The Machine Work Thread

[Vanapplebomb]

Last year, I finally got a milling machine of my own. Over the winter I rebuilt the head and cleaned up the rest of the machine. I went hunting for a good thread to add some content to, but no existing thread seemed quite what I had in mind. So, I thought TheSamba could use a thread for people to post up their machine work, tools, techniques, etc. Anything from the humble home gamer with a few basic tools to professionals with full shops, no matter how basic or complex the operation.

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Figured I may as well start it off with a Type 4 case I am boring out for 103mm pistons/cylinders. I finished up the 1/2 side of the case, but need a little welding done on the 3/4 side yet before going any farther with that side. More on that to come in the future.

Although I have a fair amount of machining experience from my work in engineering and the automation industry, this was the first VW case I did on my own machine in my home shop.

I have bored holes for bearings and bushings before, and figured one hole is really no different than the other, so how hard could it be to open up a case? Someday my attitude of “how bad could it be?” and “what could go wrong?” will catch up with me, but I am happy with how this turned out.

Sure, there are more efficient and specialized tools for opening up cases for big bore cylinders, but I worked with what I had on hand which was just an old school boring head.


Part 1 of 3 - Preliminary discussion on case prep. If rambling bores you, skip to video two or three.


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Part 2 of 3 - Fixturing, indicating, boring head tool, and mill setup.


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Part 3 of 3 - Boring the case and measuring


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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[oprn]

I am interested!

I bought a small milling machine a few years back with hopes of learning to use it in retirement. If I ever get the kitchen renovation done....
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Chickensoup]

time for a cnc conversion
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-'85 c10 5.3 LS, 222 cam, long tubes, x pipe, 3 inch spin tech's
-'05 B5.5 TDI Wagon 17in sport rims ;EGR + BSM + ASV Delete, Stage-2 Tune, straight pipe
'65 Tourist Delivery Build
'66 RIP
'69 RIP
Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

[Vanapplebomb]

[oprn]

Bench top model. I bought it from the widow of a friend of mine. Unfortunately she sold his lathe and gave the new owner all the tooling for the mill to so I will be starting from scratch on the tooling. It may not be big enough for a VW head.

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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[modok]

So in canada... Rong fu 31 is called busybee?
Did you get that at princess auto?

Still very useful if you know what it can do
I tried to buy one years ago but everybody wanted 1500$+
I got a bridgeport II special for a few dollars less

[chrisflstf]

It would be cool to have a simple tutorial on common milling practices, terms, uses and what not. Fixtures, application, how to's for all the tool junkies, like me

[modok]

How about a tutorial on cutter geometry?
Better as a separate thread tho, but we can put links from here to there as needed.

[oprn]

No idea where he bought it. I did get an indexing head with it though...

Yes any tutorial would be excellent. I'm in!
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[jpaull]

[Wreck]

I've a similar mill , in Aus they are a Hafco HM30 , I also recently invested in a Hafco 320 lathe . 320mm swing . The mill was second hand $1000 aud with some tooling , it would have paid for itself if I've had to pay for the work I've done on it , even at "Mates Rates" . The Lathe is new . finding a good second hand lathe around here for a good price is very hard .

I did the same as Dirk with opening up a case for bigger cylinders ,only all manual feed . took a while but I was learning as I went .I don't have a DRO and was not perfect in the machining but the end result has proven to be reliable .
I also have converted a pair of Arctic Cat ITB's to fit IDF manifolds . made new shafts , air filter base ,fuel rails etc

Latest thing was a trigger wheel from 8mm plate .
I think this is a great thread , sharing ideas and knowledge . tool geometry or the correct insert type for the required job , plus cutting speeds etc .

[oprn]

My lathe is an old belt drive South Bend with a drawer full of gears for threading. It’s well used and could use some work but I wouldn’t be without it!
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[BANSHEEBTF1600]

No pics but I machined out a bad case saver on my CNC mill and fly cut the cylinder head valve cover rails for perfect sealing. Rtv'd the cork to a really clean cover and never has a leak yet. Only took around 0.010 off of the heads.

[nsracing]

So - machinetools porn?

People here might think some of you's are elitists. I thought we had a thread w/ 'My machinetool is bigger than yours' -thread.

We just had one on machining heads - guides and things.

i will post some of mine - they are all in my gallery. I need to get my Gleason crank welder going. I am stickly w/ machines. I want to detail them first and make sure all the wirings are ship-shape before I re-fire them up. But of course, I see them running when I buy them.

Getting some headway on my GoPower dynamometer is my project this time.

[Vanapplebomb]

[Vanapplebomb]

[chrisflstf]

Ok, Here is a machining question/tooling question. How can someone with a drill press, small X & Y table, dremel, files, welder, saws, etc make something to do a simple 30 degree backcut on 4 intake valves? The width of the cut needs to be about .025” My mind draws a blank

I watched a guy on you tube hand hold a dewalt against a small bench sander to do it, and although, it wasn’t bad, no way would I try that

Yeah I can send the valves out or find a local head shop, but I like to experiment when possible.

[Wreck]

[Vanapplebomb]

You did a really good job with that. I’m super impressed how nice that came out for such a manual operation.
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[oprn]

Motor skills like that are very rare these days!
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)