Making Lyman/RCBS type die blanks

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
We started running a batch of Lyman/RCBS type die blanks today. Here is a link to a video of the first operation, which requires turning and facing, grooving for the O-ring, and cutting off the blank from the bar. When we start on the second operation, which requires facing off to length and drilling a 3/16" pilot hole I will try to post a video of that also.

This is my first Youtube video so I hope it works OK.

 

Jr.

New Member
Too many fancy tools here my budget is scared of me after I come here.

That's a pretty good video, I enjoyed it.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
looks like it worked just fine.
Jax really liked the squeaky part when you cut the 0-ring groove.
 

JSH

Active Member
Oh now come on that's cheating!!!
Lol;-)
I will pack my lunch and come and catch them as they drop off.
Jeff
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
This uses a tooling setup that I designed that allows using multiple 1" round tool holders anchored rigidly to the cross slide. Don't have to change tools, just traverse the next tool into place. Less work than changing tools on the dovetail toolholder and far more accurate. We can maintain diameters to +/-.0002" regularly.

Using a CNC lathe with this tool setup makes blanks very quickly and accurate using top quality steel (1144) and allows me to sell these things for a reasonable price and still make a profit. The long, hard work is putting the proper size hole with the proper surface finish in the middle. I make these with a center hole drilled to 3/16" (.187"). Hobbyist type folks with benchtop lathes can start with a dimensionally correct die and spend their time making the center hole.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Nice video Keith. Good to see where these little guys come from.
That center hole is where the time comes into play.
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
Here is a video of the second operation. The first time I made these I drilled the center hole using the tailstock. The second time I made a couple special tools to use on my dovetail tool holder. That allowed me to automate the drilling but it was a lot of work changing out the toolholders. With our new tool holder setup everything is anchored firmly to the cross slide, all we have to do is press the CYCLE START button every time the program calls for a tool change. The accuracy is much improved, the cycle time is a lot shorter, and the fatigue factor at the end of the day is very low.

Special tool holders made for center/lead drilling .
cdrill&chuck.jpg

I apologize for the poor video quality, I have a lot to learn. But it does show the basic steps and the toolholder setup.

 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
Should be. I line bored the tool holder blocks with a boring bar chucked up between the headstock and tailstock. We use a center finder to set the offsets and the center line height is always within .002" usually closer. Of course we can adjust the X offset to be dead nuts on. I think it is the thickness of the hard black coating we had put on the components that causes the slight vertical misalignment. A friend of mine tells me his $200K turret lathe has that much misalignment so having my $30K lathe and a homemade toolholder setup have that much seems OK to me.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Keith, what are you using for a camera? Getting them to focus on what you want isn’t always easy.
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
IPhone 6. I'd like to get a better camera. I'm open to suggestions. My apprentice likes the videos, thinks they will help when we set the same job up the next time. I've been taking still photos of all our setups but seeing the sequence of events unfold makes it easier to follow.

Any suggestions on any simple video editing software/freeware? Not trying to be Fellini, just want to be able kill the shop noise and do voiceovers.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Waco's brother uses Filmora. I have the trial version and it is pretty easy to use. The full license is only 60 bucks or so, not and at all. Look at some of Waco's videos, his brother does a nice job. I will likely get the full license after I play with it a bit more. Transitions and editing are pretty easy.

I use a Sony handycam for my better videos. Good zoom and also has an ability to take still photos. Mine uses an SD card or internal memory. SD makes it easy to transfer files to computer although it isn't hard with USB cable either.
 

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
Keith, your center drill holder is the same as a boring bar holder I made while an apprentice. Made one for a 1/4" boring bar and one for a 1/2" bar. Bars were made from O1 (drill rod). Used broken taps, center drills and end mills for bits for the boring bars. I'll have to see if I can find them and snap a pic.
 
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KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
That center drill holder is made from a piece of 1-1/4" diameter 4140 pre-hardened round stock. I used it because (a) I had it on hand, leftover from another job, and (b) it was exactly the right OD so I didn't have to turn it. Could have used 1018 or almost anything but this was the easiest, quickest way to make a center drill holder.

Since I plan to use a camera in the shop I want to make sure it is sturdy enough and/or has a case/shell strong enough to not die if it drops on a hard floor. Also resistant to fluids. My IPhone does okay, I might check out making a mount for it as a short term solution. I would just hate to see my main communications tool go flying across the shop after it drops onto a rotating chuck or something.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
A GoPro meets those requirements. You can easily mount them on a magnetic base indicator holder. Most of them are waterproof to 10 M and they handle shock pretty well.
They have a single downside, no zoom. They are strictly a wide angle afair so they need to be mounted close to the work. With coolant you may have some issues with spray but it won't harm the camera any.
They are easily controlled by an IPhone app. You can view what the camera sees on your phone so they are easy to adjust.
The GoPro cameras also can take stills.

I have a Seasion 5. It is essentially a 1.5" cube and weighs 2.6 ounces. With a micro SD card it has plenty of memory.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
they handle vibrations and stuff really well too.
I don't know what software full lead taco uses [maybe the same?] and his videos seem to come out pretty good too.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
The second one is agreat example of the convenience of a 5C collet chuck.

It sure makes it look easy. Odd to watch the backside cutting with an upside down tool, too.

Thanks for sharing.

Bill
 
F

freebullet

Guest
I for one really appreciate the insights & exposure from truly professional machinists. I've been cutting, grinding, & welding since I was a child, but precision machining not so much.