Centre-ing

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The saga continues - I think there will be a book in this one. I mentioned before that I needed to fabricate a second stud for the [as it turns out incomplete] change-wheel set, so I could set appropriately slow powered feed rates. So I ordered a six-inch billet of 20mm mild steel, which arrived this morning. This highlighted a couple of issues: the jaws of my chuck really need grinding true (it's old, after all) and the chuck wasn't seated exactly true on the [as it turned out, butchered] back plate. After much messing around, I finally got the thing running true, and decided the only way to deal with the billet was to use a centre support (which I didn't have) in order to get an accurately drilled centre on the thing.

So I jury-rigged a support out of a couple of 5/16th" tee-bolts, a piece of wood appropriately worked into a lower saddle and a thin piece of aluminium shaped to make a collar for the top (shown). Having got the billet spinning true, I then moved to get the centre drill into the tailstock ready to drill the centre; then hit the problem that the tailstock centre ain't centre after all...It goes on, but the game remains the same: find a problem, solve a problem - just roll with it - as I said before, this is a spiritual exercise. Plain Zen to me.

Comments

  1. Phil.25 August 2021 at 19:37

    Very, very cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sideways25 August 2021 at 21:54

      Thanks, mate - I really appreciate that! Still working stuff out, I guess!

      Delete
  2. Phil.25 August 2021 at 22:07

    Effort is not measured by what you get for it, but by what you become because of it.

    ReplyDelete

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