Tools, Jigs, and Things...

[-missy-]

Hello.

 

I thought it might be worth starting a thread about any tools, jigs, etc, that anyone finds useful when modelling in 2mm scale. If anyone is like me, you spend just as much time making jigs for things than actually modelling.

 

I will start off by adding this...

 

 

I recently ordered a countersink tool from APT tools which was added onto an existing order. I have always struggled to de-burr really small holes as most countersinks cannot cut small holes. This countersink looks like it will cut right down to the point. Available in 90 deg and more traditional 60 deg angles.

 

APT tools is pretty much my sole supplier for carbide milling cutters. Cheap and have a good range available. Delivery normally takes a couple of days.

 

https://www.shop-apt.co.uk/

 

https://www.shop-apt.co.uk/carbide-burrs-90-countersink-type-k/carbide-burr-6mm-diameter-3mm-head-length-single-cut-90-countersink.html (countersink cutter)

 

Julia.

[Caley Jim]

I use a large dental burr, no. 9 rosehead to be exact, to both deburr and countersink small holes. 

 

Jim 

[Caley Jim]

Another couple of things I've bought recently were a pair of ceramic tipped tweezers   and a silicone soldering mat (various designs and sizes can be found).    The former I find far better than my college tweezers as, not only do things not tend to ping off into the wide blue yonder so readily, but they will often pick up tiny items from the workbench.   Both due to their being much more rigid at the tip.

 

I now wouldn't be without the soldering mat as it means no more bits of burnt plywood and has numerous little compartments that you can put items in as you prepare them with less chance of them no longer being where you thought you put them.  Some of these have magnets embedded underneath as does a tool rest area.  The blue colour means etch parts contrast with that and are more readily seen.

 

Jim

[Atso]

What a great idea Julia!

 

My latest purchase due to the combined factors of receiving my first paycheck (new job) and Axminster having a sale on. Purchased this morning and I hope to start playing and learning how to use it tomorrow.

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Atso

[Ian Morgan]

Not sure if it is still available, but this wire bending jig from Bill Bedford is a must-have for bending up grab handles.

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Ian Morgan
re-loaded image

[Caley Jim]

I have a similar jig which David Eveleigh produced many years ago.

 

Jim

[DavidLong]

There is also a handrail jig available from N Brass:

https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/kitimages/fitbr/n23284handrailjigweb.gif

 

David

[-missy-]

21 hours ago, Atso said:

What a great idea Julia!

 

My latest purchase due to the combined factors of receiving my first paycheck (new job) and Axminster having a sale on. Purchased this morning and I hope to start playing and learning how to use it tomorrow.

 

 

Hi Steve.

 

Those mills are so versatile, there are so many things you can do with one (trust me, I know!)

 

I would highly recommend one of these for it though...

 

https://www.axminstertools.com/proxxon-pm-40-precision-steel-vice-474981

 

So much better than the vice you have.

 

Julia.

[2mm Andy]

On 03/10/2020 at 15:25, Ian Morgan said:

Not sure if it is still available, but this wire bending jig from Bill Bedford is a must-have for bending up grab handles.

 

 

This is still available from Eileen's Emporium;

 

https://www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/product/handrail-grabhandle-bending-jig-4mm/category_pathway-1286

 

Andy

[Enterprisingwestern]

4 minutes ago, 2mm Andy said:

 

This is still available from Eileen's Emporium;

 

https://www.eileensemporium.com/materials-for-modellers/product/handrail-grabhandle-bending-jig-4mm/category_pathway-1286

 

Andy

 

I have both of these but find them a bit of a faff as I use 0.3mm wire for handrails, and the jig is made for larger diameter wire, originally intended for 7mm I think, so maybe you would have the same issues in 2mm?

 

Mike.

[2mm Andy]

6 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I have both of these but find them a bit of a faff as I use 0.3mm wire for handrails, and the jig is made for larger diameter wire, originally intended for 7mm I think, so maybe you would have the same issues in 2mm?

 

Mike.

 

I tend to use the David Eveleigh jig for exactly that reason - it's a smaller version of the Bill Bedford one and the holes are far more suitable for 2mm handrails. It doesn't have the serrated edges that the Bill Bedford jig has, but that doesn't affect it's use too much.

 

Andy

[Enterprisingwestern]

15 minutes ago, 2mm Andy said:

 

I tend to use the David Eveleigh jig for exactly that reason - it's a smaller version of the Bill Bedford one and the holes are far more suitable for 2mm handrails. It doesn't have the serrated edges that the Bill Bedford jig has, but that doesn't affect it's use too much.

 

Andy

 

Ask David for your commission, I'm having one!

 

Mike.

[MAURICE040947]

is this a more precise way of bending handrails

https://www.micromark.com/Grab-Iron-Bending-Gauge

a bit pricey though

[Atso]

On 04/10/2020 at 10:34, -missy- said:

 

Hi Steve.

 

Those mills are so versatile, there are so many things you can do with one (trust me, I know!)

 

I would highly recommend one of these for it though...

 

https://www.axminstertools.com/proxxon-pm-40-precision-steel-vice-474981

 

So much better than the vice you have.

 

Julia.

 

Hi Julia,

 

Actually, it was your one that led to me wanting one of my own. Maybe it'll be converted to CNC one day, but not today!

 

I would have purchased that vice last Saturday if my budget would have allowed. The one I have came with the machine and, while OK, I can see that it isn't the best in the world. I'll see about getting one next month.  

[2mm Andy]

Those of you who have seen the videos of the 2mm L&Y wagon  workshop led by Nick Mitchell will have seen the handy jig he used during the assembly of the chassis. Nick's jig is an 'Orion' jig as designed and built by David Eveleigh.

 

I was rather taken by the fixture on the end of the jig that assists with soldering-up wagon chassis, so I spent a couple of hours recently putting together something very similar, but as a stand-along jig.

 

The jig has been put together one afternoon from offcuts and scraps of hardwood I had kicking around, with a bit of heatproof material stuck onto the work surface. The fence fits fairly tightly and holds the chassis in place and is taller than the chassis; the idea being that the solebar overlays can be located up against it whilst soldering.

 

Thanks to David Eveleigh for the original design and to Nick Mitchell for bringing it to my attention. David offers the 'Orion' jigs for sale if you don't feel like making your own and details are here;

 

https://eveleighcreations.com/orion-jig-2/

 

Andy

 

 

[-missy-]

16 hours ago, Atso said:

 

Hi Julia,

I would have purchased that vice last Saturday if my budget would have allowed. The one I have came with the machine and, while OK, I can see that it isn't the best in the world. I'll see about getting one next month.  

 

Depending upon how flush you are feeling, this is extremely useful mod too.

 

 

Fit that and you will never be constrained to using 1/8" shank dia tools anymore! It makes the machine seriously more flexible when it comes to what and how you cut things.

 

https://www.usovo.de/en/c/cnc-technology/proxxon-mf70-accessories?language=en

 

J.

[2mm Andy]

Perhaps you could post some photos of your upgraded Proxxon milling machine, Julia? It would be good to see all the modifications/upgrades you've done on it.

 

Andy

[Valentin]

Julia, you're a gold mine!

[-missy-]

7 hours ago, 2mm Andy said:

Perhaps you could post some photos of your upgraded Proxxon milling machine, Julia? It would be good to see all the modifications/upgrades you've done on it.

 

Andy

 

Hi.

 

Its been pretty drastically chopped about now. So far the mods include...

 

Adding a CNC kit

Upgrading the spindle to ER11 collets (as above)

Upgrading the X & Y leadscrews to add anti-backlash nuts (one of the machines weaknesses)

Replacing the spindle motor to a DC brushless motor (another weakness, spindle runs way too fast for larger cutters)

 

 

 

 

Julia.

[bill-lobb]

13 hours ago, -missy- said:

 

 

Upgrading the spindle to ER11 collets (as above)

Upgrading the X & Y leadscrews to add anti-backlash nuts (one of the machines weaknesses)

Replacing the spindle motor to a DC brushless motor (another weakness, spindle runs way too fast for larger cutters)

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Julia

 

I have looked at those Usova spindles before. What do you think of using their planetary gear head rather than fitting a new motor to reduce spindle speed?

 

Bill

[-missy-]

2 hours ago, bill-lobb said:

Hi Julia

 

I have looked at those Usova spindles before. What do you think of using their planetary gear head rather than fitting a new motor to reduce spindle speed?

 

Bill

 

Hi Bill.

 

I did consider trying one of those gearboxes out but one of my requirements was to try and reduce the noise the machine makes when running. I thought that the noisy brushed motor plus a metal gearbox would make the noise even worse. Its a big reason why I decided to go for a nice quiet brushless motor and belt drive.

 

I don't have any doubt the gearbox will help and fit the machine well. Usovo seem to make good quality stuff. The machine does run far too fast so slowing it down does help lots.

 

Julia.

[Nimbus]

I'd be very interested in seeing details of the brushless motor conversion. The noise from the standard setup is pretty obtrusive!

 

The Nim.

[richbrummitt]

I found that despite the serial number on my MF70 machine I required the earlier Usovo ‘tuning spindle’ than the splined one. It would be worthwhile finding out (by opening up the head of the mill) what you need before ordering. 
 

Getting rid of the backlash is high on my to do list. I’ve bought a spare KT70 so it can take some time and not take out the mill! I haven’t found suitable nuts that I’m certain of yet though. Maybe I have to buy a whole lead screw and nuts. 
 

How much movement do people have in their MF70 spindles? (Easy to measure with a DTI.) Andy Carlson put me onto this and I found I had another 0.002” potential error here too. 

[-missy-]

52 minutes ago, richbrummitt said:

How much movement do people have in their MF70 spindles? (Easy to measure with a DTI.) Andy Carlson put me onto this and I found I had another 0.002” potential error here too. 

 

That's weird, I got asked the same question too. My spindle runout is around 0.02mm, I would be very happy to use it if it was 0.002", you will be hard pushed to get a machine spindle of this type to run any better really, that is more than adequate for our stuff.

 

55 minutes ago, richbrummitt said:

Getting rid of the backlash is high on my to do list. I’ve bought a spare KT70 so it can take some time and not take out the mill! I haven’t found suitable nuts that I’m certain of yet though. Maybe I have to buy a whole lead screw and nuts. 

 

I sourced mine from China. It was a 6mm OD x 1mm pitch 'trapezoidal thread'. Flanged nuts do exist for them but I haven't seen any anti-backlash types yet. I ended up chopping up a couple of the flanged nuts to make a single anti-backlash type. They aren't expensive.

 

Julia

[richbrummitt]

6 hours ago, -missy- said:

I sourced mine from China. It was a 6mm OD x 1mm pitch 'trapezoidal thread'. Flanged nuts do exist for them but I haven't seen any anti-backlash types yet. I ended up chopping up a couple of the flanged nuts to make a single anti-backlash type. They aren't expensive.

I’ve seen some on Amazon and eBay.  Probably just need to take the plunge and find out what appears. 
 

Did you do anything special where the lead screw attaches to the table?