Workshop Practice Series News Today

Posted by Howard Lewis on 07/04/2021 15:17:20: If you use an Involute gear cutter, it is likely to be marked with the df number, which is the depth of cut. More usually referred to as d + f . If you search for d + f gear or whole depth of gear tooth, there is a lot of material available. For metric gears, this one is good: https://khkgears.net/new/gear_knowledge/abcs_of_gears-b/basic_gear_terminology_calculation.html For imperial gears (not your current challenge), this one is good: https://www...

I just use a plain knife tool - with a cutting edge square to the spindle centreline, a plan trail angle of *about* 20 degrees and a point radius of about 20 thou/ half a mm. Leftmost tool in the pic. If Im roughing, I might angle the toolpost to give a plan approach angle of 10 degrees or so, but as an amateur machinist Im not often in enough of a hurry to do that. If Im finishing, I quite often cock the toolpost over so as to almost eliminate the plan trail angle, and use the trailing edge of...

And as recent Forum posts have shown, there are scammers out there waiting for the unwary. An old machine will lack the features "normal" to more modern machines, may be worn or damaged, and could have parts missing. Finding replacements can be problematical, even IF a part can be found. It may be even more worn or damaged than the part that you want to replace. Or your machine may be a Mk1, and the part, when it arrives turns out to be for a Mk2A. and so either will not fit (They upgraded / ch...

Having just replaced the headstock bearings and the hi - lo gears in there with metal ones, i guess this was bound to happen, The toothed drive gear that the motor drives exploded on me when i accidentily dug in whilst parting. Now i was thinking of changing that gear anyway for a slightly larger one, so i can get a little more torque at the low end. Im thinking if i go for a metal one, the weak link will then be the belt or the motor drive gear, so would i be best going with a plastic gear h...

Sherline model 4000 ** LINK ** Sherline lathes are a similar concept to the Taig lathe. Plenty of accessories available including DRO and CNC options. Sieg C0 is the latest incarnation of the Unimat 3 (which was derived from the Toyo ML 210). As supplied it is a very nice, though small, plain turning lathe that can be lifted by one (strong) hand. Accepts all Unimat 3 accessories making it a very versatile machine and can become the heart of a small workshop. I would strongly urge you to obtain ...