Recently I've found myself working on more and more projects/hacks that I want to share. I'm disorganized and my interests go here and there, which might mean this blog format will be a good match for me, since blogs are like that too. Follow the links at the left to visit the more persistent parts of the site; the content below will change.
Old programmer lore tells us that the last 20% of a project takes 80% of the time. This problem, combined with my tendency to stop working on a project as soon as it does what I want, has led me in the past to never share any of my unpolished work. I've decided to try to overcome that, not by changing my personality or work habits, but by sharing my 80%-finished projects anyway. I think they're useful as-is, and if you do too, that's great. If you don't think they're quite useful yet, please add on what you need.
Knobs, completed
31 October 2008, 2:26 UTC
As promised, here is a picture of the knobs completed. I grabbed each one in a 7/16 collet to face the top. Pressing the shoulder against the collet face gave a good repeatable depth so they all look nice. [permalink]
My "new" Hardinge HNC running EMC2
28 October 2008, 2:03 UTC
I've finished the conversion of my "new" lathe and it is working well. The lathe is a late-70s model and was controlled by a computer (with no CPU) that is in a box taller than me. It originally would read punched paper tape, reading one motion instruction at a time and executing it, then reading the next step from the tape.
Like many machine tools this age, the machine itself is still good, but the computer parts, if they are working at all, require constant attention to keep running. That's where Free software comes in. This machine uses Mesa's m5i20 controller to interface with the original servo amplifiers running the original servo motors. I also reused some original transformers, isolators, contactors, all the air and lube setup, and the resolvers (thanks to Pico Systems's resolver convertor).
I took a video of it making a neat little part. This is a knob for a panel mount encoder, knurled and bored carefully to .1975 for a press fit on the encoder shaft. To finish the top where it was parted, a second facing operation will be run. The shoulder at the bottom (facing us on the two knobs lying down) is .4375 to fit a 7/16 collet for the second operation.
You can see at the end before cutoff, I have it open the collet and use the parting tool to pull the stock out. Then when cutoff completes, it is ready to start the next cycle with no messing around. At the end of the video I grab the part and start the next run. The image above shows just how they come off the machine.
Lots of my time lately has been spent helping with the Bus. It is a lot of work but we are making nice progress. It has given me many chances to play machinist. I've also tried playing welder, with not as much success. [permalink]
Recently I've found myself working on more and more projects/hacks that I want to share. I'm disorganized and my interests go here and there, which might mean this blog format will be a good match for me, since blogs are like that too. Follow the links at the left to visit the more persistent parts of the site; the content below will change.
As promised, here is a picture of the knobs completed. I grabbed each one in a 7/16 collet to face the top. Pressing the shoulder against the collet face gave a good repeatable depth so they all look nice.
I've finished the conversion of my "new" lathe and it is working well. The lathe is a late-70s model and was controlled by a computer (with no CPU) that is in a box taller than me. It originally would read punched paper tape, reading one motion instruction at a time and executing it, then reading the next step from the tape.