Hello Guest it is March 29, 2024, 03:38:40 AM

Author Topic: Another Mad Project!  (Read 21509 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline fdos

*
  •  326 326
    • View Profile
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #20 on: October 14, 2007, 06:15:50 PM »
Hood.   Blanked power chucks are a pain I know.

My work is repeating small to medium batch sizes 50-1000 parts normally per order.   The jobs I have in mind for the Boxfords are a couple of jobs I normally do on the Emco or even the capstan.

Yes a power collet closer is in the works (own design) and some form of bar feeder.   Seems silly to some on such a small machine, but these things can do good work, and take up no room.   More than I can say for my bigger machines.  The Emco's have proved the point over the years, and now it's almost time to let someone else get good use out of them.

As I said at the beginning of this thread, I have several of these Boxfords, and this particular one is the prototype, and if it works well they will all get the same treatment.

It's been on the cards for a longtime, but originally was going to be for a 30k pieces/year order in nylon 66, but thats now gone to china for moulding.  I still got other parts for the same product though.

Wayne....
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #21 on: December 24, 2007, 07:52:23 AM »
Hell0 Guys,
Just wondering how you got along with the auto collet and feeder deal. Sure would like to see what you came up with.
I'm trying to do something similar with 5C but it's getting too complex.
Thanks Ian and Wayne,
RC
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #22 on: January 06, 2008, 06:08:17 AM »
RC,

No progress from me yet, Wayne may be fruther along on the collet system. I have a Myford Collet chuck that I am considering as a posibility but it may be better to start from scratch. The pull system that Omniturn uses looks better than rigging up a gravity type push system for bar feeding since I will only be using small diameter bar stock on the Boxford TCL.
Wayne any more pictures?

Ian

Offline fdos

*
  •  326 326
    • View Profile
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #23 on: January 06, 2008, 05:58:04 PM »
Hi sorry for the delaying in getting back here.    Been busy all over the holidays on yet another side project (Vacuum former) which has taken all my time, but works well.

Anyway was back on the Boxford today, but only more welding on the carcase to get ready for the initial test assembly.

Re the collet closer.    I have a fair bit of it done, but my recommendation for Overloaded it that IF your spindle can take a 5C size drawtube then go with 5C.   I only gone the ER32 route because the Boxford only has a 20mm dia spindle bore.

Wayne.....
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #24 on: January 07, 2008, 10:03:36 PM »
Wayne...Thanks for the reply,
I decided to build a pneumatic collet closer, much like a Dunham.
I have a rotary unit from a Nexen/Horton air clutch that should do nicely.
I'll start with a puller on the toolplate, then maybe go to an air feed from the back. Like the Triple Air from Omni Turn.

I'm gonna be needin' some help when it comes to the external controls.
I can do it with a PLC, but have no clue how to do it with Mach and the PC.
More on that later.

Keep posting your progress for us.....I will as well.
Thanks again,
RC

Offline fdos

*
  •  326 326
    • View Profile
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #25 on: January 17, 2008, 06:29:37 AM »
Thought some of you might be interested in why I not been around much.   But then again some of you will be horrified Haha!

I did mention above that I had been working on a vacuum former for a project, well here's a vid of the Mold test (On a commercial machine) in November.   

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/IlLtOFdmjaM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/IlLtOFdmjaM</a>

There is no vid yet of the machine I built, but it's faster and Mach was used a LOT to make parts for it.

The DEVO Hats (Energy Domes!)  Made their debut on stage at the Warfield Theatre Jan15th 2008 at the MACworld Bash.   They were booked my Microsoft for the release of Office 2008 for MAC

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mPVs5FAC6zw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/mPVs5FAC6zw</a>


Wayne....

ynneb

*
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #26 on: January 18, 2008, 05:02:45 AM »
Thats a loverly machine. I have often wanted to make one similar. I would love to see a video tour of the machine.

How did you "CRACK" onto that job?

Offline fdos

*
  •  326 326
    • View Profile
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2008, 05:37:53 AM »
Benny

The machine in the Vid was not made by me and is a commercial one I was considering buying (£2500), the mold being used is mine though.

I ended up with an offer of an real Vacuum Pump which got me thinking about making my own machine.   This I did over the xmas break.     Only issues I had was with the heating.    After wasting a lot of material at nearly £1 a sheet, I managed to get the heating right, by buying fancy ceramic heaters (2.8kW)

This job would not have been possible with a vacuum cleaner!   The pump I use pulls 29"Hg into a 25l tank in just under a minute.   My machine pulls the plastic down  instantly.

As for landing the "job"?   Well I been a DEVO fan for nearly 30 yrs, and turned up some fancy earrings for the wife to wear during their Euro Tour last year, and they got noticed!   I was already fortunate to  of been in the "in crowd" already having been a fan for so long.

http://www.devo-obsesso.com/html/news_pgs/europe_07/brighton/wayne.html   For pictures,   The little brass "naughty" pinback badge I made WAS machined with Mach.



There's a few more things I'm doing for them


Wayne.....

Offline fdos

*
  •  326 326
    • View Profile
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #28 on: January 22, 2008, 06:09:42 PM »
Benny.   I assume it is the Vacuum Former you are interested in?

Well here's a vid of the HomeBrew one in action

Wayne....


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/fFskUFNI4qA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/fFskUFNI4qA</a>

ynneb

*
Re: Another Mad Project!
« Reply #29 on: January 22, 2008, 11:27:26 PM »
Thanks for taking the time to show me, although I suspect you were looking for a reason to inflict some Devo on us :)

Yes the former is interesting with all its holes. Do you see dimples on the upper side of the plastic ?
I suspect the former is hollow, otherwise you would need a long drill.

I like the quick action of your home brew. Is that with a vac cleaner motor?
I have wondered about using a chamber to suck all the air out of first and releasing the chamber.

There is a lot of scope owning a plastic vac former. Making guards for cnc machines to cover up sin underneath. I would love to make and sell escutcheons to house monitors and also incorporate a space for knobs etc for cnc control panels. I reckon they would sell easily.

For the record, my favorite was "Twist away, those gates of steel" ( Mind you, its been 20 years since I heard that song)