I'm thinking of buying a spindle spider for my mini-lathe, but I was also considering making one, which I've not done before. I wanted to ask if it was recommended that I make it a do-it-yourself project, or just get one the lazy way by spending in
excess of $70+ for a new one that would be guaranteed to be spot on.

I'm assuming most here probably would make their own as needed, but wanted to ask.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

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On 6/30/2023 8:29 PM, Darren Harris wrote:

I'm thinking of buying a spindle spider for my mini-lathe, but I was also considering making one, which I've not done before. I wanted to ask if it was recommended that I make it a do-it-yourself project, or just get one the lazy way by spending in

excess of $70+ for a new one that would be guaranteed to be spot on.

I'm assuming most here probably would make their own as needed, but wanted to ask.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

Learn by doing ! It's not a very complicated project .
--
Snag
Men don't protect women because they're weak .
We protect them because they're important .

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On 6/30/2023 7:11 PM, Snag wrote:

On 6/30/2023 8:29 PM, Darren Harris wrote:

I'm thinking of buying a spindle spider for my mini-lathe, but I was
also considering making one, which I've not done before. I wanted to
ask if it was recommended that I make it a do-it-yourself project, or
just get one the lazy way by spending in excess of $70+ for a new one
that would be guaranteed to be spot on.

I'm assuming most here probably would make their own as needed, but
wanted to ask.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

  Learn by doing ! It's not a very complicated project .

I am going to assume you mean an outboard spider for the back side of
the spindle so you can dial in a piece of stock to be straight when run
through the spindle bore.

Yes, its a pretty easy project, and it doesn't have to be any special
degree of perfectly machined. It can be a trivial project for an
experienced machinist or even a modestly experienced hack on some
lathes. This does not mean its not a good skill builder. All these
little projects are great skill builders at some point of your journey,
and you get to decide how far you want to chase zeros.

I have noticed a few small lathes that don't have a lot of room to mount
an outboard spindle spider, but its still something you can figure out.

However, in case you were talking about a front spider used for spacing
work in front of the chuck take a look at Joe Pi's video on drilling and tapping the front of the chuck for different bolt on spacers instead.
Its a little less trivial, but may be a better option than the typical Y
or X shaped block of metal some people throw between the jaws. You can
have more than one circle of holes for different projects, and making
spacers the same length while not trivial is not overly hard either.
Also a great skill builder.

If you have a project you need it for yesterday and you are to busy to
stop and make something then buy something, but if you have any time
just make/modify your own.

One thing a lot of beginners, and forgive me if I have assumed to much
here, have a problem with is finding projects to do on their machine
tools. Making tools for your tools are great projects that build your
skills, teach lessons, and make you much more capable when another
project comes along that needs doing.


--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist


--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
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--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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"Darren Harris" wrote in message news:8044fd83-d309-43e3-930a-562410f7b6b4n@googlegroups.com...

I'm thinking of buying a spindle spider for my mini-lathe, but I was also considering making one, which I've not done before. I wanted to ask if it
was recommended that I make it a do-it-yourself project, or just get one the lazy way by spending in excess of $70+ for a new one that would be
guaranteed to be spot on.

I'm assuming most here probably would make their own as needed, but wanted
to ask.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

----------------------

I have two, one is a cheap drill chuck with its nose end turned down to fit into the 5C collet closer tube, the other is water pipe bored part way to
fit snugly over the spindle. Neither attaches to the spindle, tightening it onto the rod stock is enough for my low speed lathe. 1" water pipe has an ID slightly smaller than 27mm and could be bored to slip on or lightly threaded M27x1.5, your preference.

The 1/2" Multi-Craft drill chuck is more convenient because it self-centers. Instead of a key it tightens adequately by short capstan rods pressed into
the key holes. I cut away the mounting end so I can't tell, but it might
have been large enough to bore and thread to fit the mini lathe spindle. The chuck body was made from unhardened free-machining steel. Stock larger than it's capacity hasn't been a problem, perhaps because I saw the section I'm working from shorter to fit storage and run truer in the collet.

For the outside spider I just borrow the shortest screws that fit from the stock bin to minimize their spinning hazard.

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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7o3us$2qghe$1@dont-email.me...

One thing a lot of beginners, and forgive me if I have assumed to much
here, have a problem with is finding projects to do on their machine
tools. Making tools for your tools are great projects that build your
skills, teach lessons, and make you much more capable when another
project comes along that needs doing.
Bob La Londe

---------------------

I bought machine tools to build equipment I wanted and prove I could handle
all aspects of a prototype project at work, not just the electronics, but
much of their output has been custom workshop and automotive tools, some
from DIY plans in the vehicles' factory shop manuals.

They have been less useful than I expected for making replacement car parts, many of which require hardening or protective plating since they fail from
wear or corrosion. The most valuable was a drill jig to remove a broken-off screw in an aluminum intake manifold.

For outdoor equipment an anvil and bending machines have been more useful
than the lathe or mill to make metal brackets to patch or replace broken plastic parts. I probably could get along there with just a drill press.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 7/1/2023 6:00 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:u7o3us$2qghe$1@dont-email.me...

One thing a lot of beginners, and forgive me if I have assumed to much
here, have a problem with is finding projects to do on their machine
tools.  Making tools for your tools are great projects that build your skills, teach lessons, and make you much more capable when another
project comes along that needs doing.
Bob La Londe

---------------------

I bought machine tools to build equipment I wanted and prove I could
handle all aspects of a prototype project at work, not just the
electronics, but much of their output has been custom workshop and
automotive tools, some from DIY plans in the vehicles' factory shop
manuals.

They have been less useful than I expected for making replacement car
parts, many of which require hardening or protective plating since they
fail from wear or corrosion. The most valuable was a drill jig to remove
a broken-off screw in an aluminum intake manifold.

For outdoor equipment an anvil and bending machines have been more
useful than the lathe or mill to make metal brackets to patch or replace broken plastic parts. I probably could get along there with just a drill press.

I have two hand hammered, sawn, and bent aluminum brackets holding
plastic bits of my truck together right now. One is a headlight bracket
and another joins a broken radiator shroud. On my dad's truck I
repaired a broken "carbon fiber plastomer" headlight bracket with a wrap
of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

You do what you gotta do.

--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist


--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7pj7p$2vhdh$1@dont-email.me...

I have two hand hammered, sawn, and bent aluminum brackets holding
plastic bits of my truck together right now. One is a headlight bracket
and another joins a broken radiator shroud. On my dad's truck I
repaired a broken "carbon fiber plastomer" headlight bracket with a wrap
of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

You do what you gotta do.

Bob La Londe

----------------------

A brake like this bends the thicker stock for me: https://www.wttool.com/rdx-4-bending-brake?srsltid=ASuE1wQO2owj6fpO-DgyinizU1D-k9hJnLv0kXVTgx8eHThI719KIuYGIqA

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On 7/1/2023 11:11 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/1/2023 6:00 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:u7o3us$2qghe$1@dont-email.me...

One thing a lot of beginners, and forgive me if I have assumed to much
here, have a problem with is finding projects to do on their machine
tools.  Making tools for your tools are great projects that build your
skills, teach lessons, and make you much more capable when another
project comes along that needs doing.
Bob La Londe

---------------------

I bought machine tools to build equipment I wanted and prove I could
handle all aspects of a prototype project at work, not just the
electronics, but much of their output has been custom workshop and
automotive tools, some from DIY plans in the vehicles' factory shop
manuals.

They have been less useful than I expected for making replacement car
parts, many of which require hardening or protective plating since
they fail from wear or corrosion. The most valuable was a drill jig to
remove a broken-off screw in an aluminum intake manifold.

For outdoor equipment an anvil and bending machines have been more
useful than the lathe or mill to make metal brackets to patch or
replace broken plastic parts. I probably could get along there with
just a drill press.

I have two hand hammered, sawn, and bent aluminum brackets holding
plastic bits of my truck together right now.  One is a headlight bracket
and another joins a broken radiator shroud.  On my dad's truck I
repaired a broken "carbon fiber plastomer" headlight bracket with a wrap
of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

You do what you gotta do.

Damn straight ! I've gotten the A/C up and running in my old truck ,
and I knew I'd need an idle step-up solenoid . I nearly fell out when I realized Edelbrock wants $250 for the little bugger . So I robbed the
one off the original Quadrajet , bent the bracket a bit , and made an
extension to bolt to the throttle out of a piece of aluminum angle . It
works and you can't really see it with the air filter on .
--
Snag
Men don't protect women because they're weak .
We protect them because they're important .

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 7/1/2023 9:33 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:u7pj7p$2vhdh$1@dont-email.me...

I have two hand hammered, sawn, and bent aluminum brackets holding
plastic bits of my truck together right now.  One is a headlight bracket
and another joins a broken radiator shroud.  On my dad's truck I
repaired a broken "carbon fiber plastomer" headlight bracket with a wrap
of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

You do what you gotta do.

Bob La Londe

----------------------

A brake like this bends the thicker stock for me: https://www.wttool.com/rdx-4-bending-brake?srsltid=ASuE1wQO2owj6fpO-DgyinizU1D-k9hJnLv0kXVTgx8eHThI719KIuYGIqA

My sheet metal brake looks a lot like this one. I bought it from Enco
before they were absorbed by The Borg.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/82354960

I also have small one a lot like this.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-5-vise-brake/h3244

You can generate an amazing amount of force with a bench vise. I think
the last use was for breaking 5 pound lead bars down to a size that
would fit in my melting pots. Not easy, but virtually dustless. I
don't recall if I got it from Grizzly or from an ebay seller, but I do
still use it. Its got removable fingers amazingly enough so it can be
used as a proper box brake if needed. I used to use it a lot for
bending stainless steel L shaped pins, but now I use small a roll bender
for that. Something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Onestep-Tool-Manual-Mounting-Universal-Bending/dp/B06XRTV1H6/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_3/130-6214515-1311026?pd_rd_w=0JirG&content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_p=116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_r=
AWGEK9ZRTP33JBD4WWDR&pd_rd_wg=LVLRH&pd_rd_r=55eb87ac-b120-45c0-826c-ffdc724e8029&pd_rd_i=B06XRTV1H6&psc=1

Here is a shorter link: https://tinyurl.com/rodbender-007

Round pin for finger loops, and acute angle pin/block for L bends. Also
works on very small flat stock, but I use it mostly for round pull pins
for casting molds. Its not a high quality tool, but it works better
than improvised ones I made int he past. I could certainly make one
better, but its a time and work thing.

I once had a brake like this, and I just clamped random pieces of scrap
metal to it for things that wouldn't work with the stock "bar."

https://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch-bending-brake-67240.html

I gave that one to my dad when I bought the Tennsmith in the first link.

I've also done a ton of work with a couple of these.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/09902867

I bent a lot of stuff, by clamping it in a vise and beating on it with a hammer, and I have multiple actual presses in the shop with which I can
utilize all kids of bending jigs. Amazingly I mostly use them for
pressing. 6 ton arbor press, 12 ton and 20 ton hydraulic press, and a
couple smaller arbor presses that are part of a product development
project. The capability of a press is not to be dismissed however. I
think one of the first projects I worked on with help from this group
was an electrical box cover with a recessed flat panel in the center for mounting optical emitters and sensors so casual pedestrian traffic would
be less likely to wear and abrade the lenses. It was just a metal plate
with a hole in the middle and a smaller plate to press into the hole
forming the recess in the plate. That would have been back in the
early/mid 90s.

I've successfully made U-bolts out of 4140 with a bored out steel bar
and a bench vise, but who hasn't right?

The classic barn roofers brake. LOL. I have clamped a long sheet of
metal to steel side frame of a trailer with bits and pieces of whatever
heavy metal I had at hand. Clamped more the other moving section, and
bent the whole darn thing by brute force.

Another time I made a crude jig out of plywood and 2 by 4s and then
pressed a piece of aluminum sheet into the gap with the edge of a front
loader bucket.

You do what you gotta do.



--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist


--
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--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7pn26$2vupi$1@dont-email.me...


My sheet metal brake looks a lot like this one. I bought it from Enco
before they were absorbed by The Borg.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/82354960

[[[ Lucky you! ]]]

I also have small one a lot like this.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-5-vise-brake/h3244

You can generate an amazing amount of force with a bench vise.

--------------------
I measured my 4" bench vise at about 1000 Lbs with one hand turning the
handle; the vise isn't a good one and might break from too much force. The Wilton vise on my mill reaches the same pressure one-handed. The load cell reads to 10,000 Lbs.

I had nice Pexto shear and Roper-Whitney finger brake in my model shop at
Mitre but they occupied a lot of floor space themselves plus more for the workpiece. There was also a well made Taiwanese version of the 3-in-1 sheet metal machine on a cart. After long consideration I decided on buying a CM 3-in-1 for myself, knowing that they can be difficult to keep adjusted and don't work well at their rated thickness capacity. For electronic housings
it's better with 0.050" 5052 and easy with 0.030" unmarked Al, for which I bought these:

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Clinching-0-11-Inch-Stainless-Mounting/dp/B08XYLF4RH/ref=sr_1_5?c=ts&keywords=Self-Clinching%2BNuts&qid=1654275593&s=industrial&sr=1-5&ts_id=317399011&th=1
They press into a 3/16" punched hole. If they fall out you can whack the
hole with a hammer to shrink it. They are far superior to sheet metal
screws.

The female die is one piece and won't accommodate adjacent bends in both directions so for the second direction I clamp the flange to the edge of the table with a thick bar, bend it down by hand and use a hardwood block held
end grain to the metal to hammer the bend flat and square.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 7/1/2023 3:34 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:u7pn26$2vupi$1@dont-email.me...

My sheet metal brake looks a lot like this one.  I bought it from Enco before they were absorbed by The Borg.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/82354960

[[[ Lucky you! ]]]

I also have small one a lot like this.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-5-vise-brake/h3244

You can generate an amazing amount of force with a bench vise.

--------------------
I measured my 4" bench vise at about 1000 Lbs with one hand turning the handle; the vise isn't a good one and might break from too much force.
The Wilton vise on my mill reaches the same pressure one-handed. The
load cell reads to 10,000 Lbs.

Never measured mine. The Columbia was used for various pressing
operations before it was given to me. I have used it for light pressing operations myself, but I cleaned the lead screw up last year to remove
the bind points from heavy pressing done by a previous owner.

My Uncle Paul (RIP) looked at it, and smiled. "Oh, a Columbia Bench
Press. We had those all over the shop at Donn Products." (Bought out
by USG.)

When I massaged it I also gave it a new just slightly longer handle made
out of 4140HT.

The Harbor Freight dual swivel action is a freaking beast. I'm sure
some day, I'll break the castings, but so far its never met a cheater
bar it didn't like.

I had nice Pexto shear and Roper-Whitney finger brake in my model shop
at Mitre but they occupied a lot of floor space themselves plus more for
the workpiece.

I'd love to have a shear, but for that sort of work a large format CNC
router would probably be more useful for me long term. Yeah I know
about floor space. I do begrudge those counter weights on the brake
when I am going to the back corner work bench in the shop where I test
molds. I always have to remember to sway so I don't walk into the bars.


There was also a well made Taiwanese version of the

3-in-1 sheet metal machine on a cart. After long consideration I decided
on buying a CM 3-in-1 for myself, knowing that they can be difficult to
keep adjusted and don't work well at their rated thickness capacity. For electronic housings it's better with 0.050" 5052 and easy with 0.030" unmarked Al, for which I bought these:

Most control cabinets I see these days, unless they are actual
commercial J-Boxes, are pretty thin.

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Clinching-0-11-Inch-Stainless-Mounting/dp/B08XYLF4RH/ref=sr_1_5?c=ts&keywords=Self-Clinching%2BNuts&qid=1654275593&s=industrial&sr=1-5&ts_id=317399011&th=1
They press into a 3/16" punched hole. If they fall out you can whack the
hole with a hammer to shrink it. They are far superior to sheet metal
screws.

The female die is one piece and won't accommodate adjacent bends in both directions so for the second direction I clamp the flange to the edge of
the table with a thick bar, bend it down by hand and use a hardwood
block held end grain to the metal to hammer the bend flat and square.

I've not used a Riv-Nut in a long time.


--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff


--
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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7qe6c$329rs$1@dont-email.me...
...
Most control cabinets I see these days, unless they are actual
commercial J-Boxes, are pretty thin.
...
---------------------

Much of the structure of a B-17 bomber was made from 0.040" aluminum (I measured). The wing skin of the Zero was 0.025" thick.

I've cut a 4" hole for conduit in a JIC box so I know about their steel. I
was inside the box along with a Milwaukee D handle drill that when the hole
saw jammed would coast half way around after releasing the trigger, no
matter what part of me might be in the way.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7qe6c$329rs$1@dont-email.me...

On 7/1/2023 3:34 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:u7pn26$2vupi$1@dont-email.me...

I'd love to have a shear, but for that sort of work a large format CNC
router would probably be more useful for me long term. Yeah I know
about floor space. I do begrudge those counter weights on the brake
when I am going to the back corner work bench in the shop where I test
molds. I always have to remember to sway so I don't walk into the bars.

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked solid
and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend line.
Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]]

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Clinching-0-11-Inch-Stainless-Mounting/dp/B08XYLF4RH/ref=sr_1_5?c=ts&keywords=Self-Clinching%2BNuts&qid=1654275593&s=industrial&sr=1-5&ts_id=317399011&th=1
They press into a 3/16" punched hole. If they fall out you can whack the
hole with a hammer to shrink it. They are far superior to sheet metal
screws.

I've not used a Riv-Nut in a long time.
--------------------------------------
The original and common name is Pem nuts. A very talented mechanical
engineer at Segway didn't know about press-in nuts and added a lot of complexity to a robot control enclosure I was to build so it could be bolted completely shut, until I showed him an installed sample. I use them wherever
a nut would be difficult to install or tighten. The milling vise installs
them squarely without scratching the sheet metal.

For completeness in case someone digs this thread up 20 years from now and
has a question, a corner notcher goes with a finger brake if you are folding
up boxes. This assumes people are still making things manually by then. They might have machines that create whatever they imagine, or have fallen back
to wood and stone. https://www.woodwardfab.com/product/sheet-metal-corner-notcher-model-spnotcher/

Mine is so old it's just a Whitney, no Roper. Newer models may be rated for one-side nibbling as well.

Actually I have machines now that create whatever I imagine, the process is just tedious.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 6/30/2023 10:44 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
[...]

However, in case you were talking about a front spider used for spacing
work in front of the chuck take a look at Joe Pi's video on drilling and tapping the front of the chuck for different bolt on spacers instead.
[...]

Joe Pie's video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3x8H1Xb-jg&t=381s

One thing a lot of beginners, and forgive me if I have assumed to much
here, have a problem with is finding projects to do on their machine
tools.  Making tools for your tools are great projects that build your skills, teach lessons, and make you much more capable when another
project comes along that needs doing.

So begins one of the most fast & furious thread hijackings. Two on
topic replies & 9 OT.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message news:WNeoM.14632$Bq67.6142@fx13.iad...

So begins one of the most fast & furious thread hijackings. Two on
topic replies & 9 OT.

-------------------

So? I told the OP all I know and he hasn't been blocked from asking
followup questions.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 7/1/2023 6:35 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked
solid and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend line. Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]

The Tennsmith is adjustable, and should be. You can adjust stock
thickness and finger set back. I rarely take the time, because the
things I do with it aren't super critical, but I do when they are. If
you have the machine adjusted properly the sharpness of the corners is
dictated by the radius on the tips of the fingers and their condition.

I actually go the other way fairly often sandwiching solid cardboard on
top with greater set back to create a larger radius. I also have plans
to (like I'll ever have time) to make a set of large radius finger tips
for braking thicker (.125) aluminum sheet without tearing or stopping
mid bend to anneal. My tentative plan is to section some round steel
pipe/tube for this purpose. In some applications the work hardening is desirable... upto a point.... er... I mean radius, as long as it stops
short of material damage.


--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist


--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 3:28:33 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/1/2023 6:35 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked
solid and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend line. Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]

The Tennsmith is adjustable, and should be. You can adjust stock
thickness and finger set back. I rarely take the time, because the
things I do with it aren't super critical, but I do when they are. If
you have the machine adjusted properly the sharpness of the corners is dictated by the radius on the tips of the fingers and their condition.

I actually go the other way fairly often sandwiching solid cardboard on
top with greater set back to create a larger radius. I also have plans
to (like I'll ever have time) to make a set of large radius finger tips
for braking thicker (.125) aluminum sheet without tearing or stopping
mid bend to anneal. My tentative plan is to section some round steel pipe/tube for this purpose. In some applications the work hardening is desirable... upto a point.... er... I mean radius, as long as it stops
short of material damage.
--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a real machinist
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. www.avg.com

Thanks everyone.

I was going to make one, but at the last minute I added a spindle spider to my Little Machine Shop order, only because I've never owned one and figure a nice clean perfect first one would be better, and I can make new ones as needed from here on out.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

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On 7/21/2023 9:13 AM, Darren Harris wrote:

On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 3:28:33 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/1/2023 6:35 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked
solid and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend >>> line. Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]

The Tennsmith is adjustable, and should be. You can adjust stock
thickness and finger set back. I rarely take the time, because the
things I do with it aren't super critical, but I do when they are. If
you have the machine adjusted properly the sharpness of the corners is
dictated by the radius on the tips of the fingers and their condition.

I actually go the other way fairly often sandwiching solid cardboard on
top with greater set back to create a larger radius. I also have plans
to (like I'll ever have time) to make a set of large radius finger tips
for braking thicker (.125) aluminum sheet without tearing or stopping
mid bend to anneal. My tentative plan is to section some round steel
pipe/tube for this purpose. In some applications the work hardening is
desirable... upto a point.... er... I mean radius, as long as it stops
short of material damage.
--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

Thanks everyone.

I was going to make one, but at the last minute I added a spindle spider to my Little Machine Shop order, only because I've never owned one and figure a nice clean perfect first one would be better, and I can make new ones as needed from here on out.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

So what did you get? An outboard support spider or a chuck spider?

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

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On Friday, July 21, 2023 at 4:44:07 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/21/2023 9:13 AM, Darren Harris wrote:

On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 3:28:33 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/1/2023 6:35 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked
solid and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend >>> line. Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]

The Tennsmith is adjustable, and should be. You can adjust stock
thickness and finger set back. I rarely take the time, because the
things I do with it aren't super critical, but I do when they are. If
you have the machine adjusted properly the sharpness of the corners is
dictated by the radius on the tips of the fingers and their condition.

I actually go the other way fairly often sandwiching solid cardboard on >> top with greater set back to create a larger radius. I also have plans
to (like I'll ever have time) to make a set of large radius finger tips >> for braking thicker (.125) aluminum sheet without tearing or stopping
mid bend to anneal. My tentative plan is to section some round steel
pipe/tube for this purpose. In some applications the work hardening is
desirable... upto a point.... er... I mean radius, as long as it stops
short of material damage.
--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a >> real machinist
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

Thanks everyone.

I was going to make one, but at the last minute I added a spindle spider to my Little Machine Shop order, only because I've never owned one and figure a nice clean perfect first one would be better, and I can make new ones as needed from here on out.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

So what did you get? An outboard support spider or a chuck spider?
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1136

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 7/23/2023 10:16 AM, Darren Harris wrote:

On Friday, July 21, 2023 at 4:44:07 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/21/2023 9:13 AM, Darren Harris wrote:

On Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 3:28:33 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:

On 7/1/2023 6:35 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[[[ I made some parts on a Tennsmith when the big Niagara was booked >>>>> solid and thought it was too big and awkward to precisely align the bend >>>>> line. Bent edges were supposed to be accurate to 1/32". ]]

The Tennsmith is adjustable, and should be. You can adjust stock
thickness and finger set back. I rarely take the time, because the
things I do with it aren't super critical, but I do when they are. If
you have the machine adjusted properly the sharpness of the corners is >>>> dictated by the radius on the tips of the fingers and their condition. >>>>
I actually go the other way fairly often sandwiching solid cardboard on >>>> top with greater set back to create a larger radius. I also have plans >>>> to (like I'll ever have time) to make a set of large radius finger tips >>>> for braking thicker (.125) aluminum sheet without tearing or stopping
mid bend to anneal. My tentative plan is to section some round steel
pipe/tube for this purpose. In some applications the work hardening is >>>> desirable... upto a point.... er... I mean radius, as long as it stops >>>> short of material damage.
--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a >>>> real machinist
--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

Thanks everyone.

I was going to make one, but at the last minute I added a spindle spider to my Little Machine Shop order, only because I've never owned one and figure a nice clean perfect first one would be better, and I can make new ones as needed from here on out.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

So what did you get? An outboard support spider or a chuck spider?
--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1136

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York

Yeah. The way they do it by replacing one of the spindle nuts is a very
clean way to get the job done. That's a "little" tough for a beginner,
but it sure would have been a great educational experience.


--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

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