Off Topic Arrrrggghhhhh. The Never Ending Parts-Needed Black Hole

Hubert S. said:
I have used a Koolmist system when milling steel on my mini mill and that seemed to help. You shouldn't have any trouble tapping the holes if you use the mill to get the tap started. With steel, you probably want to turn the tap by hand and just use the mill to keep the tap aligned with the hole.
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That is a good idea - using the mill to keep the tap aligned ---- ack, although I dont have collets .... just a 3/8" endmill holder. I could try the drill chuck - but not sure if it will have the grip to avoid the tap from slipping.

Have been doing some reading ..... apparently I should *really* have been using a 4-flute carbide endmill for this work on even mild steel. I used what I have - 2-flute HSS. Oh well .... the fun is in the learning - right??? :)
 
AVigil said:
That is a lot of work.
For my first platen I bought a piece of surface ground D2 and had it heat treated.
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Adam - not sure if you caught all the background .... but the intent here is to get a glass platen working. The mounting on the Ameribrade made it really difficult to attach almost any but a really, really narrow safety shelf (and I will not be without that safety shelf - my choice). Besides - I thought it would be interested to try :) . I have to admit I have learned a fair amount along the way (mostly in terms of what I should **not** be doing :)
 
Cushing H. said:
That is a good idea - using the mill to keep the tap aligned ---- ack, although I dont have collets .... just a 3/8" endmill holder. I could try the drill chuck - but not sure if it will have the grip to avoid the tap from slipping.

Have been doing some reading ..... apparently I should *really* have been using a 4-flute carbide endmill for this work on even mild steel. I used what I have - 2-flute HSS. Oh well .... the fun is in the learning - right??? :)
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I just use the chuck. Some taps have a little hole in the back and you can chuck a dead center (not sure if that's the right term) that goes in the hole to keep the tap aligned while you use a tap wrench.
 
Cushing H. said:
Adam - not sure if you caught all the background .... but the intent here is to get a glass platen working. The mounting on the Ameribrade made it really difficult to attach almost any but a really, really narrow safety shelf (and I will not be without that safety shelf - my choice). Besides - I thought it would be interested to try :) . I have to admit I have learned a fair amount along the way (mostly in terms of what I should **not** be doing :)
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Sure, I did end up putting glass on the D2 Platen and have used it for about 9 years.

For the end mills you dulled you could have bought a precision ground A2, O1 or D2 Platen, you Do not even need to HT it.
For the shelf on mine I drilled 2 holes, put on a small ledge of micarta and peened brass pins into it.

You can bring a little light to that endless Black Hole with some precision ground steel :)
 
Jesse Latham said:
A platen doesn't have to be anything special. Bader 3s come with a 2x2x.250 angle iron platen.
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Oh boy ... but I’m having FUN doing it this way! (And learning something about machining along the way.... :).

(this goes to Adam’s comment also ... once the original plan failed ... I just wanted to try doing it this way. I don’t really care about the mills ... just ordered replacements for $6 each...
 
I got more time to work on this today. I actually managed to sharpen/touch up the endmill a little .... enough to complete the work. Milled down to depth, and trimmed up the shelf:
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trimmed and ground down the overall length to match the ceramic class piece:
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drilled and tapped (the tapping went smoothly.....) (in use, the bolts would actually come in from the back....)
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mounted to check fit:
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I knew it would be a tight fit between the rollers .... but should work. I think I will also grind in 45-degree angles on the back on the top and bottom to allow me to sneak the overall thing a little further backward....
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also .... I need somewhat longer bolts, as the 1/2" ones I bought only thread half-way into the holes in the platen (off to the hardware store right now..... :) ) The interesting thing will be grinding down those bolts to length .... as this arm is the only one I have set up for a flat platen. I guess I will need to use the wooden radiused platen I just made :)
 
Make sure the bolts are shorter than the hole depth when mounting the platen or they will press against the glass platen and break it.
 
Cushing H. said:
think I will also grind in 45-degree angles on the back on the top and bottom to allow me to sneak the overall thing a little further backward....
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Depending on how thick your glass is, you might not need to do this. I ground a round bevel on the top of my glass and it sits proud of the top wheel about 3/16". This give me a small area of relatively tight 'slack' belt that I use to sharpen my knives. I just hold the blade vertical and it gives me about a 10 degree bevel.
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Thanks William. I was planning on taking a close look at that geometry and rounding those upper corners before gluing the glass down...
 
Everything ready - bolts ground to the right length, ends of the metal backing angled, glass flat on bottom edge , and rounded on the top edge , all doubly cleaned and dried with rubbing alcohol, ready to glue up so maybe I can grind tomorrow.
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I know I have some JB weld.

Where is my JB Weld?

I can NOT find my JB weld.

I have to run out tomorrow and buy MORE JB weld (see post # 1 re. always running out for more stuff).

Arrrrrggggghhhhhh :)
 
You know the good thing about JB Weld is it is self leveling and when you put the glass on it will be flat.

you did all that nice milling but it really was not needed if using JB Weld :D
 
AVigil said:
You know the good thing about JB Weld is it is self leveling and when you put the glass on it will be flat.

you did all that nice milling but it really was not needed if using JB Weld :D
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Well ... my experience with pre stressed ceramics is not pleasant. For example,a simple corelle ware bowl (ok, over time more than just one) mistakenly dropped in the kitchen, deposited small sharp pieces up to 20 feet away ... in the breakfast nook, in the dining room, and even into the living room. If a little metal shelf helps me avoid that, presumably small probability, event ... I am damn well going to take the time to machine that safety shelf. Sorry ... that’s just me. :)
 
Hubert S. said:
I thought double-sided tape is the thing to use now, no?
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I have heard that ... presumably to help make up for irregularities in the underlying metal, but I killed the thing, so I know i am smooth within a couple mills ... also, tape can be “undone” with acetone. In this case (conscious decision), the shelf is narrow 1/8”), and i do not want to risk the thickness of the tape raising the glass too much above the shelf, and if need be to remove the glass ... as horsewright and others have said ... a blowtorch softens the job weld. Glass is not really expensive, so I am ok going that route.....
 
Cushing H. said:
Well ... my experience with pre stressed ceramics is not pleasant. For example,a simple corelle ware bowl (ok, over time more than just one) mistakenly dropped in the kitchen, deposited small sharp pieces up to 20 feet away ... in the breakfast nook, in the dining room, and even into the living room. If a little metal shelf helps me avoid that, presumably small probability, event ... I am damn well going to take the time to machine that safety shelf. Sorry ... that’s just me. :)
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Not talking about the shelf at all.

What I am saying is a layer of JB Weld is "self leveling" it will float the glass perfectly level even if the metal under it is not perfectly flat.
 
AVigil said:
Not talking about the shelf at all.

What I am saying is a layer of JB Weld is "self leveling" it will float the glass perfectly level even if the metal under it is not perfectly flat.
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Ah well,granted. But I learned something along the way, and picked up a few new skills....
 
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