Steel Project #4

[Bill Ford]

Pat,
Good advice, my shop instructor (many years ago) told us to do the job in your mind before you went to the rack to get your stock...sometime saves a lot of time, another tidbit, never throw away a mistake, you may can use it, or part of it later.

Lookin good Bent...Bill

[Bent]

Thanks Paul and Pat! Also Dave !
Paul, My work might look better in a photo. The end plate you see in the vise there - is garbage. I pulled a boo-boo that I don't even wanna talk about and with that went $32 worth of aluminum down the drain. But hey, look at the bright side. How else does one learn except from ones mistakes? That was a few days ago. I left it just to "recuperate". This afternoon I started again; this time on the more difficult one in the changer end. Lots of things there have to line up on the 1/64th so KEEP FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED!

Pat, yes, that would make things easier. I think drilling and tapping the threads will be easier in the mill because the vise holds the piece so damn hard, plus i can tilt the mill head the 10 degrees needed and take my time.

About the tips working the mill sure, anything you wish old buddy, but it might be like the blind leading the blind
I feel that you have a good mechanical aptitude so you'll likely ease right into the mill.
My first advice to you: save your pennies and buy a mill that stands on the floor, don't fall for one of those bench top ones. They are way too light and flimsy, too much vibration and every operation will take you too much time. Right now I am milling 70 thou deep with a 1" end mill, and the machine is just playing with it.

Keep an eye on auction sales and kijiji. Sometimes you can pick up a big ole Bridgeport or Excello for the scrap price almost.

[Bent]

Bill YESS!! to that last part...After I screwed up that first end plate I did keep it in the scrap pile but now have set it on the work bench and I use it for reference when milling #2. So that is great advice! I also agree with the concept of doing the job in my mind before starting.. Trouble with me now, due to age issues etc, I have a harder time of it conceptualizing and seeing things in my minds eye. After standing there studying the piece, my brain seems to OD. Well, that's the way it is, trying to teach an old dog new tricks

[Bill Ford]

Bent, my friend...It's called a learning curve. You know what they(whoever "they" are)say, take it slow on the curves. You still have my email,I'll do my best to help when/if needed.

Personally, I think you are doing good...Hang in there..Bill

[richard37066]

Bent -

Take a deep breath - relax!

I'm amazed at how much you've accomplished in having a mill for such a short period of time. If it'll make ya feel any better then I can tell you that at my advanced age I, too, have more of a sweat attempting to visualize things - be it a shape or a sequence - than I did some many, many years ago.

You've certainly got both the talent and wherewithall to get the job done. I'll bet that ya just forgot to take that extra coffee break before the disaster!

Not to worry! It will all come together in due time and each PSG that you build will be better than the last. Guaranteed!

Richard

[Bent]

Bill, Richard, Thanks for the reassuring words. Believe me, Bill, what you said, worked. I stood there and went thru in my mind, the different steps needed to complete a rather difficult part. I went at the more difficult endplate and as of tonight it is almost done, without too many screw-ups.

[Bent]

Been busy making knee levers/brackets the last few days. Now catching up on orders and will make the last couple of things and that should be it for the metal parts. After that is the fun part - the body!

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[Storm Rosson]

Lookin good dawg, hope those pics helped you, I can't hardly bring my self to tell you how a leaking acetone can dripped on my current project and totally ruined the finish....total sh*t !!! However me thinks you're gettin the hang of that old TOS buddy.....Stormy..

[azureskys]

Hi Bent , parts are looking good . Russ

[Bent]

Thanks guys. Every time I make a part, I see an improvement. So it is going the right way for this old dog. Made a keyhead on order today and it turned out quite nice.
Hey Storm my heart bleeds for you buddy...after you got the thing looking that pretty you had to have an accident!
But you should be able to refinish huh? Just wash the whole body with acetone, get it fairly smooth and the new lacquer should melt right in with the old shouldn't it?