The Sherline Miniature Machinist's Newsletter
Number 10,
Customer Projects—Old Dashboard
Clocks Brought Back to Life by Robert Shipley
An 8-day
In the days before digital dashboard displays and
even before electric clocks, dashboard clocks were spring driven. Bob
Shipley came across a nice old
Shop
Tip of the month:
A Holder for Small Taps by the
late Bob Shores
A piece of round metal stock
is all you need to make this handy tap holder. Size is not too critical, but
about a 2" diameter piece works well. The drill chuck in the mill acts as
a guide to keep it square to the workpiece.
The late
"I have read many tips on tapping holes-some good, some not. Five years
ago I dreamed up a tapping method for small holes. I tap a lot of holes with
0-80 and 2-56 threads, and since I have been using this method, I have not
broken a tap in five years.
After drilling the hole in your part to the proper size for tapping, the
drill bit is removed from the chuck without disturbing the work. A 2"
aluminum disk, knurled on the outside and drilled and tapped for a 4-40 hex
bolt grips the tap just above the flutes. The end of the tap is gripped in the
drill chuck and lowered until it just touches the work. The chuck is then
loosened to allow the tap to turn freely. The disk holding the tap is turned
with your thumb and forefinger. The drill chuck acts as a guide to keep the tap
running true, and your fingers are very sensitive to the amount of torque being
applied. To break a tap you would have to apply a lot of force." --
Product
Spotlight
P/N 2250 Quick-change
Tool Post and Holder set
P/N 2282 3/8"
Quick-Change Tool Holder
P/N 2282
3/8" Quick Change Tool Holder was recently added to the line to expand the capabilities
of the Quick-Change Toolpost set for the lathe. Several years ago we introduced
the P/N 2250 Quick-change Tool
Post and Holder set that includes a 1/4" tool holder, a 3/8"
round boring tool holder and a cut-off tool holder. Later we introduced the
2295 optional holder for an inserted tip carbide cutter, but many customers
asked for holders that will accept their standard 3/8" square shank IC
holders like our P/N 2258 set.
Just opening up the slot of the 1/4" holder left too little
"meat" at the bottom of the holder, so we recently made a run of
holders with a 3/8" slot which is made from larger stock, leaving plenty
of strength under the tool. Released several months ago with little fanfare,
many customers still don't know they exist, a fact recently brought to our
attention by a CNC customer looking for just such a holder who didn't know we
now offered it. Well, now you know! P/N
2282 lists for $65.00.
Did you know?
• Help Sheets are
available to guide you through many common Sherline setup operations like
setting gib depth, adjusting backlash, replacing a saddle nut or tramming in
your mill. Most of these instructions are either in the 48-page Sherline
Assembly and Instruction Guide that came with your machine or they are on the
printed sheet that came with your accessory, but in case you've lost them, this
page is a good source and is always easy to find as long as you have the
Internet handy. It is linked from the first section of the main menu at www.sherline.com (left column, 4th one down)
or you can go directly to www.sherline.com/hlpsheet.htm.
It just might give you the information you need to save yourself a phone call
for technical assistance or get you past a problem after Sherline's working
hours.
• Machine
Exploded Views can also be helpful when working on your machine.
Again, they are in your Sherline Assembly and Instruction Guide, but
if that isn't handy, they are linked from the same first section of the main
menu, right across from the help sheets.
Shows
• The next show Sherline will be attending is the NAWCC San Diego
Regional Show to be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
November 20, 21 and 22, 2008. The 20th is setup day, and the 21st is open to
NAWCC members only, but Saturday the 22nd the show is open to the public. If
you are an National Association of Watch and Clock
Collectors member, come on out and see us. If not, you can either join
there and get in on Friday or come as part of the public on Saturday and
see what the hobby (or business) of collecting, building and
repairing timepieces is all about.
•
Upcoming Model Engineering Shows—
•
Cabin Fever Expo,
•
NAMES (North American Model Engineering Society) Expo,
Saturday hours for the Museum
Announced
Displays improved, more
engines donated