Single class project ideas

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

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whateg0
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by whateg0 »

Mr Ron wrote: Sun Apr 04, 2021 12:24 pm When I went to trade school way back around 1955, the project was to make a cube from steel that was 90°on all sides. This was done by hand; no machine. The object was to develop manual dexterity and not rely on a machine. It required using files to square up a block and checking with a square. Your students need to develop that skill.
Do you know how many people would voluntarily sign up for that class? Especially since the class is to learn how to use a milling machine?
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Tillies in a Bottle
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Tillies in a Bottle »

Guy Lautard mentions many times about the usefulness of filing. He wrote the "machinist's bedside reader series". He talks about it as if it were a lost art. I figure a skillful filer could cut keyways, square up stock, file accurate radiused features on a part, cut gear teeth- all milling machine operations.
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Tillies in a Bottle
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by Tillies in a Bottle »

and I think a good easy first milling machine project would be a block for grinding 60 degree threading tools. Tubalcain makes one in one of his youtube vids. That's pretty simple, it could even be one side for 1/4 lathe tools and one side for 5/16. I know you mentioned it's not a lathe class, but that was one of the first things I wanted a mill for.
pete
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Re: Single class project ideas

Post by pete »

How many students? If anything teaching a class about milling would likely take multiple classes just for the basics. If it were me? I'd first have them go through the 4 part MIT produced Milling Machine course (part 1 here) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5gjkYvMg8A on there own time before they get in front of the machine for real. Even produced by MIT there's some methods and explanations I don't necessarily agree with 100%. Mostly my criticism's are about using the machine correctly to gain the best rigidity and me having to pay for everything I'm using verses the instructor not needing to care as much about what he's using. There videos are pretty good, but still not perfect. In any industrial training I've been involved with where videos were being used, almost always there was some kind of written test to see if you even paid attention to the video. In a single class I doubt there's anything really useful that could be produced in the limited time. Squaring up a rough cut steel or aluminum block or plate to specific dimensions with maybe + - .002" allowed and maybe coordinate drilling a 4 hole square pattern would teach some of the basics and the importance of compensating for backlash. Handle dials only and no use of a dro.
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