New tool

[Steve Little]

Found it in Google. I think your relating to Tool room machinist.

[ryan]

Hi Ryan.
Terms or job references mean different things in different countries. I'm making a guess that (Mold Maker) may not mean the same thing over here as it does over there. It reads like you are making a reference to machining.
I think a mold maker over here means a guy working in a foundry who boxes up patterns and fills them with sand to make a mold.
To help cross the international divide, what does a Mold Maker do in the States?

Not making any disrespect for your job. Just like to learn different terminologies in different countries
Regards Steve

Hello Steve,
A plastic injection mold maker is a highly precision tool and die maker that builds plastic injection molds. I had to work under a senior mold maker for 5 years. The senior mold maker has to have at least 30 years experience to be able to train the journeyman mold makers.

After about 7 years, I worked myself in an office and started to program cnc mills to mill the the base work and injector plates, I then work up to high speed milling of highly precision carbon machine EDM electrodes and high speed cavity details. EDM means electrical discharge machining, meaning it burns the metal away. Again after more time, I got into high speed milling hardened tool steel. I also programmed, setup and ran a wire EDM during downtimes.

Even after ten years of learning and training I still wasn't a pimple on the fanny of the senior mold makers.

Then almost right at the ten year mark of working, the infection came back in my leg (which is what I am dealing with yet again), so I went to grad school to get my Masters in Industrial Engineering which also consisted of engineering management. I have then been working as engineer ever since.

Sorry for my rambling, but I learned more as a machinist than I have ever learned anywhere else. I love to machine. I know if we put all our experience and resources together, we can make about anything. I want to repo an Indian four engine.

[Steve Little]

Hi Ryan.
No need for apology. I enjoyed the read on your background.
I have seen the term (Journeyman) written before, and guessed at the meaning.
The Australian equivalent of a Journeyman is a Qualified Tradesman.
A business would screen a bunch of kids and pick the most suitable for a 4 year apprenticeship.
An apprentice would work under the guidance of a Tradesman and also attend Trade school once a week. Teachers at Trades schools are Tradesman who have been lured back to teach the apprentices.
When I started my apprenticeship back in 1975 I took home $18.50c a week. Yep it sounds sh!t, and it was, compared to my mates who were getting $80 for unskilled jobs.
After completing the apprenticeship, my Tradesman wages was pretty darn cool.

Come on you guys.
I need suggestions on 3 jaw chuck truing methods.
I got Ryan paying me $18.50 a week and I wanna feel like a Tradesman again.

[ryan]

Steve I will answer your questions on your two posted methods and firstly go over checking the 3 jaw to see if it even needs to be ground in the first place.

[Steve Little]

Excellent idea!

[ryan]

Hi Ryan.
No need for apology. I enjoyed the read on your background.
I have seen the term (Journeyman) written before, and guessed at the meaning.
The Australian equivalent of a Journeyman is a Qualified Tradesman.
A business would screen a bunch of kids and pick the most suitable for a 4 year apprenticeship.
An apprentice would work under the guidance of a Tradesman and also attend Trade school once a week. Teachers at Trades schools are Tradesman who have been lured back to teach the apprentices.
When I started my apprenticeship back in 1975 I took home $18.50c a week. Yep it sounds sh!t, and it was, compared to my mates who were getting $80 for unskilled jobs.
After completing the apprenticeship, my Tradesman wages was pretty darn cool.

Come on you guys.
I need suggestions on 3 jaw chuck truing methods.
I got Ryan paying me $18.50 a week and I wanna feel like a Tradesman again.

Steve,
I forgot to add that we also had to have a year of college classes to get a certificate in what was really an apprenticeship. Our employer said they would go ahead and pay for another year of school to get an Associates Degree. The extra year almost turned into two because we were going to school and working. We also had to carry a 3.0 grade point average or the employer would not pay.
The reason the apprenticeship program became a journeymen's program is because of the union shops. This would allow us to work in our trade in a union shop if we so desired.
So just the time after graduating high school and going into the Army for 4 years, and then going through the apprenticeship program and working there, 14 years flew by after H.S. graduation. Like I said, my bone infection came back from an old injury. So, I decided school to enroll back to a university to get my Bachelor's degree. So, I did all of that and decided to to go on further to earn my Master's degree. So I then decided to get a job with the least amount of responsibility in a union shop, my first and only time working in a union shop. I did not put on my application that I had already earned my degree or journeyman's card. It was a fun shop to work in called ROCKWELL International, which turned into Meritor Automotive. Anyway, I got recognized, and was told on by some I went to college with. He asked them in the office and asked why I lied on my application. I said I did not lie, I simply did not write fill in some areas. So, I just simply walked out without even telling them I quit. The union kind of saves you from that, so within a month they started laying people off. 5 years later they called me back to work, I declined. I had gotten a job as an Industrial Engineer so I did that for about five years.
Again, I am rambling Time sure does fly.

I am writing my next post about the method of the jaws. It is going to be long. First things first, the Chuck has to come off, be taken apart and and be thoroughly cleaned with solvent and be put back together properly. So please do no put them back together yet. Please take pictures an notes, be very thorough. The jaws need to go in the slot that they came from. Some jaws maybe in the wrong place as well. As I said they should be numbered already.
Also if the jaws come off with two socket head cap screws, make sure the number matches the jaw pad.
I have to go so take care!

[vride5]

I think you guys ought to look into getting some soft laws for your chuck, you put them, chuck something up behind them an bore them to whatever you want to turn.

[ryan]

I think you guys ought to look into getting some soft laws for your chuck, you put them, chuck something up behind them an bore them to whatever you want to turn.

Hello,
I agree on somethings they are wanting to do. This trade is not an easy one learn over night. You can also get a set that can be hardened after they are machined. Thank you for you input.

[ryan]

Hi.
Method 1.
Thick machined ring placed over external steps on jaws. Open jaws onto ring for uniform outward pressure.
Grind face of teeth to achieve a uniform face.
My question on this method is: Does this method (pressure on jaws is reverse to working action)) invite error because slop in scroll might cause jaw misalignment?





Regards Steve

Steve
We used method one on hydraulic chucks, but the ring has to be a highly precision ring, I.d. and o.d. Using this method one, on a chuck with scroll jaws, will keep the o.d. part of the jaws concentric with the I.d. part of the jaws, which to me is very important. The scrolls are very hard on the good chucks anyways. Most are double heat treated.

One Big Question: Doesn't anyone of you ever want to decide to flip the jaws around to use them for clamping on a larger object or keeping the clamps in place and clamping out instead of in? If so, that is why I recommended the precision ring that locks into the counterbore of the jaws. Locating into the counterbore with this counterbore ring, one could grind the I.d. by clamping in and clamping out to do the o.d. without changing the setup. The counterbore locating ring was all we ever used, again, to keep the jaws concentric.
This way is by far the best way to grind the jaws to keep the jaws concentric. The next best thing is method 1, with the precision ring. Unless you never decide to flip your jaws around and will be always using them clamping down. If that it the case, then another process needs to be done, but this is not the correct process, but we will go over that next time.

The next thing, after cleaning, inspection and correct assembly (meaning stoning all assembly surfaces to knock down the burrs and correct jaw number sequence) is to check for is the I.d. flatness of each jaw individually in the Y direction (parallel with the lathe bed) with a test indicator on the carriage. This checks the jaw to make sure they are not bell mouthed, this is the main reason for jaws need to be ground in the first place.

This is not a simple process for the novice. The more I think about it, the more that needs to be explained. We will get through it though.

Ryan

[Steve Little]

Hi Ryan.
Thanks for today's tuition.
I did a little lathe job today which needed the compound to be rotated.
After loosening the hold down nuts I found it was stiff and notchy to rotate.
I cant remember the last time I moved it, and after a bit of pushing, and pulling, I had a hissy fit and one thing led to another.
When I came to my senses there were cleaned lathe parts on the bench and a writing pad with slide way tolerance checking.









I'll get my lathe back together over the weekend.

[ryan]

Hi Ryan.
Thanks for today's tuition.
I did a little lathe job today which needed the compound to be rotated.
After loosening the hold down nuts I found it was stiff and notchy to rotate.
I cant remember the last time I moved it, and after a bit of pushing, and pulling, I had a hissy fit and one thing led to another.
When I came to my senses there were cleaned lathe parts on the bench and a writing pad with slide way tolerance checking.









I'll get my lathe back together over the weekend.

Hello Steve,
This is a perfect example of why you never use air to blow of chips. Chips get lodged under everything. I always use a small, natural horse hair material, paintbrush and a little magnet on ferrous materials. The oils and cutting fluid seem to destroy man made materials.

Steve, you are very welcome, I am not sure if I am getting my point across clearly or not. Good luck with putting together your compound.

Oh, do you take a fine Norton stone to go over the contact surfaces to knock down the burrs?

Ryan