Building a bed turret

[RSG]

Agree whategO and Harold!

The small parts I make for reels can be extremely slow when you consider every operation must have the tool installed in the tail stock, set and performed then removed for the next. In many cases there's as many as four operations on each part in the tail stock alone not including the main tool holder. Most cases I'm making anywhere from fifty to one hundred at a time. Someone asked me once "why not just buy a small CNC?", while the idea is novel my client base has come to desire all "Bench made", meaning all hand built using manual equipment. If I ever went CNC the retail value would drop greatly.

[GlennW]

The only real negative of a turret is they're pretty much useless for one-off parts.

Mine gets used constantly regardless.

I've never looked at another one, but mine has 8" of travel with a ruler on the front side with an adjustable pointer so it is not always necessary to set the stops. For a quantity of parts I set the stops. For anything else I just use the scale for depth control.

[Harold_V]

Good point, Glenn. It's been so many years since I last used mine (due to the indexing problem) that I had forgotten that I used mine in similar fashion when it was on the machine and I needed a simple job done.

H

[RSG]

That's pretty cool Glenn! Thanks for the pic, the unit I'm building is rated for 4" travel.

[RSG]

I finally have the casting and am ready to start the project. I told the foundry what I plan to do and they recommended Ductile iron #8420000.....something or other. Not sure what the number was to be honest but they said it has better wear but can be machined no problem.

So I want to ask the question again, these blocks are large, 5" x 2" x 8" and so on so they wont fit in my mill vise. I was thinking about one of those two piece vises, anyone have any recommendations? Or should I just buy a 6" vise and be done with it. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Started by making split patterns



Final castings

[John Evans]

Are your vise jaws made to be mounted on the outside of the vise body like a Kurt? Had a import 2 piece vise ,did not think much of it ! Notice the word HAD !

[RSG]

Hi John, yes the jaws can be mounted to the back side but I question its ability to hold the material well given the fact they only protrude .125" above the body components.

[John Evans]

Another option is "Miti-bites" . They fit the T slots and cam into the work piece, work very well ,less than 1/2 " high.Or whip up a set of taller jaws, even aluminum would work for the limited use need for this job.

[RSG]

The soft jaw idea is good.

There is one piece that is 12" long though so that's going to stick out 4" either end, That can't be good I imagine.

[NP317]

You can machine taller vice jaws for "outside" mounting.
Have seen that done successfully.
They may even be commercially available.
RussN

[GlennW]

I'm not sure what you are making, but if you don't have Mi-T Bite's or a large enough vise: Clamp them to the table from one side using toe clamps. Make a pass on the exposed area, then add clamps to the machined area, then remove the first clamps and face that area. Flip the part and repeat.

[RSG]

Thanks Russ,

Glenn, thanks as well. I thought of that but since no one here ever mentioned it I thought it might not be a good idea as clamping and un-clamping might shift or compress something in an odd way changing the measurement from side to side. I can definitely do that.

In fact I've been thinking about a way to possibly do it where I machine one surface flat, then elevate it on some shims enough that I can machine three sides, move the clamps over and finish the forth side then finish the top. Does that make sense?