Grinding nuts?

[GalaticDan]

Hi,

I've a model makers lathe, Myford ML7 and want to add a grinding wheel. I have some round stock which I want to cut a metric fixed nut and have thought for sometime about the use of a grinding wheel on a slide and then index the lathe chuck. Am I on the right lines? Have anyone else done this? I can not use hex stock because of the design. The amount I'd have to grind off is very small as the stock diameter is about 5/16", non-ferrous.

Dan

[Mcgyver]

Dan, not sure what you are asking or trying to do. in general, keep grinding away from the lathe if you can, the grit is very bad for it. what is a fixed nut? are you saying you want to cut a hex on a piece of round stock? make a file rest is one way to put flats on stock held in the lathe

[One of Many]

Unless the material is so hard that is cannot be cut with conventional tooling, why grind it?

If you have means to make an indexing plate using another nut or some other cheap fixture. Fasten it on the tool post or better yet a milling attachment and use a milling cutter in the chuck or collet.

Only as a last resort would I grind in any lathe, if there were no other way.

DC

[GalaticDan]

Thanks. What sort of milling cutter would you suggest? I've used a slot saw in a sliting arbor but not for flat facing on a bit of round. Because of other diameters on the workpiece which are larger then the nut I want to create, I probably couldn't use a side cutter.

Dan

[One of Many]

Sometimes there is a need to get creative in how the part is oriented to gain access at the area to be cut, give the equipment on hand.

Like, say the hex is captured somewhere in the length of the rod. A standard endmill in the lathe spindle can do this if you can visualize the process, then make it happen. The harder part is keeping the fixturing simple with minimum complexity, yet have it around for similar operations.

The rollers and file setup does work as long as the part is small, the file is flat and the rollers don't get too far apart. However it is a lot of elbow grease and I put a limit on that so I don't wear myself out before I get too old!

DC

[Donald]

i also would keep a grinding wheel far from the lathe, The metal shavings what hurt the lath but the grit from the wheel will be as abrasive on the lath as the peice your attempting to grind.

I like One of Manys suggestion about putting a mill in the lathe chuck and making a small fixture on the tool post.
Good Luck