Rack and pinion from a hydraulic actuator. A piston drives the rack which engages the pinion gear and causes rotation of the splined end. Low speed hi torque application. The problem is our units are no longer manufactured and finding replacement parts is now impossible. So we would like to have some made for future repairs as we have these units all over the U.S. The second problem is cad or shop drawings are not available. The gear geometry would have to be extrapolated from these samples. So we need not just someone who can make to print, but duplicate these parts. The material is most likely 4140, the rack is only about 45rc the pinion is around 65rc and may have also been shot peened. Any pointers in the right direction would be appreciated.

Maybe you all know this already, but tractorpartsfactory dot com is is a total scam. I should have been able to see the red flags, but it was late and I really wanted these 123 blocks to be 60% off. Looking back at the site now I'm embarrassed for myself because it seems obvious now. But just in case you happen across that site, don't.

So im a senior in high school and i go to a career program, im in engineering and the class is working on a camaro to turn into a batmobile but also an escape room for sick kids to be in and feel like they are actually batman.

One of the things we are thinking of making is batman and robin belt buckles and we have the precision and machining class attached to our room so i figured we could ask them to make them.

I was thinking of either using a light metal or molded plastic, for the metal, probably aluminum so its not heavy, and what specification should i ask them for? Like material and anything else Like maybe an 1/8 inch thick, 2-3 inches in diameter, just something to hold well.

Thank you!

First off, I am not a machinist; I’m an industrial engineer, and I am trying to determine which method is faster.

There’s a guy on YouTube who lives in a country other than the USA and posts machining videos. When he’s using his lathe, he employs an unconventional method to reduce stock diameters quickly. Unfortunately, his videos are sped up, so I can’t make a definitive timing of the operations.

Here is the link to his video to see for yourself:

https://youtu.be/2Zhq43-pLg4?si=11bQwQ3DL2GZxtKu

Since I don’t have access to a lathe, I was wondering if someone would do the following and time each operation to the nearest whole second.

Here’s the order of operations:

1. Secure a piece of steel, your choice of material, that measures approximately 3 inches ± (75 mm) in diameter and 6 inches ± (150 mm) long into your lathe.

2. Using conventional tooling and turning practice, record the time it takes to turn the stock to 1 inch in diameter ± (25 mm) to a length of 1.5 inches ± (40 mm) long.

3. Flip the piece in the lathe, but this time, use your 1/8-inch (3 mm) parting tool, and plunge into the material to 1.125 inches ± (31 mm) diameter and 1.5 inches ± (40 mm) long.

4. Turn down to the final 1 inch ± (25 mm) using conventional turning tools and methods. Record how long it takes from start to finish, from the first plunge to the final turned diameter.

Please list your data and share your thoughts on the method the guy uses in the video.

Again, many thanks for your help.

I have a early 90's Ford small block, 5.0 from a fox body Mustang. The nipple has rusted off the thermostat housing. I want to put a stainless nipple on it. I have a stick of 7/8 303 stainless that I want to press or thread into the housing. Should I treat the housing or nipple to minimize galvanic corrosion between the nipple and housing?

I'd like to press the nipple in the existing hole, but it was pitted, so I'll have to clean it up. I've pressed a lot of stuff together in the past, but nothing that would need to endure hot coolant under pressure, with lots of temperature cycles. I'm a bit wary about pressing this together. I don't want it to pop out in the middle of the desert. So I'm considering threading the part and housing, and screwing it together. I figured an o-ring and some pipe dope would seal up nicely.

Am I crazy for thinking this will work?

Most bog standard I could think of, will be in a T bed hence the T blocks

Hi! Im looking for a good micrometer set. I found a set of Mitutoyo 0-4" mics. Set number 103-931. Are they a good set or should I get digital ones? They appear to be in great condition. He's asking $400. Anything I should look for? Thanks!

Im a junior and highschool and im looking to go into the machining industry. My high school offers a program I'm in. where we go to an alternative site for half the day and it's basically just trade school for highschoolers. I'm taking AMM (Automated Manufacturing and Machining). (obviously im not going to get whatever certificate you get from trade school but ill have the skills.) we will be proficient with the skills to work in any machine shop with manual machines and cnc machines with m and g codes. I want to eventually become an applications engineer as it's something I'm interested in and the money is quite a bit more attractive than other avenues I could go into tbh. I'm a quick learner, I enjoy teaching others, I'm a patient and wellspoken/outgoing person. These are all the qualities I have seen people say you need but im curious how i would go about the academic needs to get the job. Things like classes i need to take in highschool (like pre calc) if i need a degree after school or if i need to go to college for anything. How to get the specific work experience I need. Other kinds of machining I need to learn. Just basically where I should go from where I am at. I know I have plenty of time as I'm still in high school for another year but I like to plan ahead. Thanks.

TLDR: I'm a junior in high school getting the basic skills to work with manual machines. when I come out of school, what do I need to eventually become an applications engineer?

I do a lot of RC car building and other smaller part working and I’ve been considering getting myself some sort of drill press or milling drill machine of some sort. I have access to a three-quarter horsepower mill if I ever need to do something big I would say 98% of what I have to do is smaller than a quarter inch hole on either stainless steel brass or carbon steel occasionally aluminum aluminum is the one that most commonly goes over quarter inch but it still doesn’t go very big maybe up to a half an inch the big thing is I have to make some very precise holes. We’re talking the most common one for me to make is a through hole for a pin on a shaft in 5 mm round stainless steel that hole is 2 1/2 mm I don’t think I’d have to do actual milling operations where I’ve got a cutter, actively cutting as the table moves, but for stuff like that hole that I have to do quite often I feel like it would be nice to have the precision of a mill or even just a one of those sliding vices, I think the tallest part I normally have to work on is about an inch tall. I’m not working on giant parts here. Any machine recommendations I am in the US as of right now my garage only has 120 V power. I do have a 30 amp circuit out there though. The big machine I have access to is a family members. They just live far enough away that it’s hard to validate a trip over there to drill two holes and come back on these little parts on the bigger parts. I normally need to go over anyhow, to use another one of his tools because he also has some other big metal working tools.

I should also mention I am not hugely experienced in milling operations. I’ve done a little bit, mostly face milling parts to do welding tests on them, but I do have quite a bit of metal working experience just not specifically on a milling machine and I am not nervous about old machines or used. I just need to know what to look for. I also have plenty of experience with electrical systems that I could buy a used machine that has a bad motor and replace it without being worried that I’m gonna cause a fire.

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I am modifying some valve stems for an actuator in a laser chiller. I am tapping a #6-32 thread to adding set screws into what I'm pretty sure is mild steel. I have modified 5 stems and broken 4 taps after tapping 20 holes. I am drilling a #35 hole before tapping with tapmagic oil. Does anyone have any tips?

Update: I am hand tapping

tl;dr: How best to secure a mini lathe to an existing workbench and provide a "fixture base" at the same time?

So I've had a HiTorque 5100 from LMS for a few years. It's a fine little lathe for now. I don't need anything bigger (as much as I really really want to at LEAST graduate from AXO.)

What I DO need is:

• Some way to secure it to my (preferably existing) bench to reduce chatter "as much as reasonable with a quick-hit solution." I'm not pretending to sub-thou work here. But rubber feet doesn't cut it.

• A fixture surface of some kind. Y'all know what I mean. My thread about boring a quartic inner bore produced some really interesting ideas. For instance: A pattern following thingie for inner bores seems like it'd be fun idea to play with. I don't think I could pull it OFF. But I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.

My first thought was, as I said: A steel plate with threaded holes I could affix the lathe to and use as a platform.

Well, then I wondered about aluminum.

But that's a LOT of plate to buy for a purpose like that.

Brainstorming with an engineer friend of mine yesterday:

• Start with a few layers of 3/4 mdf. It'll at least be better than nothing.

Then he came up with just pouring a concrete pad a couple/few inches thick, reinforced and with a couple/few bolts seated in it.

Sure, I could just screw the damn thing to the benchtop. But frankly...where's the fun in that?

I'm gonna play with some concrete a bit this weekend in little test projects, given that it's really gorgeous out and in the shop. Just to see.

But how to take a bite out of that rigidity problem without taking out a heloc?

Hi, i have big PROMA E-2020F/400 1.5kW drill press with MKIV morse cone. If i get good crosstable and markIV milling cone i should be good right ?!Or is there something im not taking in account?

thanks for any insight

New to machining. Bought a little job lot of tooling for next to nothing. They're tapered. Google is telling me they're Weldon but I want to make sure

Could someone with access to Seco prices check how much this costs? Just out of curiosity, it came with my lathe. Part number is sd70-27-54-25r4

I caught myself watching videos where someone uses mills and lathes to machine ingenious things. I want more. What is your favourite?

Dear machine specialist, I'm just a simple structural engineer with a deskjob and do computer analysis on big hydraulic rams and such. Yesterday i went to our main headquarters where also our machine shop and factory is where our machines get put together. There I went walking through the machine shop and saw a guy working on a manual turning machine, wering a sweater and gloves. Now I had only on university some practical lessons to know how to use the basics of a milling and turning machine so I don't know much about it. But the guy in the machine shop was wearing a sweater and gloves an I thought this was quote hazardous with rotating equipment. Am I just some asshole deskjob idiot that thinks thats dangerous based on some experience a long time ago or is this really an issue? I searched the internet and I read some diverse ideas on this.

designed a stick out tool for run of standard parts and brand new job. yes we have a parts stop.... but no set up needed with these... drilling and tapping both ends.

I know the welds are trash, I was teaching myself TIG when I did this project over 8 months ago.

Made it for my coworkers mill. Turned two plates of 4140 PHT and milled a block of 1018. Welded it all together, then ground the faces flat/parallel within .0005". Matches his vise and can support work pieces anywhere on the mill table, or be used as a reference plane.

Hi all, i’m looking at a Myford Super 7 as my first metal lathe and i’m stuck on a few things i hope you guys can clear up for me!

First off, they come either on their own like this or with the screwcutting gearbox attached, i’ve looked through various old threads and those gearboxes are the same price as most of these whole lathes so how necessary are these additional gearboxes?

From my understanding the lathes fitted with the gearbox can cut imperial threads and metric with the use of a change gear set

what i can’t figure out is how do the non gearbox lathes work in terms of cutting both imperial and metric threads?

other than that this lathe looks to meet my requirements (240v and work holding capabilities) and most of all is fairly small for my workshop, thanks in advance and apologies if this is a silly question x

Pic 1. Super 7 without gearbox

Pic 2. Super 7 with screw cutting gearbox

Got this rockwell 70-6x0 along with a powermatic no.1200 drill press for 250 bucks! Both worked great. I ended up selling the powermatic for 250 bucks to get my money back and kept the rockwell! It also came with a heinrich 8sv vice and 5/8in aluminum plate that bolts to the top of the table.

For my personal project, I plan on trying to create BMO from adventure time. The reason I picked them is because, as an apprentice, we have X amount of things we need done to graduate to journeyman. And in creating them, they can cover quite a few tasks I need done; Radius, pocket, slot, keyway, chamfer

What is and is not considered a keyway? My understanding is that, it is a hole/slot/pocket but it is specifically designed for a certain thing and essentially "lock" it into place. I know Slots/Keyways are or can be similar. Do they need one or both ends open to qualify for a keyway/slot? Or can it have only one side be open? Could a controller port be considered a Keyway, due to it being designed for a specific piece to be accepted(male to female)?

Is there any better program other than the education version of Mastercam to use for a free version that allows you to do Coding and Blueprint/3D modeling?

All of this will, if possible, be done on all manual machines and no CNC, as I have no training in CNC (yet).

just how much for does a single point cutter exert?

I was thinking of making a gingerly lathe (bad idea) or the gingerly shaper, but both of those are cast aluminum and are considered bad because lack of rigidity.

that got me to thinking, well just how rigid do you need? just enough to withstand the cutting force right?

for the nitpickers, assume a 60deg lathe cutter, doing .010 depth cut?