From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

The cast aluminum (or maybe zamak) handle on the Y-axis gib lock busted
and fell off on the South Bend SB1028F mill a while ago. I can get by
without it most of the time, and if had to I could grab the head of the
screw with a pair of water pump pliers or locking pliers to snug it down.

The X axis had started working intermittently at the positive end of the scale. To keep shop space clear I tend to work more to the positive end
of the table, but my vise (the one that is bolted down) is nearer the
center. For the most part I had no issues, but a couple days ago the
DRO for X quit entirely.

I have five molds sitting on the mill table waiting on second ops.
Mostly hinge pins and handles for lead casting molds. I do those
operations on that mill.

So yesterday...
1. I finished my household chores
2. I chatted in the back yard with my son's BAJA SAE team about planned
track layouts (simple easy oval right now).
3. Took my mom to a doctor's appointment.
4. Drove partway home, and then went back to the doctor's office so she
could look for her phone.
5. Finally went home.
6. Walked back out to back field to chat with the rest of the BAJA team
about track plans and track usage.
7. Finally headed in the shop.
8. A new (different style) handle for the gib lock screw.
9. Repaired the DRO.

The gib lock handle is best explained with a picture. I used a
technique of plotting points on a curve and then plunging with a a
parting blade to rough the shape, and then finished with a file and
emery cloth. Its a very old school technique, but its the first time
I've done it. The I do the rest of the work on the mill without a
working DRO or Y gib lock. I think I used the dials on the machine for
the first time since I got it.

I checked the axis by swapping glass scale cables, and the problem was
not in the display head. Then I pulled the cover and blew out the
scale. No luck. I loosened the screws on the read head and a shim fell
out. The DRO seemed to start working again, so I tightened the mounting screws, and tested. It seemed to work just fine. Even seemed to read
about right running all the way to the positive end of the table, but
when I ran back it quit working again.

Of course twice I had to dig through the huge pile of aluminum chips
under the machine for screws I dropped in this process.

There were two things I could think of. Maybe the glass scale was
damaged (or maybe it wasn't a glass scale) or very dirty, or maybe there
was an alignment issue. I measured fromt he top of the housing to the
top of the table with a guess-o-meter (dial caliper) and found slightly
over 25 thousandths difference from end to end. I measured in the
middle, and put both ends at about the same distance to the table top
plus or minus a thousandth or two. Pulled the read head up as close as
I could, and tightened all the screws. Then I ran the table from stop
to stop listening very carefully for any dragging. It sounded good and
I got 36.45 inches stop to stop like I have written down. Actually I
can run slightly more, but I have an electric power feed stop set at
each end of the table to prevent that particular crash.

By then I was about done even though it wasn't that late. I headed into
the house and made myself a Bacardi and Pepsi Zero. I watched the
latest episode of Starfleet Academy on Paramount, and fell asleep
watching Fallout. I woke up just in time to see the large beastie knock
the guy in the bottle armor through the wall opening up the area where
they were contained to the rest of post apocalyptic Vegas. Yeah, bed
time.

And that is what I did yesterday instead of going fishing.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

The aforementioned picture: https://www.yumabassman.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260130_111447-2.jpg
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 1/30/2026 12:50 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:23:05 -0700
Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

The aforementioned picture:
https://www.yumabassman.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260130_111447-2.jpg

Yowza! Really nice handle you made there BobEfaiN+A

That is a pretty handle ! I'm surprised Bob doesn't have a ball
turning attachment for one of his lathes though ...
--
Snag
I appreciated foreign cultures more
when they stayed foreign ...
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 1/30/2026 1:03 PM, Snag wrote:

On 1/30/2026 12:50 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:23:05 -0700
Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

The aforementioned picture:
https://www.yumabassman.com/wp-content/
uploads/2026/01/20260130_111447-2.jpg

Yowza! Really nice handle you made there BobEfaiN+A

-a That is a pretty handle ! I'm surprised Bob doesn't have a ball
turning attachment for one of his lathes though ...

I started to make one a gazillion years ago, and never finished it. A
few times I've thought about making one to make ball mounts, but...
unless I just take time I never have time to do the things I want.

The few round features I've done I usually CNC on a 4th axis, and then
just finish/polish on the lathe. Its amazing how close you can get that
way.

The thing is the point list and file works. First time I have done it,
but the the 4th axis and polish is a close facsimile of the process.
Basically the same process, but starting a little closer before finishing.

On thing I do fairly often that would really benefit from a ball turner
is radius turning the end of insert rods, but usually I have a round
over mill close enough, and just use it like a lathe bit. Gunner once
told me about a really fast tool for radiusing rod ends, but when I
looked it up it was crazy expensive, and you had to have one for each
size rod.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 1/30/2026 4:25 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

For small radii I grind the final edge on a quarter round concave lathe
bit with an upright conical die grinder stone, which gives smooth
roundness and cutting edge relief, though not precise size without care
but that doesn't matter for hand levers or bolt ends. My Multifix tool
post allows rotating it. Round shaft radius cutters are harder to hold securely without damage.

If you have a set of radius gages (or at least the one you need) you can
get a lot closer than you think.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff
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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

On 30/01/2026 20:15, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 1/30/2026 1:03 PM, Snag wrote:

On 1/30/2026 12:50 PM, Leon Fisk wrote:

On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:23:05 -0700
Bob La Londe <none@none.com99> wrote:

The aforementioned picture:
https://www.yumabassman.com/wp-content/
uploads/2026/01/20260130_111447-2.jpg

Yowza! Really nice handle you made there BobEfaiN+A

-a-a That is a pretty handle ! I'm surprised Bob doesn't have a ball
turning attachment for one of his lathes though ...

I started to make one a gazillion years ago, and never finished it.-a A
few times I've thought about making one to make ball mounts, but...
unless I just take time I never have time to do the things I want.

The few round features I've done I usually CNC on a 4th axis, and then
just finish/polish on the lathe. Its amazing how close you can get
that way.

The thing is the point list and file works.-a First time I have done
it, but the the 4th axis and polish is a close facsimile of the
process. Basically the same process, but starting a little closer
before finishing.

On thing I do fairly often that would really benefit from a ball
turner is radius turning the end of insert rods, but usually I have a
round over mill close enough, and just use it like a lathe bit.-a
Gunner once told me about a really fast tool for radiusing rod ends,
but when I looked it up it was crazy expensive, and you had to have
one for each size rod.

Could you generate the ball rather than use a ball turning attachment
like here https://youtu.be/31iAlFyAGLM?t=283 , might need the 4th axis
tilted. Could be done on a lathe if a similar rotating cutter was fitted
in place in-a the toolpost. A machinist I used to know did a helical
machining job on his large lathe by fitting a Bridgeport M head in place
of the compound and ran the lathe as when thread cutting, worked very
well judging by the results.

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From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10ljfgi$2a14d$1@dont-email.me...

On 1/30/2026 4:25 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

For small radii I grind the final edge on a quarter round concave lathe
bit with an upright conical die grinder stone, which gives smooth
roundness and cutting edge relief, though not precise size without care
but that doesn't matter for hand levers or bolt ends. My Multifix tool
post allows rotating it. Round shaft radius cutters are harder to hold securely without damage.

If you have a set of radius gages (or at least the one you need) you can
get a lot closer than you think.
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

------------------------------
My sister gave me a radius gauge set for Christmas, in exchange for garden tools. I measure the diameter of the conical stone at the bit cutting edge. I've shaped two gear cutters by visual comparison against a light and they came out well enough.

Using bright light to fit a hand sharpened plane blade to a try square was a test we had to pass in 8th grade wood shop, as was filing rip and crosscut
saw blades. We learned old timer precision without power tools and I used
the skills on the lovely 1825/28/30(?) house my father was restoring and updating from 1920's plumbing and wiring and coal heat. Door hinges etc had
to be closely hand mortised wherever they were, which became my job. The
house had settled a little and nothing was exactly square, doors that no longer closed had to be refitted, sometimes elsewhere. With the Shopsmith we made custom cabinets with wood or glass panel doors and tongue-and-groove flooring long before big box stores provided them.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/11-Chestnut-St-Exeter-NH-03833/2118645412_zpid/

It's more modern inside now. Mom had a nice collection of early American antiques that my sister has in her 1790 house.

When Dad had done enough with the brick house he bought the big grey house next door and converted it from a funeral home into nice apartments. The big tree beyond the white fence is a Linden, one of many uncommon types there including Chestnuts.


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