[time-nuts] Machining some aluminum help!

[Dave Daniel]

This is fairly easy to do on a vertical mill, but it can be done using a 
drill press.

I would machine and drill the end plates first. Then I would use 
hot-glue or double-sided tape to attach one of the end plates to the 
tube ends and use the end plate as a drilling guide to drill and tap the 
holes in the tube. The critical aspect of drilling the tube holes is 
that the end of the tube that is being drilled has to be absolutely 
perpendicular to the drill bit.

The drill press can also be used to tap the holes - with the drill press 
power off, install the tap and hand turn the spindle while using the 
lever arm to gently follow the tap in as it cuts. Since it is aluminum, 
hand-tapping the holes without using the drill press should be fairly 
easy also.

DaveD

On 5/18/2017 10:54 AM, cdelect at juno.com wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a square aluminum tube 5" X 5" with a .25" wall it's 8 1/2" long.
>
> I need 20 holes in each end tapped for 4/40 and 1/2" deep.
>
> This is for a Rubidium project.
>
> The local machine shop want's $360.00!!!!
>
> Anyone have a machining setup that could do the work a bit cheaper?
>
> If not I'll give it a try myself.
>
> Please contact me off list.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Corby Dawson
>
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