1/16 Scale 1974 San Paolo Bros. Spaghetti Bender Front Engine Dragster - UPDATED 8/19/2018

[Mooneyzs]

Here is the Finished Clamp, The clamp on the right was my very first piece that I made and will probably leave it somewhere on my bench so it reminds me that I can machine parts. I realized I messed up on how I approached it and fixed it for the next one which is on the left:

 

 

Here are all 3 parts, 2 Clamps and my test piece. I am really happy with how they turned out considering I have never machined any parts before. Now I only have to make another 6 to 8 of these Clamps....lol:

Edited March 14, 2021 by Mooneyzs

[Straightliner59]

Those are excellent! I really should learn more about using my mill, by making more chips!

[Codi]

Now that put a big ol' smile on MY face.  You're off to a crackin' start Chris on the mill.  Congrats and I'm sure we're in for a real treat as your skills improve over the coming weeks/months.  You're on your way to having a COMPLETE tool box that only a few modellers possess.  I see you getting a CNC some day and marrying it with your crazy CAD skills.  Glad to see you back sir!  cheers, tim

[Mooneyzs]

Daniel... Thank you very much. You should get to using your mill, you know that's they way I figured I was going to learn by making chips and I am sure that I will make my fair share of mistakes along the way. But I do pick my Machinist brains at work on how to approach & set certain things up. 

Tim.... So glad to put a smile on your face. I know you have been waiting for me to start making some chips. I waited way too long before messing with my Mill. It is so much fun and satisfying when making chips, kind of weird to say but its a little therapeutic as well. I know that with time and practice I hope that my skills increase with the mill machine and hopefully be able to machine components like you, even an Engine Block some day. I would love to get one of the CNC Sherlines but I need to learn and understand the manual machining first. Now I need to get back and finish up the next 6 of these clamps. Your gonna laugh at this but I think the first clamp I made took me somewhere around 6 hours but that also included just taking some scraps and testing cuts. I had taken one block and was taking my time just to square it up and I was taking very light cuts because I was a little afraid to take too heavy of a cut but I have been pushing myself a little more. I have gotten brave enough to take some .030"/.035" cuts but would like to try up to .050"....So stay tuned....lol 

[gasser59]

Now you've gone and done it, you've upped your game and left us mortals in the dust. What brand of mill did you get? So excited for you, you've been wanting one for some time now. Those clamps are awesome, even the first one.

[Daddy Mack]

Hi Chief: If you want more clamping force you make the holddowns longer. LONG Aluminum holddowns  will not survive  very well. So you make the holddowns out of steel and then use little pieces of aluminum between the holddown and the workpiece.Ready-made steel holddowns are dirt cheap on eBay. If you clamping onto iron or steel, a pre 1984 copper penny is plenty soft for you needs. Brass is harder than copper. Avoid. Copper and aluminum readily deforms.That is what you want. Sandpaper in vise jaws helps traction. Don't get hurt! Shattering a hardened endmill will put your eye out.

[Mooneyzs]

Brad.... Thanks my friend. I ended up getting a Sherline Mill which I actually picked up used on Craigslist over a year ago. At the time I couldn't pass up the deal that I got on it and I really wasn't wanting to mess with it while I was trying to finish up the Funny Car. I figured that since it was finally done that it was time to start learning how to use it and put it to work....lol

Earl.... I understand where you are coming from on the Clamps and all but I think you have assumed that I am using these clamps to hold parts down while I am machining components which is not the plan. These clamps are going to be used on a Chassis Jig plate that I am making which will be holding brass tubing in position as I solder it together to keep the chassis square as well to keep parts from collapsing on me as heat is transferred thru the brass tube during the soldering process. There does not need to be a huge clamping force on the parts to keep them in position. Heck I could use Destaco Toggle Clamps to hold the tubing down if I wanted too. I have seen welders use them during their welding process.  I learned from my Funny Car build the hard way when I was soldering some brass structures and had the pieces fall apart on me multiple times. I then was trying to use alligator clamps and other items as heat sinks to draw heat away from the tubing since I only have a solder iron and  not a Resistance soldering unit. The clamps I am designing are basically miniature versions of Clamps and hold downs that I use on Fixtures that I design for work to hold Parts which either go on our CNC or manual machines. I also design fixtures for our mechanics to use that assist them while they are working on whatever components that they may be overhauling.  Here is just a small variety of clamps we use that I decided to scale down to work for my needs:

 

My whole thought process was that I design tooling for work and maybe I can utilize things I have learned there to help me make and design some things that would help me with my model builds. I don't think I have ever seen any of our machinist do the sand paper trick in a vise but I will ask them if they every have. And no need to worry I always wear my safety glasses when I am using my Mill.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Mooneyzs