Lathemaster
Dirty Lathe
Here is a picture I snapped of the Lathemaster just after I finished the Harley axle cap boring I described earlier. I keep my machines clean most of the time when they are not in use. I get a little gentle kidding from time to time from readers that I don’t keep my tools dirty enough.
They do when in use become a mess as you see. But I have a garage shop with a walk directly through the door into the main house. I am “permitted” by the house boss to make any mess necessary, but I know without spousal reminder that I need to clean up as soon as possible.
You may think that is the only reason but it is not. I actually LIKE to keep my tools and workspace clean. Cluttered, yes “guilty” but always clean within reason. 🙂
A Boring Weekend
I had a good weekend in the shop. I bored out some axle caps for use on a Harley motorcycle. I didn’t create them, but the owner updated his ride to a new machine and the caps would not fit the new bike. All I had to do was use the Lathemaster and bore the stainless steel caps to the correct I.D. Each was a different size.
Next I set up another HB2 heat sink on the Taig CNC and let it run for four hours. That got the motor side done on one blank. Then on Sunday I did the other side (another 3 hours) and I have a full heat sink complete. That’s three so far counting the test one. I actually have 3 and ½ finished at the moment, heading for five.
While the Taig was running and buzzing happily away over in the corner, I used the Wonderful little Proxxon PD400 to make 16 identical aluminum leg extensions for mount the HB2 heat sinks to the machine frame. I am going a lot fancier than the stock motor mounts.
The legs are ½ inch round aluminum 6061-T6 bar stock I cut to about 1.750 inches. I faced both ends to exact length; spot drilled both ends, drilled #24 holes for tapping, tapped both ends 10-24, and then chamfered the tapped holes. Repeat 16 times. Of course I had an assembly line type process for each step. The tapping was the most work.
I also did some computer work and filled a couple of orders and questions from the store. In all it kept me out of the bars this weekend! (As if I ever go to such places 🙂 )