Learning curves, learning curves, learning curves have really slowed me down, that along with what seems like constant snow clearing. Using the grinder in the garage in close to or below zero temps hasn’t been much fun either. LOL
First was assembling the new mill, reading all instructions and playing with scrap material and mill attachments until I became somewhat comfortable with it.
Second was learning to use a grinder to sharpen and /or make lathe tools. My right hand lath tool needed sharpening and I totally destroyed it attempting to do this. I did have a backup right hand tool but decided to take a ¼ inch high speed steel blank and make my own. Yes, I could just have purchased new tools but my lathe and mill mentor, Retired Guy, said sooner or later I would need to learn the necessary grinder skills if I ever wanted to make my own custom lathe tools. And, as I have been telling myself lately, if not now, when? So I read the tool making instructions that came with the Sherline product and used the backup right hand tool as a template. Success! I was able to make my own right hand tool that worked beautifully. Besides, the cost of blanks is about half of premade tools.
Third was learning how to make my own gearwheels using the gear cutting tool holder I purchased with the new mill. There were several failures and for a time I thought I was going to run out of brass rod before the job was finished. But persistence, slowing down and being as being precise as possible paid off.
Also a big help was a video I got from the Midwest Model Shipwrights video library. On this video, Doc Williams explained how he built the windlass for his Charles W Morgan, part of which was making gear wheels.
This is what I got with the kit for the counter shaft assembly.
My first thought was to cut the gearwheels off, clean them up with escapement files, and drill a 1/32 hole for a new shaft. But that didn’t work as well as I liked so I took a deep breath and made my own gearwheels.
Starting with a piece of ¼ inch brass stock, I loaded it into the lathe and turned it down to same diameter as the white metal gearwheel. That’s my self-made right hand cutting tool in the pic.
Then I loaded the piece on the mill. On the right side of the picture is a 4 jaw chuck, mounted on a rotary table which is mounted on a right angle attachment. The rotary table allows a circle to be divided into 3600 parts. I just divided the diameter of each gear by the number of needed teeth, 8 for the small gear and 12 for the large gear. Then, using the handle on the rotary table, I rotated the piece the necessary amount for each cut. The cutting tool I used is actually made for cutting threads. The reason there are 2 cutting tools mounted in the gear cutting holding tool is because the tools are 1/8th inch vs the standard ¼ inch the holder is made for. Sherline advised me that when using 1/8th inch tools to mount 2 of them to make up the 1/8th inch difference. I cut the teeth .150 inches deep.
This is a picture of what the large gear looks like after finishing in the mill.
Then put the piece back into the lathe and drilled a 1/32 hole for the shaft.
The rear cutoff tool made easy work of cutting the gear to the proper thickness.
Here is the finished large gear
And the finished small gear
Bothe gears next to the white metal gears that came with the kit.
I was, thankfully, able to salvage the stands. My skills are nowhere near ready to make these. I didn’t have any 1/32 brass rod but I did have some 1/32 copper wire (unknown gauge) so used that for the axel shaft. Here is the piece assembled.
While this assembly probably should have been entirely black, I have previously left lots of brass pieces unpainted. So I went half way and blackened the frames only. I’m always conflicted about blackening the brass pieces. Kind of like painting over beautiful woodwork.
Next up is the windlass. This is the piece that came with the kit, which isn’t very pretty. The cuts in the center for the pawl are hardly visible. So I’m going to attempt to build my own windlass.
Looks like more learning curves in my future. But if not now, when?
Learning curves, learning curves, learning curves have really slowed me down, that along with what seems like constant snow clearing. Using the grinder in the garage in close to or below zero temps hasn’t been much fun either. LOL First was assembling the new mill, reading all instructions and playing with scrap material and mill attachments until I became somewhat comfortable with it. Second was learning to use a grinder to sharpen and /or make lathe tools. My right hand lath tool needed sharpening and I totally destroyed it attempting to do this. I did have a backup right hand tool but decided to take a ¼ inch high speed steel blank and make my own. Yes, I could just have purchased new tools but my lathe and mill mentor, Retired Guy, said sooner or later I would need to learn the necessary grinder skills if I ever wanted to make my own custom lathe tools. And, as I have been telling myself lately, if not now, when? So I read the tool making instructions that came with the Sherline product and used the backup right hand tool as a template. Success! I was able to make my own right hand tool that worked beautifully. Besides, the cost of blanks is about half of premade tools. Third was learning how to make my own gearwheels using the gear cutting tool holder I purchased with the new mill. There were several failures and for a time I thought I was going to run out of brass rod before the job was finished. But persistence, slowing down and being as being precise as possible paid off. Also a big help was a video I got from the Midwest Model Shipwrights video library. On this video, Doc Williams explained how he built the windlass for his Charles W Morgan, part of which was making gear wheels. This is what I got with the kit for the counter shaft assembly. My first thought was to cut the gearwheels off, clean them up with escapement files, and drill a 1/32 hole for a new shaft. But that didn’t work as well as I liked so I took a deep breath and made my own gearwheels. Starting with a piece of ¼ inch brass stock, I loaded it into the lathe and turned it down to same diameter as the white metal gearwheel. That’s my self-made right hand cutting tool in the pic. Then I loaded the piece on the mill. On the right side of the picture is a 4 jaw chuck, mounted on a rotary table which is mounted on a right angle attachment. The rotary table allows a circle to be divided into 3600 parts. I just divided the diameter of each gear by the number of needed teeth, 8 for the small gear and 12 for the large gear. Then, using the handle on the rotary table, I rotated the piece the necessary amount for each cut. The cutting tool I used is actually made for cutting threads. The reason there are 2 cutting tools mounted in the gear cutting holding tool is because the tools are 1/8th inch vs the standard ¼ inch the holder is made for. Sherline advised me that when using 1/8th inch tools to mount 2 of them to make up the 1/8th inch difference. I cut the teeth .150 inches deep. This is a picture of what the large gear looks like after finishing in the mill. Then put the piece back into the lathe and drilled a 1/32 hole for the shaft. The rear cutoff tool made easy work of cutting the gear to the proper thickness. Here is the finished large gear And the finished small gear Bothe gears next to the white metal gears that came with the kit. I was, thankfully, able to salvage the stands. My skills are nowhere near ready to make these. I didn’t have any 1/32 brass rod but I did have some 1/32 copper wire (unknown gauge) so used that for the axel shaft. Here is the piece assembled. While this assembly probably should have been entirely black, I have previously left lots of brass pieces unpainted. So I went half way and blackened the frames only. I’m always conflicted about blackening the brass pieces. Kind of like painting over beautiful woodwork. Next up is the windlass. This is the piece that came with the kit, which isn’t very pretty. The cuts in the center for the pawl are hardly visible. So I’m going to attempt to build my own windlass. Looks like more learning curves in my future. But if not now, when?
