Cut-off parts catcher ...

How often are you working on a part on the lathe, you need to cut it off to size, and when the part falls, it bounces, and gets damaged?

Sure, you can try something dangerous like having your hand close by to "catch" the part, but that is too risky, plus parting generates serious energy, and the cut-off piece might be "very" hot to catch anyway.

I have tried putting down a cleaning cloth, held in place by magnets, but the parts can still roll, bounce, etc..

In fact, just today, I am working on some custom parts, and the 3rd part bounced "wrong" and got damaged:






I must admit that it does not happen often, but when it does, like above, means starting all over .....

So, today I came up with the (soon to be patented!) "Cut-off parts catcher system" (I need to also try to trademark that!).

It is a very seriously looking, very complicated (and expensive to make!) "device":



Completely manufactured in a state of the art CNC machine, and custom fitted to my own lathe:



Totally adjustable on the distance to the chuck:





And it uses a super expensive, hard to get, space-age "retention device":



Here is the complete "system" in place:



And here is a short movie showing my new "invention" in operation:
http://youtu.be/5DxZ1N-AoAw

Lathe = Precision Mathews 12x36
Spindle RPM = 900
Part diameter = 1.90"
Lubrication = Accu-Lube (near-dry system), two nozzles, with LB2000 cutting fluid
Cutting Tool = Iscar Do-Grip, 26mm blade, 0.123" insert width
Camera = FujiFilm S100FS



I can of course license it to anyone for a fee of "One million dollars !!!!" (quoting Dr. Evil from Austin Powers)

Will

Ummmm... A little extra time today? haha!! I wish you the best of luck with your new parts catcher invention.

I claim prior art with my self sealing cardboard version - when done, the cover closes, storing the trapped part

I would suggest one change. Put a paper towel in the bottom instead of a cloth towel. I have had ( rarely ) the cutoff chip pick up chips that are in the lathe bed. Picking up the cloth would really make a mess. Paper towels would just tend to rip to shreds.

( My fee for engineering changes is 1.1 million )

badtziscool said:

Ummmm... A little extra time today? haha!! I wish you the best of luck with your new parts catcher invention.

Click to expand...

Just having some fun at my own expense.

KC2IXE said:

I claim prior art with my self sealing cardboard version - when done, the cover closes, storing the trapped part

Click to expand...

Ahh man, and I was "sure" this was 100% original. There goes the license fees down the drain .....

will said:

I would suggest one change. Put a paper towel in the bottom instead of a cloth towel. I have had ( rarely ) the cutoff chip pick up chips that are in the lathe bed. Picking up the cloth would really make a mess. Paper towels would just tend to rip to shreds.

( My fee for engineering changes is 1.1 million )

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip - makes sense.

And the check for the fees in in the mail ..... :devil:

Will

Great idea Will. I've ruined my fair share of parts while parting off and heraing that dreaded thunk of the part falling into the chip pan after bouncing off some other part of the lathe.

One question though... why such a slow in feed speed?

Mirage_Man said:

Great idea Will. I've ruined my fair share of parts while parting off and heraing that dreaded thunk of the part falling into the chip pan after bouncing off some other part of the lathe.

Click to expand...

Hopefully I will ruin less parts from now on. The 3x custom heatsinks are not clean yet in this picture, and I still have to do the drill/tap operations, but here on the left are the 3x "good" ones (the customer gave me a properly done dimensioned drawing with tolerances, side views, etc. - I wish all customers were so detailed):

Mirage_Man said:

One question though... why such a slow in feed speed?

Click to expand...

I am parting a nearly 2" part, with a relatively wide insert (0.123"), so I am taking my time - I usually get in trouble when I try to do cutt-offs too fast. When I look at the video myself, it does look awfully slower than when I am looking at the cut in real time.

Will

I part ti with a.125" insert at 340rpm with a feed around .005"-.007" per revolution....dry. :devil:

Mirage_Man said:

I part ti with a.125" insert at 340rpm with a feed around .005"-.007" per revolution....dry. :devil:

Click to expand...

I am not ready to try that


I got the 3x custom heatsinks finished today. First center them in the Yuasa:



Drill and chamfer - get ready for threading:



Tap the two holes (180deg apart):



The two extra holes near the inside edge are for the LED wires:



All 3x ready to go



Will

What are these for Will? Nice!

wquiles said:

I am not ready to try that

Will

Click to expand...

I'll have to make a video clip some time. It's no big deal really.

LOL! I have a similar piece of technology. Mine is a small flat rate box with the top torn off and a wash cloth in it. Sits real nice next to the edge of the compound.

350xfire said:

What are these for Will? Nice!

Click to expand...

It is for a customer

Mirage_Man said:

I'll have to make a video clip some time. It's no big deal really.

Click to expand...

I made this small little "adapter" at the end of a flexible mag-base arm to allow me much easier/flexible video capability. This is what I used to do the short video on the very first post:

vestureofblood said:

LOL! I have a similar piece of technology. Mine is a small flat rate box with the top torn off and a wash cloth in it. Sits real nice next to the edge of the compound.

Click to expand...

Yes, yes, I know. I am way late with my "invention"

350xfire said:

What are these for Will?

Click to expand...

Will made them for me :bow:. They are going into Maglite converted into diving video light.
Heatsink is a red part on drawing below.
Light will have one Citizen CLL040 LED driven by hbFlex at about 50-60W for more than 5000 lumens.

A few more updates ...

The biggest challenge with the holes for the piezo switch are that you need to find the center in a curved surface, and you have to find the angle that will put the switch perpendicular to the head. I used this to center front/back (y axis) to less than 0.0005":



Here is how you know you got good centering - look how even the mill is cutting on both sides:



And then I did a couple of test cuts and adjusted the Yuasa until I was pretty much dead center on the angle. Here i am probably within a 1/10 of a degree off - that was the closest I was able to do it:



How close was "close enough"? I will let this picture do the talking:




Here is a video of the threading operation on the knee mill:
Hole = 15mm
Angle on Yuasa = approx -12 deg
RPM = 200

http://youtu.be/WnuzXg7JbLg


Will

I finished the last few operations this week. Partially remove threads on head:




Drill and chamfer tailcaps for cable glands:





All parts done and ready:



Will

Nice Will...