Metal printing of a 5" gauge locomotive blast pipe

Just a short update.

Club members said I needed a better way to hold the blast pipe and not to fly cut.

I am about to finish solid modelling the clamping plates prior to printing. Hopefully the printing will take place on Friday but I am dependent on others.



AVTUR

Hi
what's wrong with a fly cutter  not to big in dia  with a small radius honed to a very sharp edge would put very light pressure while cutting  what ever you use it needs a sharp cutting edge
John

Quote from: john millsHi
what's wrong with a fly cutter  not to big in dia  with a small radius honed to a very sharp edge would put very light pressure while cutting  what ever you use it needs a sharp cutting edge
John

I am using carbide inserts and the only holder I have that does not hit the work holds a 5mm diameter profile cutter.

As a mechanical engineering apprentice I never met fly cutting so I rate it as slightly exotic! Our workshop training was very simple and basic since most of us would not meet machine tools etc again.

AVTUR

As I said earlier that big radius makes for a lot of cutter enngagement. Do you not have a left hand turning tool or even a right hand one will do at a push. Then use some inserts intended for Non ferrous with a small 0.2mm tip radius

have you got a sharp hss end mill that would be better than a 5mm radius carbide

I now have, in theory, two sets of clamping plates with steel backing plates. I should have collected the printed clamping plates yesterday but Storm Austen intervened. They are now in the post. Hopefully they will arrive on Monday, Post Office willing. Then, with better weather, progress should be made.

I will post a photo or two when they have arrived.



AVTUR

The printed clamping plates finally arrived yesterday, Friday, I do not know what resin was used (I will find out) but they hold the blast pipe snugly.

The plates will be backed by 1/2" thick steel plates with M10 screws clamping everything together as a single pack.

I hope to machine the flange faces this afternoon.

AVTUR

AVTUR

That looks to be a very substantial fixture. Better safe than sorry. 

Quote:    "Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?"

Cheers

Mike

Yesterday I got into a bit of mess and ended up deciding to hold the pack on an angle plate instead of flat in a vice.

Today I found that my larger carbide cutters had been mutilated by chilled cast iron so a new HSS 1/2" end mill (about 800rpm, depth of cut 0.010" and hand feed with cutting oil) was tried. This worked a treat, it was like machining a nice alloy steel.

Tomorrow I should finish it.


AVTUR