Sailplane Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Hi all, I am looking for someone in the Portland ORegon area that casts gray iron. I have a Pratt and Whitney metal lathe that has only one backplate to mount chucks to the spindle with and I need more. The lathe has a larger than common thread on the spindle that prevents me frrom buying a partially finished blank from the common suppliers. Most blanks go up to a 2inch mounting thread and mine requires a 3inch thread. I have contacted a recommended 1 off foundry and after a bunch of time getting ignored The price of three blanks was pushing the price I paid for the lathe to start with. After looking online and asking all my sources here I have pretty much decided I am going to have to do it myself. Then I landed here. This looks like my last best collection of sources and resources. In the past I was a member of portland tech shop which is a collection of Do it yourselfers that com togehter and pool machines, knowlege, time, experience and commeraderie. You paid a monthly membership fee and could use the equipment after qualifying, just like a gym membership. Anyway on the back dock there was a foundry setup and a pattern making shop. At the time it didn't strike me so I didn't seek out info on the owner/operator. Tech shop has since gone bankrupt and out of business, so I know there is someone in the area that casts. I am asking for help locating anyone in this area that would be interested in working with me in ANY capacity in regards to getting me a couple of blanks. (trade, buy, barter, help with process) Thanks in advance for all your responses and leads. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciladog Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 First off, what is the thread size? You said 3 inch but you didn't say how many threads per inch. You didn't say what the length of the threads are. You didn't say what the diameter of the chuck you want to mount is. You don't need a foundry to make back plates if you have a thread cutting lathe and you know how to use it. You can turn them out of mild steel. Post some specs and I'm sure there are a few people that will offer to make them for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted April 19, 2013 Share Posted April 19, 2013 How about using a barbell plate for a rough blank ? Or go over to the Chaski "Home Machinist" website and ask around -- there's a "request-for-services" forum there. You'll have to "join" but it's free, and in 5 years, I've never been able to trace any spam back to there. http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwolfforgeca Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 maybe Mike-Hr will chime in on this or send him a em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhblacksmith Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 You might try the following two groups. I'm not sure of the age of your lathe but Vintage Machinery deals with the older stuff, mostly woodworking but parts suppliers or casting shops may be common to metal working as well. Practical Machinist has lots of brand specific lathe forums as well as general parts finding forums. I've belonged to both groups for a while and found them helpful on several occasions and their focus is more towards machinery rather than blacksmithing. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ http://vintagemachinery.org/ Good luck finding what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron quake Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 There is no real reason to cast this part. Make a weldment and have it machined. Weld a section of DOM tubing to a plasma burn out and have it machined and trued up, done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 I have a 3'' x 8 tpi tap........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron quake Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 WOW now that's a big tap. We used to have a 3" twist drill we would use in a old Warner Swazy turret lathe with NO pilot hole, now dude that was a nasty chip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 24, 2013 Share Posted April 24, 2013 WOW now that's a big tap. We used to have a 3" twist drill we would use in a old Warner Swazy turret lathe with NO pilot hole, now dude that was a nasty chip. I forgot to mention....I DON'T have the wrench...... :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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