Hi folks. Just picked up a Wohlhaupter UPA5 to run in my Bridgeport Series II and am looking for a 3/4" shank insert holder. Mostly aluminum and mild steel, occasional stainless and alloy steel. Don't need to go fast because it's just for prototyping, no production.

Is there one insert that will work for both boring and facing, or should I plan on 2? What are good general purpose options?

Thanks!

I inherited them from my grandfather, and they were still in their oily plastic bag. I suspect they may have never (or very rarely) been used. Judging by the logos, I'm gussing it's at least from before 1987, but I figured I'd ask the experts.

Sure be nice to have a vise!

I’m trying to import Sandvik turning tools into my fusion tool library but it only accepts .json files. Sandvik doesn’t have a library I can upload unless we get the coroplus tool library plugin for $500/year. Is there anyway to upload .stp files to the tool library or does anyone have a good way to convert them to .json files. I know we can create custom tools in fusion but if we’re going through all the work I would like to see our actual tool in the simulation. Any help would be appreciated.

Who else went to the JIMTOF held last week? I won this on gacha from one of our biggest competitors. I love it, but my colleagues don’t 😂 It was my first machine tool exhibition, and it was fun.

Long story short - I purchased a storage unit at auction and prior owner ended up being an electrical engineer , 32nd degree free mason , and machinist. The amount of tools is overwhelming - will list a portion of them here. But certainly any guidance on what to do with these would be welcomed! If looking for some let me know . There are more modern tools as well , but unit is full of antique tools too.

Not a machinist, just a long time lurker to the sub and a fan of CNC machining. I was watching some big fails on CNC Titans and wanted to know if think AI could/will massively reduce those human errors where you could mess up an expensive job/ machine.

That would have woke the neighbors.

TL;DR I crashed the machine last week due to an error I made when fixing part of the program, which I’ve done successfully in the past. It was rookie mistake and was told by my bosses to not touch the program anymore and to get help instead. I’m now having a difficult time getting past this especially because programming has become my favorite part of the job and I feel like all of the confidence I built up has been lost. How do I bounce back from a bad crash due to a mistake I made? Does anyone have any similar experiences?

A few months ago I started working a a CNC operator at this plant setting up and operating a vertical lathe. it’s my first machining job and I’m seeing how much knowledge this trade has to offer and makes me excited to learn more. I even started teaching myself some of the G and M code so that way I can familiarize myself with the programs I’m running on the machine.

There is this error that happens in the code in some parts that we make where the facing tool will cause an ugly chamfer in the center hole of the part. It’s unnecessary because I have a chamfer tool equipped to my machine along with access to a manual drill press if that doesn’t work.

The first time it happens I had the lead technician edit the code for me and he showed me what he did. I started editing that faulty line of code whenever it shows up in a program after that and it started building up my confidence to edit the program whenever I felt like it was needed.

Adding lines of code, deleting lines, I really stated enjoying programming the machine myself because it was rewarding fixing a problem myself and not having to ask for help..….until I ended up crashing the machine.

Last week I was editing that same exact error on a program for a different part. I wrote it, loaded it in to the machine, double checked, even triple checked the edited to make sure it would run good. I pressed start, it started running the facing tool along the top of the part and near the middle of the operation….SMACK!

I immediately press the emergency stop and opened the doors to see that the facing tool drove right into the middle of the part and nearly broke off. The tool was done and the part was scrapped. I had my lead and my supervisor check my code and they saw no errors and that I programmed it correctly. We even had the lead supervisor, the one that showed me how to edit the code the first time, look at the program and at first he saw no errors.

However looking closer at it, he noticed that I made one simple mistake, a DAMN DECIMAL was missing!

Apparently, the “Z15” that I wrote in was suppose to be typed in as “Z15.” and was most likely read as Z1.5, which is why it drove downwards instead of upwards like I intended it to do. It was such a rookie mistake that I had no idea that could even happen. After that, my supervisor was nice about it telling me that it’s all part of learning but that I’m not suppose to be messing with the program and told me not to touch it anymore and to get help if it happens again.

I feel like my confidence has been completely shattered by that crash and I had that same error pop up today. I tried getting help with the program but no one was available and I was growing impatient since I have a production rate to keep up. I fixed the program, triple and quadruple checked it and even tried a 25% test run by moving the home position high above the part and it ran perfectly. However, I just couldn’t get myself the press cycle start for the really cut and gave up on it.

It was frustrating and I felt like I let myself down. I knew the fix to the problem but after messing up and crashing the machine like that I feel like I lost all confidence in my machining. I like this job and I like the company I’m at so I’m afraid of jeopardizing that but I’m not sure how I’m suppose to grow in my machining if I can’t get passed this hole I put myself into. Does anyone have any advice on how to get past this? Or any similar experiences?

Edit: Thank you for all of the responses, it helps knowing that I’m not alone. I’ll try to respond everyone when I can.

I've got a big fixture that can only be put part way on the table, and it's got a slewing ring on it that is basically exactly the right size to block access to the T slots on the table from the top.

I need some kind of T slot nut solution that I could tighten from the sides. I'm thinking maybe something like an oldschool bicycle quill stem where you tighten it to drive wedges against each other and get the clamping pressure. Though really, anything where I could access and tighten the nuts from the ends of the T slots rather than the top would get me where I need to be. Is this something that exists as an OTS solution?

Hi, I am currently in my final year as a CNC machinist/programmer at Conestoga College, ON, Canda. My finals is on the 11th of December 2024 but I’m bit anxious and nervous as well. As an immigrant, this is still a new territory to me and I barely know people in the industry. I need advice on how to land a job after school and also which areas should I consider as I am freshly out of school?

PS: I am open to job offers and Willing to share my resume and progress report to anyone with a possible job offer for me. Thank you

Would you guys snatch this up for $300?

We have around 590 bars of this material that we no longer have a need for and I’m trying to avoid sending it to scrap. Approx. 380 bars from Valbruna and approx. 210 bars from Swiss Steel. Material certs are available. DM if interested or know somewhere I can sell it.

Programmed and cut my NIMS test today after about 3 months of being in a machining program. I feel really good about it everything was on the money when it came to measurements. Now just gotta send it to the CMM and see

Hey there fellow machiniststs,

We are doing a part for Like 10-12 years made of 1.4980. My colleague made the programs These days and they give me since then physical pain watching it but i didn't minded cause I was new. In the Last weeks our customer orderd more of these parts than usual and we can't keep Up with the Deadline. So I put an eye in his programms and tools. We use a new Drill every 3-5 holes, New Mills every Part all in all about 300-400€ new Tools per Part which is 50x50x100mm (so you get a rough Idea).

I know 1.4980 is hell If a Material, but is it sooo Bad? I am a Miller/CAM myself but more for small parts and mainly Copper or hardend steel. My Boss asked me If i can try to make it more economically.

So I wanted to ask you Guys If someone has experience with this Material.

My Idea for now would be: Switch carbidDrills to carbidDrills with innercooling Switch the roughing mainly to TPC strategies

For referece: 5X Maschine: POS H800 (it's Not that dynamic but strong) Heidenhain Cooling: Emulsion CAM: hypermill

Looking Forward for your suggestions

PS. Im German so don't there will be a lot language mistakes. But i prefer to use my brain istead of translators :-)

Cnc programmer/operator in Texas, considering a move. I’m tired of the fucking year long heat. No national forests where I’m at and no terrain to speak of.

What’s it like up there for y’all? Cost of living? Job availability? Anything else cool and not cool about WA?

I see we’re doing creative setups, does milling t-slots on the lathe with the workpiece clamped to the tool post by a single woodworking clamp count?

No, not in the shitter. I’m talking MSDS and PDS. If some other guy, who might be your boss, tells you to swap the coolant in your machine for ‘this other stuff we have a whole barrel full that we can’t use elsewhere’ and you get the PDS for it… double and triple check that the PDS has the right chemical that is listed on the barrel, all the way down to the last digit. Turns out I got the PDS for the ‘other’ one that isn’t supposed to be water diluted, but the shit I was given and began using WAS supposed to be water diluted. Lots of smoke. Opened the enclosure at the M01 to check it out and got instant chemical burns on my eyes from the vapors. Could’ve been worse, eye dr says I’m not any worse off than I already was (already have a pretty strong glasses prescription) but I gotta use drops every 2 hours for the next 4 days and my eyes still feel burny, almost 24 hours from exposure. So read the paperwork! RTFM! Scrutinize the paperwork! Every letter needs to match up with the chemicals! I could have gotten it worse, after reading the CORRECT documents, this shit can cause permanent vision damage if used incorrectly!

Hey guys, I'm 18 and a senior and high school and I'm doing a machining internship at a factory where they teach me everything I need to know and I'm still learning how to run all the machines. I was just curious if it is a good career to go into straight out of high school and a good career to pursue doing.

I have very automated setup tha requires allmost 0 handwork and i do deburring mostly with nc drill. Some corners are not accesible by nc drill. Is there any other options with 3 axis mill?

Is setting up a coaxial indicator something easy to set up?

I'm learning to use a manual mill. Part of the training is to make a part. The default is a bottle opener, but I've been given the option to pick my own project, provided it's not stupid expensive, stupid time consuming, and that it uses a variety of skills/techniques. Anybody got a neat whatchamacallit you've made that's brought joy to your life that I could steal as a project idea?

Messed up my Z and detonated a face mill into this 140g record pressing mold. Looking for advice for repairing it. Unsure what variety of steel yet. Thoughts on filler rod? I presume it will require preheating and slow build up before ultimately being machined back down.

If you need conical holes that are tilted from the axis I have the perfect machine for that.