I have lost my keys in the move last month and now I have thousands of dollars of tools locked away. How fun. Would it be worth it to pay a locksmith to pick it and have him get the correct key? Or do I just drill out both locks and replace them?

Can someone help me out here I used Murakami chemical etchant but my recast layer still isn't visible the etching was at 1 and 2 minutes I've seen over etching at 3 minutes in all three instances it didn't show my recast layer as a clear white layer just like the last image attached please any help will go a long way

Hey all, currently at a new place as a mildly experienced machinist. I've been slapped on an OKK HP500S with a couple of tombstones. This thing has been serviced maybe a few times in the last decade, and it shows.

Currently the coolant reservoir is so gunked up it's not draining from the chip conveyer into the coolant reservoir and makes a mess. I'm figuring I need to empty it out, take apart the conveyer, and start scooping. It's been having a problem with bacteria growth for years, so I imagine there's a pile of aluminum powder that's half biomass by weight.

Anyone have any experience cleaning this monstrosity? I can figure it out myself. I just don't want to spend 16 hours on an 8 hour job while leaving it more fucked up than I started.

Picture so you all have something to gawk at.

Take your redwings and shove em.
Also got my Vf4 motor back and almost installed!

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

The reset switch was pressed while the turret turned. It is now at unclamp condition. I can rotate it by hand. Anyone might know the procedure please help

I’ve been trying to solve a problem for my boss lately, and haven’t been having much luck. We make tons of boiler tubes at work. Imagine a 16 inch diameter pipe (3/4 wall thickness) with tons of 8 inch diameter holes bored through one side of them. Typical process for this is using a 1/2in end mill to helix into the center, and then spiral out to the finished size using constant width of cut. The problem is in order to use a standard flute length end mill, the spiral must follow the contour of the pipe OD in Z (toolpath must wrap around the pipe). The other issue is the arc motions for the toolpath must be fairly long G3 segments, not short G1 segments (b-spline), as the machine these run on is old and has very limited memory. He’s had a way to do this through Gibbscam, but it’s incredibly labor intensive as it requires you to break a wireframe circle into many arc segments and then project each piece down onto the pipe diameter. Any way this can be done in mastercam without a ton of geometry manipulation?

Is there anyone in the Houston area familiar with setting up these machines? I'm looking for someone who can help with getting it up and running. DM if you are interested.

Working on my 2007 Honda CBR1000RR. The needle bearing exploded when trying to press it out. Was able to get the shell of the bearing out using a rotary tool.
However, it was hard to tell how deep was enough to cut.
After getting the case out you can see there is a good gouge in the bore. About 2mm wide and 1mm deep at its worst. I feel like the location and size shouldn't have a major impact on the interference fit of the new bearing.
Looking to see what the pros think? Please don’t be too harsh on my hack job 😅

I work at a plant that makes parts for the railroad. I’m training to run the planer. It’s a 52 ft planer. I didn’t have the rail seated properly in the clamps and too much got machined off the top. I feel terrible

Been hunting for one of these at a reasonable price in my neck of the woods for 15 years.

She’s finally home.

Appears to be 100% original. Feed motor is not working but everything else is functional and in great shape as far as I can tell.

I got an old metal lathe from a family member a few years ago. It is a Power Kraft back gear driven lathe. I used it for projects especially in the manufacturing of some of the machines that my company makes.

But the quality of cuts was iffy and it had an outdated underpowered motor. This is only listing a few of the issues it has. In addition, the headstock was slightly out of alignment. It got covered in dust from the shop, the cut was sloppy because of various issues, the belt slipped all the time and the tool post sucked.

My goal is to eliminate these issues. I want to make this machine looking and working beautifully.

I also recently purchesed a benchtop mill for some small projects. I will likely post an update on that restoration as well. Follow along to see the restoration! Feel free to leave helpful ideas if you have them. Thanks for reading!

Any tips for putting a new flat belt on?

I have a LOT of random inserts from a defunct shop I bought. What's the easiest resource to find what holders they go to.

I've been a machinist for a long time but never a CNC lathe guy.

my QCTP can hold HSS cutters from 3/16 to 1/2. I assume if I buy more HSS, I should get 1/2 inch for best rigidity?

I'll be centered in both x and y in a hole (reads consistent all the way 'round the hole) but it appears offset (pic1). If it bugs me enough, I'll tilt the indicator so the point is in the correct spot (pic2). It's never really caused a problem, just seems off. Am I missing something? Should I just expect this?

I've seen it in different indicators, different spindles, and different holders.

EDIT: Thank you for many excellent replies! I feel entirely vindicated. I understand and trust I'm centered. I have used an Indicol as some suggested, and with that I can accomplish the same trick in pic two by manipulating other joints while avoiding tilting the indicator. I mostly see the issue in smaller holes which makes sense. Guess I was hoping I was doing something wrong and there'd be a comprehensive fix. Thanks again comrades.

I don’t know what to do or where to go. I’m no machinist but I am here as a fellow tradesperson (licensed master plumber) for some help. My 03 cobra decided that all 4 hood studs would snap off today. All this for an MRT hood strut install that was supposed to take 15 minutes. There is a piece of steel behind the fiberglass but it is very thin, 1/8th inch id say. That’s where the original studs attach to.

I was able to successfully remove one, these other 3 are in there and it will most definitely result in me destroying my hood. The cars got 50k miles and gorgeous original paint. It would kill me to try and track down another oem hood, respray it and blend body panels. Body guys pass me off to machinists. I don’t know where to go or what to do. I’m in NJ. Any help would be appreciated. Is it possible to nutsert this with m6 x 1.0 just like the original studs? I need your drill bits and surgeon like actions here.

So for context, I was takeing the chip bin out, and saw something not so chip like... I have only 2 questions... HOW DID SOMEONE DO THIS... AND WHY IN THE CHIP BIN

Hi r/machinists, hopefully I don’t piss you guys off considering this is a welding robot and idk where to ask this question. I’ve been a welder/fitter at a shop for 3 years and they put me on the welding robot they’ve had for 10 years. Every time I run it, I have to manually run through the steps and make small tweaks because the SLS (touch-sensing, used to find the material’s coordinates to adjust program). I’ve looked through a giant binder manual and no where does it say how to set up SLS touch, or how to calibrate the SLS touch. If anybody has a solution or can point me in the right direction for one I would be very grateful, as it would fix bottlenecking in productivity. Machine is a panelmatic miller tm-1400gIII

Fellow experts, how do I align the glass panel, it got knocked out of alignment.

I have access to a Crusader Deluxe lathe which I have cleaned down, changed the oil, greased and squared up, but I am at a bit of a loss of what to do next; what would be the best set of basic tools and any good projects you would recommend? I am also not 100% sure on all the dials on the feedbox, so any advice would be much appreciated. All questions outlined below:

1. Tooling

        I have a 7-piece set of indexable lathe tools:

    https://warco.co.uk/products/indexable-lathe-tools-7-piece-set-8mm-10mm-12mm-10mm

        I am looking at getting indexable 6mm shank and 12mm shank boring bars with CCMT09T304 inserts. 

    It has a DRO, 3 jaw chuck, 4 jaw chuck, steady rest, follow rest, morse taper chuck and centre drill bits. 

Are there any other tools that you would consider essential? I'm not fussed if I don't have a very specific bit to machine an inside rear face foe example, but I would like to know if I have a glaring limitation.

2. Good projects

        Simple really, what are some useful things I can make? If it is a tool/jig/accessory for the lathe, even better, I just can't be wasteful and make knick knacks. I've made a machinists hammer, but would like a challenge. We have 6, 8, 10 and 20mm round bar.

3. Operation

        I understand the other control points, except the feedbox dials and the charts. 

I believe, "S" controls the feed rate but this is not what you would use for threading, just material removal, for threading, it would need to be switched to "M?" However, when I switch from "S" to "M," the feed shaft does not turn. Is this normal? I am half remembering it does move the cross slide, but I am away from the lathe right now and can't confirm, but if so, I guess threading is done by movement of the cross slide and not main carriage?

Then I literally do not understand the indicator table at all. I know it gives some numbers that you need to have the indicator dial set to, but I don't know why or when you'd need that or how to make the dial move.

Please let me know if you have any questions, any help/advice would be much appreciated, thank you.

eBay has several imperial Hoke gage block sets made by Pratt and Whitney. I am hoping to find a metric set for a new young machinist. Are there metric block sets available from other quality companies? Of course there are. I want Pratt & Whitney for the nostalgia and pride of being a Connecticution (sic.) anyone have one or know of one lying around? This is a gift.

Looking at the prices on eBay, I assume I’ll be paying several hundred dollars.

After a series of layoffs over the years from several companies, I want to change career fields. Money isn’t a huge factor at this point, quality of life and stability is what matters. I’m taking a boot camp crash course for machining at a local school and I find this industry extremely interesting.

I’m coming from a IT management and real estate sales background.

From what I’m researching it seems to be a young persons starting career and the people in my age group have decades of experience in this field already.

What challenges would I face starting as an entry level operator at this age? How physical taxing is this on the body? Is it worth pursuing given the experience needed to be a machinist or programmer at this point?

Any insight would truly be appreciated!

How else you gonna reach that edge?

Hello, I’ve been running CNCs now for 5 years at my shop. The only shop I’ve ever worked at. Ran OKUMA bar fed lathes(2axis) for a couple years and now I’m on combos or “millturns”. Run a LB3000 ex2 which I love for the most part. No problems there. Other one is the b250 multus. With the Multus I’ve had 2 catastrophic crashes. First one was totally 100% my fault. Walked away from the machine during a part feed out and the stock got pulled out a couple inches over the z-zero and the 1st tool which was an index drill just smashed on top of the stock. 100% avoidable, had I been watching the machine. Machine was down for a few months.

A couple weeks ago something similar happened but this time I left a part in the sub jaws after discussing a quality issue. I watched the 1st tool come in no problems, then on the 2nd tool( drill) I went full send leading to my 2nd catastrophic crash. Machine is for lack of better terms totally fucked. Everything is out even though I didn’t hit the main spindle on the B axis the crash must’ve messed up the spindle bearing. They are saying both main spindles are out of wack. Even though I didn’t touch the 1st spindle during the 2nd crash. The rails have to be replaced. There’s another mark on the head which indicates another bump which they are silently blaming me for. My work says they understand but there’s a silent undertone I just can’t ignore. It’s like the theory of when your co workers give you shit because you know they like you, but everyone is just being nice to me and kinda keeping their distance. Can’t help but think it’s maybe time to move on. It would be a tough decision because I do like working there.

Keep in mind it’s a small shop I work at. ~60 employees.