Cylinder square

[olderdan]

I'm curious how you got that mirror finish.
As you indicated the leather strap is charged, you're probably using it like a strip of emery cloth sand paper.
So I'm interested in your describing this process, and what lapping grit is needed to get that mirror finish.
Thanks Olderdan.

The polishing process is working down to finer medium in stages maybe 4 or 5 steps depending on what you are starting from to the finish desired, I was using diamond paste. 45 down to 3 Microns The method is to lap in the opposite direction to the marks you need to remove, this tool does that while preserving roundness as you can see in first stage in my cyl square post.

[tonyfoale]

My cylinder is the tube out of the tailstock of a large lathe. It is hardened and ground all over, the end was dead square to the axis and it had no wear on it and was parallel to close limits. I never slide it, I always pick it up to move it. Along with a height gauge it always sits on my surface plate.

[camcompco]

I'm curious how you got that mirror finish.
As you indicated the leather strap is charged, you're probably using it like a strip of emery cloth sand paper.
So I'm interested in your describing this process, and what lapping grit is needed to get that mirror finish.
Thanks Olderdan.

I actually create OD lapping tools to do mine. A round stock, bored to a few thou over the OD of the CS, drill a circular hole pattern around the outside like this:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&sour...48294368376093

use finner and finer abrasives, 5k-10k grit stuff at the end, and boom, mirror finish

[tooly]

Your first comment is so true.
The square will live where I can see it, I have put oiled things like that in dedicated boxes only to find they have rusted (very damp environment here).
I think the next lined casket will probably be for me.

I do not know which boxes you are referring to but if card board I always soak them in heavy oil or floor wax mixed with kerro, it does a fairly good job,

[tonyfoale]

My cylinder is the tube out of the tailstock of a large lathe. It is hardened and ground all over, the end was dead square to the axis and it had no wear on it and was parallel to close limits. I never slide it, I always pick it up to move it. Along with a height gauge it always sits on my surface plate.

Here is a pic.

Click thumbnail for full size image.

[owen moore]

I am in agreement with neilbourfaily that a large wrist pin (gudgeon pin in the UK) makes an excellent cylinder square if the ends are faced properly. It is probably more accurate than anyone needs in a home workshop.

[Crusty]

A black oxide conversion of the surface will be uniform in thickness, easier to see against and will hold oil so that the square doesn't rust.

I wanted one but couldn't afford one and I've since found that using an affordable 2-4-6 block has done everything that I wanted a cylindrical square to do, plus they're useful for cribbing things on the mill table. When I get around to it I intend to black oxidize the surfaces of these blocks.

[DIYSwede]

Tony Foale's eminent Cylinder Square How-To thread is here:
Cylindrical square from a lathe tailstock.

[tonyfoale]

Tony Foale's eminent Cylinder Square How-To thread is here:
Cylindrical square from a lathe tailstock.

This gives an idea how one might go about lapping a cylinder, which some people have asked about. Remember this was my way and not the only way.