The real deal is water jet cutting. Its actually reasonably cheap, and it leaves a super smooth cut.
All this talk about cutting is naturally only an issue if you havnt got some sort of acces to a CNC milling machine. I have acces to pretty much any sort of machine (laser, plasma, revolver punch and so forth), but i rarely use anything besides a CNC milling machine and a CNC or manual lathe. The tooling just makes it all so much easier.
Magura🙂
All this talk about cutting is naturally only an issue if you havnt got some sort of acces to a CNC milling machine. I have acces to pretty much any sort of machine (laser, plasma, revolver punch and so forth), but i rarely use anything besides a CNC milling machine and a CNC or manual lathe. The tooling just makes it all so much easier.
Magura🙂
water cutting always amazes me. dont they have a core of sand or something which is carried along by the water?
as the chap who started this thread said he was an absolute beginner in all forms of metalwork and case construction im assuming he wont have much access to machinery. Though he could get it done elsewhere, given time and patience it can be done just as well by hand (just on about cutouts and such here) and he gets the satisfaction of doing it all by himself. All options though, but if it was me in his shoes id do it by hand
Steve
as the chap who started this thread said he was an absolute beginner in all forms of metalwork and case construction im assuming he wont have much access to machinery. Though he could get it done elsewhere, given time and patience it can be done just as well by hand (just on about cutouts and such here) and he gets the satisfaction of doing it all by himself. All options though, but if it was me in his shoes id do it by hand
Steve
when you're fastening two pieces of thicker material with a screw, are you supposed to tap both pieces, or just the inner piece?
I was thinking about this the other day, and if one were to tap both pieces, the threads would have to line up perfectly. Otherwise, you could end up with up to 1 thread pitch worth of gap between the two pieces.
I was thinking about this the other day, and if one were to tap both pieces, the threads would have to line up perfectly. Otherwise, you could end up with up to 1 thread pitch worth of gap between the two pieces.
Bzo, your reasoning is absolutely correct. And all the force would be applied to the screw, instead of the clamped area.
E
E
oh cool, so it's 525degC and quenched. im sure you're right now, it agrees with everything ive just read and remember(ish, crap memory). it wouldnt really be that necessary for machining would it? more of benefit to cold working id imagine....like in bike frames. Road bike frames was it?
Steve
Steve
baggystevo82 said:
Its a drawback to anneal aluminium prior to tooling it in any way. The only reaso to do so would be to press shape it.
I treated the bike frames like this to get rid of the tension that builds up during welding, and to harden the entire frame.
It wasany type of frame you could imagine...and more to it. Made to custumers specs.
Magura🙂
my personal preference is for capheads. not sure why, i just like them. also if its a screw going into a blind hole, and its not self tapping or anything nasty like that, dont forget to use the second and plug taps, or just plug at a push. And I think parafin is a good cutting oil for aluminium, but again this is relying on my memory so feel free to correct me here too.
Steve
Steve
why does nobody make ally bmx frames? well, any that are any good and that stand up to any kind of abuse. would it just dent too easily or something? That must have been quite a sweet job if you found enough work for it, how come you stopped?
Steve
Steve
wow, this thread is like IM, thanks for the answers!
A tip I remember reading in another thread, was to drill the holes in the outer material first, then use it as a guide to drill the inner holes to make sure they all line up perfectly.
So I guess the process is to use the appropriate drill bit size for the tap used on both pieces, then to enlarge the outer hole with a bigger drill bit or ream?
A tip I remember reading in another thread, was to drill the holes in the outer material first, then use it as a guide to drill the inner holes to make sure they all line up perfectly.
So I guess the process is to use the appropriate drill bit size for the tap used on both pieces, then to enlarge the outer hole with a bigger drill bit or ream?
yep exactly that 🙂
if possible clamp the two pieces together as you drill the tapping size drill through both bits.
I think thats the jist of what you were saying anyway.
if possible clamp the two pieces together as you drill the tapping size drill through both bits.
I think thats the jist of what you were saying anyway.
baggystevo82 said:
Alcohol is to be used for lubrication if tapping aluminium. For machining parafin is good too.
Ive made aluminium BMX and trial frames. Impossible to kill.
Less sensitive to bruises than steel, but not more prone to get them.
Magura🙂
oh and the 'smaller' and 'larger' drill sizes you refer to there are known as 'tapping drill' and 'clearance drill' respectively btw
If you have a lot of holes that need to be accurately aligned, try this...
Drill all the holes in the piece you are using to template (and make sure it fits before risking the second piece), and use it to drill your first mirror hole. Then, tap it and mount the template. Position the Tplate perfectly, and drill the second hole. Dismount the Tplate piece, tap the second hole, and remount the Tplate w/both fasteners..
Get yer gun...
E
Drill all the holes in the piece you are using to template (and make sure it fits before risking the second piece), and use it to drill your first mirror hole. Then, tap it and mount the template. Position the Tplate perfectly, and drill the second hole. Dismount the Tplate piece, tap the second hole, and remount the Tplate w/both fasteners..
Get yer gun...
E
hmmmm, i quite fancy a light ally bmx, specially as i dont abuse my bike too much...dont understand why flatland bikes werent years ago, they hardly have to take much stress.
Steve
Steve
theres always pop rivets as well, if it doesn't have to come apart again. saves on time tapping, and the pop riveting tools arent too expensive, less than a good range of taps definitely. Can look a bit ugly if its too in view though imo. again some people might like that look. Theyre sturdy enough for making car monocoques so i don't see a strength or duability problem, AS LONG as the holes are deburred really well so the panels fit really snug against each other, or the burr gets pushed down over time and the joint becomes weak and rattly, which could be redone but not really the point. hmmm, i think i made that sentance i lil too long there now!
Steve
Steve
baggystevo82 said:
You would have to get it custom made....and thats pretty expensive theese days 🙁
I got my first aluminium road frame close to 15 years ago 🙂
Magura🙂
ive never had an ally frame. I have the last of the chromo kona cindercones at the moment, before they changed to aluminium. its a 1998 model i think, i think they went to ally in '99
Steve
Steve
I ride a Klein attitude from back before trek bought them and made it the same crap as everything else.....now thats craftmanship and no expense saved. Dont see that anywhere today.
Magura🙂
Magura🙂
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