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View Full Version : A Slip roller - work in Progress



jhovel
19th Oct 2015, 09:04 PM
After doing a panel building course recently, I decided to build a smallish slip roller.
Reading lots of other people's build logs on line and looking at lots of pictures of commercial machines, I decided on dimensions and a construction method which allowed me to use the materials I had on hand.
The materials on hand were a length of 2" solid round bar previously a drive shaft of some sort and significantly tougher than mild steel, with a keyway at one end and a tapered keyed section at the other. It also had 4 flats around the outside over the full length. Working out the potential usable diameter and length, I decided on a 400mm usable roller width and 45mm diameter.
I also had several bits of bronze suitable for the plain bearings for all three rollers. The side plates would be made of some 20mm black steel plate left over from another project.
I cut the round bar into 3 suitable pieces for turning into rollers, oxy cut the 20mm side plates close to size and cleaned all 4 sides on the Douglas shaper.

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It became evident that the plate had more bow in it then first estimated and after cleaning up the perimters, I surface ground the rectangles flat.
The two pieces were then welded together wiht short welds, to enable me to drill and machine the locations for two adjustment slots and one fixed position for the roller bushes. Drilling some 20mm dia pilot holes was easily accomplished on my Servian drill press but I used my friend Peter's Van Norman No 12 Milling machine to cut the slots and bore the hole for the bushes.

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I mentioned elsewhere that I found a pair of cast iron gears from an ancient washing hand wringer which I will try to use because of their gear design shich allows a wide range of tooth engagement.

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I purchased a large 24" dia handwheel from a big valve off my favourite local scrappy, identical to the one I used on an etching press I buit for my wife earlier in the year.

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Turning the rollers turned out to be problematic, because I could not prevent significant chatter, no matter what speed or tooling I used. The pieces of steel appeared to resonate the tailstock casting of my lathe!
Some time ago, RayG donated an incomplete fixed steady to my collection - thanks again Ray! - which I have now modified and completed to suit my lathe. Once it was fitted, the problem immediately disappeared. The rollers are now done (no photos yet).

This is the progress thus far. When finished, I'll update the thread to see what it looks like and how it works.

BobL
20th Oct 2015, 06:32 PM
Like!

.RC.
20th Oct 2015, 06:44 PM
With the chatter. Were you using a live centre?

jhovel
21st Oct 2015, 01:46 AM
Yes RC, I was. I felt it for vibrations or warming, but could not confirm it as the source. I don't have a MT2 dead centre for the tailstock, but it went through my head to get one and try it, next time I have that issue.
Are you thinking the same thing?

Made a little more progress tonight, put it together to see what it will look like - to figure out what I can use for a base. I might use a piece of the 120x40 (odd sized) RHS its sitting on.
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I also finished turning the bronze bushes for it and filed some irregularities in one of the slots for a better fit of the matching bush.
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.RC.
21st Oct 2015, 09:05 AM
Yes RC, I was. I felt it for vibrations or warming, but could not confirm it as the source. I don't have a MT2 dead centre for the tailstock, but it went through my head to get one and try it, next time I have that issue.
Are you thinking the same thing?



I would be 96.23% sure Joe. Been there done that before. Switched to a dead centre and poof, it was gone.

jhovel
21st Oct 2015, 11:51 AM
OK Richard, on the basis of your assurance and only 3.77% chance it won't fix it, I'll give it a try.

Big Shed
21st Oct 2015, 04:21 PM
I've got an MT2 dead centre here Joe if you want to give it a try.

jhovel
21st Oct 2015, 08:48 PM
Thanks for the offer Fred! Typical of forumites here - anybody will help anybody else - I love it!

However, I have a large MT2 drill that broke off below the flutes. It turned out I was able to turn it easily with a ceramic tip and I made myself a small diameter - slightly extended - dead centre. I'll try that first. If it is too slender to stop the chatter, I'll give you a call.

pipeclay
22nd Oct 2015, 04:58 AM
Make sure you keep plenty of lube on it seeing it is soft, don't run it too quick.

jhovel
22nd Oct 2015, 06:17 PM
Thanks Pipeclay, will do. Although it is not soft! The chips came off glowing! A file won't touch it. Ceramic tips will turn pretty hard material...

jhovel
27th Oct 2015, 06:22 PM
Final trial assembly before painting - I think...
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KBs PensNmore
27th Oct 2015, 09:04 PM
Very nicely done Joe:2tsup:. Now to find the time to use it on Citroen.
Kryn

Ropetangler
27th Oct 2015, 09:11 PM
It looks great Joe, I hope that the old gears from the hand wringer are up to the job, because they look great, a nice retro touch, and I suspect one not easily recreated from scratch.
Rob

RayG
27th Oct 2015, 09:13 PM
Slick work Joe, looks like I know where I'm going for my panel work! I love the big wheel.. what was that off?

Ray

jhovel
28th Oct 2015, 12:51 AM
The wheel is a cast iron large valve handwheel.... local scrappy had it cheap....

jhovel
28th Oct 2015, 12:54 AM
It looks great Joe, I hope that the old gears from the hand wringer are up to the job, because they look great, a nice retro touch, and I suspect one not easily recreated from scratch.
Rob

I hope they are up to the job too.... I think they could be reasonable straightforward to make with a CNC mill. I'll investigat if they fail. I would devop the 6 gears (or any other number) and machine both sides separately. I'm guessing considerable strength lies in the web in the centre.

BobL
28th Oct 2015, 09:42 AM
Looks good joe - something to aspire to!

jhovel
7th Nov 2015, 08:30 PM
Final post for this project from me, I guess.
The slip rolls are finished and working nicely.
Thsanks for all the nice feed-back!
I've rolled 400 wide 1.2mm gal sheet, some narrower bits of 1.6mm steel and a strip of black bar 1-1.4" x 1/8". That all worked OK well and the CI gears survived just fine. I'm not about to do a 'destructive' test to find the maximum size stuff it can roll - unless I have a specific job that warrants taking a chance :)
Turns out the big handwheel was a good choice. Having spokes to pull on from any angle is much easier than a crank handle which can be just at the wrong angle to use muscle power....
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neksmerj
7th Nov 2015, 08:58 PM
Hi Joe,

That's quite an achievement, nicely thought out. I remember looking at Grandma's wringer years ago and noting the strange looking gears.
Finding those gears and the large hand wheel was a great pick-up.

I presume you have to lift one of the rollers out if you are forming small dia rings?

Ken

jhovel
7th Nov 2015, 09:35 PM
Thanks Ken.
Yes, in the picture you can see that the top roller pressure screws go through a bar that can be swung out of the way. The top roller then just lifts out to release a ring or tube.

Jekyll and Hyde
7th Nov 2015, 11:52 PM
I have to say, I'm jealous of your selection of scrap I've been seeing in the background of some of your photos...

The roller looks pretty sturdy. I've thought about building one a couple of times, but just haven't come across heavy enough scrap yet. Think I'll shamelessly copy that quick release for the top roller if I ever do get round to building one

wheelinround
8th Nov 2015, 10:48 AM
Joe amazing work well done like it much.

Grahame Collins
9th Nov 2015, 08:04 AM
Very nice job Joe