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Re: Milling and collets

Alfred Fickensher
 

开云体育

Heather, etal, a year ago I bought this one. I then bought a set of 1-10 metric and a set of 1/32 - 3/8 inch Chinese collets for it. As a novice I have found it does everything I've wanted it to do so far. I've even chucked up a collet in it and used it as a very handy hand vise for some file shaping of a brass rod for a model rr detail part.

I had and still have ill feelings about their customer relations attitude and payment policies but then I'm just a one-time customer and a small-purchase one at that. There might well be some cultural differences as well that I didn't recognize. Regardless of how I feel about them as a business, I can recommend their collet holder for the Unimat SL.

<<>>


alf,

On Mar 18, 2020, at 21:09, Keith S. Angus via Groups.Io <ksangus@...> wrote:

?On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 05:57 PM, <hcamalcolm@...> wrote:

Which Collets should I buy??

which milling cutters should I buy??


what’s a good source of offcuts if aluminium and brass that I can practice on??

Welcome Heather,

My recommendation is to use ER16 collets. Cheap but accurate ones can be had from China. Getting holders for them is more difficult. It's the luck of the draw whether you can find a decent one on sale, but it leads back to the question of which Unimat do you have, and what accessories came with it? If you're not sure what you've got, or even what the bits are called, look at the instructions in the Files section, They will also give you an idea of what sort of work you can do with these machines. For milling cutters don't go bigger than 6 mm (1/4"). Cutters can go down to really small - I've seen 0.2 mm diameter but I've never dared to try one. I suggest an assortment around 3, 4, 5 mm, and with 2, 3, or 4 flutes will suit a range of jobs.

As for metals I suggest, as one example, Noggin End Metals (? https://www.nogginend.com/? ). They have the advantage that they know what grades they are selling, including the ones listed below:

For steel use EN1A, which is a free cutting grade. It cuts easy and will do for most things until you need to be really fussy about strength or finish. There is a huge range of steels and some of them are a nightmare to machine. EN1A is specifically formulated for easy machining.

For brass you want CZ121, which is a hard brass and is generally reckoned to be the easiest material to machine. Like steels, there are many grades of brass, but CZ121 is the most free machining.

For aluminium 6082 (also known as HE30) is a good grade. It machines cleanly. As you may have guessed by now there are innumerable grades of aluminium alloys, but many of them are soft and clog up the cutters.

The best machining plastic is acetal (also known as Delrin). It machines cleanly and has the look and feel of Nylon (which is a pain to machine but cheaper). It is low friction and difficult to glue. You may want to machine acrylic (Perspex) and it's not too bad, but you need very sharp cutters and gentle cuts to avoid it overheating. Acrylic is unlike almost all other plastics when it comes to machining. Plastics are broadly grouped as Hard, Soft & Acrylic when it comes to machining - acrylic is just different!

All this applies to milling and turning. What are you hoping to make?

You will have lots of questions to start with - just ask - like we all had to when we started out.


Keith
Re: Milling and collets

 

On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 05:57 PM, <hcamalcolm@...> wrote:

Which Collets should I buy??

which milling cutters should I buy??


what’s a good source of offcuts if aluminium and brass that I can practice on??

Welcome Heather,

My recommendation is to use ER16 collets. Cheap but accurate ones can be had from China. Getting holders for them is more difficult. It's the luck of the draw whether you can find a decent one on sale, but it leads back to the question of which Unimat do you have, and what accessories came with it? If you're not sure what you've got, or even what the bits are called, look at the instructions in the Files section, They will also give you an idea of what sort of work you can do with these machines. For milling cutters don't go bigger than 6 mm (1/4"). Cutters can go down to really small - I've seen 0.2 mm diameter but I've never dared to try one. I suggest an assortment around 3, 4, 5 mm, and with 2, 3, or 4 flutes will suit a range of jobs.

As for metals I suggest, as one example, Noggin End Metals (? https://www.nogginend.com/? ). They have the advantage that they know what grades they are selling, including the ones listed below:

For steel use EN1A, which is a free cutting grade. It cuts easy and will do for most things until you need to be really fussy about strength or finish. There is a huge range of steels and some of them are a nightmare to machine. EN1A is specifically formulated for easy machining.

For brass you want CZ121, which is a hard brass and is generally reckoned to be the easiest material to machine. Like steels, there are many grades of brass, but CZ121 is the most free machining.

For aluminium 6082 (also known as HE30) is a good grade. It machines cleanly. As you may have guessed by now there are innumerable grades of aluminium alloys, but many of them are soft and clog up the cutters.

The best machining plastic is acetal (also known as Delrin). It machines cleanly and has the look and feel of Nylon (which is a pain to machine but cheaper). It is low friction and difficult to glue. You may want to machine acrylic (Perspex) and it's not too bad, but you need very sharp cutters and gentle cuts to avoid it overheating. Acrylic is unlike almost all other plastics when it comes to machining. Plastics are broadly grouped as Hard, Soft & Acrylic when it comes to machining - acrylic is just different!

All this applies to milling and turning. What are you hoping to make?

You will have lots of questions to start with - just ask - like we all had to when we started out.


Keith
Re: Binding headstock quill

 

开云体育

Thanks Jerry. I haven’t tried that but the spindle quill itself seems quite clean. I don’t remember if I checked the headstock bore when I disassembled the works for repainting. That’s easy enough to do. Some Blast-It should do the trick to clean up any gunk. I’m about to order a set of replacement headstock bearings from Doug Feistamel at Homestead. When they come it will be a good time to see what’s what with the spindle and headstock.

Regards, Bill
Re: Binding headstock quill

 

开云体育

I would suspect oxidized oil over “metal creep” as the cause of your problem.? Did you try lubrication with a penetrating oil?? You need something with a solvent in it to dissolve or at least soften any hardened oil between the quill assembly and the headstock.? Once it is free, you will need to remove the quill and more thoroughly clean off the outside of the quill and inside of the headstock with some solvent.?

?

Jerry F.

?

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of William Macy
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 12:01 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Unimat] Binding headstock quill

?

I seem to have a Zamac version of the Unimat DB/Sl. It’s non-magnetic and heavier than I think the aluminum version should be. I was given the unit and the squill was stiff when received, so much so that the return spring doesn’t retract the quill ?even when the clamp screws are fully released. ?I’ve tried lubrication to no avail so I suspect that a form of "metal creep” has occurred, possibly because the former owner left the quill clamp screws torqued down hard for some time. At any rate the binding makes the headstock useless for fine drilling. Any sugestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Bill

Binding headstock quill

 

I seem to have a Zamac version of the Unimat DB/Sl. It’s non-magnetic and heavier than I think the aluminum version should be. I was given the unit and the squill was stiff when received, so much so that the return spring doesn’t retract the quill ?even when the clamp screws are fully released. ?I’ve tried lubrication to no avail so I suspect that a form of "metal creep” has occurred, possibly because the former owner left the quill clamp screws torqued down hard for some time. At any rate the binding makes the headstock useless for fine drilling. Any sugestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Bill
Re: Live center bearing

 

I did that Jeff and succeeded in getting the rotating center out. Now I’m stuck with the problem off removing the steel washer outboard of the bearing and then the bearing itself. Is heat an option here?
Sorry to have not responded earlier, my bad.
Bill
Re: Milling and collets

 

Hi, Heather, and welcome! May i assume you are female? If so, even better, as we have very few (only one that post regularly, Tamra).

You questions are a bit broad. Would help if you described what kind of work you wish to do with the Unimat.

Also, which Unimat do you have?

For instance, as far as collets are concerned, there are the very small watchmaker collets that require a different spindle.

But the "regular" collets come in different size series. You can get holders for these aftermarket or OEM. The aftermarket ones are cheap, but vary in usability. Some who have bought aftermarket holders had to work on them to get them to run true on the Unimat.

OEM ones will fit the machine readily and be accurate, but are generally only available on eBay, so that often means pricey.

Since I assume from your email you are in the UK, someone else will have to advise about cut-offs.

Martin P.

-----Original Message-----


Hi there, I

am new to this and want to set myself up with what Im likely to need to get stuck into this hobby. ?I’m on a budget.?
Which Collets should I buy??
which milling cutters should I buy??

what’s a good source of offcuts if aluminium and brass that I can practice on??

many thanks,

Heather

--
Heather Carpet Daemon
Milling and collets

[email protected]
 

Hi there, I

am new to this and want to set myself up with what Im likely to need to get stuck into this hobby. ?I’m on a budget.?

Which Collets should I buy??

which milling cutters should I buy??


what’s a good source of offcuts if aluminium and brass that I can practice on??

many thanks,

Heather


--
Heather Carpet Daemon
Re: 24 VDC motors

 

I heated it with a torch, the glue softened and the pulley slid right off.

On Sat, Mar 14, 2020 at 3:45 PM Keith S. Angus via Groups.Io <ksangus=[email protected]> wrote:
On Sat, Mar 14, 2020 at 09:46 PM, <bluerandonee@...> wrote:
used a MY6812 which I drilled and tapped two holes into the motor faceplate to mount it to the Motor bracket of my DB200.
I turned a new motor pulley which secured to the motor shaft with setscrews.
?
I used a PWM speed controller to adjust the speed.
?
And a decent 24vdc power supply to power it (I built my own but this should work).
Based on my own experience of doing this with a 130 W motor, this would be a good combination. The 150 W motor will be longer than the 100 W, but I think both of them are shorter than the Unimat motor. You will need to make an electrical box, but it won't take much wiring. On my box I put all the connections on the front, so it can be pushed to the back of the bench. You might want to think about whether you put the speed control in the box or mounted in some way on the lathe. I think if I did it again I would put the controller on the same board as the lathe. For the DC power I used three pole XLR audio connectors. The cheap ones with solid pins can handle a fair bit of current.

The biggest problem will be getting the pulley off the shaft. I was able to rig up supports in a small press and it came off. I suspect some heat would help - it's glued on.

Have a look at what I did in the Keith's SL (I think) in the Photos. You will have to decide how to get the pulley onto the shaft, and that will partly depend on how long the shaft is.

Ignore those 300 & 400 watt motors - they won't fit and you don't need all that power - it's more likely to break things than to be useful.


Keith



--
? ?? Richard

"It would not be at all strange if history came to the conclusion that the perfection of the bicycle was the greatest incident of the nineteenth century."? ~Author Unknown
Re: 24 VDC motors

 

On Sat, Mar 14, 2020 at 09:46 PM, <bluerandonee@...> wrote:
used a MY6812 which I drilled and tapped two holes into the motor faceplate to mount it to the Motor bracket of my DB200.
I turned a new motor pulley which secured to the motor shaft with setscrews.
?
I used a PWM speed controller to adjust the speed.
?
And a decent 24vdc power supply to power it (I built my own but this should work).
Based on my own experience of doing this with a 130 W motor, this would be a good combination. The 150 W motor will be longer than the 100 W, but I think both of them are shorter than the Unimat motor. You will need to make an electrical box, but it won't take much wiring. On my box I put all the connections on the front, so it can be pushed to the back of the bench. You might want to think about whether you put the speed control in the box or mounted in some way on the lathe. I think if I did it again I would put the controller on the same board as the lathe. For the DC power I used three pole XLR audio connectors. The cheap ones with solid pins can handle a fair bit of current.

The biggest problem will be getting the pulley off the shaft. I was able to rig up supports in a small press and it came off. I suspect some heat would help - it's glued on.

Have a look at what I did in the Keith's SL (I think) in the Photos. You will have to decide how to get the pulley onto the shaft, and that will partly depend on how long the shaft is.

Ignore those 300 & 400 watt motors - they won't fit and you don't need all that power - it's more likely to break things than to be useful.


Keith
Re: 24 VDC motors

 

I used a MY6812 which I drilled and tapped two holes into the motor faceplate to mount it to the Motor bracket of my DB200.
I turned a new motor pulley which secured to the motor shaft with setscrews.

I used a PWM speed controller to adjust the speed.

And a decent 24vdc power supply to power it (I built my own but this should work).

On Sat, Mar 14, 2020 at 11:37 AM Neil Morrison <neilsmorr@...> wrote:
All Electronics has a couple of models:



They're large, 300 and 400 watts. They have a built in speed controller which helps compensate?for the higher prices, $44 and $46 each.

Have not (and won't) try these but if you're looking . . .

Neil
-----



--
? ?? Richard

"It would not be at all strange if history came to the conclusion that the perfection of the bicycle was the greatest incident of the nineteenth century."? ~Author Unknown
Re: 24 VDC motors

 

Too big. 5" diameter. (unless mounted off-lathe).



-----Original Message-----
From: Neil Morrison <neilsmorr@...>

All Electronics has a couple of models:



They're large, 300 and 400 watts. They have a built in speed controller which helps compensate?for the higher prices, $44 and $46 each.

Have not (and won't) try these but if you're looking . . .

Neil
-----
24 VDC motors

 

All Electronics has a couple of models:



They're large, 300 and 400 watts. They have a built in speed controller which helps compensate?for the higher prices, $44 and $46 each.

Have not (and won't) try these but if you're looking . . .

Neil
-----
Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

 

Thanks to everyone for the input on this. It has given me a number of leads and whilst the Unimat was bought as an aid to scratch building, the thought of making nigh on 200 wheels (even over a period of time) could result in taking up something other than model railways.

Thanks
Martin in Yorkshire
Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

Leslie Bevis-Smith
 

Hi. Might be worth checking the 3mm scale people. Leslie


On Tue, 10 Mar 2020, 17:35 Martin Pearce, <m@...> wrote:
I am interested in this and wonder if anyone has had experience of using these tools. Given the number of wheels I will need for scratch buildings wagons it would be a cheaper option. However, looking at the download from the Fohrmann site I am left wondering if it would be worth the time involved as I could foresee quite a bit of material going on the scrap pile. I will check out the 2mm Association to see if anything available is suitable for using on goods stock in HOe although searches so far in N gauge have not thrown up anything of a large enough diameter.

Interested to hear any input on this.

Martin in a very wet part of Yorkshire.

Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

 

Please just go to , railway?modelling tools, wheels & axles.? It is on bottom.


On Wed, Mar 11, 2020 at 11:13 AM Mark Greenwood <m.a.greenwood@...> wrote:

I've used their wheel holding tool, which works really well (they were very helpful in replacing a part when I managed to break it -- my fault rather than a flaw in the tool). It's too big for holding most N scale wheels. The smallest I've used it with, and that I think is practical, are some OO gauge carriage wheels. Can't remember the exact diameter but I think they were about 7mm or 8mm in diameter.

Mark

On 11/03/2020 15:09, paul b via Groups.Io wrote:
Tamra (and others), here's Fohrmann's website:?



?Paul B.

On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, 14:46:53 GMT, Tamra <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:


I printed the info from the Model Railway website; I liked the profile tool.??

How do I see this info that John Hutnik posted?

>>Fohrmann charges 37 Euro for a profiling tool and 60 Euro for their wheel holding tool that they say to use.

Thanks,?

Tamra
Re: 3-jaw chuck as dividing head

 

Yahoo stripped all content a few months ago. Now Yahoo group only allows messages to be posted, that's all.

But all the Yahoo content was transferred to Groups.io

Martin P.

-----Original Message-----
From: lasirbill <ficos@...>
To: Unimat <[email protected]>
Sent: Tue, Mar 10, 2020 11:42 am
Subject: Re: [Unimat] 3-jaw chuck as dividing head

Good evening

firstly pardon me my English

i'm on the forum yahoo unimat since many years , since several months
,impossible to connect ??????

any body can explain why me ?

i'can't see photos and read the messages groups ?

i receive always messages for nothing ?

i own a unimat sl lathe

by advance ,many thanks

Philippe

ficos@...

Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

Mark Greenwood
 

开云体育

I've used their wheel holding tool, which works really well (they were very helpful in replacing a part when I managed to break it -- my fault rather than a flaw in the tool). It's too big for holding most N scale wheels. The smallest I've used it with, and that I think is practical, are some OO gauge carriage wheels. Can't remember the exact diameter but I think they were about 7mm or 8mm in diameter.

Mark

On 11/03/2020 15:09, paul b via Groups.Io wrote:

Tamra (and others), here's Fohrmann's website:?



?Paul B.

On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, 14:46:53 GMT, Tamra <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:


I printed the info from the Model Railway website; I liked the profile tool.??

How do I see this info that John Hutnik posted?

>>Fohrmann charges 37 Euro for a profiling tool and 60 Euro for their wheel holding tool that they say to use.

Thanks,?

Tamra
Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

 

Tamra (and others), here's Fohrmann's website:?



?Paul B.

On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, 14:46:53 GMT, Tamra <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:


I printed the info from the Model Railway website; I liked the profile tool.??

How do I see this info that John Hutnik posted?

>>Fohrmann charges 37 Euro for a profiling tool and 60 Euro for their wheel holding tool that they say to use.

Thanks,?

Tamra
Re: Wheel turning (RP25 & similar)

 

I printed the info from the Model Railway website; I liked the profile tool.??

How do I see this info that John Hutnik posted?

>>Fohrmann charges 37 Euro for a profiling tool and 60 Euro for their wheel holding tool that they say to use.

Thanks,?

Tamra
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