Milled Lamp Irons

Discussion in 'Machine Tools' started by Rob Pulham, Dec 13, 2021.

  1. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Finding myself at the point of fitting lamp irons I was muttering about fold up etched version provided in kits and the fact that I ould buy some cast ones from Laurie Griffin et, al but I only needed 3 of one type and a couple of another. Then I recalled having some milled angle with one leg longer than the other which I had used for replacement step boards on the Slaters LNER brake van. I was sure I had some off cuts but they are stashed somewhere safe so while they resurface I thought about the more conventional type. I had once seen some made by silver soldering a strip at right angles to a another to recreate the shape when sawn of in strips but couldn't find the page that I had seen it on.

    This brought to mind why don't I mill some. When we moved we had a drawer full of 13 amp plugs that I had removed from appliances before binning them. Knowing that we would never use so many plugs I took them apart and removed the pins (solid brass:cool:) for potential future material and binned the rest. Fortunately I knew exactly where they were so I set to this evening and milled one to shape.

    Once I had the basic shape I then cut it into strips using a razor saw.

    IMG_0002.JPG

    They still need a bit of tidying up but they will be much more robust than the etched ones would have been.
     
  2. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Hi Rob

    :tophat: :tophat: Very nice, looks like a sliting disc needs to be added to the wanted list.

    Paul
     
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  3. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    I have a slitting saw for the mill and various thicknesses of blades but I wasn't sure how the milled shape would stand up to the cutting forces initially hence cutting out by hand but having milled out the shape, I now think that I would have got away with it. So I have another go and try it - I have plenty of plug pins to go at....
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2021
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  4. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    The combined ingenuity and skill of our hobby never ceases to amaze me :faint:

    Ian vt
     
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  5. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Recycling at its best
     
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  6. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    As a retired Electrician I too have a good supply of redundant 13 amp plug heads......unfortunately I don't have a mill, but a bit of careful work with a hacksaw ought to produce a respectable replica, good idea Rob.:thumbup:
    Keith.
     
  7. Walkingthedog

    Walkingthedog Full Member

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    My thoughts as well Keith.
     
  8. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Having had a parkside kit that was second hand, I copied the design in 123d design and then 3D printed some.

    nicely fit in with the originals although not yet painted.. not as robust as making metal ones I have to admit.

    look good Rob.. a brilliant skill you have there!!

    andy
     
  9. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    On the back of this morning's discussions I had another go and used the Slitting saw to separate them. With much more precise results.

    IMG_0525.jpg
    This is the basic shape milled from another plug pin
    IMG_0526.jpg
    Then cut with a 0.5mm slitting saw. My first go with the slitting saw that I got for my birthday a couple of months ago. Very nerve wracking!!!
    IMG_0002.JPG
    After a brief clean up with a diamond file.
    IMG_0001.JPG

    Finally cut off from the main pin. as long as I don't lose any I have one spare at the minute.
     
  10. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Wow!!
     
  11. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    I was asked on the Guild forum if I would go into more detail about how I made the lamp irons, what cutters I used etc.

    If there is interest in my how to, I will share the post here? - I hasten to add that I am a complete amateur and how I did it, may not necessarily be the right way to do it, if you know what I mean...
     
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  12. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Why not? It’s what it’s all about. :thumbs:
     
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  13. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Onward with part II, a step by step of how I made the next lot. In this instance I needed 3 L shaped lamp irons as opposed to the slightly off-centre T shape of the earlier efforts.

    It may be a bit of a photo overload as I probably took more photos than needed to get across the methods used.

    First I cut of the insulated section of another plug pin.

    IMG_0525.JPG

    I fastened it in the milling vice supported on parallels and lowered the quill until it just touched the work piece and rotated it by hand to establish a base height for cutting.


    Then I set the dial on the fine feed to zero

    IMG_0528.JPG

    Here we are ready for the first cut, you can see the parallel sticking out the end of the vice. To get the right height I had to stack two different sizes of parallels on top of each other. - in this instance I used a 5 x13mm on top of a 6 x 24mm. I have a set of 20 pairs of different heights and thicknesses. I have also cut a couple of cheapo 6" steel rules in half for if I need really thin parallels (the thinnest in the set is 2mm thick)

    IMG_0526.JPG

    Next we start to take the first cuts to form the back of the L using a 5mm 4 flute end mill.

    IMG_0529.JPG


    Once I got to the lowest depth of cut that the top of the vice would allow I moved the cutter back to take a small cut to create the underside of the lamp iron. I only took a couple of passes just so that I had enough of a ridge that I would be able to see the slitting saw passing through it in a later operation

    IMG_0531.JPG


    Then I used a small brass hand vice as a vice stop to allow me to turn the part over to do the same on the other side.

    IMG_0530.JPG


    Next I shifted the part so that it was fixed in the end of the vice with the upper leg of the L stick out of the edge of the vice horizontally and made the first cut with the slitting saw.

    This is at the end of the first cut. The slitting saw is the 4"x 0.5mm 100 tooth blade that I used for the first ones.

    IMG_0532.JPG


    Once both the slits were cut I put the part back in to the top of the vice to cut through the horizontal leg of the L with a 3mm four flute end mill

    IMG_0535.JPG


    I had inserted a small brass shim that gave me another 0.7mm of clearance above the vice jaws which allowed me to mill down until there was only a sliver of brass holding the parts in place

    IMG_0536.JPG


    Finally I was able to just touch the lamp irons with a scalpel blade to lift and cut them free.

    IMG_0537.JPG


    To be continued in another post as I cannot post any more images in this one.
     
  14. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    And to finish this off a bit of hand filling see them ready for fitting.

    IMG_0001-1.JPG
     
  15. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    Blimey..
    Fantastic stuff Rob.
    Over 25 years since I did anything like that.

    Regards
    Andy
     
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  16. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    It's even longer for me Andy, prior to getting the mill earlier this year the last time I used a mill (under supervision) was in 1980 in my metal work O level and I don't recall much about it. I do remember using a lathe as one of my O level projects was a pipe flaring tool which had a taper cut into a bolt thread.
     
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  17. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    '76 for my O grade metal work and I cant remember there being a milling machine or at least getting access to it. '78 when I did my machining as part of my apprenticeship, and we had access to some lovely Bridgeports, and a brute of a machine that could machine the moulds for earthmover tyres, i'm sure it had a 12ft rotating bed - not that I got to play with it.

    At school we did get cast alluminium, and I did try to cast a chassis for an Airfix Prairie loco kit, but the lack of a milling machine, and my useless filing skills hampered getting a decent result.

    I would like a mill, but currently I'm working on upgrading my wee Woodpecker CNC - one of the generic 3018 Chinese CNCs

    [​IMG]

    PCB's, plywood and MDF, but struggles with soft metals, ally is doable but very slowly, brass no chance.

    Upgrade 1
    I've ordered a larger 500W spindle motor,

    upload_2021-12-17_0-17-0.png

    and printed a replacement motor bracket (downloaded a bracket from Thingyverse) as the supplied ally bracket is too big for the Z axis bracket


    Sorry Rob for hijacking the thread - I will start an seperate thread, the intension is being able to machine brass and ally.

    Paul
     
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  18. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Hijack away, it's all interesting stuff to me.
    We did get to melt aluminium at school, I still have a couple of tools that I made, a marking gauge and a spirit level.
    I also made a screwdriver and a tap wrench but my older brother expended much effort in wrecking them, while I was still in my teens.
     
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  19. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Just out of curiosity Rob, how long did it take to make those irons?

    Cheers, Pete.
     
  20. Rob Pulham

    Rob Pulham Happily making models Staff Member Administrator Feature Contributor

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    Hi Pete,
    Excluding the time spent taking photos about 30 - 40 minutes I would guess. The longest bit was slitting them.
     
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