DIY Cabbing Machine

[MakkyBrown]

Thanks Frank good info. What size small shafts did you use, I was thinking 8mm?The collet/quill shaft, have you had any issue with rusts? I've been tossing up regarding using one verses using a brass shaft drilled to 1/4 and a stainless collet clamp I have. The stainless collet clamp I have is not accurate enough by itself but when combined with a brass shaft drilled to 1/4 it might work.
MB

[Faceting Frank]

I do have problems with rust on the collet chuck, I wrap that blue tape you get from the hardware round it after fitting the dop. Its 18mm wide and the weakest of the glues, green is the next size up and a bit stronger. The collet has to go in the chuck a certain way to minimise its runout, on the dial gauge I can get it down to 0.015mm. You should be able to get an accurate ¼” hole in a quill with a ¼” end mill in a lathe, don’t know about a drill bit though. With a hole to let the air in and out after its finished.
I used 8mm bright bar for the small shafts and the quill is 12mm, all the bearings are an interference fit.

[MakkyBrown]

I haven't got a 1/4" end mill. The largest endmills I have is 6mm. Tricky to find 1/4" stuff on aliexpress. I am tempted to buy a 6.3mm drill bit and let run out etc cut the extra 0.05mm.MB

[Faceting Frank]

You can get heaps of 1/4" end mills on eBay. The problem with drill bits is they don't produce a good surface finish to the side of the hole, mills do. A 6mm hole finished with a 1/4" mill should be perfect.

[MakkyBrown]

Answer to questions asked by a Guest or maybe the spam filter banned them, not sure. Their username was "DarthTrader" but it is not in the members list.
I used a 120cm long 25mm or 25.4mm diameter stainless shaft/round (from Prochem, not sure what suppliers you'd have). I drilled and tapped M12 each end, standard right hand thread so I could put a spanner on each end and tighten. Have the width of all the spacers+wheels+pulley slightly longer than the shaft and it will all compress/clamp together when you lighten to two bolts. Lap(s) just bolts on one end retaining the spacers. Use washers on the other end or you could have laps each end.  I think I made spaces out of 32mm x 3mm aluminium tube or you can use PVC pipe. Face the ends of the shaft and drill the holes to tap on a lathe, don't guess or your laps won't spin true.Don't be concerned about using the two right hand threads as I have never had issues with it coming undone. I've seen some use a left hand thread on one end but then tightening would be trickier.Be great if you could post on the forum about your build/photos, pretty quiet atm Feel free to ask more questions, preferably on the forum. I can take more photos if that will help.
Cheers
MB

[MakkyBrown]

DarthTrader, could you please join the forum again. The spam filter didn't like you IP address and banned you. I tried to remove the ban but in deleting the ban deleted the account opps. RC is there a log showing DarthTraders email address? DarthTrader email me aussielapidaryforum@gmail.com

[RoughCreations]

Hi Makky, unfortunately it seems DarthTrader has been fully eliminated, along with the Death Star. Was he a brand new member as I can't find him in recent backups?
RC

[MakkyBrown]

Yeah, he only joined on the 20th. How do I go about un-banning without deleting ? Will send you a message. Thanks for trying, hopefully they come back.
MB

[MakkyBrown]

All good found his email address in cached pages.

[DarthTrader2]

Thanks MB,

Just responding to say thanks for the info and help getting back in the system. I don't know why the system doesn't like my IP address, but I'm using my phone currently and we'll see if it kicks me out again, haha.

I will definitely post pictures once it's finished. It's been a slow but rewarding process figuring all of it out, and your post and pictures have definitely helped!

-Matthew

[MakkyBrown]

Hopefully third time lucky and you don't get banned again. I'll take a few more pics later today.
CheersMB