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What Material for Abene VHF-3 Feed Stop

cwilcox

Cast Iron
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Location
Canada
My machine is missing one of the feed stops, circled in image taken from Abene website. I have the other one already for dimensions. You can't cut it with a file and it seems to be black oxide coated.

Question is: What material would you use to make one? Yes a new one is available but it is ~75 euro plus bank draft shipping etc puts it over $200 by the time it gets here. Plus it would be fun to make one using my Abene.

I have access to a small heat treat oven as well for hardening but no access to a surface grinder.

Thanks,

Feed Stop.jpg
 
Original part is most likely made form a steel that accepts case hardening (SAE 8620....) And that part is likely carburized to offset wear.
Personally i would make this part form "pre-hard" 4140 and use it as delivered form the supplier (no post heat treatment). As supplied heat treated 4140/4142 will run about 30 RCh.
Machines well with good finishes using carbide tooling.....

Could also make it from O1, and through harden it....
Cheers Ross
 
I would make the body and tongue that fits in the groove out of mild steel so that if you have a wreck, the stop deforms instead of the machine. You could case-harden the bumper or insert a hard piece into the body somehow.
 
For what it's worth, not that it's correct or anything, my VHF-3 was also missing some stops, made my own out of 4140 (not pre-hard). Considering I average the use of this machine to about twice a year, I'm not worried about it. I also made 2 new handles for it. Was missing the post and knob entirely on the X- side, and the knob only on the Y handle.
 
I would make the body and tongue that fits in the groove out of mild steel so that if you have a wreck, the stop deforms instead of the machine. You could case-harden the bumper or insert a hard piece into the body somehow.

Not sure under what conditions you could "crash" the trip stops....

Cheers Ross
 
I'll try and find some 4140 PH and make one. The travel stops stop the crash I think and I also use this thing like a couple times per year so they son't wear out. It is just nice to make things 'right' and have a complete machine.
Chris
 








 
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