- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
I need a round piece of steel about 6"-10" long that can have one end threaded for about 1.5" with a 2" 16 thread. What is the cheapest easyest way to do this? I would assume it would have to be done on a lathe.
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Machining a tool.
- Thread starter Ghost
- Start date
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Yep - lathe.
What are you using it for? If it doesn't need to be steel (it can be, say, aluminum,) you could save a significant part of machining cost (if you end up having to pay for it, that is.)
What are you using it for? If it doesn't need to be steel (it can be, say, aluminum,) you could save a significant part of machining cost (if you end up having to pay for it, that is.)
- Location
- Maurertown,Va.
Or find a bolt that size and cut it to length--may be cheaper .
Wayne
Wayne
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Tube=hollow so I cannot use a bolt. D60 spindle boring tool on the cheap. The cheapest version I have found is around $450.00. The cheapest bit I have found is $110.00. I was looking at pictures of is and said hey that looks just like my tubing notcher. So if I had a tube that would screw onto the spindle and hold the shaft from my tubing notcher or one just like it.... I could use a 1.5" hole saw to get a rough bore and mabey smothe it out with a sanding drum.
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Aluminum is cheaper then steel? That surprises me.
asp
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Westport, MA
al is cheaper to machine because it's so much softer. unfortunately it can also gum up on your cutting tip (mill, bit for a lathe, etc) whereas steel won't gum up. steel is way more consistent and easier to work with, you just have to go slower.
you might find this interesting:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=933793&highlight=D60+boring
you might find this interesting:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=933793&highlight=D60+boring
Last edited:
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
I'll have to price all those hole saws. That would work for the cutting end, I need something to hold it all straight. I cannot drill a straight hole with a drill press. :shhh:
asp
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Westport, MA
hole saws can't be more than 15 bucks tops or so. the piece you are talking about making is way more expensive than that, not that it's not an easier approach. and i don't understand what you mean you can't drill a straight hole with a drill press....?
bill used this:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/HS-0019/Starrett-quotOOPSquot-Arbor
to keep on center and checked his progress with a level frequently..
bill used this:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/HS-0019/Starrett-quotOOPSquot-Arbor
to keep on center and checked his progress with a level frequently..
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Means I'd never keep it level forthe length it need to be.
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Precisely. That's what makes material selection so important - the material can be a bit more costly, but it can save you more than the difference in machining costs.
Steel chips are a bit stringy, and require a reasonably shallow cut.
Aluminum can take a deep cut, but it's awfully gummy (as mentioned.) Aluminum also doesn't like being ground by conventional means. 6061 and 7075 approach the 10xx steels in strength.
Copper and alloys give with a fairly brittle chip (it doesn't clog up anything - the chip breaks before it gets big enough,) but also tends to load up grinding wheels. However, it doesn't corrode (normally,) and tends to be harder than most aluminums. Also, copper alloys don't seize against ferrous (which is another advantage, and why I use brass hardware on exhaust.)
Sometimes, selecting a more expensive material can save you money - depends on the machining operations required...
