Turning Thin Stock on a Lathe

[rgsparber]

I recently needed to make two washers 15 thou thick. Here is how I did it.


Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick

[DIYer]

Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Thin Stock Turning Method to our Machining category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Thin Stock Turning Method by rgsparber

tags: lathe

[cognitdiss]

If you don't want to un-temper your shims during removal you can stand the glued-up end in a shallow pan of acetone instead of heating. A bit of a soak should dislodge it presently.

[cognitdiss]

If you don't want to un-temper your shims during removal you can stand the glued-up end in a shallow pan of acetone instead of heating. A bit of a soak should dislodge it presently.

[tooly]

I wonder if the shim could be held by a revolving pressure pad on the tail stock, I have used this method on thicker materials. Some care would have to be taken with thin shim stock.

[rgsparber]

I wonder if the shim could be held by a revolving pressure pad on the tail stock, I have used this method on thicker materials. Some care would have to be taken with thin shim stock.

How would I make the ID cut?

Rick

[rgsparber]

If you don't want to un-temper your shims during removal you can stand the glued-up end in a shallow pan of acetone instead of heating. A bit of a soak should dislodge it presently.

I’ll give it a try.

Thanks!

Rick

[tooly]

How would I make the ID cut?

Rick

Ha i was not thinking of the ID, Would have to be done if you had one of those thin material punch kits.

[cognitdiss]

I wonder if the shim could be held by a revolving pressure pad on the tail stock, I have used this method on thicker materials. Some care would have to be taken with thin shim stock.

That or bolting the shim stock to the end of the bar with a small headed fastener and a thick backup washer, perhaps one for each cut diameter. Elsewise the shim will "bulge..."

Thin shim washers can be an important part when stacking up to a tolerance, good to have multiple ways to make them.

[Don42]

Hey, Rick! I've done that too.

My dad made jewelry out of rocks by grinding and polishing them. The rocks were stuck on to sticks with stuff called dop wax. i've never tried it, but I've often wondered if this might work for machining things as you describe. I'd think that super glue would be a thinner bond than dop wax.

Use of accelerator spray might help the superglue cure in air-starved regions. My experience has been that when accelerator spray is used the glue cures RFN so ya either get it right first try or ya must fall back and try again.