Building the Pocher Monza

[hot ford coupe]

Looks like some fine replacement parts. Is this your first lathe or just your first Sherline?

[chevyrsss]

first lathe

[hot ford coupe]

Lucky guy. Enjoy.

[Jim Nunn]

A new Sherline lathe AND a mill on the way I’m just flat out jealous.

[chevyrsss]

Started the block of the engine with aluminum stock. Alot harder than I originally thought it would be. [ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[chevyrsss]

Can't seem to master the downloading of pics.

[Nortley]

Are you getting a good callus on the back of your right thumb yet? If you put a spacer block the size of the lathe base between lathe and work bench top there will be sufficient clearance for your hand to turn that right hand wheel comfortably, and it looks like you have some - er- turning to do yet. I mounted my Sherline on a length of 4x6 rectangular steel tubing, in turn mounted to a piece of 3/4" plywood with little rubber feet on the bottom. The mass of steel seems to dampen vibration, the rubber feet allow placing it on a less than perfect surface, and the whole thing is portable. Plus, the back of my thumb no longer looks like the tip of Eric Clapton's index finger.

[chevyrsss]

The lathe and mill are mounted on laminated wood with rubber feet. Good idea to put the base a little higher up!

[gbritnell]

I'm not saying that it can't be done but you took on one heck of a project with making the block. To put all the detail, or most of the detail into it that exists in plastic might get a little daunting. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to drop me a note.
gbritnell

[Andym]

HOLY SOCKS!!!!! You just got the lathe and mill and you decide to warm up by MACHINING AN ENGINE BLOCK!!!!!!!!! You sir are courageous to say the least.

Looks like you're off to a good start and it looks good so far. Keep us posted.

ANdy.

[mouppe]

It's looking good so far. Did you find the Sherline user-friendly?

Perhaps it would help the learning curve to mill the piece from wood or resin before tackling the metal? I don't know if this is ever done but it makes sense to me. Also, did you get the CNC Sherline? I always had a long-term ambition to get into CNC milling but never got round to it.

Keep the pics coming
Richard.

[chevyrsss]

Update-







[ATTACH]12013[/ATTACH[ATTACH]12015[/ATTACH
I still cannot get the hang of uploading pics here. Anyway. The block is a little crude right now. I am going to work on it. It is taking a little more time than I thought, but, I am married and have nothing better to do with my time. The Sherline lathe and mill are great. I am having some problems with turning the aluminum. The chips get clogged up and the piece locks up the lathe. I started doing the whole engine by scratch and with aluminum because what better way of learning how to use the lathe and mill. I am learning more by doing this than any reading can teach me. I do read about using the mill and lathe, but I learn more by doing it. I am almost done with this side of the engine. The real challenge is going to be scratch building the other side with the carb, supercharger and pipes. I am dreading doing the fins. I am going to try to use 3/64 size end mills to cut the fins on pipes. I have thought about just buying an after market metal supercharger and pipes, but what fun would that be? If anyone has any suggestions for me, please send them as I really do not know what I am doing. :)'

[Nortley]

Wow, Chevy, this is about the best example of jump in and make chips I've ever seen. Your daycare wasn't in the back of a machine shop, was it? A lubricant might help the chip problem, AlumTap is sold in auto parts and industrial stores. Sometimes aluminum chips seem to expand like popcorn, and can do what you're saying. I use a cheapo paintbrush or a piece of stiff wire with a hook bent in the end to clear the chips during a cut. Sometimes you have to just clean things out between cuts. If you grind you own bits, playing around with the angles can help throw the chip away from the work. Aluminum likes high speeds, lubricant, and a real sharp bit, and until the diameter gets real small, will handle deeper cuts than the Sherline can cut. Grind a bit with a more rounded (viewed from the top) tip and it will give a smoother finish cut than a pointier bit. I see brass here too, cut it dry. You want no back rake - that facet that slopes back and down from the point - on the bit, you can use the 60 degree threading bit you probably have for general brass turning. A regular steel cutting bit can hook into the brass with bad results. Some brass seems to talk more than others when machined, the sounds are just part of it.

[chevyrsss]

Thanks for the info. I have a machine supply here and go there to pick their brains. I use a paint brush to push the chips away and use the oil. The supply place gave me some special aluminum oil. There was a guy in the shop that ran a machine shop. He suggested WD 40. He said that is what he uses. I am experimenting with cutting tools. I just bought 40 HSS blank bits and will experiment with cuts. I find that rounded tips cut alot cleaner than the pointy ones. I am having problems with the cutoff tool on the aluminum. Not so much with the square cutting tools. by the way, I wanted to get the t-rest that Sherling has but could not see spending $200.00 on the attachment. I bought a Jeweler's trest on Ebay for 20.00 and milled some brass and made the attachment myself. These tools are great!