Topics include, Machine Tools & Tooling, Precision Measuring, Materials and their Properties, Electrical discussions related to machine tools, setups, fixtures and jigs and other general discussion related to amateur machining.
SteveHGraham wrote: ↑Mon Oct 14, 2019 6:32 pm
The lathe and mill will now be able to handle long work, but I won't be able to support lathe work on the mill. I don't think it's a big sacrifice. If I ever need to do it, I can always move a machine.
I've never done that, but I did set up a roller to support the end of a shaft I was putting snap-ring grooves in.
It was just there for help, as the piece shaft was hanging out of the end of the steadyrest about 4 foot.
A few toolmakers I’ve worked with have the mills turned 30 degrees or so. Never really ran into the wall, and if we had extra long parts it actually made more room sticking it out into the middle of the shop rather than into the machine next to it. A bit more beneficial for having several machines in a row, but my own mill at home is canted; gives me a slight bit more room to fit a longer bench. Also keeps handles from sticking straight out into narrow walkways.
I’ve mentioned it before. I have an electric-hydraulic stacker I picked up for a steal; like a high-rising fork lift. Makes moving machines and fixtures a breeze. I’ll probably make a jig to make it an engine lift once I have an engine to put on it.
"We'll cross that bridge once we realize nobody ever built one."
Own a forklift? I couldn't tell you how many times over the years I have moved machines around the shop. Sometimes you need to bring the machine to the work. I do a lot of architectural/ornamental work, many times the bars/tube is 10 feet or longer, requiring miters to be milled on the ends, lap joints, or threading on the ends of 12 foot rods, etc. Constant moving of machines is just part of the days work. By angling the machines a little instead of parallel to a wall definitely helps.
I would love to have a forklift, and have come across some SMOKING deals, but just can't justify one. However, I have 2 5k+ pallet jacks. One standard width, and another with wide forks. The wide one has some very simple weldments that adapt it to easily and safely move most everything in my shop. It easily straddles a full size Bridgeport 2J and allows me to shuffle at will. It also moves my big high density storage cabinets (Vidmar, Lista, Lyonn, etc), my welding/fab/work table, big drill presses, big 20" vertical saw, 50T press, surface grinder, the list is pretty much endless. The only thing I can't move easily with the pallet jacks is my 17x60 lathe (IIRC ~4500 awkward lbs). Oh, and of course there are actual pallets that can provide quite a bit of function...
I've been considering shortening the narrow one for better maneuverability, but that really hasn't been a problem. And they store easily under the lifted lathe bed, or under my main wooden storage/work cabinet that sets off the floor on spacers. Threads often discuss the wisdom of putting wheels on everything, but I prefer to have the reusable wheels that aren't too fussy about every little expansion joint usable for most stuff without having to build rolling bases for everything, and no shifty base problems to address.
Regarding organization, I laid my shop out in Sketchup using scale correct models. In my old shop the mill was at the foot of the lathe, and a big drill press was at the head. Both were potentially used supporting long parts in the lathe. Turned out the mill wasn't much use supporting the lathe (60" between centers), but the drill press table supported a bushing for long stock the the spindle on multiple occasions. Now, the lathe is along one wall with a window at the foot, and the press sets across the left of the headstock if needed. To the lathes left are the 50T press and 20" vertical bandsaw.
One 2J is to my right at the lathe with about 3' to the wall (storage for rotabs etc behind turret), 2 x 20" drill presses in a row to it's right, and the other 2J is behind me standing at the lathe. Corner between foot of lathe and mill to the right is a "gorilla" storage unit with lathe chucks and various tooling tec. So all my main machines are sort of in a little work pod area.
How can you justify moving a mill or lathe to accommodate long work. If the machine is leveled, you will un-level it when you move it. Machines in a shop are set in place and leveled. If for any reason the machine has to be moved, it has to be re-leveled.
Mr Ron,
It doesn't take that long to level a lathe or mill, nor does it really matter how long if the cost is factored into the job. There is also a lot of work out there that doesn't need to be held to thousands or tenths for that matter, especially in many of the industries I deal with. Sometimes you have to think outside the box to get a job done.
It is early here, and I have to go to work as an electrical contractor today. As the member on the board do not need any false information, to guide them, I can tell you this information is not correct! At least not with what has been posted here. Conduit is only allowed a 40% fill! Not that what BDD is actually even close to a 40% fill.
BigDumbDinosaur, "The recommended maximum wire fill for any given conduit size is primarily concerned with temperature rise, not ease of installation. In general, I stay below 50 percent fill, even on short runs. Fir example, I have 208 VAC single-phase distributed around my shop in 1 inch EMT, which is for powering my welding equipment. The circuit consists of two AWG-6 conductors, which is good for 60 amps over the distances involved. Those two conductors are slightly less than 50 percent fill. I also have 208 VAC three-phase power distributed for running my machines. That is split into several circuits, each with three AWG-12 hots, as well as a single AWG-14 neutral for the lights that are on two of the machines. There is one fractional and one integral horsepower machine on each circuit, mostly to avoid nuisance breaker trips. That wiring is also run in 1 inch EMT, which results in about 50 percent fill."
I will write more about it tonight when I get off work.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
If two #6 wires are filling a 1" conduit almost halfway, the insulation must be really something!
Tonight I got myself 125 feet of #6 Romex. I only wanted around 70 feet, but the price was nearly the same, and I can use the excess to run another circuit. It will be great using Romex and omitting yards of conduits and bends.
I may end up using #6 on a 20-amp circuit, just because I have so much.
So as to not hijack Steve's post, on how to place machines in a shop, I have started a new thread in the General Discussion forum, about wiring in the home shop. Please to there for further electrical discussions. Here is a link. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=108761
The purpose of the post, is to help people get proper information, and to discuss the many way to install wiring.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
Just a rough geometry consideration.
Let's say you have a 1 meter mill table + the 1/2 meter movement on each side you need 2 meter space.
If you place the mill in a corner you use up 1.4 meter of wall on each wall corner totaling 2.8 meters
If you place the mill parallel to the wall you use up 2 meters of wall, and have better access behind the table where you can store stuff.
