Potts type milling spindle column advice needed

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Seems The Drummond Group have a source for castings

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Rob Gough has the patterns and drawings of the Potts mill spindle and he can get them cast at cost.

David George

 

Mounted on a Boxford lathe with motor attached.

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

Thanks Jason and David I’ll have a look into at least getting some drawings and the main swivelling head castings.

Andy

[StewartParticipant @gaunless]

Count me in for that too.

[half whitParticipant @half-whit]

Hi Stew,

Good thread this, hope things go well with your completion, do post some pics, would definitely be of interest.

Sorry I can’t help with M.E. issue 1866. I had it some years ago in a batch of 4, 1865-68. I found the other 3 but no luck with 1866.

I did some drawings from the potts drawings, one of which the column casting is included here. May be of interest to you. I also have a similar drawing of the spindle casting.

Jason the castings are still available. I don’t have my patterns no more, but I know where they are and the chap who has them was and probably still is doing trips to a local foundry.

Geoff ………. sorry Stew drawings are pdf and can’t be uploaded, p.m. me if you would like copies.

[half whitParticipant @half-whit]

Hi David, (George)

You beat me to it, glad to see Rob is still active.

Geoff

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I did put a link at the top of this 2nd page to the source of the castings.

Geoff, I can put the pdf of your drawings on the site, pm me if you want to do that.

[half whitParticipant @half-whit]

Hi Jason,

I’ll get those Potts drawings to you during the week.

In the meantime after much searching I found some jpeg images of the 1937 Potts article.

Just two pages, but lots of info which I’m sure will be of interest.

Simple design really.

Geoff

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A reflection of those times – “Here’s an idea; knock up your own patterns this weekend and have them cast by the foundry at the end of your road on Monday ready to machine next weekend”.
Just checked the cost of CI bar 🙁

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Well the foundry got some patterns of mine in the week. Would have cost me half if I bought some 230mm dia slices and a 40 x 80 x 130 block of CI and cut from solid so don’t think castings are a cheap option even on larger parts. I only went with castings as I know there are a couple of others that may want then when the see the finished engine. Postage to the foundry was the cheap part.

Though anyone with a 3D printer could no doubt do the CAD and print the patterns over a weekend and still have time to spare for a sit down in the armchair.

A steel fabrication welded and fettled is probaby the cheapest option for the Potts

[cedric 1Participant @cedric]

Castings really only become cheap when they are mass produced. Economy of scale is their forte. As you say, fabrication from steel bar stock is cheaper for one or two-offs. But not many model engineers seem to have arc welders etc. But I have found a local welding shop that still does small jobs for a small fee – at a far better standard than my wobbly efforts!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I have got Geoff’s drawings and will upload them tlater today.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Geoff’s drawings can now be found in the Tools section of Workshop on the page blue bar at the top of the page. Direct link here.

.

[StewartParticipant @gaunless]

M Machine were approached for material for a column, they suggested silver steel or precision ground steel but sadly they could not do 45mm diameter.

The search continues!

[Frank GorseParticipant @frankgorse]

Coventry Grinders have it in silver steel but it’s not cheap….

[Frank GorseParticipant @frankgorse]

Cheaper from Zoro but you’ll have to be quick.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Thanks for getting the drawings up.
For column look for 1.75in mild steel. About £10 but postage a lot.
Need a map of where all the amateur friendly stock holders are so I can see if I am ever passing one.

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