Machining

Didn’t find anything with the search function. Anyone on here have an interest in machining? There’s quite a few textile experts and carpentry experts, and at least one member who makes and sells top caps, but I haven’t seen many more in the way of machining.

My background isn’t in engineering or related fields, but I’ve always found it interesting to create things, particularly with my hands. Metalworking is a recent hobby, and I’m fortunate to have access well-equipped metal shop to keep myself occupied in. Most of my work is utilitarian (furniture, fixings, urgently needed bolts…) but I’m looking to start on some fun stuff soon, like a custom seatpost and tooling to work on Brompton/Sturmey kit.

If anyone has examples of their own metalwork that they’d like to share, or advice on acquiring machining skills, that would be really interesting to see and hear about.

I'm interested in recreating small older bike parts that are no longer in production. This would mean that historical bikes (40's-80's) which are the backbone of cycling history, can be kept viable and not be scrapped for the lack of a £10 part.

I have a number of worthwhile and profitable items in mind, so please PM me if you fancy a chat.

I have a metal workshop and have been mucking about for about 10 years with it. Not had much chance to do anything lately as my workshop is far from home and too much at home keeping me occupied. Although I am moving my workshop in the next couple of months to within walking distance and hope to get back to it asap. I have a big project I’ve been working on which I intend to make my full time job so I can sack off the 9-5 office life.

But for the past few years I’ve just been making stuff I’ve needed/wanted, restored loads of things, making parts that don’t otherwise exist etc.

Mostly metal bending, welding, lathe etc.

One day I want to make a penny farthing, have designed it all just need to find the time to make it.

In terms of learning I find just getting the right tools for the job you’re doing and playing about with them mixed with YouTube tutorials. I did welding classes which was useful for hands on stuff. Finding old guys that do machining is great, if you’re interested they’ll happily talk and tell you about crazy stuff you didn’t even know was possible. Quite valuable really as the skills these guys have are something special and not seemingly being replaced.

I’ve sent you a DM, always up for fun projects, especially if profitable.

@Dogtemple - what sort of parts that don’t otherwise exist have you made? The big project sounds intriguing, best of luck with it. Yeah those old tech heads are genuinely impressive. I was speaking with a retired engineer* from Rolls Royce’s jet division, and was struck by the breadth and depth of his expertise around metal and doing things with metal. Some mates and I keep an eye out for deals on tools, and this is currently what’s in the workshop, plus a few other bits. Excuse the mess…

• called himself an engineer; I don’t know if that means a technician/engineer or a technical designer/engineer. 🤷‍♂️
  

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Is that an old Myford lathe? I had one of those a few years ago to restore, but kids got in the way and I sold it on.

I have a reasonable amount of machining experience (lathes & mills) but very rarely get to do any nowadays.

I definitely have an interest, sadly don’t have the kit or experience!

My old man has a pretty lightweight/amateur level combo lathe and mill. I’ve done some very basic work with it, squaring up the ends of tubes for making stems, making spacers, stem caps etc.

Tried to make some bearing housings to build a singlespeed full sus a while back but either the lathe accuracy/repeatability or my skills were sorely lacking!

Only things I’ve got photos of are this adapter to fit a tripod head to my enlarger turning it onto a copy stand for digitising negatives and the copper shim I made for a Brompton stem project.

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I'm also a SLMS member, I just got inducted on the MIG welder and I'd like to make some racks/bag supports. I've got some experience turning simple parts so should be able to make bosses/mounts on the lathe and mill if needed. No designs yet so this is all theoretical at the moment.

Nice shop! I’ve got a little set up in my garage and make stuff for my motorbikes. Recutting cylinder heads, porting and making two stroke exhaust pipes. I’ve made a swingarm and some other stuff too. I like the logical thinking for machining but the process can be a ball ache, especially without some instruction. Took me ages to get my lathe working properly. Get some charts made up with speeds and feeds for different materials. It’s a total money saver though - I’m just making a fork brace for an old Triumph - 275 to buy, 28 bucks in Aluminium from the remnant pile and a pre bent tube to make.

YouTube is great for instruction - check out Blondiehacks and Thisoldtony.

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I just joined SMEE for the repeatability I need. I’ll drop you a line separately.

I think my old man was a member of SMEE.

There's so many variables for accuracy / repeatability, from machine condition, set up, tooling and material, it's way more complicated that I was expecting. I only started getting decent results by going very slowly through everything before I start an operation.

it's way more complicated that I was expecting

It’s crazy, isn’t it? We’re spoiled in our modern times for cheaply available decently machined metal products. Just cutting a thread pitch correctly takes bloody ages on a lathe this size, and the thing weighs half a ton and takes up half a parking bay.

I’ve got a little set up in my garage and make stuff for my motorbikes

Man that’s awesome! I hope to get to a skill level one day where I feel comfortable making motor vehicle engine parts. Thanks for the advice as well: I’ll find some charts and will look up ThisoldTony (I already follow Blondihacks).

myford

It’s an old Colchester. Needs adjustment as it’s not as precise as I’d like it to be, but it has its uses: I made a seatpost shim to within +-0.1mm width over 300mm length of stock. If I’d tried to make a seatpost it would be horrific.

Nice. Your Dad must’ve been very proud to see you chamfered the corners. 👍 The Brompton stem project sounds interesting?

Yeah, moving them isn't much fun. I think mine weighs about 900lbs which is still a good chunk less than that Colchester weighs...

I've struggled a lot more with surface finish than threading. Took quite a bit of time, and reading on different tool / insert geometry and how they interact with speed and feed to get satisfactory. Great when you get it right though - perfect chips and that shiny mirror finish in free machining or 4140.

Gotta have chamfers!

The Brommie stem was, cut the top off, make a custom shim to reduce the od of the tube to 1 1/8”, pop a sealant on the top of it and you can clamp a bit of steerer tube in it and fit whatever stem you want. Means you can get more reach, choose between 22.2, 25.4 or 31.8mm bars etc.

I got a sheet of copper in the required thickness and annealed it and rolled it around a tube but it wasn’t the smoothest roll so it wasn’t slipping into the decapitated stem like it should so a spin on the lathe took it down Ande rounded it up and left a nice little lip to keep it in place too.

We (Dad and I) had the chance a few years ago… actually a good few years now, of a massive lathe for free when the university department he worked for was moving from the out of town campus into the city centre but neither of us had anywhere to put it. He’s since built a new workshop but he’s primarily a woodworker so may have struggled to justify sacrificing the space even now and my workshop has no power. It’d have had all sorts of tooling with it too.

Father in law used to do a lot of machining. Was a research engineer for Philips and has been a volunteer for various steam railways around the country, machining parts for the engines etc. He's got his own lathe and milling machine in his workshop, but he's getting on a bit now (80s) and therefore not able to do much anymore.

Currently radiusing the ends of the fork brace mount for the Triumph. I love my little mill but the arc of history bends faster than these bloody radii….

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Just spent an hour watching this guy's videos daydreaming of having my own machine shop. I really like his narration style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWy76xDfTQE

Impressive, thanks for sharing! Looks like the chaps grandfather was a serious machinist, those tools are in great shape.

Doh! Managed to bore one of the holes too big on one of the clamps for my fork brace. So annoying. Think I’ll start again as I’ve a better order of operations now.

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