Brit Progress: Fluting Con Rods

[Deleted]

Finally got round to the con rods, a job I have been putting off as my cross slide travel is limited to 4.25" and I needed 7.5". I found the answer in these 3 x 2 x 1 drilled blocks: clamped to the table they've given me a six inch extension so that I could machine the con rod lengthways.

Setting up with a sticky pin. I always put tiny centre pops at intersections, and the pin picks them up a treat.



Fluted rod 1/8" deep to allow for the thinning process. To adjust the cut I loosened one end only very slightly and in conjunction with a large soft hammer, I used the sticky pin to pick up the centre pops. I put slips against the headstock to ensure the saddle stopped in the same place every time, and put a production stop on the bed at the other end.

[waggy]

Hello Simplyloco,
Glad to see somebody else flutes first! I was somewhat shouted down at a club meeting for doing so. I only said that more mistakes are made during the fluting operation than are ever made cutting the blanks out. Silly me!

Waggy.

[Deleted]

Hi Waggy, he who flutes first wins! I'm not being clever, I'm just following LBSC's Words and Music!
I just twigged that if I reduce the depth of cut and extend the cut outward by the width of the land plus a hacksaw blade, I've not only got rid of the slabbing operation to reduce the thickness of the rod, I've also got a neat guide edge for the long hacksaw job: Voila!

[dickdastardly40]

John,

Having seen your shop and the meticulous way in which you work, I can well understand why your work turns out so well.

Nice documentation of good work, look forward to the continuation.

Al

[dscott]

what a good use for the lathe, I recognized it as we have one in the corner where I work.
A lovely machine and I now know what I will be doing next week.....fluting.

Great work, and thank you for posting them for inspiration for us all.

David.