Machining Faceplates for my Powermatic Woodlathe

[Gary]

Had a friend come by today and he dropped off some metal for me to play with and a Aluminum Bar to make faceplates for my PM woodlathe. The Al bar is 3' x 3.25" of round goodness. Took the bar to a metal worker and had 3 blanks cut that are 2.5" in length. I'll get to work on the project tomorrow, weather permitting.

 

[KeithB]

Any idea what type of Al you got? Just curious, free is always the right type.

 

[Gary]

Keith; there's markings all along the bar, I'll look more closely at it tomorrow. I had asked for whatever he had and I think he said it was 6061?

 

[KeithB]

That could well be 6061, its a pretty common alloy that machines pretty well. The chips are kind of stringy and you need to use some type of cutting fluid, and its a little softer than some grades, think Lee mold blocks, but you probably knew that. Should work great for what you plan to do with it, and it shouldn't hurt your chisels if you nick it. You got some good friends there, tell them to drop the next bar off at my shop.

 

[Brad]

That stuff machines really easily. Keith is right, the chips will keep on going and going if you let them. I have had some close to 2 ft long. I have learned to do what it takes to break the chips as they are a pain to clean up.
I use WD40 for cutting 6061 and lots of it.

Does your friend have anything for me? That is the kind of friend you need to keep.

 

[Gary]

He also brought several steel rods, down to 1/4"; two other Aluminum bars 5/8" and 3/4"; AND a Brass rod 1" x 3'. He is a fabricator (retired) that does parts work for Boeing. He is a master Tig Welder and does specialty parts for aircraft.

 

[Gary]

Did some checking and the large bar of Aluminum is stamped KAISER 2024 T4 MICRO CHIP, so I guess its 2024. Priced @ $230/3' stick makes me appreciate my friend even more.

 

[KeithB]

What a score! 2024 is a very strong alloy often considered an "aircraft grade" (whatever that means). The MICRO CHIP designation may mean it is a free-machining grade where the chips break off in small pieces instead of being long and stringy. I recently machined some 2011 and it produced very small, crumbly chips that were easy to deal with. On automated equipment (or any equipment really) you don't want chips wrapping around the spindle or chuck.

 

[creosote]

. On automated equipment (or any equipment really) you don't want chips wrapping around the spindle or chuck.[/QUO

Back when I took computer programming ( for cnc machines) we learned to stop the quill every so often. No long dangerous chips
My first trip to the doctor was when using a rag to pull all the pig tails clear of the work piece. It cut though the rag and into soft tissue. That was in the late 70s. I still have the scar.
I'm curious how the face plates will turn out. Keep us informed

 

[smokeywolf]

T4 is a little harder and cuts a little more crisply than T6. With sheet, while you can make fairly tight bends with T6, T4 will often crack.

 

[Gary]

Got started today, until the cold temps made me come back to the house. The blank is faced and trued to my chuck/spindle; used a center drill to locate a starting point for boring; started to cut back the side of the faceplate to 2.25" and left the mating surface 1/2" thick. Going to take some time to machine but I think it'll speed up when the weather warms some.

 

[Pistolero]

2024T3 is great stuff. Strength is substantially higher than 6061, about 60,000 psi
yield strength, IIRC. Only 7075 (used for AR uppers and lowers) is stronger of the
standard alloys, about 75,000 psi.

Bill

 

[Gary]

Got a little done today; the Faceplate is machined to size, drilled out to 3/4" which was the largest drill bit I have and punched out the location of the holes to drill for the screws. I've got over a 5 gallon bucket of Aluminum shavings and more to come.