Metal section

Wee-e-e-e-l-llll - depends how far you want to go.

Thermit Welding *used* to formulate and make up powders to order, to cast just about any grade of iron r steel.

Basically aluminium powder and iron oxide, traces (or more) of other metals are added.

You make yur mould (usually oily sand, Petrabond, or similar, and set up the crucibles provided, accrding to instructions.

The powder is ignited using a fat stumpy sparkler, and when it has cooled sufficiently the molten metal is tapped to run into the mould(s) when the colour of the crucible in the clear half of the viewer (provided) matches the red of the coloured half.

The result can then be machined to suit.

(I used to work in 'The Tantalum', a shop not a hundred yards from Thermit, back in the '70s.)

However; I've made a few dovetailed machine slides that I had to finish by hand as I don't have equipment to grind the angles. pattern on the end of the round part is from surface grinding, but I can't dress an angled wheel accurately, and anyway the grinder lacks the travel to finish larger machine ways.

Round or square ways are easier to make from purchased ground stock.

If you assemble the vee ways from strips you may end up with less rigidity than round linear rails.

jsw

In article , Peter Fairbrother writes

Peter,

Does the article in the latest MEW (using a Sieg extended milling table as a sub-table on another mill) spark any ideas? You didn't give any dimensions, but at only £49, it would be worth thinking about.

Oh dear, I hope I'm not looking like a shill for AET - just a satisfied customer, I assure you!

David

I made some ways using suppoterd rail and ball slides - they are nowhere near tough (or accurate) enough.

Saw a video of a chap making box ways with parallels, which seemed interesting, but I can't find it now.

-- Peter Fairbrother