From Nils to Skills Uber Challenge - Compact Workshop Press

[Toolmaker51]

Hi folks I made a start on the spacers today and the first one is nearly done, though it's been tough for my little old lathe working such a large piece. I'm now facing the spacer to length as I didn't like how much blade stick out there would have to be using my parting tool, it's slow going but safer: More soon...

Yes Canobi, the present set-up [part length-diameter-depth of chuck jaws] exceed border of parting off that cylinder. MAYBE right up at the jaws, nowhere else.
I'd hesitate less with a live center in the open end; scoring a line for the saw. Just set dial zero a couple hundred short of penetrating the hole, but perfect parting cutter alignment and dependable flow of coolant would be fairly critical. None of those avoid stick-out; biggest problem of all.

[Canobi]

Yeh, I probably should have used a live centre but got by. I worked out that by changing the order of operations, it shouldn't be such hard going for the next one. Will post more soon...

[Canobi]

Hi folks

I started figuring out a way to mount the bottle jack yesterday morning before going to work. After some tinkering I favoured using the remainder of the C channel to make two short lengths I can weld on either side of the frame to make the footing.

Initially I was going to drill holes in the base of the jack but opted to use a non destructive method instead. To that end I chopped a length of 50x50x5mm right angle into four equal widths of 50mm to make hold downs:



I then cleaned off the mill scale from the channel pieces for marking and centre punching, at this point I hadn't worked a system for the back end and as I'm having a drill crisis at the moment, I took the front parts with me and borrowed the drill press at work during my break times to drill out the holes.

I've been using the bottom of the press frame for mocking up and working things out:



This morning I took the remaining two right angle pieces and cut off most of one side. I had already centre punched them so made sure it was the blank side I was going to cut and left about 10mm to act as a riser, unlike the front hold downs, the rear ones will be bolted down vertically:


While it was on my grinder, I used the outside diameter of the grinding disc to cut a radius in the corner of the left side clamp to give some clearance:


I then marked out the clamp holes on the rear channel and centre punched them after taking this pic:


Here's the mock up of the arrangement:



I will be borrowing works drill press again for these parts as well later and will report back again soon.

Until then, TTFN

[PJs]

404 error not found!!

Looking Good Canobi or should I say Tigger!

[Canobi]

Thanks PJs

Not sure what went on with the missing pic, it was up and working when I posted. I'm using a different hosting site for it so should be working now.

[Toolmaker51]

Hi folks...........After some tinkering I favoured using the remainder of the C channel to make two short lengths I can weld on either side of the frame to make the footing.

Structural shapes [c-channel, I-beam, wide flange, round/ square/ rectangular tube, angle & unequal leg] offer thickness and profile combinations begging use in this manner; by re-configuring their contours. This avoids what otherwise proves labor intensive, even counter productive use of solid materials.

[owen moore]

Canobi, your photography is peerless. Those are some of the finest pictures I have seen on here!

[Canobi]

You are too kind good sir, I am humbled by your praise ��

[Canobi]

I made a little progress but things got a bit busy and I haven't had time to post anything until now.

I got the mount for the bottle jack welded in place and did a test fit:







I found I can move the jack about 1/2" either direction of centre prior to tightening the rear clamps, which could actually come in handy. I hadn't considered making the jack moveable but may well modify it for greater travel in the future.

Next up is to finish putting the holes in the hight adjustment blocks. I got one done and started a second yesterday but unfortunately my mag drill packed up good and proper

As luck would have it though, I just found out today that R&D at work recently got one, so I'm hoping if I ask very nicely, they might let me use it. I'll probably have to take the frame in to work with me as I doubt very much they'll let me take the mag drill off site but that's fine with me....

[Toolmaker51]

I found I can move the jack about 1/2" either direction of centre prior to tightening the rear clamps, which could actually come in handy. I hadn't considered making the jack moveable but may well modify it for greater travel in the future.

Whenever it was I first started using hydraulic presses, being able to relocate a ram proves a definite advantage. Not everything is symmetrical, or fits between the uprights conveniently.