Metalworking projects

In August 1999 I bought Sherline mill and lathe after reading Dan Mauch's articles in Nuts and Volts on converting the former for CNC. The idea was to first learn manual metalworking and converting later. It turned out that metalworking is a wery captivating and rewarding hobby. I have even been contemplating going back to school.

In the months since then, I have completed several projects. I don't claim much originality but theese have served well as practices. I the hope that it might be beneficial for someone, pictures and descriptions follow.

A tap handle

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This is my first metalworking project. It is from Tabletop Machining by Joe Martin. I made it from stainless steel. The lustrous finish is achived by glassblasting.

Toolholder for 5/16 tools

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Soon after aquiring the Sherline equipment I bought some brased carbide tools on eBay that were described as being "imported". They turned out to be made in India and are not as lousy as some believe. I made this toolholder for them.

Machinist jack

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A very simple device to support parts during machining. The idea is from Doug Briney's The Home Shop Machinist's Handbook.

Machinist's clamp

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My first project made from mild steel. At first I was very disappointed with the mild steel, but now i've come to like it a lot.

Scribes

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The first one is made from stainless steel with silver steel point, the other has a brass handle and silver steel points.

Wood turning rest

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This one is obviously a copy of the Sherline part

Setup tool

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The idea is from Doug Briney's "The Home Shop Machinist's Handbook".

Large live center

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This one is from "The Amateur's Lathe" by L.H.Sparey, a very good book.

Milling clamps

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These are a copy of the Sherline part. There is however one difference. I use T-bolts instead of T-nuts.

7° Toolpost

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On the Sherline eGroup, one of the most popular discussion is the cutoff tool. I too have had problems with mine. The second time it broke, there was too little left for it to be useable so I ground one from 1/4" HSS. This worked quite well with zero rake angle with everything but stainless steel, so I made this 7° rake tool.

Scribing tool

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This scribing tool is from "Unimat Lathe Projects" by Gerald Wingrove

Spindle holder for Brown and Sharpe Best Test DTI

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Metric DTI's sell very cheaply at eBay. I made this holder for one such.

Holder for dial indicator

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Holder to fasten the DI to the slide.

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A detail of one of the joints.

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Me and my lathe