A friend asked me to drill a hole in the center of about 30 stainless steel caps.
Bored the soft jaws to the needed diameter with a should to hold them with the face perpendicular and we knocked them off in no time.
Steve
Soft Jaws
Moderator: Harold_V
-
- Posts: 2930
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
- Location: Woodinville, Washington
Re: Soft Jaws
Steve, thanks for posting this write up. Many people have commented on soft jaws but I’ve never seen an actual description and photos of parts made with them that made sense. The workholding really points out how to make these things work and how they can be used.
Very beneficial.
Glenn
Very beneficial.
Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum
Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge
Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge
Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Re: Soft Jaws
I found a 40" length of aluminum bar just waiting to be useful...
I'll de-bur them as I use them.
That should do it for soft jaws for quite a while, and the CNC mill is quite happy.
I'll de-bur them as I use them.
That should do it for soft jaws for quite a while, and the CNC mill is quite happy.
Glenn
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Re: Soft Jaws
2" bushings needed shortening as well as ID and OD changed.
Needed .002" off of the OD, so the soft jaws were pre-loaded and cut to accept the bushing flange. The bushings then ran dead concentric to the spindle axis, so shaving .002" from the OD was easy.
Now the ID gets sized.
Needed .002" off of the OD, so the soft jaws were pre-loaded and cut to accept the bushing flange. The bushings then ran dead concentric to the spindle axis, so shaving .002" from the OD was easy.
Now the ID gets sized.
Glenn
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Re: Soft Jaws
I saw in one of "Patio's" threads where someone asked about holding threaded objects.
If you're too lazy to get out the soft jaws like I sometimes am, or don't have them, an aluminum sleeve to cover the threads works well for me.
I make a fair amount of these, but only one at a time, so I have a dedicated sleeve to save tome switching chucks. It also gets a square machined on the top for a wrench, so the sleeve aids in grabbing it in the Super Spacer to cut that, as I don't have soft jaws for the Super Spacer.
I machine and thread it as bar stock and then part it off. Then use the sleeve to hold it for the other features.
If you're too lazy to get out the soft jaws like I sometimes am, or don't have them, an aluminum sleeve to cover the threads works well for me.
I make a fair amount of these, but only one at a time, so I have a dedicated sleeve to save tome switching chucks. It also gets a square machined on the top for a wrench, so the sleeve aids in grabbing it in the Super Spacer to cut that, as I don't have soft jaws for the Super Spacer.
I machine and thread it as bar stock and then part it off. Then use the sleeve to hold it for the other features.
Glenn
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
- tornitore45
- Posts: 2078
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:24 am
- Location: USA Texas, Austin
Re: Soft Jaws
My lathe is too small for a 2 pieces chuck. The smallest I can find is 5" and can't justify the cost having already 5 chucks.
So every time I need the function of soft jaws I make a split bushing.
Is not the same thing but accomplish the same purpose even if each part needs to be re-clocked.
But I rarely do more that a few parts.
I place them in a bag labeled and hang all of them on a long spike, sorted bi size. I have reused some quite a few time.
So every time I need the function of soft jaws I make a split bushing.
Is not the same thing but accomplish the same purpose even if each part needs to be re-clocked.
But I rarely do more that a few parts.
I place them in a bag labeled and hang all of them on a long spike, sorted bi size. I have reused some quite a few time.
Mauro Gaetano
in Austin TX
in Austin TX
Re: Soft Jaws
That works for when you have a small part, but when you have a larger diameter you can use these:tornitore45 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 13, 2018 1:50 pmSo every time I need the function of soft jaws I make a split bushing.
Steve
- tornitore45
- Posts: 2078
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:24 am
- Location: USA Texas, Austin
Re: Soft Jaws
Something to store away in the old memory vault in case I ever need it.That works for when you have a small part, but when you have a larger diameter you can use these:
Mauro Gaetano
in Austin TX
in Austin TX