We run an older packaging machine and one of our gearbox covers cracked. The OEM is long gone. We don’t have drawings, no CAD, nothing.

All we have is the cracked one, and it's worn. I noticed that the bearing bore looks a few thousandths oversize and the mating face has some wear too.

I can measure it or get it scanned, but that just copies a worn part. I need what it was supposed to be.

For anyone who has had this done, how did the companies handle the guessing part? Did they mark which dimensions were measured and which were assumed?

And what checks should happen before we cut metal for a new ones.

Husbands lathe at work needs a new gear. Is there a way to broach (?) the gear splines for the machine, or does anyone have a recommendation for a shop to do so? Apparently ordering a gear won’t get here until March, and the lathe absolutely cannot be down that long.

Good day dear Machinists!

I am hoping you could help me identify what type of metal these parts are made of. I am assuming it might be the same on both parts, but can't confirm 100%.

The pictures are the only thing I have, I am hoping someone would be able to tell by the way it oxidizes (but maybe that's impossible)

I had originally thought it's carbon steel because of the oxidation but now someone suggested it might be 7075 aluminium.

This is part of a lightsaber used in the Prequel Star Wars movies in case anyone is wondering (so they are ~20 years old).

Thanks!

Hello all, above in the first picture is the drill press I have right now. It's 1/2hp, I forget the top speed but it's somewhere in the range of 3000-3500 RPM, nothing extraordinary. It seems fairly rigid, that doesn't mean anything obviously but at least there is no super evident jigglage when everything is locked down. Spindle is MT2, obviously no drawbar which may be a problem.

Current chuck is mounted with a JT3 arbor, obviously that can't be trusted for lateral milling forces. But I was thinking of getting an MT2 ER collet chuck to bypass the JT problem. That obviously still leaves a self-holding Morse taper keeping the whole thing together. How much of a concern is this for my purposes?

I am thinking I'll mostly be doing soft materials/plastics with smaller end mills (probably mostly 1/4" HSS) and taking very light cuts. Is there anything I can do to keep that Morse taper from falling out? I don't really want to Loctite it, but if such a thing is necessary I will.

Obviously that x-y vise in the second picture is gonna need some adjustment to make it actually suitable even for light work, it's straight from China. Yes I know this is a stupid idea, but having a crappy mill that can barely do anything is better then having no mill at all. What do you think?

Thanks!

The spec states a diameter of 1 1/4 inches and these appear to be 1 1/8, is this discrepancy normal?

Been thrown onto this old lathe, been a while and can’t for the life of me remember how to engage the auto feed. Any able to point me in the right direction? Cheers

As a dentist looking to evaluate dental materials, my primary expertise is clinical rather than in materials science engineering. I am exploring a budget-friendly testing setup and would appreciate insight on its validity : Can I measure micro hardness using a force gauge mounted on a sturdy rail along with a Vickers indenter, later to be evaluated using a microscope and Imagej software??

Why am I having trouble finding a shop (in the US) that will heat treat 954 aluminum bronze? The spec doesn't look complicated. What am I missing?

From ASTM B505:

Anneal not less than 2 h followed by air cool, 620 to 660 °C.

Solution treat not less than 1 h followed by water quench, 870 to 910 °C.

The one on top was in the empty spot but it’s 1/8? Is this correct?

Hit this last month — burned half a shift tracking it down.

A batch starts fine, then partway through the bends come out boat-shaped: more open in the middle, tighter toward the edges. The press gets blamed first, but in our experience it's usually one of these:

1. The die — a V-die worn more in the middle, or a replacement punch 0.5-1 mm off in working height, shifts the angle even when the tip looks identical. Measure it, don't assume.

2. The clamp — screws on segmented setups slowly back off over time; the tooling sits slightly proud and the angle walks.

3. The system — ram bow under load. If crowning compensation or die shimming is off, the middle opens up.

When you see the boat shape, what do you reach for first — the lower die, the quick clamp, or the machine? Curious how the rest of you triage it.

If I have a large part Z0 @B0 is in the center. And I can't probe it because of reach and or need a exact number. But I can probe a bore @B90. In a X-GROOVE or FACE MMS unit can I input 90 in the B dialog box. (distance for b axis?) ? Will that use the machine center of rotation to set WPC "Z" for B0? Is there a different or easier way? Machine also has reinshaw set and inspect software. Sorry won't let me post a picture of the unit or casting

SolidWorks DXF export issue with CNC wire bending machine – 4 graphics not closed
Hi everyone,
I’m having a problem importing a DXF file from SolidWorks into a CNC wire bending machine, and I’m trying to figure out why the machine doesn’t recognize the entire geometry correctly.
I designed the part in SolidWorks and exported it as a DXF file. However, when I open the file in the CNC machine’s software, I get the following warning:
“There are 4 graphics not closed!”
The geometry appears on the screen, but the machine detects four open graphics, even though the sketch is intended to be closed. Some sections, particularly around the lines and tangent arcs, seem to be causing issues.
Here is what I’ve already tried:
Exporting the DXF using different versions, including R14.
Testing all three options under Multiple sheet drawing in the SolidWorks DXF/DWG export settings:

Export active sheet only.
Export all sheets to separate files.
Export all sheets to one file.
Enabling End Point Merging with a tolerance of 1e-05.
Exporting splines as polylines.
Unfortunately, none of these changes has solved the problem.
Has anyone encountered a similar issue when exporting DXF files from SolidWorks to a CNC wire bending machine?
Why might the CNC software report that the graphics are not closed even when the geometry looks connected in SolidWorks? Could this be related to tiny gaps, endpoint merging tolerance, tangent arcs, DXF entities, or the way the CNC software interprets the exported geometry?
I’d really appreciate any suggestions on what else I could try or which SolidWorks export settings I should check.
Thanks in advance!

I have an older Kaya Cast jewelry vacuum casting machine, and the flexible coupling sleeve between the motor and vacuum pump has broken.
I’m trying to identify the exact replacement part or a compatible sleeve.
What I know:
Machine: Older Kaya Cast jewelry vacuum casting machine
Part needed: Flexible sleeve that fits over and connects both metal hubs
The sleeve has internal teeth that engage the external teeth on both hubs
Tooth count: 8
Metal hub measurement: 22.78 mm
Total coupling length, including the gap between the hubs: approximately 1½ inches
Gap between the hubs: approximately ¼ inch
The original sleeve is broken, so I cannot measure the intact sleeve.

Does anyone recognize this coupling style or know the correct name, part number, or a supplier that sells replacements? Thank you!!!🙏🙏

I’m a software developer, not a machinist. I am building job management software for an Australian manufacturer since 2022, and I’m trying to understand how other small shops handle this without a full ERP.

Genuinely curious how you do it:

1. Where does a quote live?
2. How do you know where a job is right now?
3. When it ships, do you know if you made money on it?

Spreadsheets? Whiteboard? Accounting software? A big ERP you hate? I’m collecting answers to build something lighter, and I’ll share what I find here.

Made this aluminum part over the last few days and finally got it back from sandblasting this afternoon.

Honestly, I kind of like how it looks now. The matte finish turned out better than I expected.

Still thinking about anodizing it though.

Would you leave it like this or anodize it?

Hi everyone!
We manufacture small precision components made of PEEK and are looking for an effective way to remove milling burrs and chips from very hard-to-reach areas (see attached photos).

Currently, we use sandblasting with 50 µm glass beads, but this can cause dimensional changes and surface alterations.

We process batches of 200–300 parts, so we’re ideally looking for an automated, non-damaging solution.

Does anyone have experience with alternative deburring or cleaning methods for PEEK?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

In the picture the ratchet it tightened gently.
I also don’t have the wrench so any ideas for how to adjust it?

I bought it used off a guy for like 30 bucks and he had lost his tuning wrench. I am new to machining, did i get a good deal?