Cast Iron shop projects à la South Bend

[calvin b]

Hello All,
Here's my humble explanation and background to the rather cryptic title to this thread.. I've always kinda wanted to do some pattern making and machine some cast iron castings.. But alas, I'm the consummate procrastinator and never quite got around to til.. I got some motivation. Things are really slow in the shop so I decided to tutor/mentor a home schooled kid.. And not being a teacher by trade I went in search of teaching material.. Along comes 'how to run a lathe' and 'how to run a metal working shaper and drill press' and 'machine shop projects, south bend lathe works' all reprinted by lindsay books... Excellent teaching aids in my opinion..
So going through the project book I decide to make up some patterns and ship them off to Mr. Donges of board fame.. He promptly got them made up and back to me.. even though I let him know that he could put them on the extra slow boat.. So the pictures that follow are of the patterns and the castings and a little of the machining of project #21, a bell center punch.. The lathe is a tired old south bend that still gives good service.. and is quite forgiving when the young one does something not to bright...
Thanks for looking
Stay safe
Calvin

 

[Dconway00]

Calvin

Did you just have one blank poured? Might be others on the forum that would be interested in the blank

Dennis

 

[Webb Wyman]

Hi There,

Looks good and I'm glad you are mentoring a young
one into the fraternity! It would be great if more people
would help young ones learn these skills..

BTW, how much did it cost you to have your patterns cast?

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

 

[calvin b]

Mr. Wyman sir,
I prefer to keep my dealings with Mr. Donges private but let's just say he's more than reasonable.. He has the patterns am I'm sure he'd have some cast up for a very nominal fee.. A word on the patterns though.. I'm certainly not a pattern maker and the castings are ROUGH ! As for training aids they are marvelous in my opinion as they have no good reference points and it makes the student scratch his brain on the layout and set up stuff. One really has to sit down and plan on how to machine a casting.. I think this week I'm going to have him machine a mandrel to turn the bell center punch on... like I mentioned before lots of things can be taught/learned with a really simple and useful project..
On another casting subject.. here's a vise casting from Craig..
Stay safe
Calvin