For the last 20+ years, I have been using a five inch piece of round stock with a square ground on the end that I can use to turn the chuck by hand.
Cost,,, maybe two bits,,, time to make,,, maybe five minutes...

[DoctorBill]

Longwood....

? ? ?

Pictures ?

[DoctorBill]

Almost there.



The Internal Pipe Ram is finished. Doesn't look pretty, but it is what I diagrammed previously.

I will have to drill it and insert a small pin into the taper such that the Ram
can't spin when I tighten the bolt - will ride in a slot in the pipe.

Hadn't thought of that before....'modifications to the plan'.

Edited In Later Today:

Finished !







Had to make an End Bushing for the bolt.

Works great. THAT was fun ! Total cost - about $10.

Now I need a project that requires threading !

DoctorBill

[DoctorBill]

I have been visiting a Yahoo Group called the 9"x20" Lathe Group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/9x20Lathe/

On there, someone posted a link to a LATHE ACCIDENT which makes me
VERY VERY respectful of my new ENCO Lathe !

I am going to post the link below - but be warned...it is HIDEOUS if you have not seen it.

I know we are all "Big Boys" here, but this may give you nightmares.

http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/vi...p?f=10&t=41444

I wonder if that poor guy even had time to know what hit him ?

Imagine seeing that happening and having to run over there to turn the Lathe off !

DoctorBill

PS - I have ordered a LEE Mold which I plan to bore out for a Paper Patched Bullet.
Lee will leave off the handles (not crimp the pins down) if you ask them.
Now I just have to learn how to get a 4 jaw chuck to hold an item at 90°
and
to find the center of a previously made hole !

[bearcove]

Yeah when his shirt/jacket started to wrap he went OH SHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buckshot]

PS - I have ordered a LEE Mold which I plan to bore out for a Paper Patched Bullet.
Lee will leave off the handles (not crimp the pins down) if you ask them.
Now I just have to learn how to get a 4 jaw chuck to hold an item at 90°
and to find the center of a previously made hole ![/QUOTE]



Using a TI (in a ho-made holder) to center a cavity. Your book, "How to run a lathe" should have that info too.

............Buckshot

[DoctorBill]

I received the LEE Mold with the handle pins left uncrimped.
Just ask them and they'll do that !

Ready to bore the existing holes out to make a .445 cal Paper Patch
Bullet cavity about 1.2 inches deep.

I found out that placing a block into a 4-Jaw Chuck does not mean it is
automatically held with the face parallel to the Chuck Face !

So I designed and made this simple set up tool to help get any block's
face parallel to the Chuck Face - 90° to a Drill.



I chose Epoxy Steel versus a wire welder because it give me time to make sure
the Metal plate (Old Hack Saw Blade) is positioned flat to the Chuck Face.
Also, I can take it apart if need be.

I will use this Home Made Center Finder to set up the existing cavities centered for boring.



DoctorBill

PS - I make my own 'Epoxy Steel' by adding Powdered Aluminum to the Epoxy as I
am mixing it up.
Powdered Aluminum - just add paint thinner to 8 oz of Aluminum Paint - let the Aluminum
settle out, decant & wash & settle 3x with more paint thinner - decant & let dry.

[Buckshot]

I will use this Home Made Center Finder to set up the existing cavities centered for boring.



DoctorBill

...........That's a dial indicator, no? I may be totaly discombobulated here as to what you're trying to accomplish, but two things. One is that a dial indicatior (DI) is made to have the load on it's probe loaded PARALLEL to the probe's axis. A test indicator (TI) is designed to have the load PERPENDICULAR to the probe. Or in other words the DI's probe works 'In & out', pretty much on outside OD's. The TI's probe works on a pivot, and may swing in an arc, up and down or side to side depending on your point of reference. It will work on ID's and OD's alike.

Do you plan on having that screw head riding on an OUTSIDE surface, or will the DI be held upright with the offset screwhead riding inside a bore?

...............Buckshot

[DoctorBill]

Dial Indicator in use to find center of cavity in a Bullet Mold Block.

I don't know how else to describe it, Buckshot !



Seems to be working - cost me zip to make.

I might actually change the screw at 45° to a small piano wire with the
end rounded off - maybe bent to shape.

Now I can re-bore the cavity to what I want using drills and my "D-Bit"
previously described.

DoctorBill

[DoctorBill]

Lee 0.312 Double Cavity Mold - the Handle Pins were not crimped in by request.

Widened the 0.312 cal Cavity up to the shoulder of the D-Bit ogive with a drill.



Used my old 0.438 D-Bit to scrape out the cavity - did the last part using my hand crank
for control & 'feel'.



A quick pour yielded a 406 grain paper patch bullet with a nice round nose.



I will save the second Cavity for some different bullet shape.

More to come later - pictures of good bullets from a hot mold....

DoctorBill