Reproducing patern on 1/4" plate

CMM?

suggestions?

How about the oldie-but-goodie: Scan or copy the section onto paper and use a tablet to trace it into a CAD program, feed results into the appropriate preprocessor of whatever CNC machine you can get access to.

Failing that, would a pantograph mill be able to copy them? --Glenn Lyford

Shoot, laser cutting can hold .005" just about. Got a laser cutting vendor locally? Call 'em up.

GWE

Good idea Grant, what heat-affected zone consequences might I expect if I use a different steel? It WOULD be great if the bearing surface was hard...maybe O-1 ground $tock. For these pieces I have that are CRS, I have sent them to the heat-treater to carburize. I do use bearings to follow the cams.

I am not sure I understand your problem. It sounds as if two sides are identical to all 32 pieces and you can probably do those sides without too much problem and you could get the third side so there was not a lot of machining left to do.

So could you improvise a duplicator on a mill. Make an arm that clamps to the column and comes out to one side of the spindle. Have a 1/2 inch rod that sticks down to just above the table and is say 12 inches to the side of the spindle. Then clamp the part you want to duplicate so this 1/2 inch arm will contact it. And clamp the part to be machined so the 1/2 inch end mill will cut the part when the arm contacts the original. Then move the X and Y so the arm stays in contact with the original part.

Thomson made a mill/drill table with ball slides to do this sort of thing. Gunner was going to sell me one when he got around to it. He may still have it. I don't. So try contacting him. And search on RCM for Thomson.

Dan

Tom Gardner (nospam) wrote:

Waterjet gives smooth surfaces and no HAZ. Might be worth a look G

I see! I like! I expected Gunner to chime in any minute now, IF he's alive, IF he's in town, IF he's not totally overwhelmed as usual...He's working off some bad karma for being a Democrat and stomping baby bunnies in a previous life.

You want the Thompson table? Dan wants it?

Its available to whoever wants it. It will need some clean up. Shipped on a pallet? Does whoever want the weights?

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

I've no idea what it really is...or what cash is involved...please expand. Maybe Dan gets it and does my parts as practice...Hmmmm.

Will it do what I want?

I do want the Thomson table, however I never really heard from Gunner how much he wants for it. And have not found out about how much it would cost to ship. I kept hoping someone from the Seattle area would be going to Southern California, but that has not happened.

It is something I have lived without, and can probably continue to live without. So if Tom really needs it, I could continue to do without. And to tell the truth, I don't know how much x and y travel it has and whether it would do what you need done. My neighbor had one, but he died a number of years ago and I have not seen one since then. So my memory is pretty fuzzy. As I remember you can use it to drill identical holes in pieces using a template, slide work pieces around to where you want them and then lock the movement, and also do very light milling to a template. Is that right, Gunner?

What are the weights you referred to, Gunner?

Dan Tom Gardner (nospam) wrote:

Correct.

There are two heavy cast iron weights that clamp to each end of the table. Why they are there..Ive no idea. They weigh something like 60 lbs each based on memory and a rough guess.

Grant comes down this way a couple times a year.

Gunner

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

Gunner wrote: As I remember you can use it to drill

I would guess they stabilize things if you are doing milling to a template.

Hi Guys,

I am very interested in the table, but don't want to step on any toes here. Both of you obviously have "dibs". Having said that, I live about 4 hours away from Gunner and would love to go down and snag this thing. Can you guys decide what your plans are and let me or Gunner know? If you don't want it, I'll likely take it.

Peter

I'd rather know somebody with one than own one.

Hey Gunner, Why don't you say what you want for the Thomson table......... You really ought to sell it off to the highest bidder. If you posted some pictures you might stir up a lot of interest here or on ebay.

Dan

So... does this mean you want it or not? Peter

I do want it, but I really don't believe in " Dibs ". If I did I would have never brought it up in RCM. To me the fair thing would be for Gunner to give a opening bid price as his lowest price he will take and let everyone interested bid on it. But it is Gunners and it is up to him to decide what he wants to do.

Dan

I know a guy here that bought a book at a garage sale he did not need , just because he thought some one on RCM might want it . Then did not offer it to the highest bidder . Just wanted what he paid and not a penny more ( I know as he put the change back inside the book and sent it back to me ) . I wanted the book but was the second one to ask . Had to wait until the first guy bailed . Honour is earned . Thanks for the book Dan . Ken Cutt