Mill - The first good part

[Bent]

Nobody said it was gonna be easy. I am slowly learning. The 2 hardest things for me is to get used to working on 1/1000 of an inch and also to plan how to make the part with the least of re-setting clamping and tooling and also to balance the RPM and feed rate.
But we're gettin' there.
This is the first part that I am about 90% happy with - after making 3 other keyheads that turned out from disaster to 60% good.
Here you all can see pics of the mill. I call it the Boss TOS. Powerful machine!
And of course the keyhead. It is finished to 400 grit sanding and no polishing yet..

steelpart-001.jpg (93.65 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

steelpart-002.jpg (88.39 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

steelpart-004.jpg (93.12 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

[azureskys]

Hi Bent, thats beautiful looks really nice as any ive ever seen, i want your mill. Russ

[Ross Shafer]

outstanding Bent!!

[Georg]

Nice toy ... err ... mill.

That keyhead sure looks good (at least from that angle ). If I know you right you won't get past the "99% satisfied" point no matter how many you make, but others will probably say they're "100% good" long before that.

Kind of pity I won't be using that kind of keyhead on my own PSG construction...

[richard37066]

Bent -

Man-Oh-Man! You sure have climbed up that learning curve in one helluva short time! I am green with envy!

Keep it up and I may just send you a set of drawings which will tax your abilities. Ain't ready to say, yet, but it will be a doozie with teensy parts! Break out the small end mills.

Forge ahead, young man! Yer doin' great!

Richard

[Bent]

Thanks so much you all for your kind remarks!

Georg, a funny thing happened the other morning. I woke up actually thinking about your "number 7" changer idea... a big fat 3/8" 7 with horiz. arm about an inch and the vertical arm being about 2 1/2"and the tuning machine was attached to the short arm and I saw it sitting there pivoting. It was as real as the real thing.

Ok..so you can't use my keyhead in the picture...But I believe that this mill will actually make different shaped key heads

[Bent]

Bent -
Keep it up and I may just send you a set of drawings which will tax your abilities. Ain't ready to say, yet, but it will be a doozie with teensy parts! Break out the small end mills.

Richard, the sooner the better to get those drawings together. I need lots of time. I am very slow...

[Eldon]

I don't know Bent , that sure looks good to me. I could only wish, that's one reason I went keyless. Next, how do you cut the slot for the roller nut shaft.

[Bent]

Thanks Eldon,
The slot is cut with a 1/8" ball nose end mill. $12 for the silly little thing. But it should cut a lot of slots

[richard37066]

Bent -

Got a question fer ya.

Since the "fingers" which will support the roller nut shaft seem to be so slim then would it not be better to mill the roller nut shaft seat first and then the slots? I have visions of those fingers bending under the pressure of the ball mill. Not to worry?

I really don't know but, since you're the one gaining all of the experience, perhaps you can educate me as to the best way of doing it.

Remember - one of these many years I may have to face the same decision!

Thank ya, friend.

Richard