material for a 510 connector.

[Lance_Wallen]

so I got all my new stuff, been playing around with it. The thread stock looks like it'll work, my only issue is figuring out how to bore it out with the 6.5mm drill bit without screwing it up.

I'm debating putting it in my lathe and using my drill bar to just press it in and saying bye bye to however many threads I destroy by chucking it into the lathe. I have a drill press but I can't figure out an elegant way to hold the thread stock without buggering up a bunch of the threads and hold it stable enough. I'm thinking maybe I could make a jig out of aluminum, tap a hole that my thread stock can screw into then grab that with a vise and use it to hold it? If I drill everything square it'll make aligning the hole easy... I've only got 8.5mm to work with as far as 'body' on the thread stock and I'm drilling 6.5mm then tapping that to 7x.5 so it'll be a little tight, not a lot of room to screw up the angle.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I love making crap! it's like having one big, long, interesting problem to solve.

 

[zoiDman]

I love making crap! it's like having one big, long, interesting problem to solve.

This is the Zen of CNC Machining.

Being able to Mentally think out Every Cut in the Best Order to make a Part BEFORE you write the First Line of Code.

Here is the first 100 lines of some Code I wrote this morning.

%
O1931
N1 (1931-CAVITY-PLATE-WITH-OPENING-TABS)
N2 (ORIGINAL-DATE-OF-CREATION:10-4-12)
N3 (SIZE:620K)
N4 (PROJECTED-RUN-TIME:4-HOURS-40-MINUTES)
N5 ()
N6 (MATERIAL:7075-T6511-PRE-MACHINED-PLATES)
N7 (MAT-SIZE:EXACTLY-15.000"-X-7.000"-WITH-.500-RADIUS)
N8 ()
N9 (STOCK/BLOCK,15.,7.,2.2,7.5,3.5,0.)
N10 (PLATE-FINISHES-AT:1.998")
N11 ()
N12 (PROG-ZERO:EXACT-CENTER-OF-PLATE)
N13 (TOOL-ZERO:BOTTOM-OF-MATERIAL)
N14 (FIXTURE-OFFSET:G56)
N15 ()
N16 (1ST-PROG-TOOL:.9/16"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T25-H25)
N17 (2ND-PROG-TOOL:45-DEG-DRILL-MILL-T11-H11)
N18 (3RD-PROG-TOOL:.750"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T1-H1)
N19 (4TH-PROG-TOOL: 31/32"-FLAT-EM-2.0"-LOC-H20)
N20 (5TH-PROG-TOOL:45-DEG-FLAT-BOTTOM-CHAMFER-.500"-DIAM-X-1.0"-DIAM-T3-H3)
N21 (6TH-PROG-TOOL:.125"-CARBIDE-SCRIBING-TOOL-.750"-LOC-T7-H7)
N22 (7TH-PROG-TOOL:.750"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T1-H1)
N23 (8TH-PROG-TOOL: 31/32"-FLAT-EM-2.0"-LOC-T20-H20)
N24 (---)
N25 (9TH-PROG-TOOL:#2-C-DRILL"-T4-H4)
N26 (10TH-PROG-TOOL:.500"-DRILL-3.500"-LOC-T8-H8)
N27 (11TH-PROG-TOOL:.500"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-3.500"-LOC-T9-H9)
N28 (12TH-PROG-TOOL:.1875"-FLAT-EM-.125"-LOC-T16-H16)
N29 (13TH-PROG-TOOL:31MM-83MM-FORM-TOOL-ROUGHER-T22-H22)
N30 (14TH-PROG-TOOL:31MM-83MM-FORM-TOOL-FINISHER-T24-H24)
N31 (15TH-PROG-TOOL:.125"-BALL-EM-.125"-LOC-T12-H12)
N32 (16TH-PROG-TOOL:.0625"-BALL-EM-.125"-LOC-T23-H23)
N33 (17TH-PROG-TOOL:#2-C-DRILL"-T4-H4)
N34 (18TH-PROG-TOOL:.277"-J-DRILL-3.500"-LOC-T21-H21)
N35 (19TH-PROG-TOOL:.750"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-3.5"-LOC-T1-H1)
N36 (20TH-PROG-TOOL:.500"-FLAT-FINISHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T10-H10-D10)
N37 (21TH-PROG-TOOL:.500"-BALL-FINISHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T6-H6)
N38 (22TH-PROG-TOOL:.1875"-FLAT-FINISHING-EM-.125"-LOC-T16-H16)
N39 ()
N40 ()
N41 (ORDER-OF-OPPS)
N42 (1-C-BORE-6-EDGE-HOLES-9/16"-FLAT-EM)
N43 (1B-CHAMFER-9/16"-HOLES-45-DEG-DRILLMILL)
N44 (2-MO---PUT-BOLTS-IN-EDGE-HOLES)
N45 (3-FEILD-PRE-ROUGH-LEAVING-.030"-ON-FLOOR-.750"-ROUGHER)
N46 (4-ROUGH-OUTSIDE-PERF-.750"-ROUGHER)
N47 (5-ROUGH-CORNER-BOLT-PADS-.750"-ROUGHER)
N48 (6-FINISH-CORNER-BOLT-PADS-31/32-FLAT-EM)
N49 (7-FINISH-OUTSIDE-PERF-31/32-FLAT-EM)
N50 (8-CHAMFER-PERF)
N51 (9-P/N-LETTERING-.125"-SCRIBING-TOOL)
N52 (10-M0---PUT-BOLTS-IN-CORNER-PADS)
N53 (11-FEILD-ROUGH-LEAVING-.010"-ON-FLOOR-.750"-ROUGHER)
N54 (12-FINISH-FEILD-WITH-FISH-SKIN-31/32-FLAT-EM)
N55 (---)
N56 (13-C-DRILL-JAR-CENTERS)
N57 (14-.500"-DRILL-JAR-CENTERS-THRU-HOLES)
N58 (15-ROUGH-JAR-CAVITIES-.500"-ROUGHER)
N59 (16-ROUGH-JAR-SURFACES-.500"-ROUGHER)
N60 (17-MO--BLOW-OUT-CAVITIES)
N61 (18-JAR-LOWER-DETAIL---NOT-NEEDED)
N62 (19-FINISH-CAP-CENTERS-.500"-FLAT-EM)
N63 (20-JAR-FORM-TOOL-DETAIL-ROUGH)
N64 (21-JAR-FORM-TOOL-DETAIL-FINISH)
N65 (22-HINGE-FIELDS-FINISH.125"-BALL)
N66 (23-HINGE-WALLS-ROUGH-AND-FINISH-.0625"-BALL)
N67 (24-C-DRILL-BUSHING-HOLES)
N68 (25-DRILL-.277"-THRU-BUSHING-HOLES)
N69 (26-DRILL-ROUGH-BUSHING-HOLES-750"-EM)
N70 (27-MILL-ROUGH-BUSHING-HOLES-750"-EM)
N71 (28-FINISH-BUSHING-HOLES-500"-EM-COMPED-D10)
N72 (29-FINISH-JAR-CAVITY-SURFACE-.500"-BALL)
N73 (30-ROUGH-FINISH-JAR/CAP-OPENING-TABS-.1875"-FLAT-EM)
N74 ()
N75 ()
N76 (START-OF-PROG-EXEC)
N77 G0G17G40G49G80G90
N78 ()
N79 G56
N80 ()
N81 (1-C-BORE-6-EDGE-HOLES-.450"-DEEP)
N82 G0 G91 G28 Z0.0
N83 G90
N84 (TOOL/MILL,0.5625,0,3,0)
N85 (COLOR,128,0,255)
N86 M6T25(9/16"-FLAT-ROUGHING-EM-2.0"-LOC-T25-H25)
N87 M3S1750
N88 ()
N89 G0G90X-5.25Y-3.
N90 G0 G43 Z6.0 H25
N91 G1 Z4.0 F45.
N92 M8
N93 G1 Z3.0 F35.
N94 G99 G83 X-5.25 Y-3. Z1.548 R3.0 Q.075 F5.
N95 X-1.97
N96 X1.97
N97 X5.25
N98 Y3.
N99 X1.97
N100 X-1.97

 

[Lance_Wallen]

Ooh, a tool changer... aren't you fancy. I have a tool changer! It's called an allen wrench and me cussing at my z axis clearance

 

[zoiDman]

Ooh, a tool changer... aren't you fancy. I have a tool changer! It's called an allen wrench and me cussing at my z axis clearance

LOL...

Yeah, doing 22 Tool Changes by Hand to make One Side of an Injection Die would be a Drag.

 

[asdaq]

Lance, maybe use the drill press and use some wood tightened in the vise to hold the brass?

 

[zoiDman]

...

I'm debating putting it in my lathe and using my drill bar to just press it in and saying bye bye to however many threads I destroy by chucking it into the lathe. I have a drill press but I can't figure out an elegant way to hold the thread stock without buggering up a bunch of the threads and hold it stable enough. I'm thinking maybe I could make a jig out of aluminum, tap a hole that my thread stock can screw into then grab that with a vise and use it to hold it? If I drill everything square it'll make aligning the hole easy... I've only got 8.5mm to work with as far as 'body' on the thread stock and I'm drilling 6.5mm then tapping that to 7x.5 so it'll be a little tight, not a lot of room to screw up the angle.

Here's a trick for Holding Round Stock.

Take a piece of Squared up Material and Drill a Hole the Same size as you work piece thru it. Then saw the Square Piece of Material in half thru the center of the Drilled hole.

What you end up with a two Jaws that have the Same Diam. as your work piece.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

the jaw trick will work with round, but this is brass thread stock and I need to not booger up the threads. I'm about to drill and tap a hole in some scrap aluminum that matches the thread stock then just put that in my mill vise and use it as a jig. I think that should work good, there shouldn't be enough pressure to strip out the threads in the alum or brass... just hope it doesn't jam

 

[zoiDman]

the jaw trick will work with round, but this is brass thread stock and I need to not booger up the threads. I'm about to drill and tap a hole in some scrap aluminum that matches the thread stock then just put that in my mill vise and use it as a jig. I think that should work good, there shouldn't be enough pressure to strip out the threads in the alum or brass... just hope it doesn't jam

Lots of ways to Skin a Cat.

I've Chucked / Clamped on threads many times. Just don't use a 4 Foot Cheater Pipe to tighten the Vise.

 

[asdaq]

Mine's the quick and dirty adaptation of Zoid's. The softer wood crushes around the threads enough to hold tight. With an alu jig I'd be worried about getting the parts separated afterwards, especially after heat gets added from drilling.

 

[zoiDman]

Mine's the quick and dirty adaptation of Zoid's. The softer wood crushes around the threads enough to hold tight. With an alu jig I'd be worried about getting the parts separated afterwards, especially after heat gets added from drilling.

Yeah... A decent wood should work fine.

Didn't the OP say he had a Lathe?

Why wouldn't you do all the Mill work to a piece that was 1/2" longer than the Finish Part, then chuck the finished part on the 1/2" and Part it Off on the Lathe?

 

[Lance_Wallen]

yeah, new issue... I can't seem to get the drill center on the little 10mm peice of thread stock. I've screwed up 3 pieces now. Looks centered but ends up being off enough to be ugly. Any tips or tricks on that? I'd put it in my lathe but the drill chuck for my press on the lathe isn't big enough for a 6.5mm drill bit. =\

 

[zoiDman]

yeah, new issue... I can't seem to get the drill center on the little 10mm peice of thread stock. I've screwed up 3 pieces now. Looks centered but ends up being off enough to be ugly. Any tips or tricks on that? I'd put it in my lathe but the drill chuck for my press on the lathe isn't big enough for a 6.5mm drill bit. =\

Use an Indicator to find the Center of the Work Piece!

 

[Lance_Wallen]

guess I'll have to buy an indicator

what I did, that got it pretty close (if you stare at it, you can see it's just a smidge off) is put the stock in the chuck, lower it into the clamp while the clamp is loose, tighten the clamp, release the stock from the chuck, lift the chuck, put in the drill bit and bam, pretty close.

I'm rethinking my whole connector design at this point anyway because the three piece body is proving to be a huge pain in the ..... Gonna go back to trying to cut a solid body out of the brass or possibly making the whole top of the mod brass.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

The original plan was to mill a solid brass chunk into a flanged 510 connector that I could press fit up from the bottom of the mod, drill the middle out to 6.5mm tap it at 7x.5, thread in some delrin, drill that out, tap the center for another smaller piece of brass thread stock and use that as the center pin.

Milling the brass was gonna be a chore that required a tool change and A LOT of time on my little hobby CNC so I rethought it...

Decided to take some M10x1.5 thread stock, center drill the 6.5mm hole like above and assemble the inside the same, then make a couple of 3m thick retainer nuts and drill and tap them. The machining process is a lot faster just making the retainer nuts but tapping a 3mm thick tiny piece of brass is a PITA and center drilling the stock with my hobby shop tools is a chore as well.

I started this whole process to get away from chinese made parts and I'm realizing why... this crap makes no sense. a 7x.5 tap and die is like a mute wife... hard to find, you get all excited when you do, then when you try to work with it you just end up frustrated.

The entire build of the 510 and other chinese originated products is just... annoying. It uses non standard dimensions and threads, and generally speaking is just a big bag of frustration.

I'm ditching the 510 connector and building the mod as a hybrid RBA with a DNA board in it. IMO it's a match made in heaven, constant watts irregardless of your coils resistance and a rebuildable coil that you don't have to get precise because of the board in your mod. Back to the drawing board, I'm gonna start posting progress in the Made in America thread I started a little while back and abandon this one so I don't have to relive my many failures and shortcomings.

Thanks for everyones advice and information shared in here, you guys are gems.

 

[zoiDman]

guess I'll have to buy an indicator

what I did, that got it pretty close (if you stare at it, you can see it's just a smidge off) is put the stock in the chuck, lower it into the clamp while the clamp is loose, tighten the clamp, release the stock from the chuck, lift the chuck, put in the drill bit and bam, pretty close.

I'm rethinking my whole connector design at this point anyway because the three piece body is proving to be a huge pain in the ..... Gonna go back to trying to cut a solid body out of the brass or possibly making the whole top of the mod brass.

No matter what direction you go you have to be able to find Centers with an Indicator. It's just one of those tools you have to have.

http://awtarlab3.engin.umich.edu/wiki/index.php/How_to_find_the_center_of_a_hole

 

[zoiDman]

BTW - They sell an Indicator Holder that makes Sweeping a Hole easy. I just don't know what it's called. It's the what is clamped onto the Spindle of this Bridgeport.

Ask your Machinest friend what it is called and ask him to show you how it works. Every Machinest has one.