will need tools and equipment. The first essential is the cutting bit.

For a generaluse tool, it is best to have a clearance angle of lo0,a back slope of 5" and side slope of 10". Experience will teach just how much to vary these for different kinds of work. Material for these bits can be purchased in the form of high-speed steel bars, already hardened and ready to grind, from supply houses handling jewelersy equipment. The rough bit for the lathe described should be l/a in. square and about 1in. long. Of course, boring tools will have to be longer to suit each case. Next in importance, from the standpoint of frequent use, is a small drill chuck for the tailstock. This will be used whenever holes are drilled in a piece held in the headstock chuck. Any type chuck of %-in. capacity will suffice. Only enough of the inside threaded shaft is required to cover the full range of chuck adjustments, and a small taper shank is turned up and pressed into a hole drilled in the chuck. The taper must fit the'hole in the spindle. The faceplate is another part used frequently. This is best made in two pieces. The hub can be made from a nut, or from
a similar piece, a hole being threaded to

A er's lathe, previously described, you

FTER building the small model mak-

fit the shaft. The plate is laid out for the holes, and these are drilled and tapped before being mounted on the hub. Although the illustration shows the use of screws in

mounting, pressing, riveting or soldering are equally good. True up the plate by facing and turning the diameter. Centers are made from drill rod hardened after turning. They are polished with fine emery cloth after hardening. Two sizes are shown, together with an adapter, to make the small ones fit the large taper. The larger fit the spindles, and the lesser ones are used in the small driving plates and centers. At this time a taper hole is drilled and reamed in the headstock spindle, as you now have the tailstock chuck to hold the drill and reamer for this operation. This hole is identical with that in the tailstock, so that all tapers will be interchangeable.

-; q:
i

driving plate and dog are used when diameters are turned between cen. It is well to have more than one size, suit your own conditions. The smaller size fits in the tapered hole, while the larger is screwed on like the faceplate. Arbors are used in innumerable ways, and for this reason it is advisable to have quite a range of sizes. They make good mountings for saws, small emery wheels and cutters, and may be used to hold small pieces

for turning when these have a concentric hole in them. Collars or spacers are included with each arbor to accommodate varying thicknesses to be held on them. Light milling or slotting can b the saws and cutters by clampi to the slide-rest top, with the moved; a few tapered holes top will aid in clamping. T makes a fine drillpress if provided with a plate having a taper shank. Make the plate of brass and solder the shank in. Face it true, and you will have a good surface to drill against. You are now equipped to do all kinds of ordinary metal-turning jobs of small size, and in special cases extra ac- cessories can be made to suit.

:I

-- This Simple Jig for Cutdng Tenons Fits Any Circular Saw
Here's a jig for safely cutting tenons on your circular saw. It consists of three blocks; one is 'the base and the other two are fastened together at right angles as in-. dicated. The underside of the base is slotted for an oak runner, which slides in the miter-gauge groove of the saw table. The upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the horizontal block that fits on the base, are each grooved at right angles to the f i s t groove, to fit a runner which permits lateral adjustment. The horizontal block is fastened to the base with bolts which slide in slots to permit adjusting the jig for cuttiig tenons of different thicknesses. A C-clamp will hold the work.

- sizes. For a 7-in. swing, omit the block in thousandths of an inch, as the .20 threads and attach the key and stud directly to the per inch on the lead screws permit ,050 in.
bottom surface of the lower slide. Fig. 5 shows the swivel arrangement for making angular cuts, using two metal disks. The handles shown for the lead screws may be replaced by turned handles and dial indicators, which can be marked

turn of the screw. Thus, fifty equal spaces on the longitudinal dial and one hundred equal spaces on the cross-slide dial will give .001in. cut at the tool. The reason for twice as many marks on the cross slide is

movement of the elide for each complete

tool post and holder, Fig. 3, permit the top surface of the slide to be cleared for clamping down work to be milled. For this use, the spindle rotation is reversed, the work is fed with the cutter teeth pushing toward the travel and pressure, and the speed is reduced greatly. About 60 r.p.m. works well with small cutters. It i s important that the work be fed to the cutter uniformly throughout the length of the cut. Any irregularity in the feed is likely to cause breakage.

Bluing and Blackening Brass Ware

Brass articles may be given a blue or black color by first cleaning and then immersing them in a solution made by dissolving hypo, H lb., and lead acetate, 2 oz., in 1gal. of water. More lead acetate may be added to deepen the color and to speed up the action. To use the solution, heat it a.host to the boiling point and immerse

Live End Boring Bar and Lathe Swivel

By JOEL B. LONG
MATERIALS LISTBORING BAR 1 6" x " C. R. steel stock 1 " tool bit of desired length 1" - 20 Allen set screw LATHE SWIVEL 1 6" angle plate 2 . 375" - 24 " x 2" cap screws 310 - 32 x " Machine Screws Drill rod for pins Round stock, 3" 0. D. (brass, aluminum or steel)

W
152

ORK that's too big to clamp to a face plate can often be bored by clamping to an angle attachment on the cross-slide and using a tool holding bar mounted in an end mill arbor in the lathe's livecenter. You can also bore two or more holes in line and accurately located from the micrometer ring on the cross-slide, like reboring

the cylinders of an outboard en" " gine (Fig. 1). While the boring bar does not have the adjustability of a micrometer head, it can handle many of the same jobs at .500 only a fraction of the cost. To make the boring bar, cut a 6 in. length of in. cold rolled 1" steel rod, grasp it in a 3-jaw chuck and center drill one end. Shift the rod's position in the chuck to allow you to machine the 4 in. length while supporting the end in the tail center. Knurling the section indicated in Fig. 3 adds to the appearance but isn't necessary. Turn the rest of the body to .687 in. dia. and the end to exactly .500 in. for a snug fit in the end mill arbor that attaches the boring bar to the lathe's live-center. With the diameters machined, remove the tail stock and cut the rod off with a cut-off tool. Rechuck the cut-off rod and finish the end. At the end of the body, drill a in. hole for the tool bit and either file it square for regular cutter bits or make round DRILL EVENLY SPACED bits from drill rod HOLES3 FOR MACHINE stock, hardened by SCREWS COUNTERSUNK heating to a cherry red and quenching BORE HOLE FOR CLOSE in water. Drill and FIT OVER POST ON LOWER CARRIAGE tap the hole for SWIVEL the Allen set screw UNTAPPED to hold the tool HOLES WITH bit. Mill or file the DRILLDRILL USE "Q" SIZE A BOTTOMING TAP 45 flat slot on the 2 HOLES - 24 in. shank for the set screw on the end mill arbor as shown in Fig. 3. The boring bar makes a rigid tool and should not chatter or spring if used correctly. You'll need care and patience to readjust the cutter bit after each cut. Loosen the set screw that holds the bit slightly and, by "feel" or gently tapping it from the rear, advance it a few thousandths. Take light cuts except the first cut on a casting to get under the scale. As the hole nears the desired diameter, check after each cut with a telescope gage and micrometer. For the final light finishing cuts, hone the bit to a sharp edge and you'll find you can work to a .001 in. tolerance. Retract the tool from the bore using power carriage feed on finishing cuts to clean up the surface and leave a smooth finish. The holding fixture for lathe's carriage is made from an inexpensive 6 or 8 in. angle plate and can save you much time and trouble when boring, milling or drilling odd-shaped pieces that would be difficult or impossible to fasten on the face plate. Make sure the faces of the angle plate are smooth, flat and exactly at a 90 angle. Turn the tool post ring to size and drill (size Q) and tap the two .375 - 24 holes with a bottom-tap, stopping the threads about .125 in. before going through. Make up two pins from drill rod (Fig. 4) and turn down end of .375 - 24 bolt to fit in the hole. If
HOME-BUILT POWER TOOLS

"

KNURL SECTION TO SUIT

DRILL AND TAP " - 20 FOR SET SCREW

"

"

DRILL, FILE OR BROACH

HOLE FOR

TOOLBIT

4"

the outside of the ring extends beyond the front edge of angle plate, saw it off so that it is even with the edge. The ring is positioned and fastened to the bottom of the plate with three 10-32 machine screws. Three sets of holes for fastening the angle plate to the ring permit greater flexibility and more working surface. Counterbore for screw heads. Fig. 1 shows how an engine block, clamped to the plate, can use the micrometer collar on the carriage feed to locate and evenly space the cylinders. Holes may be drilled through the plate at
SECTION A-A

60
A
45

"

.320

3"

DRILL ROD PIN (HARDENED)

DIA. x

24 THREAD TURNED DOWN TO SOLID POINT SLIGHTLY ROUNDED

45 MACHINE TRUE SURFACES

any convenient location for hold-down bolts or machinist's clamps.

153

156

HOME WORKSHOP HANDBOOK

How to Bore the Big Ones T

HERE'S a secret to boring up to 1-in. dia. holes through steel with a -in. capacity drill press. You reduce the speed of the drill bit and increase the torque with a speed-reducer. The speed-reducer is simply a jack-shaft consisting of a mandrel with a 4-step cone pulley on one end and a 12-in. pulley on the the other end as in Fig. 1. This reduces the drill press chuck speed to a low of about 125 rpm and a high of about 600 rpm, depending on how the cone pulleys are belted. Cut the mounting board and spacers to size as given in Fig. 2 and the Materials List, and bolt the assembled mandrel and pulleys to the mounting board with the spacers under the mandrel. The spacers are needed to provide clearance between the drill press post and the 12-in. pulley. Then remove the motor from the drill press and temporarily fasten the mounting board to the motor bracket with c-clamps. Hold a straightedge across the two cone pulleys and align them by repositioning the mounting board so that the V-belt will run true. Mark the location of the
MATERIALS LISTDRILL SPEED-REDUCER No. Req. Size and Description Use 1 x 6 x 1 7 " plywood mounting board 2 x 4 x 6" plywood spacers 1 x 37" V-belt drill press pulley 1 x 46" V-belt motor pulley 4 5/16 x 4" carriage bolts mandrel 4 5/16 x 1" fh bolts mounting board 4 x 1" fh bolts motor (the following parts made by Chicago Die Casting, available from your local hardware store) 1 #1560, 5/8" shaft dia. ball bearing mandrel 1 # 1 4 0 , 4-step, V-grooved, 5/8" bore step pulley 1 #1200A 5/8" bore x 12" dia. V-grooved pulley

Drill bits having -in. shanks for chucking are available for boring 9/16 to 1-in. dia. holes.

slotted bolt holes in the motor bracket on the mounting board, remove the board and drill the 11/32-in. holes, countersinking them on the side the mandrel is fastened. Now, place the motor on the board so that a 46-in. long V-belt will go around the 12-in. pulley and the smallest pulley on the motor cone pulley. Align the pulleys, and mark and drill the board for motor mounting bolts. Countersink these holes and bolt the motor to the board. Since the motor must be turned upside down from its normal operating position, it will have to be reversed. Remove the plate covering the electrical connections and change the wiring as noted on the diagram on the back of the cover plate. If your drill press motor has a double ended shaft, it will not have to be reversed. Simply use it in its normal position and place a 2-in. pulley on the lower end of the motor shaft to drive the 12-in. pulley. When boring a hole, start with a 3/8-in. drill bit and enlarge the hole with 1/8-in. larger drill bits until the required size is reached.ART
YOUNGQUIST.

Offset Tailstock Center

ATHER than offset the lathe tailstock when turning tapers, after it has been adjusted to accurately turn work between centers, make up an offset center as shown in sketch. This can be quickly set at any position from zero to .625 in. on either side of center, allowing tapers to be turned with either the large or small end at the tailstock of the lathe. Make the offset center from an ordinary drill pad, with a slotted crossbar supporting a short lathe center screw-fastened to its face. Cut the slots in the crossbar with an end mill and drill a hole in the center to receive the 60 hardened point. Turn the short lathe center point from toolsteel to 60 on one end and shoulder down on the other for a press fit in the crossbar. Harden, draw the temper and cool the piece before mounting in the crossbar. Mill .125 x 1-in. cross groove accurately in the center and a flat across the top parallel with groove. Top flat will aid in setting up center in same plane as lathe bed ways and at right angle to center axis of lathe headstock. Drill and tap the screw holes in the drill pad, then attach the crossbar with washers under the screw heads.C. W. WOODSON.

SET IN SAME PLANE AS LATHE BED WAYS WITH LEVEL INDEX MARK

SCALE

60

CENTER-HARDENED

NO. 2 MORSE TAPER

DRILL PAD

DIA.

137

8 BANDSAW
from Pipe Fittings and Auto Parts
c

>

OU can build this efficient ball-bearing bandsaw easily from standard ironpipe fittings, two discarded model-T Ford front wheels, a single piston from the same car, and a few other pieces of scrap materials. The frame is assembled from 2-in. pipe fittings as in Fig. 1. First drill and tap the tees and the single elbow for 1/4 by 1-in. set screws, placing these as in Fig. 8 to prevent the parts of the frame from shifting out of line. Screw the parts together tightly, line up the upper arm with

'

"

I I

birch plywood, each 12% ;?r, and the center is bored out to nr " ~ e rthe wheel hub as in Figs. 6 and 8. Remove the hubs from the spindles and bolt the disks Now bolt the lower spindle to the frame as in Fig. 8. Make sure that the spindle is square with the frame both ways so that the wheel will run true. This will likely require some filing on both the spindle and the frame. Then fit the upper slide as in Fig. 8, from which you will see that a single bolt passes through the slide bar with a nut on each side; a set screw is tapped through the tee from the opposite side and bears against the lower end of the slide bar. Polish the bar so that the slide -will move freely U and down. Fig. 3 dimenP sions the two parts of the slide which carries the upper wheel when assembled as in Figs. 5 and 8. Flat iron % in. thick is used for both pieces. Bend the slide over a piece of % by 2-in. iron to get the proper size and fit. Smooth the corners with a file
7

the lower cross member, and then tighten the set screws. Next, you remove the spokes from the hubs of the two model-T Ford front wheels. Drive the outer flange up to the inner flange on both hubs, then with a hacksaw cut the spindle-bolt housings as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The exact size of the remaining portion of the housings is not important as filing will be necessary in fitting the spindles to the frame and the upper slide. Two disks are cut from 1-in.

turned from hardwood with a V and improvise a rest for a wood-t

special cement made for this purpose. bands and cement may be purchased

until

tne part slides easily on the bar that has been attached to the upper arm of the frame. The slide should fit the bar snugly so that there is no side play. Unless otherwise indicated, all

Two short lengths of 1% 1%-in. anby gle iron are riveted to the back of the slide to form lugs for the handwheels. To make the latter, turn out two hardwood disks and drive these onto %+in. carriage bolts. Or, you can use a rod of the same diameter and bend the end to 'form a crank. In either case the threaded length of the tension screw should be 7 in. and the tilting screw 4 in. The tilting screw is tapped through the angle-iron lug and is the setting. provided with a nut to l ~ c k The lower end of the tension screw bears on a spur attached to the bolt holding the slide bar as in Fig. 8. The tension spring is 2% in. long. The upper wheel spindle is attached to the yoke with a %-in. cap screw tapped into the end of the spindle, A d also a %-in. stud, which is tapped into the flat section of the yoke as in Fig. 5. It is likely that some filing will be necessary to assure a true fit of the spindle housing against the yoke.

for use. The table trunnion, Figs. 2, 7 and 8, consists of two flat plates and a section cut from a model-T Ford piston as in Fig. 8. These three details show the construction of the trunnion clearly. The important thing is to position these parts so that when the table is tilted, the blade will remain in the center of the slot. To do this you first drill the plates at the ends, cut the piston and slot it as indicated, then clamp the whole table assembly in posi-

'-

.
\

'

untersunk screws. If desired, the

the table in place of the pin guide

are standard parts of a wellof small bandsaw. Purchase

bracket is held in place with set screws tapped into the short section of 1by 2-in. pipe screwed into the reducer at the end of the upper arm of the frame. Adjust the guide pins so that the blade passes freely through, and set the thrust roller so that the gullets of the teeth clear the corners of the guide pins. See that the blade tracks in the center of the tread on both wheels.

*: .
-,

''

Spindle Sander Has Flexible Shaft

For edge-sanding irregular work, an efficient spindle sander can be made from a table, a small sand drum, a length of flexible shafting and a %-hp. motor. Bore a hole in the center of the table top just large enough to admit the drum. From 1%-in. hard-maple stock cut a 4 by 6-in. block, and from 1-in. stock a triangular brace. Screw these parts together as shown. Drill the block to receive two %-in. iron rods, 7 in. long, bent to form a hook a t one end and threaded for wingnuts at the other. Drill and saw out a slot as shown and also drill and slot a 4 by 5-in. block of %-in. stock to correspond with the hole and slot in the 4 by 6-in. piece. Attach the flexible shaft by means of the hooked rods and wingnuts to the block assembly and tighten the sanding drum in the chuck, after which the drum is inserted through the hole in the table from the underside and the whole is fastened securely with heavy screws countersunk in the table top and projecting into both brace and Mock. Connect the end of the flexible shaft to the motor mounted

ASSEMBLY OF WHEEL &BLADE

-UPPER
/

BLADEWIDE

guard is in position the top will clear the upper band wheel by a t least 1 in. This will allow sufficient space for the necessary up-and-down movement of the wheel. Blades for the standard 12-in. bandsaw can be used on this machine. These are 78 in. long, measured around the wheels, and come in widths from % to 4f3 in. Your machine should be mounted on a solid bench or stand and should be driven with a xh.p. motor of 1,750 r.p.m. Use a 2-in. Vpulley on the motor to give proper blade speed. When using the machine, the blade should be drawn just tight enough to prevent its vibrating when the machine is running. To get the proper tension adjustment, start the motor and draw up slowly on the tension screw until the blade runs smoothly through the guides.
aAn excellent bright dip for iron and steel consists of sulphuric acid, 7 oz., , slowly added to water, 2% pints, zinc, M oz., nitric acid, 3 oz., and a small piece of

Inexpensive spindle sander with flexible shaft for edge-sanding curved and irregular work

La'the Centers rrc . Drills Broken taper-shank drill.. ,an be ground easily to provide good lathe centers in less time than they can be made from rough

D
CONSTRUCTED almost entirely from pipe fittings, this drill press will be found exceptionally rigid, neat in appearance and quiet in operation. First get a cone pulley having a thick hub to allow a slot for the key. Refer to Figs. 1 and 6, and construct the frame. Drill through for the spring-assembly tube before screwing on the table support. Bush the 1-in. tees with 1-in. pipe as shown,

cut off and carefully drive in model-T Ford spindle bushings after having reamed to fit %-in. drill rod. Insert the shaft and aline the bearings by tapping the shaft. With the shaft in place, pour molten babbitt around the spindle bushings. Now fasten a pulley on the shaft, take up the end play with a shaft collar, place it under

power and turn down a groove as shown in Fig. 3. The long slot ig cut easily with a plane made of two hack-saw blades clamped between two thin boards and a third board extending below to guide against the shaft. Make a key to fit this slot as in Fig. 4, and drive it into a slot cut in the top of the pulley. The upper puLley grease retainer is made by cementing a ?&-in. aluminum disk tb the pulley. Allow 24 hours for drying and then cement a %-in. plywood ring to the disk. Turn this true and cement the upper disk, which ia out o u t t o clear the tee. Turn the whole assembly true with a file. The lower grease retainer is simply a brass cup, Fig. 2, made by wiring sheet brass around a %-in. pipe and soldering

'

bearing grease retainer assembly as s h m . m e coveralides to a tiglit fit on the %..in.. pipe. Cut off a Ford spindle bushing and &ive it into the %-in. pipe after bushing with split tubing or tin. Drill through and tap. for %-in. studs. The studs must have cut threads to avoid turning through into the shaft. See that all pivoting points in the handle lever are in alinement by inserting long rods in the holes and sighting aldng' .these. I not lined up' properly the f top bearing will heat up rapidly. Constru'ct the spring plunger "assembly next as in Fig. 3. Us6 a spring having at least a 12 to 15-lb. L4TTEN SIDE pull when extended 1in. The tube -inclosing the spring is

FORD' SPINDLI BUSHIN

rf"

the joints. Cement a wood

plug in the bottom as showd. M a k e a l a r g e aluminum washer to support the lower ball-bearing assembly. To assemble the shaft, drop the lower ball-bearing cup down into the tee and slide the pulley in place. Raise the grease retainer cup into place and slide the washer beneath. Then insert the shaft upward through the pulley. Refer to Fig. 3 to make the upper ball-

r/

LIPPER

1'rE 41

BUSHING

By Walter E. Burton
ACKSAWING is the one onerous shop job for which there is no inexpensive and readily available power tool to ease the sweat. Commercially made power hacksaws are costly and arent found in most home shops. Here, however, is a new answer. After several years of building and experimenting, P OPULAR S CIENCE experts have come up with a simplified design for a homebuilt power hacksaw at a cost that makes it a practical tool for any shop. All parts, except for the motor land pulley drive, can be assembled for less than $20. Any % to 1/2-hp. motor will run the machine. Any standard 12 hacksaw blade can be used in it. In speed, accuracy, and capacity, the saw rivals even big commercial machines. It will cut stock of any size and shape up to 3 high and 4 wide. In tests, it proved so precise it sliced off disks from a solid steel bar as thin as .050. The secret of the saws low cost is the use of stock materials plus a pair of old automobile connecting rods for the main rocker arms-the heart of the machine. No

Rocker-arm action is key to the saws sim licity and accuracy. It keeps the bla$e rigid and at the same time lets it move back and forth parallel to the base.

. .. 4
. .

3 .

machining is necessary, and all parts are fastened easily with bolts or rivets. The base is simply a pair of 2-by-2 steel angles pinned back to back to form a sturdy Trail backbone. Four short sections of the same angle provide feet for the T rail, Everything else mounts on top. The overarm that supports the blade is a similar T rail made of two lengths of lby-l angle. Its connected to the base rail at only one point-the pair of con-rod rocker arms. The rocker arms support the rear end of the overarm while a motordriven crank moves the blade back and forth across the work, something like the piston in an engine.
CONTINUED

163

Big saw with a hi

bite: This solid-aluminum

Lower pipe bearing is notched s deep to fit over the base. Sleeves of X pi e keep the clamping bolts from distorting the %earing.

Fitting the rocker arms. The auto connecting rods give you a ready-made way of pivoting the saws overarm rigidly and accurately. They can be scrounged from an auto junkyard for about $1 apiece. Those shown here are from a 56 Chevy and have an operating lengthbetween centers of 7. Exact length, however, is not critical. The saws height can easily be adjusted to suit any con rods you can find that are within an inch or so of the dimensions shown here. The rods are used just as they come except for drilling one hole in each near the large end for the % cross bolt that serves as a spacer. The lower ends of the con rods pivot on a bearing of 2 pipe. The pipes outside diameter (2%) is slightly larger than the openings in the con rods and must be slimmed down at the ends to a smooth, sliding fit. This can be done on a lathe or by careful hand filing. The upper wrist-pin ends of the con rods pivot on a similar bearing of !h pipe bolted to the back end of the overarm. This, too, must be smoothed at the ends to a close fit in the rods openings. Large washers or steel disks are used as end caps on both the upper and lower pipe bearings to keep the con rods from sliding off. Lubrication is through the existing oil holes in the con rods. You can enlarge them if you wish to admit an oil-can spout easily. Assembling the crank drive. T h e ?P crankshaft runs in two bronze pillow-block bearings mounted 4 apart on a ,platform

164

POPULAR SCIENCE FEBRUARY 1964

CONTINUED

.
made ot t\vo thicknesses of 3/4 plywood. The platform measures 4 by 5% and is bolted rigidly to the T-rail base. Position the crankshaft so that when the arm is at 3 oclock the front blade holder lines up with the front end of the T-rail base. The crank arm is pinned firmly to the crankshaft with a %-20 setscrew that locks into a hole drilled part way in the side of the shaft. The connecting rod from the crank arm to the blade frame is a /2-by-l steel bar notched at the end to fit between the two bars that form the rear blade-holding leg. The con rod is linked to the &ank and the blade frame by two 3/s drill-rod pins. The holes for these pins should be fitted with brass or bronze bushings reamed to a close fit. A brass or fiber washer l/32 to l/16 thick provides clearance between the crank arm and con rod. Note that the T-rail base must be notched out at the left side to allow clearance for the swing of the crank. Rigging the V-belt drive. A n 11 pulley is mounted on the crankshaft at the opposite end from the crank arm. One belt runs from this to a 2% pulley on a jackshaft mounted in pillow blocks on a platCrankshaft is mounted in pillow-block bearings on a platform. A 14 pulley is on the other form of doubled 8 plywood. Its important that the platend of the jackshaft, and a second form be bolted securely to the T-rail base, with the belt runs from this to a 2% pulley crankshaft precisely at right angles to the blade. on the motor. The result is a powerful twostage reduction that, with a standard 1,750-r.p.m. motor, gives the saw a cutting speed of about 60 strokes a minute-correct for hacksawing. You can use any combination of pulleys and jackshafts that result in a similar ratio. While the crank drive will work in either direction, its best to rotate it counterclockwise as viewed from the crank end of the shaft. This causes the connecting rod to put a downward pressure on the blade on the forward cutting stroke. The platform that supports the jackshaft is simply a wood box screwed loosely to a wood base so Simple crank mechanism moves the blade back and forth as the crankshaft is turned by the motor. Drawings below it tilts slightly forward under belt show how crank arm and connecting rod are linked by tension on the shaft. By tightening drill-rod pins running in brass or bronze bushings. or loosening the two rear screws, you can adjust the tension perfectly. The overarm support. To keep the overarm from dropping.all of the way down when the blade cuts through the work, a small roller is mounted on a bracket at the front. [Continued on page 2161
166 POPULAR SCIENCE FEBRUARY 1964

Homemade Power Hacksaw for Less than $20 [Continued from page 1661

PROTECT IT!
Keep wood young-and prevent unnecessary maintenance, premature replacement. Just make it a practice to treat all raw wood with WOODLIFE@, the original water-repellent preservative. Retards shrinking and swelling, reduces warping. Guards against checking and splitting. Protects against decay, fungi, termites. Improves paintability. Uyited States Plywood, Protection Products Div., 2305 Superior Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich.
riiiiELCYWOODi

WOODLIFE KLEAN-STRIP
l l l l

As the. blade cuts through, the overarm drops gently onto this roller. A sealed ball bearing makes an excellent roller, although you can use any small metal or plastic wheel. A short section of rubber tubing fitted into the rollers hole makes a cushioned hub for the axle bolt. To increase cutting pressure, the overarm is weighted with a steel block. The one used here measures 1 by 2 by 4. It slips over two pins made of headless bolts screvi;ed into the top of the overarm. You can experiment with other sizes of blocks. Making the uise. This consists of a fixed jaw and a movable jaw made of 2-by-2 steel angles. The jaws are mounted on two bars that serve as rails. The movable jaw can be locked with a cap screw and, for extra holding power, can be braced against pins dropped into holes in the rails. A pressure plate on the movable jaw is adjusted independently with two cap screws after the jaw has been locked at a rough setting. A third cap screw in the fixed jaw bears against the pressure plate and keeps it from cocking when small stock is gripped. NW

Fast, clean, safe

No afterwash n e e d e d
Non-flammable

Refinish immediately

THE

K L E A N - S T R I P CO.,INC.
l

Whats so tinusual about UNIMAT?

MEMPHIS 6. TENNESSEE

WINNIPEG, CANADA

AMERICAN EDELSTAALINC, Dept.H-B3MBrordway, N.Y.13, N.Y. 216 POPULAR SCIENCE FEBRUARY 1964

Its the only high precision metal-working lathe in the. world that converts instantly into a sensitive drill press. 10,000 Unimat Owners also use their machines for milling and surface grinding. Attachments permit sawing wood, metal and plastics; polishing, tool sharpening and grinding, Price of complete basic machine is only $139.50. Write for Free. Catalog, or read the whole story in Miniature Machining Techniques manual only $1.00.

Four-pulley jackshaft drive brings motor speed down to sawing speed. Note how jackshaft platform is tipped. B y ti htening its rear screws, you can vary the angK e to adjust belt tension.

By Alexander Maxwell
Table is elevated with hand control to feed work against drill held in stationary chuck

Y HAVING the table travel up and down instead of the chuck? the construction of the little drill press shown in Fig. 1 is simplified to the point where all , the parts can be machined completely on any small screw-cutting lathe. Standard stock materials are used-namely, the pipe fittings, bearings and chuck, while the rest of the parts are turned to size from odd

umn. Ikdless rubber belts of the type used on vacuum cleaners provide a slip-free

pieces of steel, brass and flat iron. Any small utility or sewing-machine motor will do to drive the press, although it is advisable to use a motor of the induction type

having end thrust bearings, if i t is to be mounted in a vertical position beneath the bench as shown. From Fig. 3 you can get a general idea of how the parts fit together, and how the chuck and motor are belted to a central jackshaft enclosed in the col-

Fig. 6, and in Fig. 10. The flange is chucked to the faceplate and the threads are bored out to make a wringing fit over the column. When turning cast iron, remember to take a deep initial cut to prevent the hard surface crust from taking the edge off your cutting tool. Machining the pipe reducing tees to fit the column requires care. You will notice that one end of the upper tee is turned down to fit squarely in the shoulder cut

of the bearing block. h hothe W, eentet them on the thre8d.s pather than on the outSi* dbme*. I t beat t to out @way the 6.lst thread completely before mmnsenciqg to cut

and-try method. The 1 - n dimension %i. given i only appreximgte. You w-iU have s to cut back the shoulder a Wtle at a time until the point is reached where the shaft seats perfectly and runs freely without end play. Every 100 hrs. or so of operation, the bearings &ould be removed, waahed in kerosene and repacked with @ease. The threads oh t e head a i d the table h bracket should be lathe-cut to make a wringing fit in the tee fittings. Setscrews dmowgh i sid- of the h Iock the brackets i place. The head, detailed i n n Figs. 5 and 9, may be turned from a mill end of mild-steel rod, or from a piece of 2-in.&&rig. Chucking the head for boring the bracket hole is done best with a four-jaw independent chuck as shown in

Fig. 8. Start the hole with a d i l aad t e other rod pointed slightly, pass it through rl hn use a boring tmil to eut a force-fit hole for the bushing and center punch the underthe bracket. A rawhide mallet is used tb side of the carriage. The parts f ~the table r drive the two together, after which they raising mechanism are detailed in Figs. 6, &e pinned. When properly bored and 13 and 1P, while Figs. 2 and 15 shbw how oounterbored to receive the bearings and they will Look when assembled. The drillthe spindle, the head should look like the rod .washer should bear against the showl. s e e t i 4 view in F3. . 9. The 1-degree taper g der of the cr and not the end of the bushing, so that the acarn nut when taght, ?n We lower end of the spindle must be cut accurately Bo seat the drill chuck perf*. ened wiU hold the crank in place, The chu* which should be of the highe -- mdkdamed type, is premed on the spin- Pattern Is Fastend to Plastic , I by hand. The preloading nut is screwed With Rubber Cemgnr ;8own to provide eonstant pressure an the ': .badqgs. T i w n it until the bearings I n s t e a d of bim& then 1 ~ xit1 l y until they will h soratohing a design In the surface 'just turn freely.L large enough to swing If y w hthe of hard plastics like Bakelite for a : the a l e bacliet, drill the holea fer the brame sleeve bush@ with a drill held i n guide in cutting it, '. .the tailstock & & u. The k t bushing i s glue paper over the wurk, using . '9 p%& hthe beket, while tbe othm . -.cplecan~kbtsli~tlyloosetoco~te rubber cement,
+A,* I

':Em mxy a& % h d-r Pip. 14 . - 8hms how the tahle may be held a the t cornem with screws and surfaced, both sides, orr the faceplate. The best way t m
regbter the holes in the Qarriage with them

in the bracket is to bore oBe hole &at and . insert the md. Then with one end o the f
-

giga a pattern on it plen, if oeeesmry, r a correction be made in the. design atithaat mazing the d c e d %he wurk. Tbe paper mn be removed without any tJmuhle after the cutting or tmlbg bas h e n dam.

d &&&&Be-

MAKE THIS BENDING BRAKE

206

POPULAR MECHANICS

FOR YOUR SHOP

By Fred C. Iglehart

has had to improvise methods of bending. It takes light sheet metals up to 17 in. wide. The hold-down blade moves at an angle of 45 deg. to the bed and adjusts automatically to the thickness of the materials to be bent. The blade is slotted to provide the clearances necessary to permit raising, in successive steps, -in. flanges on the four sides of the work, as in forming a box or tray, radio chassis, motor base, or similar work. A retractable stop at the 90-deg. position permits the operator to make repetitive right-angle bends. The throat opens to 5/16 in. to admit flanged parts. All main parts except the table, or base, are made from cold-rolled stock. These include the parts detailed in Figs. 1 and 3 and parts A to E inclusive in Fig. 2. Note that parts A, B and C are shown assembled in the upper left-hand sectional view in Fig. 2. See also Figs. 4 and 5. Stock 3/8 and in. in thickness is used for the right and left end plates and the hold-down supports and guides. The bending-bar brackets also are of -in. stock. Note in the right-hand detail, Fig. 2, showing end plate and holddown support assembled, that the right end plate is a duplicate of the left plate with the exception of the lug formed on the lower edge of the latter. Note also that screw holes are counterbored to take socket-head screws flush. The hole pattern for 5/32-in. steel dowels is not dimensioned; only the approximate positions are shown. Where a lathe is not available use a straight 3/8-in. rod for the stop and substitute 5/16-in. capscrews for the spring-tensioning screws. This will simplify construction without affecting operation of the brake. SEPTEMBER 1958

is small-shop size, makes those clean, in sheet T HIS BRAKEsharp bends craftsmanmetal that will delight the eye of a who

Above, brake and examples of flanged work done in light sheet metals. Below, brake assembly with left end plate, handle and 90-deg. stop removed to show hold-down support and spring-tension device

207

By H. J. CHAMBERLAND
APABLE of exerting a pressure of 4,000 ibs., this husky little screw press can be put to a number of uses in the small machine shop. Besides being useful as an arbor press as shown in Fig. 1, it also can be used for forming and for stamping medium-gauge sheet metal, using special-shaped dies as in Figs. 2 and 3. Dimensions for the various parts are given in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Holes in the base, ram and beam of the press must register ac&l il curately. To . these in line, the ram, which rides the vertical posts, is clamped temporarily to the top surface of the base. Locations of t h e t h r e e holes a r e prick-punched. c m e r .- ,. .n . .

drilled a n d b o r e d through into the base with a %-in. bit. Then the ram is removed a n d clamped t o t h e beam, which i s t h e crosspiece at the upper end of the posts, and holes are duplicated in this, using the holes in t h e r a m as a guide. This should give you t h r e e accurately aligned holes in each of the three parts. Next, s the outer h ~ l e in the base are drilled out to 3964 in. and tapped to receive the threaded ends of the posts, Fig. 5. The center hole in the base is enlarged to 1in. The holes in the ram are likewise bored out, using a %-in. bit in the post holes. W e center hole is enlarged to receive the casehardened tool-shank adaater, while the center hole in the beam is bored on the lathe to receive tightly the 1%-in. screw-housing bushing, shown in section in Fig. 6. Both the tool-shank

MARCH, 1941

end to accelerate the screw for rapid adjustment. These are flattened and soldered to squared blocks which in turn are pinned to the threaded ends of the two vertical arms. In place of the lead balls, steel or cast-iron blocks having a corresponding weight can be substituted, attaching them by allowing the tenoned end of the vertical arms to pass completely through the end blocks and into the ball.

T i t Handle Loosens Star Dil ws rl

If you are often annoyed by having a star drill wedge in the hole so that it is difficultto loosen or remove, drill a hole in t h e e n d of t h e shank and insert a hook bent from %-in. s t e e l rod about 8 in. long. A r u b b e r band slipped over t h e drill will hold the rod out of the way when not needed, and t h e rod may be swung out quickly to horizontal position.

Compass Helps LocateSwitch Box

When a wall-switch box has been plastered over, I find its exact location with a small compass. This is moved along the wall and when the compass .passes over the box the needle will deflect strongly. -Robert K. Urie, Enumclaw, Wash.

POPULAR MECHANICS,

Sand Blaster
By Channing B. Mould

For quick removal of paint and grease from metal surfaces, you can't beat a sand-blast machine. E VER try to clean the paint off a motorcycle wheel? Or, for that matter, any other metal object? Well, if you have occasion to do such work, you will find a small sand-blast machine worth its weight in gold. If you have a handy source of sand and a reasonably good supply of compressed air, the rest is simple. A sand blaster is merely a tank that will safely withstand the pressure of the air supply. It has provisions for pouring sand into the top and allowing it to trickle out the bottom, where it is entrained in a stream of air. It is necessary that the tank be pressurized to prevent the air that flows to the nozzle from blowing up through the sand supply instead. The machine illustrated was constructed of a 14-in. length of 6-in. pipe with 1/4-in. plate for the ends. The only part of the machine that cannot be made with hand tools is the filler hole in the top plate. This hole must be made to properly fit whatever object is used as a stopper. The author found a 3/4-to-2-in. reducing pipe coupling
154

to be the simplest thing to adapt. The stopper must have a tapered portion that will produce a wedging action when air pressure is applied. The hole in the top plate, then, is machined to the size that will allow the tapered section of the stopper to seat. The underside of the hole should be chamfered a little so the gasket won't be cut by the pressure. A little allowance (about Vs in. on the diameter) is made for the gasket material, which, in this case, was two layers of automobile inner tube cut in rings and slipped down over the stopper. Weld in the bottom plate first by recessing it sufficiently to allow a good fillet weld. Now is a good time to drill the holes for the piping because it is easy to burr the inside and clean out the chips. With the stopper and its lever assembly in place on the top plate, tap the plate down into the tank an inch or more before welding to allow a place for the sand to pile up while running through the filler hole. If there seems to be any danger that the gaskets will be burned by the subsequent welding operations, they can be added after the complete assembly is made. The piping of the machine is perfectly straightforward and the choice of valves is up to the builder with the exception of the sand valve in the bottom of the tank. This must be of the gate type since such a valve provides a [Continued on page 195] Mechanix Illustrated

155

Sand Blaster
[Continued from page 154] clear path through which the sand can flow freely. The valve seat need not be in good condition. If cocks are available for the rest of the valves, they are desirable since they make for quick action. The cocks on this machine are air-brake valves from a tractor-trailer. Although the photos show a petcock on the nozzle, it is a convenience rather than a necessity in that it allows the nozzle to be removed for clearing without the waste of bleeding the tank. When construction has progressed to the point where it can be done, it is well to test the tank for a value well above the pressure of the proposed air supply. Fill the machine completely with water and apply the test pressure with a hand tire pump via an inner-tube valve soldered into a pipe fitting. If a gauge is available, fine, but if not, the author found the practical limit of a tire pump to be about 150 lb., which should be enough to insure safety on an 80 to 100-lb. air supply. Nozzles are obtainable from Granite City Tool Co., Barre, Vt., for 15 cents each and are classified as "Standard Steel Lettering Nozzles3/32" Pipe or tubing with a similar inside diameter will make a very good substitute nozzle. With a 3/32-in. aperture, the air consumption is approximately 14 cu. ft. of free air per minute with a supply pressure of 80 lb. per sq. in. Even if the available air supply has somewhat less capacity, it will serve satisfactorily if it has a sufficiently large receiver in which to store air during "down" periods of the sand-blast machine. Operating procedure is as follows: Close the sand valve in the bottom of the tank and fill the machine with dry sand that's been carefully sifted through window screen. Any oversize material is sure to cause annoying stoppages at the nozzle. Close the petcock at the nozzle, seat the filler plug (shaking down any sand left on the gaskets), and open the air-supply cock. The filler plug should promptly jam into its seat and seal completely. Aim the nozzle at the work, open the nozzle petcock wide, and adjust the sand valve until the desired amount of sand is flowing. Just a few moments of experimentation will determine the best amount; but one hint: work the volume up slowly because too heavy a flow will probably clog the nozzle even though it produces quick results. A little rocking of the tank will help to get the flow going evenly. When shutting down, close the sand valve first to prevent sand from piling up in the pipe after air has stopped flowing. Some sort of eye protection is absolutely essential.
November 1953

SAW-SANDER UNIT

By Carl W. Bertsch HIS combination workshop unit features an ,-in. saw having a 30 by 36-in. table that tilts 45 degrees, Fig. 1,a swinging saw mandrel, and a direct-drive disk . - Sander. A %-hp. motor operates both machines as shown in Fig. 2. Construction b e g i n s w i t h the stand. From Fig. 7 you can see clearly how it is put together with %-in. carriage bolts. All stock Measures 2 by 3 in., and note that the upper ends of the legs are notched for rigidity. The position of the two-piece front and rear trunnion supports can be marked at this time, and the holes drilled, but it is best not to bolt them to the stand until after the complete trunnion assembly has been attached. The saw hinge support, detailed in Fig. 5, is set 4% in. in from the
end of the rails between which it in belted.

should equal the curve of the trunnion so that the latter will not bind. To the back side of each trunnion and its slide, guides of %-in. hard-pressed board are fitted as shown in Fig. 6. These are cut as indicated to overhang the edge of the trunnions 1 in., forming a lip which overlaps the slide. Use flat-head screws for attaching the guides, countersinking the heads flush with the surface. The trunnion-bolt holes through the supports are bored 3940 in. down from the top. In locating the holes for bolting the slides to the trunnion supports, place the trunnion on its bolt and then with a thin cardboard shim between the slide and the support, center the slide beneath it and clamp the latter temporarily to the support. When you have the slide adjusted so
that the trunnion works smoothly, drill

Now for the trunnions and their slides. Make these of %-in. birch or maple and take pains in laying them out from the pattern given in Fig. 8. The concave edge of the slide must make a perfect rubbing fit with the trunnion, and the curved bolt slot

four holes through both pieces for Y4-in. bolts. A semi-hard brass strap attached to the edge of each slide to bear against the edge of the trunnion (see side view Fig. 8) takes up the thrust of the table when tilted. In place of the cardboard, thin washers are

d on the bolts to provide the necessary Fig. 3 gives a general idea of how the blade is raised and lowered. Essentially, it consists of a swinging mandrel which is elevated by a lug traveling on a vertical spindle. Fig. 10 shows how the block is made up of two pieces of oak which are recessed to house the tenoned ends of a turned lug. Dimensions for the block and the lug are given in Fig. 11. The latter should move freely in ,the routed opening with very little side play. Standard bronzebushed pillow blocks set end to knd serve as a bearing for the saw mandrel and as a hanger for pivoting the block between the arms of the saw hinge support. ,See Figs. 5 and 7. The exact position fo: mounting the pillow blocks is given in Fig 11. To align each pair of blocks it may bc necessary to shim them with thin pieces of metal. Fig. 4 details the saw mandrel which can be made by threading the end of a length of standard steel shafting and fitting it with a flange. Collars are used on the mandrel at each end of the bearing. The mandrel block must swing with. out side play and for thi; reason the holes in one o the flat-iron arms of the hinge support should be slotted to permit adjustment. The vertical spindlc passing through the lug i: turned down at the uppe: end to engage a hole in a~

HlNGF

SUPPORT

side rails should be notched at once to ascur* identical spacing of the cross rails. The table can k of solid maple, or simplified by using a plywooc

T M S powerful --ollsaw cuts

1%-in. stock with ease at 1,400 strokes per minute,-and is designed to be used with either the heavy saber-type of blades f or the finest jewelers' blades. I you have an old sewing-machine head and a +hp. motor, the total cost should not exceed $5. THe sewing-machine head is adapted to its new use by first removing the needle shaft and holder and substituting a blade holder, @e head is then invertIed and securely bolted between two lengths of 2 by 4-in. maple Which are supborted on two hardwood blocks bolted either to a separate base or directly to the bench top. Due to variations in the size and needle stroke of didferent types of sewing-machine heads, slight alterations may be found necessary when assembling, and for this reason some of the dimensions have been omitted as they depend on the particular installation you will use. Pipe and fittings are used for the frame. When wembling it, the joints should be turned in as tightly as possible. The flange is murely bolted to the base. A saw
$ -

-- /'

table of %-in. hardwood is made to fit over and around the base of the sewing-machine head. It is covered with a 10 by 20;in. plate of No. 12-gauge aluminum. A %-in. hole is drilled in the plate to form an opening for the blade. The upper slide shaft, or plunger, is made from a 9-in. length of %-in. seamless-steel or brass,
tubing. The lower end i~ bushed with n

piece of brass tubing soldered in place and tapped to take a 1%-in. length of %-in. bolt. The shaft guide is then drilled as shown. It is held against the end of the tubing with a thin nut. A wooden disk,
'

23

hub. The rubber hose is led from the blower through the fr the nozzle as shown.

Stepped Bushing Driver Ha For Various Sizes

ger. aspiece of flat steel,

the other end is sawed in steps, progressively

SHOP NOTES

METAL SHAPER FOR YOUR SHOP

By S. S. Miner

A METAL SHAPER is indispensable for certain machining operations where flat surfaces must be produced within very close limits, such as machining flats on castings, cutting keyways, rabbets and grooves and reducing the thickness of stock to a given dimension. This one has a 3-in. stroke, is manually operated and has been especially designed to reduce machine operations in the construction to the minimum. Cold-rolled-steel flats and squares are utilized for nearly all operating parts and the frame and base. These parts you can purchase cut to size with "store" edges at a very reasonable cost per piece. Joining edges and flat surfaces can be finished by hand to remove saw or flame marks and square the surfaces for fitting. One thing to keep in mind before beginOCTOBER 1955

ning the construction: Hole layouts are given on the parts dimensioned on the following pages, but the hole sizes have been omitted. The reason is that you have a choice of two methods of assembly. On the original machine the parts were joined with socket-head screws, the screwheads countersunk flush. The alternate method is to drill the body and tap holes only, omitting the counterbores. This latter method effects a considerable saving in construction time and does not impair the efficiency of the machine in any way. Use 1/4-in. socket-head screws or hex-head screws except where other thread sizes are given. The length of the screw is determined by the thickness of the stock and also the location of the screw. Begin construction with the base plate,
227

the two side plates and the feed block: Only the front edge of the base plate, the bottom edges of the side plates and the front end of the bed block are finished. This must be done with care to assure flat true surfaces. Next, lay out and drill the body-hole pattern in the base plate and side plates and then use these three members as jigs when drilling the tap holes in the ram guides and the bottom edges of the side plates. Note the location of the dowel-pin holes in the various parts. Holes for the dowel pins are drilled and reamed so that the pins are a medium-tight drive fit. When body holes and holes for the dowel pins are drilled the parts must be clamped together securely. Then drill and ream the pinholes first. Drive the pins in part way before drilling the tap holes. When the side plates and bed block are in place on the base plate the next parts to make and fit in place are the ram, the operating lever and the crossrail and saddle. The saddle cannot be made complete until the cross-feed screw bracket has been made and fitted. Note that the ram is slotted for the operating lever, counterbored, and that a round, 63/64 in. long and 1 1/2 in. in dia., is turned on one end. This must be done in a metal lathe to assure the necessary accuracy. The ram must be a smooth sliding fit in the guides. Some light filing and smoothing with abrasive will be necessary to achieve the required fit. Note in the ram detail that section A-A gives the oilhole plan. These holes must be drilled before final assembly. Make the operating lever and link next. Note in the lever detail that it consists of] three parts, two of which are brazed to the third at a 45-deg. angle. Section A-A shows how the meeting edges are beveled before brazing. Form a radius on the body of the lever to provide a landing for the stop screw. Top end of the lever can be fitted with a plastic knob, or a handhold is easily shaped by grinding and filing. The link, which is a part of the lever assembly, consists of two steel squares pinned and screwed to a spacer. In this case the heads of the socket-head screws must be countersunk flush for clearance. Note also that the link pivot pin is grooved to provide a seat for the end of the retaining screw. The link is provided with bronze bushings. The head assembly consists of the head block and the toolhead slide, the latter built up from steel squares and flats as detailed, the parts of the slide being assembled with screws and pins. The head block is a swiveling clamp which fits over the round turned on the end of the ram. When the assembly is complete with the down-feed bracket and tool block the entire assembly can be swiveled on the ram to locate the cutting ,

tool at any desired angle with the work. Note that the toolhead is fitted with a spring-loaded drag, which has the effect of taking slack out of the down-feed screw and also to prevent chattering on heavy cuts. Beginning construction of the assembly with the head block, bore the block to 1 1/2in. dia. before slotting. The slot is cut with two hacksaw blades placed side by side in the saw frame. Take time to assure a straight cut and finish with a file. Then counterbore and tap for the clamping screw, the counterbore on one side of the slot, the tap hole on the other. Next, turn and thread the down-feed and cross-feed screws in the lathe. Now, note that the end of the toolhead is drilled to take the end of the down-feed screw and that the lower end of the down-feed screw is grooved to take the shouldered end of a retaining screw. Drill this hole to a depth of about 9/16 in. and test-fit the end of the down-feed screw before final assembly. There will be a slight amount of end play in the screw and it is necessary to make sure that it will clear when run up or down. If it should bind on the bottom of the hole you will have difficulty adjusting the cutting tool. With the toolhead and slide completed and the parts fitted in the final assembly, dis-

assemble and fit the down-feed screw bracket. Note that it is both pinned and screwed in place and care must be taken to assure a true fit on the upper end of the head block. The head assembly is completed with the addition of the tool-holding block. Note especially the elongated hole in the upper end of this block. The elongation permits the block to swing outward on the back stroke of the ram. The counterweight drops it into cutting position again as it clears the edge of the stock being cut. This elongation of the hole must be worked with a file and several tests made as the job progresses to assure just the right amount of clearance. The cutting tool is held in place by means of the washer detailed and a socket-head screw turned into a tapped hole near the lower end of the block. The cross-feed screw bracket is made by notching and bending a length of square stock. Note in the details that one leg of the bracket (after bending and brazing) is drilled 7/16 in., the other 3/8 in. Note also that the screw is shouldered to three diameters to permit it to be slipped into place after the bracket is bent to form. However, before assembling the screw in the bracket it is necessary to make the lug through which the screw is threaded at assembly.

This lug has a bottom hole which fits over a fillister-head screw turned into a hole tapped into the bed block. When making these parts a careful layout is essential to assure correct location of the holes so that the screw runs freely throughout the length of the threaded section. This is important as it should be remembered the feed of the work is by hand. If the screw is correctly aligned when assembled, but still has considerable drag, disassemble, and remount the screw in the lathe. Take a light cut over the threads to reduce the contact to about 60 to 70 percent. Usually this will ease the fit sufficiently so that the screw will run freely. Three handwheels are required, one for the down-feed screw, the other two for the cross-feed screw. The stop-screw bracket is not detailed as it is necessary to fit it to the machine in order to assure that the stop is correctly positioned to assure contact with the landing on the operating lever. Take measurements from the assembly and make the bracket accordingly from 1/2-in. stock. The saddle and clamp plate are the last parts to be made and fitted. The clamp plate is carried on four studs made as detailed and screwed into holes tapped in the saddle. Clamping is done by tightening nuts run onto the threaded ends of the studs. After assembly, test all parts. * * *

Photo shows head assembly and crossrail, saddle and clamp plate in position with work clamped in place

Above, method of clamping parts in position for fitting and drilling screw holes. Below, head assembly removed showing round turned on end of square ram

~ a l e c t r c u : ~
ASSEMBLED entirely from discarded materials, this forge consists essentially of an old vacuum-cleaner motor and blower, and a cast-iron sink. The dimensions given may be altered to suit the material at hand. The air blast from the blower is divided, half of the air being diverted up the stack to keep the shop clear of smoke, the Y-fitting for this purpose having been taken from a Ford V-8 exhaustpipe. The original strainer in the sink serves as the tuyere iron, and a 1%-in. street elbow connects the sink with the draft pipe. The cast iron ring that originally held the lead pipe to the sink outlet canbe used to hold the street elbow if it is enlarged slightly. By using wingnuts on the bolts, it is an easy matter to remove the elbow for cleaning out ashes and cinof ders. A ~ i e c e flexible tubing run up the hood from the Y-connection and strapped to it completes this part of the job. The hood itself is made from a single piece of sheet metal. The addition of brackets and a "douse" tank completes the forge. The switch for controlling the motor is protected with a sheet-metal cover and gives three speeds. It is a good idea to line the inside of the sink with fire clay or some other refractory material.

SHOP FORG

SINK 18~x30
,>

II 1 1

Tabs around the smoke opening of the hood are drilled for screws to attach a ring and collar assembly, which takes a smokepipe

JULY, 1941

By Harold P. Strand

HERE are many uses for an electric oven of the industrial type in small shop and laboratories, where moderate baking temperatures, a c c u r a t e l y controlled, are necessary. Small parts, Which have been painted or lacquered often require baking. Damp or wet pieces of equipment may require drying out. Windings, after dipping in insulating varnish, need a certain amount of baking. Then too, an oven may be required in laboratory work of a special nature. The oven illustrated was built in an electrical engineering laboratory and has proven invaluable. Measuring 24x18x16 in., this oven is small enough to be used on the bench, yet it will accommodate quite a bit of work. Heat is provided by two 350 watt strip heaters, which are mounted to the inside surface of the oven, at each side and quite near the bottom. Control is provided by a Fenwal Thermoswitch, which is mounted on the end of the oven. This device has a brass
140

tube projecting into the oven space in which thermal contracts are built. With an arrangement of a dial and knob, as shown, it is possible to accurately control a range of settings to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The material used for the sides, top and bottom of the oven is in. asbestos-cement board, known as Transite. Angle iron is used as a framework and the cover is equipped with strap hinges and a wire pull handle. This insulating and heat resisting material is adequate with moderate temperatures of 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. But at higher temperatures there will be too much heat loss through the material and added insulation will be necessary. A temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit is about the limit that can be obtained with the wattage mentioned and the insulating material shown. To go above this, an outer casing can be made from sheet metal, about 3 to 4 inches (Continued on page 142) Mechanix Illustrated

larger all around than the oven. Into the space between, rockwool insulation should be placed. With a well-insulated cover, temperatures considerably higher should be possible and safe. One of the drawings illustrates this suggestion. Strip heaters of increased wattage can also be obtained if desired. To start work on the oven cut two pieces of Transite 24x18 in. and two additional pieces measuring 18x15 in. Next, cut four pieces of in. angle iron 21 in. long, to make up the four corner braces. Extending 3 in. below the sides, they also serve as legs for the oven. The sides are positioned on the angle iron and C-clamps used to hold them in place. With a portable electric drill, make four holes to a side through both the angle pieces and the side material, to receive 3/16 in. stove bolts. Make sure the surface of the irons is exactly in. in from the edge of the Transite, as shown in the drawings, so the end sections can be fitted in flush. The end pieces are then placed in position, holes drilled and bolts used to make the assembly firm. The bottom section is fitted flush with the bottom edges and angle irons, cut as required are used to secure this section to the sides and ends, using bolts as before. Take care to fit this section tightly, to keep escapement of heat at an absolute minimum. Angle iron ( in.) is used to form a frame around the top edge. The oven will now take the form of a large box and should be rigid and firm. The cover is a piece of the same material and should measure 24x16 in. This cover is fitted with an angle iron frame on the inside surface as detailed in a drawing, which adds to its strength and rigidity. Two strap hinges and a wire pull handle, fitted as shown, complete the cover. A chain, secured at one end to the cover and at the other end to the inside of the oven, serves to prevent the cover from going too far back. The strip heaters, which can be purchased from any large electrical supply house, are of 350 watts, 115 volt rating. Two are required. These should have the terminals at one end of the strips and should be so specified when ordering. They are mounted to the sides, about 2 in. up from the bottom, one on each side. The Thermoswitch is mounted in the center of the right hand end by drilling a 5/8 in. hole through the insulating material to receive the brass tube. In addition, a hole must be drilled through the metal base of the switch, just to the right of the dial, which should be about 7/16 in. in diameter. This hole is [Continued on page 150] Mechanix Illustrated

Electric Oven fox Shop

[Continued from page 142] carried through the Transite and serves as an opening for the entrance of the wires from the strip heaters. Two small holes to fit stove bolts should also be drilled through the end, which should be in line with the mounting holes provided in the base of the switch. Wiring is carried out with No. 16 asbestos stranded wire or cable from each heater terminal to one of the switch terminal screws, as shown in the drawing. The remaining wires from the heater terminals, also carried into the base of the switch, connect to one side of the asbestos heater cord as a soldered and taped splice. The other side is attached to the switch terminal. In this way the switch is cut in series with the line and the two heaters, which in themselves, are wired in parallel. The wires inside the oven should be neatly placed from the opening back of the switch, down to the bottom and then bent at right angles to supply each heater. A small curved clip and a bolt serves to secure the wires. Angle pieces, made from sheet steel or aluminum and 2 in. wide, are placed over the terminals of the strip heaters to prevent accidental contact with the live terminals, When mounting the hinges it will be necessary to file a slight recess in the top edge of oven to clear the raised part of the hinge at the pin. The latter should be in a line with the top edge of the back side, bending the strap, as required, over the top of the cover. The Thermoswitch has a dial numbered from 1 to 7. It is possible to loosen two setscrews in the knurled knob and with a screwdriver in the slot in the end of the shaft, the latter can be turned clockwise to reduce temperature and counterclockwise to increase temperature. With this changed setting, the pointer will indicate an entirely new range of temperatures. It is thus possible to adjust the oven to about any degree desired, within the specified limits. Once set properly, the switch will maintain the temperature within about plus or minus of .1 degree Fahrenheit. The switch, a No. A-7700 Thermoswitch, manufactured by Fenwal, Inc., Ashland, Mass., should be ordered with "Regular" contacts, which means that the contacts will close on a decrease in temperature. It will be found in adjusting this switch that one revolution of the sleeve adjustment will provide about 125 degree change in setting. By carefully checking temperatures it is possible to make adjustments on the Thermoswitch so that current will be cut.off at the right point. The switch will then maintain this temperature accurately for an indefinite period.
150

Spot welder works three ways

By J. NAUTA and J. FERRY

For just a few dollars you can quickly build this combination unit that will join ferrous metals and is cool enough for stainless steel

As A SPOT WELDER this combination unit will join ferrous metals up to 3/32 in. thick. It works especially well on stainless steel due to low heat and electrical conductivity of this metal. For heavier work it is used as an arc welder. A carbon-arc torch may be plugged in and used for brazing, silver soldering, aluminum welding and welding thin sheet metal as well as heating metals for bending. The voltage booster can be used to eliminate power-robbing voltage drop when portable electric tools and equipment must be used

on a long extension cord. The voltage booster requires no extra coils, only a switch and receptacle connected into the circuit. The original welder was operated on 115-v. circuits without damage to wiring of service box. Miniature 30-amp circuit breakers are substituted for ordinary fuses which won't take the momentary heavy current surges. The shell-type transformer core used on the original welder was purchased from a dealer in scrap metals. The core should weigh about 30 lb.

RUBBER BUMPER

V x V x 17%"

SCREW IS INSULATED I FROM ALL OTHER METAL INSULATING STRIP FIBER

and the cross-sectional area of the main center leg should be at least 6 sq. in. or slightly more. There also should be about 2 in. of space separating the legs so there will be room for the coils. A wooden form slightly larger than the center leg of the core will be needed for winding the primary and secondary coils. The primary and secondary should be wound adjacent to each other with an insulating separator between. They may be wound one on top of the other but this will make it more difficult to control the arc-welding current. For operation on 115 volts the primary consists of 104 turns of No. 10 magnet wire. For operation on 230 volts, 208 turns of No. 13 magnet wire should be used. When winding the coils, thin fiberglass cloth and polyester resin are used as insulation between the layers of wire and also to wrap the coils. The arc-welder secondary requires 42 turns of No. 6 wire while the spot-welder secondary consists of a double strand of No. 00 flexible welding cable, three turns, the ends of which are connected directly to the spot-welder arms with heavy copper lugs. Three strands of No. 4 cable could be substituted for each No. 00 cable if

necessary. If there is a lack of winding space, it will be necessary to strip the heavy rubber insulation from the cables and wrap the bare wires together with adhesive tape. This winding is put in place after the transformer laminations are assembled and permanently clamped together. The reactor, which is wound on one of the outside legs of the core after assembly, consists of 14 turns of No. 8 rubber-covered wire. This coil is connected in series with the arc-welder secondary to oppose the welding current. As the reactor is wound on the outside leg of the core, 14 turns are necessary to reduce the welding voltage by 7 and the welding current is reduced about 40 percent as the heavy current flowing through the reactor greatly reduces the magnetic flux flowing through the leg on which it is wound. The spot-welder arms can be made of 3/4-in. square aluminum or copper. Brass is not suitable as it will quickly overheat. The lower arm is mounted directly on the transformer top as in the details and is insulated from it with a piece of 1/8-in. fiber. The mounting screws must also be insulated with fiber washers and short lengths of fiber tubing as in the pulled-apart detail. No 2957

insulation is necessary for the top arm and when mounted, it is grounded to the transformer frame and core. A rubber bumper forced between the two arms serves as a spring to open the arms when the cam handle is moved back. Berylliumcopper electrodes for the spot welder should be about 1/2 in. in diameter and about 2 or 3 in. long. The tapered shank may be cut and threaded 7/16 in. to turn into tapped holes in the welding arms. The holes in the arms should be drilled at a slight angle to cause the points of the electrodes to close at an angle rather than in line. The arms should be coated for a distance of about 6 in. from the ends with a heat-resistant epoxy cement to prevent sparking and burning should the work accidentally touch the arms. need auto-starter relay An auto-starter relay is needed to control the momentary heavy surge of current when the spot welder is turned on and off. The top cover is removed, drilled through the center and reamed out to about 3/4 in. This allows the solenoid armature to open about 3/8 in. and stops arcing at the contacts. A rubber button is cemented to the exposed end of the armature and serves as a push button for manual operation. Automatic electric operation of the relay is also provided by connecting a 6-volt battery and snap switch in series with the solenoid winding. The switch is actuated when the cam handle is moved. The switch must be adjusted to close after the work is held firmly between the electrodes. It should open just before the electrodes release the work to prevent sparking and burning. The arc welder has two heat ranges, high, which is over 100 amp with 1/8-in. a.c. electrodes, and low, which gives about 60 amp with 3/32-in. electrodes. Don't tap the arc secondary for lower current ranges as this will increase, not decrease, the current draw. With a shell-type transformer the orthodox magnetic-leakage method of current control cannot be used, so a reactor is used to decrease the magnetic flux through one leg of the core when the low range is plugged in. The reactor, of course, is connected to oppose the main secondary. This welder is designed only for intermittent use, such as it would get in the average small shop. If it is used for too long a period at a time, the 30-amp circuit breakers will trip. When first testing out the transformer the primary should be checked for no-load current input. This should be 1 amp or less.

Switches and taps on insulating panel should be labeled for easy identification and to prevent error. Do this with masking tape and a pen

A 6-V. battery provides automatic operation of the relay. Relay also can be operated manually. Drawing below shows the wiring diagram of welding unit

has played a historic role in steam-power development. The engine is a double-acting noncondensing one that exhausts directly into the air with the familiar puff-pup of a donkey engine or steam shovel. With its l?:" cylinder bore and 1" piston stroke, and with 75 or 80 Ib. of steam in its boiler, the little engine will turn over at 1,500 r.p.m. Actual power will depend much on the boiler used and on t h e work.manship in the engine itself. The design is for heavy duty, however, with main bearings and other working parts larger than scale, and the engine will stand up well under hard, continuous runs at full working load, developing enough power to drive a quite large model boat, a small dynamo, an air fan, or other light equipment of Fractional-horsepower rating. Much exacting work is required in building an engine of this type, espe-

Although it is not a-:$tale reproduction of any particular engine, it has the same general appearance and eye-taking appeal of the picturesque old-timers so hard at work about the turn of the centuiy. The model is equipped with the linkmotion reverse gear perfected by George which also provides a variable steam cutoff,
shaper, +he work clamp=d to +he faceplate.

190

POPULAR SCIENCE

L-

In-+

pig-+ II"

MAIN BEAR
2
SETS RE9

HOLE FOR
.
1 s

TAP 5-40

!!

.
:

L!-i
1 6 '

-,,,

BASE

Car+

%on

S T A hl O A R 0

Cesr

cially since the reverse gear and crankshaft, to be described in a later installment, and other small parts must be machined from 'steel. However, it is enjoyable work for the modelmaker, and it is of a kind well within the scope of anyone who has become proficient in the use of a screw-cutting lathe. If you are experienced in ~voodworking, you can build the necessary patterns and have iron or bronze castings made at your local foundry for the base, standard, cylinder, cylinder head, steam chest, and flywheel. Or you can even make up the sand molds and pour bronze castings yourself. The pattern work, however, is by no means a one-evening project, and castings can be supplied for those who want to get right at the machining. Dimensions shown in the drawings are for the finished parts. If patterns are made, an allo\vance of 3/32" must .be added to surfaces to be machined. Shrinkage allowance need not be considered. h4achining operations are possibly best begun on the base since many of the parts can be fitted on it and temporarily assembled as the work proceeds. The casting is easily handled in a shaper, but if your shop boasts only a lathe, the facing can be done with the work clamped to the faceplate and the milling can b e done with the lathe milling attachment. Since the casting is open at the center, only the bottom and top need be faced and slots milled for the bearings, after which the pin holes are drilled and the piece cleaned up with a file. Drilling and tapping the screw holes should wait until the mating parts are fitted, when both can be drilled at the same time. Two identical main bearings are made up from X" by X" brass bar stock cut to length and soldered together in pairs. Mounted in the four-jaw chuck, each bearing is drilled and reamed to size for'the crankshaft and the ends faced smooth. The halves are then melted apart and the parts filed to shape and to a good snug fit in the base. Save drilling them and the base for screws until the crankshaft can be set in place. The standard or main column is held in the three-jaw chuck, and the solid body is bored smoothly and accurately to take the crosshead. With the piece on a mandrel, the head is faced square with the bore and turned to diameter; then the work is reversed on the mandrel and the feet are trued. Screw holes are next drilled in the head to hold the cylinder in place and in the feet for mounting on the base. The tapped holes in

Slots are machined across the top of the base t o take the main bearings, which will be made a snug fit. If a shoper is not available, the work can b e done on a lathe with a milling attachment.

Since the top p a r t of the standard or main column is cast solid, it must b e drilled and bored out t o take the crosshead. The operation i s performed in the lathe with +he work in the three-jaw chuck.

the base are spotted from those drilled in the feet. In making the crosshead, a short piece of cold-rolled sreel or bronze is held in the three-jaw chuck and turned to a nice sliding fit in the main-column bore. Next, the upper end is recessed hnd turned to shape, and it is also drilled and tapped for the piston rod while still chucked so the outer diameter and the piston-rod hole will be concentric. The part is then cut off and the opposite end faced smooth. Grooves are cut on both sides in the shaper or with the milling ~~ttachment, lenving a 96" thick web to take the forked end of thc connecting rod. The hole for the connecting-roc1 pin is then cross-drilled in the lower end. TO BE CONTINUED.

192 SCIENCE

POPULAR

H e r e the base casting i s clamped t o the f a c e p l a t e o f the lathe, a n d the t o p is machined smooth a n d t o height. A heavy cemented c a r b i d e t o o l is used. A n y r o u g h spots are cleaned u p w i t h a file.

Halves f o r the m a i n bearings a r e drilled a n d reamed while soldered t o g e t h e r , then s p l i t a p a r t a n d each h a l f filed t o shape. H e r e the lower halves are i n their slots, t h e u p p e r ones beside t h e base.

The column is then mounted on a m a n d r e l held between centers f o r f a c i n g the h e a d square with t h e bore a n d t u r n i n g t o diameter. It is next reversed on the mandrel a n d t h e f e e t f a c e d smooth a n d true.

Drilling the h e a d f o r screws t o hold t h e cylinder i n place, a n d t h e f e e t f o r f o u r mounting screws apiece, completes the standard. T a p p e d holes in t h e base a r e spotted f r o m those drilled in t h e feet.

Stock f o r the crosshead i s turned t o a sliding fit i n t h e main-column bore; then one end is recessed a n d turned t o shape. The piece is also d r i l l e d a n d t a p p e d f o r the piston r o d while chucked.

Grooves milled i n opposite sides o f the crosshead take the forked end o f the connecting rod. This o p e r a t i o n m a y b e done in a shaper, as shown here, or with a lathe m i l l i n g attachment.
APRl L 1947

193

Machining Gylillder
By C. W. WOODSON
PART TWO

the perM UCH of depends formance of a steam engine on the accuracy and smoothness of the cylinder bore. This is as true for the miniature reyersing engine here described (see PSM, April '47, p. 190) as for full-size engines. The casting for the cylinder is first mounted in the the three-jaw chuck and a roughing cut taken across the bottom so it can be reversed and held squarely for facing the top. If you have available an expanding mandrel, the cylinder is best bored after the rough facing and then mounted on the mandrel, where its ends can be faced smooth and squared accurately with the bore. Lacking such a mandrel, face the top smooth first, and then reverse the piece and face the bottom smooth and square before attempting to bore. Although the cylinder may be held in the three- or four-jaw chuck for these operations, there is less likelihood of slipping if it is clamped to the lathe faceplate with lugs over its flange. Bore the cylinder first with a heavy

roughing cut to get the bit under the hard surface scale and bring the hole nearly to size. Then, with a freshly ground bit inserted in the boring bar, take light finishing cuts while using very fine- power feed. If care is taken in sharpening the bit and setting it to eliminate chatter, an almost mirrorlike finish can be obtained. The steam-port face can be machined in the shaper or, as shown in one of the photographs, while mounted on an angle plate in the lathe. Again take a heavy roughing cut first to get under the scale, and then, with the bit freshly ground and honed to a keen edge, finish with light cuts and a fine feed. Remove the work to the drill press, clamp in the vise, lay out the steam and exhaust ports carefully, and drill a series of holes for each. Chip out the intervening metal and file the resulting slot to shape. Then mount the work in the angle vise and drill four holes for each of the two angle ports to meet those in the face. Chip and file out as before. A chisel made from 3/32" drill rod and hardened may be used for chipping. The cylinder is next remounted in the vise and