Nitromahn
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2008
- Location
- Bethel, Alaska USA
If this seems simplistic to the sophisticated machinists/toolbuilders, please don't laugh.
I have been slowly working towards getting my lathe cleaned up, still have some things to do, but while waiting on parts, I've thought of a couple things I would like to do.
After reading some on grinding tool-bits in the SB forum, and one fellows response on making a lap, I thought I would do the same.
I immediately thought of a simple motor with a pulley train to bring the rpm's down to say, 60rpm? But then I thought of a gearmotor. So now I think I will buy one of a suitable rpm, and mount a disc cut from aluminum round stock, say 8 inch diameter, face it nicely, and then turn a depression and lip into it to hold the diamond slurry. I think it should look like this:
This way the slurry won't get flipped off the outside edge, and to get some fresh compound on the tool, just carefully direct the tip into the slurry held in the lip.
My idea is to mount the gearmotor in/on a safe, attractive base with the disc's being mounted directly to the shaft. If shaft mounting can't work, then a small v-belt to a shaft on pillow-blocks. I could make a plate that would be perpendicular to the disc face, and use a holder to get the correct angles on the toolbit. Then is would be a simple matter of roughing the angles on one side of a grinder, move to the side with the fine stone, then over to the lap to get a really nice sharp edge. I could have a few lap discs made up to hold varying grit sizes, and store them I would make glued together boxes out of soft pine. Each lap would have it's own box to keep things organized and not contaminate a finer lap with coarse particles.
Your ideas, thoughts and any suggestions appreciated. I have some questions:
1. Which metal would work best? Cast iron, steel or aluminum (6061, 7075).
2. What RPM should I look at? I want it to be able to hold the slurry without centrifugal force carrying the slurry off to the outside lip too quickly, but not so slow I would be taking up time.
Has anyone else done this? I did a search on "lapping" and didn't see anything about "personal lapping machines".
Thanks.
I have been slowly working towards getting my lathe cleaned up, still have some things to do, but while waiting on parts, I've thought of a couple things I would like to do.
After reading some on grinding tool-bits in the SB forum, and one fellows response on making a lap, I thought I would do the same.
I immediately thought of a simple motor with a pulley train to bring the rpm's down to say, 60rpm? But then I thought of a gearmotor. So now I think I will buy one of a suitable rpm, and mount a disc cut from aluminum round stock, say 8 inch diameter, face it nicely, and then turn a depression and lip into it to hold the diamond slurry. I think it should look like this:
This way the slurry won't get flipped off the outside edge, and to get some fresh compound on the tool, just carefully direct the tip into the slurry held in the lip.
My idea is to mount the gearmotor in/on a safe, attractive base with the disc's being mounted directly to the shaft. If shaft mounting can't work, then a small v-belt to a shaft on pillow-blocks. I could make a plate that would be perpendicular to the disc face, and use a holder to get the correct angles on the toolbit. Then is would be a simple matter of roughing the angles on one side of a grinder, move to the side with the fine stone, then over to the lap to get a really nice sharp edge. I could have a few lap discs made up to hold varying grit sizes, and store them I would make glued together boxes out of soft pine. Each lap would have it's own box to keep things organized and not contaminate a finer lap with coarse particles.
Your ideas, thoughts and any suggestions appreciated. I have some questions:
1. Which metal would work best? Cast iron, steel or aluminum (6061, 7075).
2. What RPM should I look at? I want it to be able to hold the slurry without centrifugal force carrying the slurry off to the outside lip too quickly, but not so slow I would be taking up time.
Has anyone else done this? I did a search on "lapping" and didn't see anything about "personal lapping machines".
Thanks.