The Sherline Miniature Machinist's Newsletter
Number 32,
Sherline Workshop Project of
the Month
Cutting oversize
gears on a Sherline mill/Mark Jones
Mark
Jones has provided photos of the setup he used to cut large aluminum gears for
the azimuth of a amateur-made 10' binocular telescope.
Normally, the 4" rotary table in the vertical position can handle a gear
blank that is slightly larger than the 4" table, but that's about it. Even
so, that's a pretty big gear for a machine this size. Mark, however, needed to
cut some REALLY BIG gears, so he figured out a way to do it with the equipment
he had on hand...a Sherline CNC mill.
A very large 7" diameter gear blank is first machined round and then the gear teeth are cut. Larger versions of the photos are available on Sherline’s “Extreme Projects” web page.
The 7" x 1/2" thick aluminum gear in the first and second photos is being milled round using a rotary table and the side of an end mill held horizontally with the headstock rotated to the 90° position. Note the extra holes in the side of the column base. You can see how the column is relocated to attach to the side of the column in the third photo. The hole pattern on the left side is the same as the one on the front. The mill is bolted to the bench at the very edge so the gear can hang over the edge of the bench. The second photo shows the gear teeth being cut. Note the relocated Z-axis column mounted to the SIDE of the column base. Mark uses the Mach 3 CNC program.
The above photo shows an extremely large 14" diameter gear blank
being cut in a similar manner.
Other extreme projects* and larger versions of the above photos can be found on the “Extreme Projects” page of Sherline’s web site at www.sherline.com/extreme.htm. See 35 somewhat less radical projects made by Sherline machinists at www.sherline.com/workshop.htm.
*NOTE: While Sherline does not represent their tools as being made to
tackle projects of this size, model engineers will find a way to make due with
the equipment they have on hand. These projects are a testament both to the
cleverness of our machinists and the versatility of Sherline machines.
Shop
Tip of the month
An
inexpensive #1 Morse adapter/Kieth Yundt
P/N 11880 #1 Morse chuck adapter for the headstock can be used for other purposes
Keith wanted to make himself a quick fly cutter for his Sherline mill. Before turning the Morse #1 taper, he realized he already had an arbor with a Morse #1 taper on it...the one that came with his lathe to hold the drill chuck in the headstock. He just made a fly cutter body, drilled and tapped it for a 3/8-24 hole and threaded in his Morse #1 adapter. Put it in the lathe to true it up and you've got yourself a quick cutter holder without having to cut a taper. He is also making a gear cutter holder and end mill holder to thread onto the same adapter. Similarly, tailstock tools can be made that will thread onto the #0 Morse adapter. If you don't have an adapter or need more of them, the part numbers are: #1 Morse arbor adapter (P/N 11880, $9.30), #0 Morse arbor adapter (P/N 11890, $8.46).
This and more than 50 other helpful tips for Sherline machinists can be found at www.sherline.com/tips.htm.
New
Product Spotlight
New P/N 7603 2-position rocker tool post holds 1/4"
and 3/8" cutting tools
P/N
7603, $40.00
Sherline offers a number of options when it comes to tool posts for your lathe. (See www.sherline.com/toolpost.htm to view the many options.) This particular tool post lets you install your favorite1/4" tool as well as a 3/8" shank tool to allow you to quickly change from one to the other and back. Install the tool tips facing in opposite directions and adjust them to proper tip height using the rocker adjustment feature. Then, each time you want to change tools, just loosen the center hold-down screw and rotate the tool post 180°.
Did you know?
• An article just appeared in the July/August 2010 Micro Manufacturing magazine comparing desktop machine tools. This magazine goes to industrial users and features tools used in prototyping and medical device and other micro manufacturing. Though the Sherline tools were by far the least expensive reviewed, (some cost as much as $250,000) they compare favorably in many ways for jobs within their work envelope and tolerances. CLICK HERE to read the article.
• Sherline’s last price increase was in October, 2003—almost seven years ago! If you’ve been thinking of buying, now would be a good time. This can’t last forever.
•
Did you know Sherline’s web site has a page featuring free calculators? CLICK HERE to view the page,
where you will find calculators to help you with cutting gear teeth and
threads. There are also references to sites that offer specialized calculators.
Upcoming Model Engineering Shows
•
• Estevan Model Engineering
Show—
Joe Martin Craftsmanship Foundation News
•
Two days ago we returned the Fine Arts Model of the Corsair to its owner, Niall
Conway and picked up another model from his collection for temporary display—a
1/15 scale Fine Art Models P-51 Mustang. Like all the museum-quality models
from Fine Art Models, this one
exhibits an incredible amount of detail. It is finished in polished aluminum
and features working control surfaces. It is displayed next to
•
Ronald Remsberg of
• Another new project that can be seen by visitors is a ¼ scale Rider-Ericsson Sterling pump engine donated by Les Cade. It resides in the shop and runs on propane. It will be fired up for visitors upon request. We have also added a display of six of Rudy Kouhoupt’s steam engines and a couple of whistles that are powered by compressed air. These are also run for visitors to the museum shop.
• Construction has begun on the interior of our new Foundation offices, shop and museum. TFW Construction, the company that built Sherline’s plant has been contracted to do the interior work. It looks like we remain on schedule to move the museum down the street a few blocks to its new 16,000 square foot home before the first of the year.
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The museum web site has hosted over a half million visitors since 2002.