question on holding a piece

[itsme]

I am creating a steering wheel in my free time and im having trouble figuring out a way to hold it. I have a few ideas of my own but i am just looking for some input on it.

 

the file is on the cadcams ftp the name of it is "steering.MC9"

 

Thank you for your imput

[LaszloK]

itsme, I would machine the entire bottom side of the steering wheel including the holes while you have the entire bblock to grab onto. You could then flip the block around onto the flat surface that you just machined and use the screws through the holes to hole the wheel onto a fixture plate. This would allow for total machining in only 2 setu ups.

[itsme]

thats what i was planning on doing, but with the piece beeing so big im afraid i will get a lot of vibrations on the outside when im cutting it.

[LaszloK]

Yes you will, but you can stabilize the vibration with a couple of supports (screw jacks). Also, try and rough out all you can in the first operation.

[techschool student]

what if you make a fixture and then indicate it level after putting mill jacks underneath?

[Keith Graydon]

quote:

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and im having trouble figuring out a way to hold it.

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2 o'clock and 10 o'clock

[itsme]

haha good one keith, but seriously does anyone else have any input for this.

[mayday]

quote:

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but seriously

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Sounds like Keith has a good grasp on the problem.

without seeing your model. I would blank a steering wheel out on a lathe first and then mill the windows or whatever your cutting into it

[Chris Rizzo]

I'd say your invariably going to tweek it with jack-screws or the like, I havn't looked at your file though. Do the fixture plate idea with the bolt holes, and then for supporting the rim I'd build a cradle using non-shrinking bondo, plasticine clay, or something like what Jim just turned me onto -

lik-wood 8007

[Storkman]

How about if you mill the larger diameter side first, punch the holes in, flip it, bolt through the holes , then machine the smaller diameter side.

JM2C.

[Psychomill]

Used to make steering wheels... and rims.

quote:

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I would blank a steering wheel out on a lathe first and then mill the windows or whatever your cutting into it

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Just like that. Then we (where I worked at the time) bought an Intergrex.....

[dfalcon217]

where do i see this "steering.MC9" file?