On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 12:57:20 -0500, Courtney Thomas wrote:

Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney

Courtney, you may also want to investigate emachineshop.com.

They distribute free CAD software intended to be used by non-engineers,
although it helps if you have used some kind of CAD software before. The
software directly interfaces with their ordering system so that you can
order machined parts from them.

The way it works is that once you have designed the part, you can view it
in 3D, get instant quotes, and order the part using a credit card.

Sometimes the prices seem pretty reasonable (to me), and sometimes they
don't. According the the website, they aren't very price-competitive on
parts that are large and require very little machining. They have a lot of
different materials. Of interest for boat people are teak, and various
alloys of aluminum, stainless steel, and bronze.

I believe they can anodize aluminum as a post-machining step.

I am not affiliated in any way with emachineshop. I have used them once,
so far, and haven't received the parts yet, so I can't comment on quality.

--Mac

repairing/reproducing parts ?
 

Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Courtney Thomas ) writes:

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Have you tried taking the part to a local machine shop for an estimate?

Also, "Marine" parts and hardware can be identical to non-marine parts and
hardware except for the higher price and perhaps having the word "marine"
stamped on it somewhere. Sometimes identical replacements can be found at
lower proces.


--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

With all custom machine work the setup time is 90% of the cost. Once you
get the setup done you can machine 10 parts for only twice the price of a
one off.

I am running a Southbend 10K lathe, Rong Fu mill and lots of welding,
grinding and polishing equipment. I machine parts for the equipment I
design myself and a few replacement items but usually the OEM parts require
tooling that I don't have and so much setup time that it is cheaper to just
buy the part. Lewmar could probably machine and assemble 20 windlasses it
the time it took me to turn, bore, broach and polish one drum and the broach
would probably cost as much as an OEM drum. OTOH, if you are a tool junkie
like me it is a great excuse to buy more tools. :-)

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney
--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Courtney Thomas wrote in news:41B49D80.4000003
@joimail.com:

Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney

You might try this guy. He has a specialty one-man machine shop and last
time I checked was very reasonable. Also willing and capable to take on
'weird' object projects(grin)

(from business card)
machining(at)verizon.com at=@
(nine-four-one)-358-7921
area code(941)
ask for Chad(?)

Anyways, g'Luk
didereaux


--
MonteP
"Let bygones be bygones...send a concilliatory PRETZEL to the
Whitehouse!"
"Against stupidity, the very gods themselves contend in vain." -
Friedrich von Schiller
"Ignorant voracity -- a wingless vulture -- can soar only into the depths
of ignominy." Patrick O'Brian

Mac,

Thanks so much.

For me, at least for now, probably the way to go, if I can shoe horn in
my needs to fit his program.

A great idea in any case. Hope he succeeds, wildly :-)

Cordially,
Courtney



Mac wrote:

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 12:57:20 -0500, Courtney Thomas wrote:


Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney


Courtney, you may also want to investigate emachineshop.com.

They distribute free CAD software intended to be used by non-engineers,
although it helps if you have used some kind of CAD software before. The
software directly interfaces with their ordering system so that you can
order machined parts from them.

The way it works is that once you have designed the part, you can view it
in 3D, get instant quotes, and order the part using a credit card.

Sometimes the prices seem pretty reasonable (to me), and sometimes they
don't. According the the website, they aren't very price-competitive on
parts that are large and require very little machining. They have a lot of
different materials. Of interest for boat people are teak, and various
alloys of aluminum, stainless steel, and bronze.

I believe they can anodize aluminum as a post-machining step.

I am not affiliated in any way with emachineshop. I have used them once,
so far, and haven't received the parts yet, so I can't comment on quality.

--Mac




--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Thanks William. I'll look into it. Probably the easiest quickest for
now, IF I can find anyone in my locale.

Cordially,
Courtney



William R. Watt wrote:

Courtney Thomas ) writes:


I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.


Have you tried taking the part to a local machine shop for an estimate?

Also, "Marine" parts and hardware can be identical to non-marine parts and
hardware except for the higher price and perhaps having the word "marine"
stamped on it somewhere. Sometimes identical replacements can be found at
lower proces.


--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned



--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Glen,

Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'broaching' ?

So many toys, uhhh tools, so little time :-)

What criteria led you to the Southbend and the Rong Fu ?

Any recommended vendor(s) for such ?

Appreciatively,
Courtney



Glenn Ashmore wrote:

With all custom machine work the setup time is 90% of the cost. Once you
get the setup done you can machine 10 parts for only twice the price of a
one off.

I am running a Southbend 10K lathe, Rong Fu mill and lots of welding,
grinding and polishing equipment. I machine parts for the equipment I
design myself and a few replacement items but usually the OEM parts require
tooling that I don't have and so much setup time that it is cheaper to just
buy the part. Lewmar could probably machine and assemble 20 windlasses it
the time it took me to turn, bore, broach and polish one drum and the broach
would probably cost as much as an OEM drum. OTOH, if you are a tool junkie
like me it is a great excuse to buy more tools. :-)




--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Didereaux,

I put him in my file and 'preciate the information.

Where is he located ?

Gratefully,
Courtney




Didereaux wrote:

Courtney Thomas wrote in news:41B49D80.4000003
@joimail.com:


Many mechanical parts cost a small fortune to replace.

I'm wondering if any members of this group have power equipment such as
lathes, milling machines, cutters, formers, molders, etc., [other than
welding], that they are successfully using to modify, repair, and
duplicate... pieces of varying materials.

If yes, what are you using and to do what ?

I recently ran into the problem of replacing/repairing a windlass rope
drum and it's unreasonably expensive and I'm motivated to unhitch from
vendors and suppliers to that extent possible and reasonable, which I
know varies from person to person.

Appreciatively,
Courtney


You might try this guy. He has a specialty one-man machine shop and last
time I checked was very reasonable. Also willing and capable to take on
'weird' object projects(grin)

(from business card)
machining(at)verizon.com at=@
(nine-four-one)-358-7921
area code(941)
ask for Chad(?)

Anyways, g'Luk
didereaux





--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Broaching is the way you cut the keyway in a shaft hole. It takes a slotted
bushing the size of the hole and a broach, a rectangual tapered rod with
teeth on one side. You press the rod through the hole and it gradually cuts
the slot.

My lathe is a rebuilt and tricked out Southbend 10K. It will swing 10" over
the bead which means it can face a 10" cylinder but only about 7" down the
side. The Rong Fu is a square columed 3 HP mill/drill which is big enough
to do anything I need. Together they might be worth $3K. The problem is
the tooling. Between mill bits, turning bits, tool holders, rotary tables,
vices, collets, V blocks, and a hundred other required parts over the years
I probably have spent over $10K. That doesn't count the MIG welder, the TIG
welder, the plasma cutter, drill press, assorted vice grips or any of the
woodworking machines and tools. It took 20 years to accumulate all that
stuff but I could probably buy everything in the Harken catalog for what I
have in tools.

Even worse, there is not enough room in the back stateroom to put it all!
:-)

--
Glenn Ashmore

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Glen,

Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'broaching' ?

So many toys, uhhh tools, so little time :-)

What criteria led you to the Southbend and the Rong Fu ?

Any recommended vendor(s) for such ?

Appreciatively,
Courtney



Glenn Ashmore wrote:

With all custom machine work the setup time is 90% of the cost. Once
you
get the setup done you can machine 10 parts for only twice the price of
a
one off.

I am running a Southbend 10K lathe, Rong Fu mill and lots of welding,
grinding and polishing equipment. I machine parts for the equipment I
design myself and a few replacement items but usually the OEM parts
require
tooling that I don't have and so much setup time that it is cheaper to
just
buy the part. Lewmar could probably machine and assemble 20 windlasses
it
the time it took me to turn, bore, broach and polish one drum and the
broach
would probably cost as much as an OEM drum. OTOH, if you are a tool
junkie
like me it is a great excuse to buy more tools. :-)




--
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619