Hello all, above in the first picture is the drill press I have right now. It's 1/2hp, I forget the top speed but it's somewhere in the range of 3000-3500 RPM, nothing extraordinary. It seems fairly rigid, that doesn't mean anything obviously but at least there is no super evident jigglage when everything is locked down. Spindle is MT2, obviously no drawbar which may be a problem.

Current chuck is mounted with a JT3 arbor, obviously that can't be trusted for lateral milling forces. But I was thinking of getting an MT2 ER collet chuck to bypass the JT problem. That obviously still leaves a self-holding Morse taper keeping the whole thing together. How much of a concern is this for my purposes?

I am thinking I'll mostly be doing soft materials/plastics with smaller end mills (probably mostly 1/4" HSS) and taking very light cuts. Is there anything I can do to keep that Morse taper from falling out? I don't really want to Loctite it, but if such a thing is necessary I will.

Obviously that x-y vise in the second picture is gonna need some adjustment to make it actually suitable even for light work, it's straight from China. Yes I know this is a stupid idea, but having a crappy mill that can barely do anything is better then having no mill at all. What do you think?

Thanks!

The spec states a diameter of 1 1/4 inches and these appear to be 1 1/8, is this discrepancy normal?

Been thrown onto this old lathe, been a while and can’t for the life of me remember how to engage the auto feed. Any able to point me in the right direction? Cheers

As a dentist looking to evaluate dental materials, my primary expertise is clinical rather than in materials science engineering. I am exploring a budget-friendly testing setup and would appreciate insight on its validity : Can I measure micro hardness using a force gauge mounted on a sturdy rail along with a Vickers indenter, later to be evaluated using a microscope and Imagej software??

Why am I having trouble finding a shop (in the US) that will heat treat 954 aluminum bronze? The spec doesn't look complicated. What am I missing?

From ASTM B505:

Anneal not less than 2 h followed by air cool, 620 to 660 °C.

Solution treat not less than 1 h followed by water quench, 870 to 910 °C.

The one on top was in the empty spot but it’s 1/8? Is this correct?

Hit this last month — burned half a shift tracking it down.

A batch starts fine, then partway through the bends come out boat-shaped: more open in the middle, tighter toward the edges. The press gets blamed first, but in our experience it's usually one of these:

1. The die — a V-die worn more in the middle, or a replacement punch 0.5-1 mm off in working height, shifts the angle even when the tip looks identical. Measure it, don't assume.

2. The clamp — screws on segmented setups slowly back off over time; the tooling sits slightly proud and the angle walks.

3. The system — ram bow under load. If crowning compensation or die shimming is off, the middle opens up.

When you see the boat shape, what do you reach for first — the lower die, the quick clamp, or the machine? Curious how the rest of you triage it.

If I have a large part Z0 @B0 is in the center. And I can't probe it because of reach and or need a exact number. But I can probe a bore @B90. In a X-GROOVE or FACE MMS unit can I input 90 in the B dialog box. (distance for b axis?) ? Will that use the machine center of rotation to set WPC "Z" for B0? Is there a different or easier way? Machine also has reinshaw set and inspect software. Sorry won't let me post a picture of the unit or casting

SolidWorks DXF export issue with CNC wire bending machine – 4 graphics not closed
Hi everyone,
I’m having a problem importing a DXF file from SolidWorks into a CNC wire bending machine, and I’m trying to figure out why the machine doesn’t recognize the entire geometry correctly.
I designed the part in SolidWorks and exported it as a DXF file. However, when I open the file in the CNC machine’s software, I get the following warning:
“There are 4 graphics not closed!”
The geometry appears on the screen, but the machine detects four open graphics, even though the sketch is intended to be closed. Some sections, particularly around the lines and tangent arcs, seem to be causing issues.
Here is what I’ve already tried:
Exporting the DXF using different versions, including R14.
Testing all three options under Multiple sheet drawing in the SolidWorks DXF/DWG export settings:

Export active sheet only.
Export all sheets to separate files.
Export all sheets to one file.
Enabling End Point Merging with a tolerance of 1e-05.
Exporting splines as polylines.
Unfortunately, none of these changes has solved the problem.
Has anyone encountered a similar issue when exporting DXF files from SolidWorks to a CNC wire bending machine?
Why might the CNC software report that the graphics are not closed even when the geometry looks connected in SolidWorks? Could this be related to tiny gaps, endpoint merging tolerance, tangent arcs, DXF entities, or the way the CNC software interprets the exported geometry?
I’d really appreciate any suggestions on what else I could try or which SolidWorks export settings I should check.
Thanks in advance!

I have an older Kaya Cast jewelry vacuum casting machine, and the flexible coupling sleeve between the motor and vacuum pump has broken.
I’m trying to identify the exact replacement part or a compatible sleeve.
What I know:
Machine: Older Kaya Cast jewelry vacuum casting machine
Part needed: Flexible sleeve that fits over and connects both metal hubs
The sleeve has internal teeth that engage the external teeth on both hubs
Tooth count: 8
Metal hub measurement: 22.78 mm
Total coupling length, including the gap between the hubs: approximately 1½ inches
Gap between the hubs: approximately ¼ inch
The original sleeve is broken, so I cannot measure the intact sleeve.

Does anyone recognize this coupling style or know the correct name, part number, or a supplier that sells replacements? Thank you!!!🙏🙏

I’m a software developer, not a machinist. I am building job management software for an Australian manufacturer since 2022, and I’m trying to understand how other small shops handle this without a full ERP.

Genuinely curious how you do it:

1. Where does a quote live?
2. How do you know where a job is right now?
3. When it ships, do you know if you made money on it?

Spreadsheets? Whiteboard? Accounting software? A big ERP you hate? I’m collecting answers to build something lighter, and I’ll share what I find here.

Made this aluminum part over the last few days and finally got it back from sandblasting this afternoon.

Honestly, I kind of like how it looks now. The matte finish turned out better than I expected.

Still thinking about anodizing it though.

Would you leave it like this or anodize it?

Hi everyone!
We manufacture small precision components made of PEEK and are looking for an effective way to remove milling burrs and chips from very hard-to-reach areas (see attached photos).

Currently, we use sandblasting with 50 µm glass beads, but this can cause dimensional changes and surface alterations.

We process batches of 200–300 parts, so we’re ideally looking for an automated, non-damaging solution.

Does anyone have experience with alternative deburring or cleaning methods for PEEK?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

In the picture the ratchet it tightened gently.
I also don’t have the wrench so any ideas for how to adjust it?

I bought it used off a guy for like 30 bucks and he had lost his tuning wrench. I am new to machining, did i get a good deal?

Hi everyone, I need help calibrating an oscillating/tangential knife on a CNC machine using XingDuoWei control software.
The machine cuts straight X and Y lines correctly, and the C-axis homes correctly with the blade pointing toward X+.
The problem appears when cutting a rectangle:
Two opposite corners overcut/cross too far.
The other two opposite corners do not meet.
If I change the cutting direction from CW to CCW, the problem switches to the opposite diagonal.
C-axis rotation works correctly in 90°, 180°, 270° and 360° movements.
Physical blade angle is about 25°.
Distance from the C-axis rotation center to the blade tip is about 5.5–6 mm.
I have already tested:
Tool Width: 0 / 6 / 7 mm
Tool Angle: 0 / 16 / 20 / 25°
Maximum Corner Angle: 20 / 30°
X/Y Offset
Anti-Overcut
Knife Entrance Overcut and Knife Exit Overcut
Different feedrates
CW and CCW direction
The parameters that affect the corners the most are Knife Entrance Overcut and Knife Exit Overcut, but I still cannot get all four corners correct at the same time.
I also noticed that when I manually press C+, the C-axis rotates clockwise when viewed from above.
Has anyone worked with XingDuoWei / MDR CNC / CNC-Couter controllers with an oscillating or tangential knife?
I especially need to know:
What exactly does Tool Width mean in this controller?
Where is the pivot-to-blade-tip / tangential knife offset configured?
What do Knife Entrance Overcut and Knife Exit Overcut actually compensate?
Why would changing CW to CCW swap which diagonal corners are wrong?
Should C+ rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise on this controller?
I can upload screenshots of the parameters, videos of the cutting process, and the XingDuoWei manual if needed.
Any help from someone familiar with industrial CNC cutting tables or tangential knives would be greatly appreciated.

I’m looking for a hobby machinist or retired metalworker in the Charlotte area with access to a metal lathe.
I have a hollow metal chandelier downrod with female threads on both ends. I need it shortened from 12” to approximately 1.5”, preserving the threaded connections and hollow center for electrical wiring.

I have the original rod and mating components for measuring the threads. I’ve called all the local machine shops I could find, and found one that could do it but the price quote would be half the price of the chandelier (which wasn’t cheap). I’m hoping someone who enjoys small projects might be interested in doing it for less.
Happy to pay for your time. Thanks!

Few days ago, someone posted about their first time doing offset turning, so I figured I'd share mine too. Grease groove gets drilled to center and a hole is drilled/tapped on the back face.

Threads are M5x.8, if I remember correctly. ~.150" offset. All done on a Mazak qtu-250.

I need some help getting this internal grooves done on a CNC Lathe.

The problem I have is that it breaks tips and my 40mm bar got smashed as well because the chips won’t break as this steel is so hard and so I’m not sure if my speeds / feeds and depth of cut are too big or what…

Does anyone have any tips?

I’m thinking that it broke because as can be seen on one of the photos the bar was already kind of worn out and there wasn’t enough support for the back of the tip as well?

Help! 😅

Hi everyone,

I’m currently doing an internship at a company, and one of my projects is to help bring a MAHO MH 1000S CNC milling machine back into operation.

The machine is a 1989 MAHO MH 1000S, equipped with a Philips CNC 432 control. It has been out of operation for quite a long time, so we are currently trying to understand the machine, its configuration, and what is required to get it operational again.

I’ve been researching online to find as much technical documentation as possible. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find the complete documentation for the MH 1000S.

I did manage to find a fairly extensive MAHO MH 1000C Operation, Maintenance and Repair manual, which has been very useful. However, I understand that the 1000C and 1000S are not necessarily identical, so I’m trying to avoid assuming that everything in the 1000C documentation applies to our machine.

From what I have found so far, our MH 1000S appears to have:

• Philips CNC 432 control
• ISO 50 spindle
• Automatic tool changer (36 tools)
• Automatic swivelling head / 5-face machining
• 1250 × 800 mm table
• Approximately 10.5 tonnes

I’m currently looking for any information that could help us with this machine — manuals, electrical/hydraulic schematics, machine parameters, machine constants, tool changer documentation, maintenance information, commissioning procedures, or simply advice from someone who has worked with these machines.

If anyone has experience with the MAHO MH 1000S, Philips CNC 432, or similar MAHO machines, I would really appreciate any advice or documentation you could share.

Even small pieces of information could be very helpful.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to help!

Hello. Is there somebody that could help me with design to tool for deep draw for this product? Thank you very much.

Not sure if this is allowed but I figured this community would know....I have a home shop setup with a 1998 fadal 3016....my issue is that I have had to frequently empty the water separator that is mounted on the "in" side of the air dryer. I understand this is before the dryer is pulling the water out, but i installed my compressor up in a stairway so i need a ladder to reach it, do I have it hooked up correctly? What is a better way??? Why is there a separator when that is the dryers job?

Thanks for the help!