carbking Posted March 29, 2023 Share Posted March 29, 2023 JP - yes, the venturi and venturi tube are the same item. We make a new needle and seat with a neoprene tip (superior to the old monel steel) but have quite a lead time at present. And of course, all of the fiber washers and gaskets. Not trying to turn away a customer, but with your machining skills, do you really need me? With the equipment you have, you can probably regrind the monel steel tip. The angle is 27 degrees. As the top of the valve is threaded, not adjustment to the seat would be necessary. Jon 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 I don't know...you are the expert so if you think I'm on the right track I'll keep going. The throttle shafts (for the throttle and the choke) are badly worn. I can bush the body but cutting that slit for the butterfly will be a headache. Are new throttle shafts available? Or, failing that is there one I can modify to use? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbking Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Use a slitting saw to cut the slot in the shaft. Very easy, just requires the proper tool. Jon 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Ash Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) Joe, with all the other stuff you have machined, the carb shafts can't be that bad! I machined up some 1/4" brass rod for new shafts for my Indy car carbs, 4 of them. I made a fixture to hold the shafts, indicated off the shaft to find its center height, and used the slitting saw to cut through the fixture and into the shaft for the first shaft. After that, it was easy, though maybe I had to make 6 to get 4 good ones. I had to make them because I needed shafts longer than the stock ones. I'm still scared of slitting saws, they could chew up skin pretty quickly. Drawing for the carb shaft showing where the slitting saw would cut. Indicating the carb shaft to determine the center. Cutting the slot. Finished shaft and screws. Edited March 30, 2023 by Gary_Ash (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Harper Posted March 30, 2023 Share Posted March 30, 2023 Joe, I have to do same for the big M-4 I have. However, I did purchase a needle valve, etc. from Stan Howe before he passed on. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 Thanks Gary. I don't know what I was thinking...it was probably late and I was tired but when I thought about it I came up with essentially the same technique....though as you can imagine my fixture will probably be too elaborate! Today I finished the last two tapers on the first side... Then reset everything to cut the other side. These looked good as well. Actually machining them takes much less time than the setup so I finished that... And, with a bit of trepidation, took everything apart and removed the work piece to see if I'd managed to get it close. It won't fit inside the hub until I'm milled away the sections between the arms of the cross. The small end came out about .020 smaller than I'd aimed for but since it's a taper all I need to do is take a small amount off the face to fit it....to my relief, the tapers appear to be right. So, I know the fixture works. Now I have to refine the technique. I have some ideas for that and last night I ordered a long reach indicator because the most difficult part of the set up is getting the indicator to meet the fixture. This may be the most demanding part I've made. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted March 30, 2023 Author Share Posted March 30, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Terry Harper said: I have to do same for the big M-4 I have. However, I did purchase a needle valve, etc. from Stan Howe before he passed on. What size shaft do you need? If I'm making one, I may as well make two. The first time I used a slitting saw I ran it much too fast and it shattered...since then I've been wary of them but I find that the proper speed is much slower than I'd thought and they work just fine. Edited March 30, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Harper Posted March 31, 2023 Share Posted March 31, 2023 17 hours ago, JV Puleo said: What size shaft do you need? If I'm making one, I may as well make two. The first time I used a slitting saw I ran it much too fast and it shattered...since then I've been wary of them but I find that the proper speed is much slower than I'd thought and they work just fine. Gad I am not the only one that has done that! It didn't shatter but certainly was not a useful tool afterwards! Since then (now that I am reformed) I have found it a handy cutter to have on hand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 1, 2023 Author Share Posted April 1, 2023 (edited) I thought I'd make more progress today...I started by setting the rotary table on the mill. I put the chuck on and realized there was no longer enough vertical space above the work piece to fit the big end mill I'll need. I removed the chuck and made an extension for the center I use to position the chuck on the rotary table... Then I made a spacer to lift the work piece since I'll have to mill right through it. Set up on the table...but unfortunately the rotary table is Japanese and metric and needs 10mm bolts. I have quite a few from previous setups but in this case they were all too long or too short. In any case, I'm not particularly happy with this arrangement as milling the steel pieces will require that they be held very firmly. I'll revisit it tomorrow and probably try something else. Edited April 1, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 I spent an evening puzzling over how to secure the steel blanks for the crosses so that I could machine them and finally decided to use this fixture. It's the third time I've used it...first to bore the rear axle housing to repair it, then to drill the holes for the torque tube and now to machine the hub crosses. First I made a bushing to0 reduce the center diameter from 1-1/2" to 1" It has 14 holes around the outside edge which means that each one has another directly across from it. In order to get two holes to bolt it to the rotary table all I had to do was enlarge one hole. Bolted down... My plan is to bolt the work piece to this fixture so that the upper surface can be machined. To do this I need holes in both so I calculated exactly where they should be and drilled center holes in the fixture. Then, using the same set up, drilled center holes in the two steel blanks and the aluminum prototype. By not changing the setup these should come out in the same place on each part. I had to make the hold downs for the blanks to fit the metric bolts I had but otherwise this went smoothly. Last up today I drilled holes in the fixture. These will be counterbored from the bottom to take 3/8-24 socket head cap screws...the work pieces will be threaded for them so I should be able to bolt each piece to the fixture. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 I made a little more progress today. The holes were drilled and threaded in the test piece. I also drilled center holes in the steel pieces but I'm not absolutely certain they are in the right place so I'll finish the test piece before doing anything to them. If I have to change the location I can do it from the other side. The upper surfaces on both sides will be milled away so extra center holes won't effect anything. Then I counterbored two of the holes in the fixture. I could only get two 3/8-24 cap screws at my local hardware store but for the aluminum piece these will be all that is needed. The work piece and the fixture were then attached to each other. I inserted a piece of 1" shaft to make sure it is perfectly centered before tightening the cap screws. The entire piece was returned to the rotary table which was then turned to 45-degrees. I ordered a cutter for the flutes but it won't arrive until tomorrow so the next step will have to wait for it. This also came in...an annular cutter to bore the Venturi tube out of the M-3 carburetor. I'd have done that today but I'll need the mill and don't want to disturb the set up. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 4, 2023 Author Share Posted April 4, 2023 (edited) When I came in this morning the mail hadn't arrived yet so I started the day by making the handle for the hub cap wrench I'll need. I'm making tyhis entirely of aluminum because I want a wrench that will not mar the caps...and besides, they don't have to be extremely tight. I started with a pi9ece of 1" aluminum bar, turned one end down to 3/4" and threaded it. Testing the thread with a nut... Then I flipped it around and knurled the grip. By then the end mill I needed had arrived so I set that up. And milled the first flute. These are .750 deep. They probably should be deeper but, if I needed, I can put it back on the fixture. It took most of the remainder of the day to do the other three flutes. This is how it came out. I tried it in one of the hubs and it didn't fit...but, the taper at the small end is too small and the flat section adjacent to it too wide. I knew that would be the case and it's one of the problems making this prototype will, hopefully, eliminate. I think I know what caused this and how to correct it. Before I make the flutes any deeper I'm going to face off the small end of the tapers until I get the prescribed width...then I'll see if the flutes have to be deeper. Edited April 4, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 (edited) I made a little more progress on this today, starting by facing off the narrow end of the tapers until they approximated the width of the undamaged original. Then I put it back in the mill and deepened the flutes. I went to .900 which is just about as deep as I can go with this cutter. It still didn't fit but i9t's obvious that the problem is the width of the flat area on each side of the taper. I also milled away the top part of the cross so that the tapers were the correct length. I then filed a slight bevel on the flat. In looking at the original piece, this may have been what was done originally. It's difficult to tell given the wear to the piece. In any case, this did work although the cross is still tighter than I'd like. This is reasonably close. With the cross in the hub I tried threading on one of the hub caps and that worked as well. I still have to mill the bottom of the cross but overall, even though this doesn't fit perfectly, it' has demonstrated what I have to do and given me some improved measurements to work with which was the point of this entire exercise. Edited April 6, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 6, 2023 Author Share Posted April 6, 2023 (edited) The last step with the test piece was milling out the center of the side that faces inward. This is critical because the "nut" which secures the bearings protrudes slightly into the area where the cross is. I was not sure I'd have enough room to do this since the nuts I made have a much larger OD than the originals. The measurements just worked but the proof is in the piece...Thankfully, it appears to have worked. If it hadn't, I'd have had to make new nuts of a smaller diameter. With that done, I spent some time cleaning the mill up in preparation for going on with the steel pieces. Then put the first one in the drill press to drill and tap the screw holes. I finished one and will do the second one tomorrow. Edited April 7, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted April 7, 2023 Share Posted April 7, 2023 beautiful work joe! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 7, 2023 Author Share Posted April 7, 2023 (edited) Nothing much today. I spent the morning with an old friend that now lives overseas. He's just bought a Model A roadster pickup (in Denmark) so I took him down to the property I've been cleaning up for the past two years where there is a very large pile of Model A stuff (much of which was damaged when the building that it was in was crushed by a falling tree)...in any case, he did find a few useful bits so it was worth the effort. When I got back I drilled & threaded the remaining holes in the steel blanks. I'm setting it up to mill now but made a math error in one of my calculations. Fortunately, I noticed it before I did anything so I'll do the math again tonight and triple check it. Edited April 7, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted April 7, 2023 Share Posted April 7, 2023 What year roadster pick up? They are one of my very favorite Model A body designs. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 7, 2023 Author Share Posted April 7, 2023 (edited) Good question. Based on the engine it's a very early (February) 29 but it has many other features that are associated with 28, including the red steering wheel. It's unrestored...still in original (or very old) paint and hasn't been on the road since 1956. So...we're undecided as to the year. It could also be a '28 that had an engine swap early on and, by coincidence, got a early '29 engine. My friend has wanted one of these since he was 16...and he's about 2 months younger than I am so it's been a very long time coming! It came from the US so it isn't something sold new in Europe. I know practically nothing about Fords so I'm not much help in dating it but I'm inclined to think that if they were using up last years parts, trucks would be the place to do it. Edited April 7, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsfarms Posted April 7, 2023 Share Posted April 7, 2023 I am happy for your buddy. I am partial to the 1928-29 Model A across the board and especially the roadster pick up. When you get a chance, post a picture for your buddy so we can all appreciate his new purchase. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 8, 2023 Author Share Posted April 8, 2023 I started machining the steel axle crosses today...first setting up the taper milling fixture and centering the piece under the spindle. I wasn't thrilled with the little centering tool I've been using and discovered that Mitutoyo makes one. They have a very good reputation so I bought one of those. It's a tool I use frequently so it makes sense to get the best available. I did the math over twice last night...just to be certain. The piece has to be offset .872 and the sides milled with a 9/16 end mill. To offset it I used an indicator rather than the dials. B&S offered an accessory to hold an indicator just for this purpose since it is more accurate, especially with an old and heavily used machine. Then I started milling. Everything was going perfectly until the next to last cut when something slipped and the piece turned... That wasn't as bad as it looks since the damaged part will be removed in any case but it took a good two hours to get everything back in alignment and even then it can never be as perfect as it would be if it hadn't moved at all. Again, everything seemed to be working properly until I got to the last cut ... in exactly the same place and it spun again. I can't fix it this time so it's a matter of starting over. At least I now think I know what was wrong. I'd neglected to lock the dividing head before I took the cut. I'll have to order more material but this time I', thinking I'll used the 4041 annealed and have it heat treated after the machining is done. I can't say I'm thrilled...but you have to expect things to happen once in a while and I do think this is the most demanding part I've ever attempted. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 I continue to be in awe of your ability and am very thankful that we all have this to see and read about and how you are able to explain it to all of us and make it easier to comprehend the total process as well as the easy and also the frustrating bits as well. Thank you SIR. What an education we are being a witness to and how lucky and fortunate we are . Your time to share all of this is so appreciated. With the prediction of good dry weather here on long island for the coming week I hope to be able to get some projects worked on myself out side. A very kind fellow I met on these forums sent me a wonderful rusty old toy truck and that will be started on its path to look the way it was when new over half a century ago. He is a very kind fellow who likes to take big pieces of metal and make them into little ones .😊 Walt 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 8, 2023 Author Share Posted April 8, 2023 (edited) Thanks Walt. I've gotten pretty relaxed about minor setbacks as I get older. You just have to keep pressing on until it comes out right. It will...and I'll have learned something in the process. In this case, starting over will allow me to correct a minor flaw in my design. I'm anxious to see how that truck comes out... [EDIT]...taking a break and thinking about the problem is a very good idea. Now that I've stepped back and looked at it dispassionately, I think I may have a way of fixing even this. I'm a little disappointed I can't get back to it tomorrow but Easter is one of the few "family" holidays I still have and I'm spending it with my sister's family. More to come... Edited April 9, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 10, 2023 Author Share Posted April 10, 2023 (edited) I started out today to repair the badly damaged piece...the first step was to drill and ream the arbor I was using to 1/2" I then reassembled everything but this time used a piece of threaded rod passing through the arbor to hold the work piece. This eliminates any chance of the chuck coming loose (as it did on Saturday). I set the piece up as best I could using a piece of 9/16 ground rod as a guide rather than the end mill. Then offset it to mill the other side of the tapered "ears". The first cut was offset .872 so I need to move it back 1.744. Since almost all dial indicators only have 1" of travel I bought this big, 3" indicator. I milled one ear...but came to the conclusion that I was beating a dead horse. I found it practically impossible to get the piece aligned perfectly so that, even if I succeeded, I'd be satisfied with the finished piece. I decided I'll have to make it over but rather than take everything apart I started on the second cross. In this case, with the improved arbor, I was able to do all the milling without removing it as I'd originally planned. The ears were supposed to come out 1.184 wide. When I finished and measured them they were .014 undersize. I do not know why as I'm sure my numbers were right but this isn't a major problem because the taper is only 1.040 wide at the narrow end. I keep going with this tomorrow and I'm reasonably certain I can come very close to the optimum size. Edited April 10, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 I’m glad it’s not just me it happens too! (no offense meant Joe) I call it screwy math. I’ve found often times I do the math 100% correctly and if it doesn’t come out right, it will come out more often than not, undersized. Not sure if the cutter is pulling the surface in slightly as it cuts or what causes it but it seems 4 divided by 2 isn’t always 2! While it’s usually only in the thousands undersized, it still befuddles me and I go back and check my math over and over again!🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 11, 2023 Author Share Posted April 11, 2023 I suspect it has something to do with deflection. You wouldn't think an end mill like this, taking relatively light cuts, would deflect much but a few thousandths is a very small amount. I think if I'd done this with larger diameter cutters it would have minimized the variation. It's too late to do anything about that now and I'm reasonably confident of being able to compensate but I'll try to remember that for the next time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrward Posted April 11, 2023 Share Posted April 11, 2023 (edited) I suspect that your endmill is running out in the holder. We used to measure the endmill with a micrometer and then check the runout of the tool in the holder and spindle so we could correct for the runout. If you don't check runout and correct for the runout you are liable to have undersize features. Example: 1/2-inch endmill that measures exactly .500-inch with .002-inch runout is effectively a .504-inch endmill. Edit: Thank you for a fascinating thread Edited April 11, 2023 by wrward Thanks (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 11, 2023 Author Share Posted April 11, 2023 Thanks. That makes a lot of sense. I've often wondered if the necessary clearance in a tool holder made a difference. It probably doesn't for most jobs but this is an unusual one. Ordinarily I use collets to hold an end mill but I used a tool holder this time because I have to take the end mill out to reset the tapers and wanted to keep the depth control uniform. In any case, I compensated for the undersize "lug" by moving it a few thousandths away from the end mill where the taper begins...in fact, I may have overcompensated and made the tapers a tiny bit too wide. I started the day by adjusting the fixture to mill the 3-degree taper. I'm using indicators rather than the dials on the machine because they will be a little more accurate. I also used a piece of 9/16 ground stock in a collet to locate the edge of the taper... The first taper looked good but I won't actually know if I've got it right until the piece is nearly completed I did the four tapers on one side, then reset the fixture to cut the other side. I'm taking this pretty slow since I'd rather not have to do any more than needed. I ordered two more pieces of bar last night (only one of which I hope I need) so I'm going to press on with this one and see if I can complete it. I finished the last of them just after 5. I'll take it out of the fixture tomorrow. A quick measurement looks as if the tapers are very slightly too wide at the narrow end. I don't know if this will make any difference...they don't go all the way into the slots and the one "good" one I have is worn so I may ok. If not, I'll have to file them slightly. In any case, slightly too big is better than too small. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 12, 2023 Author Share Posted April 12, 2023 I took the taper milling attachment apart this morning and tried the taper in a hub It may be just a tiny bit big but I'm not too concerned about that. It is not supposed to go to the bottom of the slot since that would prevent it tightening up. The space between the end of the taper and the bottom is slightly larger than it is with the better original cross but it's also visibly worn so I must be very close to the optimal size. Then it was time to mill the flutes. One of the complications of this job is that the cross has to be nearly finished in order to fit it...it won't go in while the flat areas at the base of the tapered lug are too wide. I centered the rotary table under the spindle and then mounted the cross on the fixture with a piece of 1" bar in the center to center it. Then on to the mill using one of the threaded holes to align it with the zero mark on the rotary table. The tapered lugs are 90-degrees apart so in order to mill the flute I turned the table to 45-degrees. The flutes will be milled at 45, 135, 225 and 315 degrees. I have to go in .900. It's a 1-7/8" end mill so that is just short of half way. In order to make sure I don't dull the cutter I'm taking this pretty slow...and it seems to work well. Nothing is getting too hot and I'm not getting "blue" chips. A commercial shop, where time is critical, would not do it this way but in my case I'm more interested in how it comes out than I am in how long it takes. I milled the first flute... And then some friends stopped by so I was only able to mill one more by the end of the day. But, the finish is excellent and it looks right... 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 13, 2023 Author Share Posted April 13, 2023 (edited) I haven't much to report today. I finished milling the flutes... And started on milling the back side. This has to be taken down .450 so that the tapered sections are slightly more than .875 tall. This isn't gut wrenching work like milling the tapers but it takes a lot of time since I don't have the carbide tooling and high speed mill with flood coolant that would normally be used with steel like this... It is coming out good though. The surface is actually much smoother than it looks in the picture but I need to do some further experiments with speeds and depth of cut... Edited April 13, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 14, 2023 Author Share Posted April 14, 2023 I wasn't happy with the way the end mill I was using yesterday was working so today I replaced it with a 3" shell mill. This has a lot more teeth and a much larger diameter so it runs at a considerably slower speed. There really isn't much to show. I spent the day standing at the mill turning the rotary table for each cut...tedious but not hard. I'm not 100% satisfied with the finish but it will work just fine. (If I've figured everything correctly!) Next I have to put 45-degree chamfers on the flat sections at the bass of the tapered lugs...and hopefully it will fit. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 15, 2023 Author Share Posted April 15, 2023 (edited) Today was the big day...when I'll find out if this actually works. I started by setting up the dividing head with the cross. Although I didn't plan it, the threaded holes have proved to be an excellent way of making sure it's actually located correctly. Then I located the edge of the tapered lug and moved the piece away from the cutter .005. And started cutting the chamfers with a 45-degree cutter. These probably don't have to be all that precise and the first ones I did were not to my liking but all they are doing is providing clearance so I kept on with it. The second set, on the opposite side, came out better. Like anything, the more you do something the better you get at it. I finished those and arrived at the moment of truth...would it fit? It did! Not quite as deep as I'd wanted but certainly within tolerance. I then tried screwing on one of the hub cap bodies... And that fit as well. Then, I tried it in the other hub... And it fit even better. Probably the center of the cross, on the inside, is hitting the axle tube which is why it fit the second hub better. As you can see, it is relieved on the inside though I doubt it needs to be anywhere near as deep as the original. But...I think I'll quit early on this high note. The cross has to go back on the turning fixture to cut the relief and I need two more 3/8-24 cap screws to hold it down firmly. There are further complications to deal with but none compare to making this piece. Of course, I have to start all over and make another one but the second usually goes quicker than the first. Oh...and I need to find someone who can make the square hole... Edited April 16, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 Making a square hole isn’t that difficult……….just buy a square drill. Works every time……..🤔 Could you waterjet it? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 I think I'm going to have it EDM'd. I just have to find someone to do it. I'd rather not ship them (but will if I must) so I'd like to do it locally but it's a question as to whether anyone around here would take such a small job. Most of the commercial shops want big numbers...as I'm sure you must know. When I've finished the second one I'll post a query on the Practical Machinist forum (which I'm a long time member of)...there are guys there with vertical slotting machines as well. I have a slotting attachment for my B&S mill so, theoretically, I could do it myself but this is a case where I'd just as soon pay someone with the best equipment to do it for me. I think EDM would be best for a square hole with the rounded corners 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 I am very definitely not a machinist so I will ask: Would an end mill bit that is the diameter of the rounded corners work? I am thinking of milling a square making multiple passes with what ever depth the mill and end mill bit can deal with. Or would that be too deep a final hole for the tools? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 There are a couple of problems although that is one way to do it. The piece is about 1.25 thick. That would take an extra long end mill and ideally one that was no more than 1/4 or 5/16 in diameter. The side pressure would be too much and you'd just about certainly break the end mill. You'd have to do it in small increments and repeating the movements of the table perfectly would be nearly impossible...at least with my mill which is at least 80 years old. Milling a square would call for very precise control of the table in two directions since you are aiming for a square about .006 larger than the end of the axle. It's just too iffy that I'd be able to do it right the first time or even the second. I probably have nearly a week's work in this piece so I don't think it's worth the chance I could ruin it. The original hole was put in with a square broach with rounded corners but such a broach would need a "pull" broaching machine and it, in itself, might cost several hundred dollars. All of that would make sense if you were the original factory but for two pieces it is not practical. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 (edited) I know wire erosion (EDM) is a possibility……….I have seen it done in the past on small specialty jobs. Edited April 16, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 That's the process. It's interesting in that the hardness of the metal makes no difference. There are two basic methods, wire EDM and plunge EDM. Plunge EDM needs a carbon electrode in the shape of the hole. It's generally cheaper and not quite as precise. The truth is, I really don't care how it's done as long as it works. I've got two more pieces of metal on order...the usual things these days in that they didn't have what I ordered and I had to change it all of which has taken a week and set this back a bit. In the long run it won't make a difference but it means that I'll have to rearrange my schedule and leave the tooling out until the job is done. I guess the lesson here, if it wasn't already apparent, is that nothing gets done really fast and you just have to keep plugging away... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milburn Drysdale Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 Use a shaper. They make square holes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 (edited) I don't have one and, at this point, don't have a place to put one. [EDIT] Actually, I do have a combination shaper/open side planer that promises to be a very useful machine. It was given to me about 3 years ago and so far all I've managed to do is get it into the shop. The motor has to be remounted and I have to teach myself how to use it. It's one of those jobs I'll get to eventually, probably when something comes up that can't be done any other way. I have a vertical mill that's in the same situation. When the job I bought it for is ready to go I'll have to get the machine running. In any case, what would be a problem is indexing the piece to do it on a shaper...it would need a massive indexing fixture to stand the stresses. Edited April 16, 2023 by JV Puleo (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 Just turn the ends of the axles round and put a key in them! Put some JB weld around the end of the shaft for a bedding compound! 🤣🤣 Easier than making a square hole and you already have the round hole with the key in the piece! Yes, I’m only joking but probably as strong with the new metals as it was done years ago. Just running truer is going to make a huge difference. I will ask my buddy with the machine shop about how he would do or get a square hole done locally and let you know. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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