Author Topic: Building a milling machine  (Read 111670 times)

Offline awemawson

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #175 on: July 27, 2014, 12:47:06 PM »
The surface area to volume ratio is huge for swarf and cans, so you get a disproportionate amount of dross (oxides).

You can best melt them by forming  a molten pool from ingot, then plunging them under the surface with a poker or de-gassing plunger (shaped like the thing my mum called a poss and pounded her washing with in the 1930's and 40's)
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #176 on: July 27, 2014, 08:02:59 PM »
I've never seen oxides go to the bottom of an aluminum melt -- at least none that I've ever done. They float and get skimmed off.  I can't imagine fine swarf like that residue wouldn't have melted in a pot full of molten aluminum.

That looks like steel swarf and pieces -- was it mixed metal swarf to begin with, Norman?
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline chipenter

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #177 on: July 28, 2014, 03:22:51 AM »
I have cast swarf with no problems just have to compress it well , tin cans on the the outher hand have printing on them , and something on the inside to stop the tast of the alie , and a melt of just tins leave a grey dross on the bottom I just make ingots of them second melt is fine .
Jeff

Offline Meldonmech

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #178 on: July 28, 2014, 04:21:20 AM »
Norman

                I have melted swarf and cans in the past and had the same experience. By the time you have melted the scrap into ingots and the percentage of actual useable metal that results, plus the cost of fuel and your time, it is not worth the effort. Last time I visited the scrap man I got six kg of pristine aluminium for nine pounds. It did not even need to be cast into ingots, and there was no dross.
 
                                                          Cheers David


Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #179 on: July 28, 2014, 04:41:02 PM »
Steve, I was pretty sure that it was all aluminium but I tested it with a magnet anyway. There is no steel in it. I imagine that it just formed an oxide but I am surprised that it did not float with the usual dross to be skimmed off.
I won't bother to try to reuse my swarf or old cans again, I only did it this time to see how it would go.
David, I only paid 80p per kilo for my aluminium scrap, you should find a cheaper scrap man!
Mind you, I did buy nearly 60kg.

Offline Meldonmech

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #180 on: July 29, 2014, 07:01:22 AM »

                       Norman  I am shocked !! Feel like I have been ripped off, no wonder he has a new car.

                                                 I must get out more          Cheers David

Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #181 on: July 29, 2014, 10:15:22 AM »
Off topic but the comparison of scrap costs made me think about the cost of casting in general.
A few years ago I lived in the Falkland Islands, charcoal or gas were both imported so were very expensive so I used peat as a fuel as it was free. Peat is difficult to light but does a perfectly good job.
On my return to UK I built a furnace and first of all used charcoal which was very expensive and worst of all it was difficult to find plain charcoal, the manufacturers messed about with to make it easy lighting and it produced clouds of smoke on first lighting.
I considered a waste oil burner but was put off by what appeared to be overly complicated burners, valves and procedures. Instead I made a burner for propane, which was very simple and have used it for all the castings for my milling machine and for preparing ingots. I was initially concerned at the cost of fuel but have been pleased to find that it is not as bad as I had originally thought plus it is very convenient. For all the castings that I have produced I have used less than two 19kg cylinders of gas, at £27 per cylinder I don't think that is too bad, certainly not enough to break the bank.
I did make enquiries at my local kebab house about his waste oil expecting that he had to pay someone to remove it but was surprised to find that he was paid for it, so it is not a free source.

Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #182 on: August 02, 2014, 11:44:56 AM »
Today I made swarf!!!!!!!!
There are just a couple of little jobs to finish off and then it is done
What shall I make with it? Another machine?

Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #183 on: August 02, 2014, 11:53:03 AM »
What shall I make with it? Another machine?

YES. YES. YESHHHH. :beer:

Pekka

Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #184 on: August 02, 2014, 12:27:39 PM »
I know what I'll make. A machine vice to use on the mill!

Offline philf

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #185 on: August 02, 2014, 01:12:33 PM »
Today I made swarf!!!!!!!!

Well done Norman - you should be very proud! :clap:

:beer:

Phil.
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Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline S. Heslop

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #186 on: August 02, 2014, 01:20:53 PM »
Today I made swarf!!!!!!!!

Nice! The machine looks fantastic.

Offline Meldonmech

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #187 on: August 02, 2014, 02:03:52 PM »

Well done Norman, I admire the way you solved each problem you encountered on the way, and deserve the success you have achieved.
          I agree a machine vice would make a nice addition to your mill.

                                                 Cheers David

Offline awemawson

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #188 on: August 02, 2014, 02:20:52 PM »
 :bow: :bow: SWARF  :bow: :bow:

Oh I know that feeling - you travel a long journey and in the end you get what you'd intended - oh SO satisfying  :ddb:

Now collect that swarf and melt it down  :lol:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #189 on: August 02, 2014, 03:56:20 PM »
Congratulations Norman!  :clap: :clap: :clap:

There must be very few people who have designed and built their own vertical mill from scratch, including making all the castings.

I also think a milling vise would add utility to your project. Toe cl(r)amps are pretty necessary too. Angle plates, etc, all needed, unless you have them already.

Collet spinner, rotary table, all desirable.

But the milling vise does seem like a really nice and not overly long project as the next thing to do with your new machine.

 :beer:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline tom osselton

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #190 on: August 02, 2014, 08:07:12 PM »
It's nice to see the swarf! Well done!

Offline mattinker

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #191 on: August 02, 2014, 10:15:46 PM »
Gratifying to see you get to this point!! I think Steves idea of making a vice is a good idea. I take chips to the scrap man and use "wheelium", car wheels whenever I can for structural stuff.

Well done, regards, Matthew

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #192 on: August 02, 2014, 11:03:50 PM »
Norman's idea......  :dremel:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline mattinker

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #193 on: August 03, 2014, 12:23:45 AM »
Yes, your right!!

Matthew

Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #194 on: August 03, 2014, 03:25:11 AM »
Thank you for your nice comments, it feels good to have finished but I also have a bit of an empty feeling. I'll just have to get on with the vice!

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #195 on: August 03, 2014, 07:48:36 AM »
I've got a milling vise, but also always wanted one of the Atlas shaper pattern. I'd like to find drawings of that one.
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline nel2lar

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #196 on: August 18, 2014, 12:27:51 AM »
Norman
Congratulation on your success. Casting has a great feel good feeling when a job comes full cycle. Very nice build.
Nelson Collar

Offline awemawson

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #197 on: August 18, 2014, 06:27:22 AM »
Norman, there's just shy of 2kGs of Sodium Silicate on the way to you via MyHermes

Enjoy!
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Arbalist

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #198 on: August 18, 2014, 10:08:23 AM »
Well done Norman.  :thumbup: Let's see a nice full shot of the machine.

Offline NormanV

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Re: Building a milling machine
« Reply #199 on: August 18, 2014, 01:42:53 PM »
Thank you for your kind comments.
Thank you Andrew, I'll let you know when it has arrived.
Arbalist here is a full length photo, if you look closely you will see a 12" ruler propped on the front of the table.
The working envelope is X 290mm Y 150mm Z 210mm
I need to get a door made for the electrics compartment.