Machine Shop Committee Minutes: January 2018

Machine Shop
#1

Machine Shop Meeting, January 11, 2018

Chair Nick Silva absent due to work, David Kessinger acting chair.

Members present: Good turnout considering weather. 13 members present, 5 noobs (3mo< @DMS). Many new faces we spent 30 minutes introducing ourselves so a long meeting 70 minutes. Discussed how to become more involved in DMS.

Financial: Approximately $11,000+ per QBO. I believe this high. QBO shows committees have $187K. I believe we are safely around $8,500

Agenda Items:
1. Classes: Not a casual plea for people to volunteer, Acting Chair shamelessly harassed/ proposed classes for almost everyone based on what skill they said they had got some volunteers, maybe some Day Maker classes. Several people with extensive machining/tooling manufacturing background. 3 people tested out after meeting, 2 on Lathe, 1 Bridgeport

A. Volunteers for classes this month:
i. David Kessinger: 1 Bridgeport, 1 Sherline Mill, 1 Train the Trainer for Bridgeport and Sherline Mill, 1 Lathe Class
ii. Phelps: a class early in February
iii. Andrew Bitter – Tool & Die
iv. Bob Karnaugh – Lathe
v. One more, didn’t get name

B. Order: 2 of 3 shipments, just waiting on Bandsaw blades. Items suggested by committee members to add to our list:
i. Priority: Haas Tool changer parts and Release Tool Button & Cable assembly for Haas

  1. Discussed how we will probably sell Haas when we move for a new fully-loaded Tormach w/tilting 4th axis
    ii. Vacuum table for Haas, great for thin material.
    iii. DRO’s for lathe a priority
    iv. Look at Sherline lathe, DRO wonky on one axis, intermittent error.

2. Bridgeport: We need a volunteer to install the Z-axis DRO we purchased.
a. Tim Bene to lead effort.

3. Chair: Nick is on a night job now and unable to dedicate much time to DMS. Likely to continue on a permanent basis. Time to consider if someone wants to take over the remainder of the term (2 months) and perhaps continue as chair for next year. Nick really can’t do it justice right now. If there are no volunteers I will certainly continue until March albeit in absentia.
a. Group favors Nick stay leader, when he can’t be present often one of us will step forward for that night.
b. Will need to be discussed more fully at next meeting because next Chair elections in March or April.

4. CNC Sherline: Discuss what needs to be done and actions
a. Jay Phelps to take lead. Suggested we not acquire a Sherline CNC Mill until this CNC is up and running. Group agreed.

5. Short Topics for meetings. Some possibles:
a. Intro to GD&T Concepts – Geometrical Dimensioning and Tolerances
b. Measuring Techniques and common mistakes
c. Project Material Selection & Cutters
d. Heat Treatment
6. Went out to shop, showed folks around, tested some out on machines. Demo’d Cold Cut Saw.

Good meeting and glad to see new faces becoming involved.

8 Likes
#2

Sorry I couldn’t make the meeting… I brought my neighbor up and was giving him a tour.

@jphelps - I just got my mill up and running tonight with Mach3 and a WinXP Dell laptop over a parallel port. I’m happy to jump in on the CNC Sherline lathe and help. Mine is a Denford mill that I converted from their strange stuff using a parallel breakout board and Mach3. After getting the config files set and the axis movements calibrated I did a first carving tonight. :slight_smile:

Raymond

3 Likes
#3

Thinking of working on this some Sunday PM. I need to catch up though:

  1. Are we using the big PC with Mach3/4 and parallel?
  2. Are we doing anything with the USB adapter that was purchased? Where is that?
#4

I swear that teaching classes causes me to have some major medical issue. I was going to schedule a Sherline lathe class in January … and just the thought of that broke my foot …

I promise I’ll resume that when I can.

2 Likes
#5

I was going to help with HAAS classes where Nick would permit.

1 Like
#6

Transferred from PM from @jstaud

Good morning David. Thank you for hosting the committee meeting yesterday, it was my first. I’ve looked around for a vacuum table solution that would be low cost but also designed for metal work-holding.

The Pierson Workholding starter packages look awesome and are well reviewed:
Personally I’d opt for the 13.5"x20" for reasonable sized sheets of material but they all look pretty great.
http://www.piersonworkholding.com/vacuum-chuck.php

These Mighty Bite tables look nice and I know of some YouTube knifemakers who use it with success but I think it’s a bit more expensive for everything than the Pierson:
https://www.miteebite.com/products/vacmagic-vm100/
Retailer:
http://www.industrydepot.com/VacChuckPalletChanger.htm

Tormach actually makes one thats small and designed to be held in a 5" vise. It is pretty cheap but only useful for small stuff. Might work well for folks though and it’s definitely budget friendly:
https://www.tormach.com/store/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=31930&portrelay=1
They also make a bigger version that’s T-slot clamped down:
https://www.tormach.com/store/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=31185&portrelay=1

All in all I’d opt for the Pierson if the budget allowed but the other options are pretty great as well. Personally I am using sheets of material that are 10"x20" and currently I have to cut them down and I have some warping issues which is why the vacuum table would be awesome!

Thanks again.

2 Likes
#7

pdf-ized & uploaded to wiki.
Good work, gang!

1 Like
#8

Thank you for doing that, greatly appreciated.

I can send you the original document as a PDF and the formatting works if you like. Not critical, this conveys what happened and that’s what’s important.

1 Like
#9

Totally up to you.
I didn’t see it on the committee drive, so I figured it needed to be done. I leave it in your capable hands. Happy to change it out for your PDF if you send it; happy to let it lie as-is if you don’t. Mostly, I’m thrilled you guys (I wish I could say “we”) are having meetings, and posting minutes in any format… :+1:

#10

Happy joiniversary to you, @jast!

I see the forum put the cake by your name for today. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#11

Raymond, I saw your posts and great pictures of your CNC Mill. The Sherline CNC Mill also uses the C10 Parallel adapter board, although an older model that has discrete components on it. With your experience interfacing to your C10 board, then the interface to the older C10 board should be easy for you. Check the bounded manual that I created for the Sherline CNC Lathe and you will find all the documentation including all the schematics showing all the I/O ports used. I am still recovering from a truck accident so I can’t be there to help.

#12

Hope you get better quickly!

#13

FYI: In regards to your meeting discussion about the selling of the HAAS if we move and get a Tormack system to replace it. I have converted my personal Sherline CNC Mill to accept both R8 and Tormach tooling, it was a $600 bolt-on conversion which included an upgraded spindle with better bearings. The same company also offers an upgraded motor, which I do not have. I installed a taller Sherline Z column to compensate for the additional tool clearance. Works great!

2 Likes
#14

Thanks Rich! I also have experience in interfacing other things to parallel ports - EPROM programmers and controls/license dongles for arcade games.

Get well soon and let us know if you need us to come by and help you with something.

1 Like