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Follow rest repair material

Janger

Janger

(John)
Vendor
Premium Member
Follow rest repair. So I have worn out the brass fingers in my follow rest. I need to replace them. So I went to metal supermarket to get a few things and priced out some brass. $14/pound. A small bar, see below, 0.5" x 2" x 10" is $71. Online metals from the states with shipping to a USA location and exchange is $74. Shipping to Canada total price is well over $100.

So where can I get brass for less than that?

Or alternatively, what else could I use? Aluminium was suggested, I think it would wear very quickly. Oak? Delrin?
 
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Brass is the material you want because it is self lubricating and very dense. That means it takes a long time to wear. What part of the steady rest are you using flat bar for? I buy 1" round bar at metal supermarkets it is only $32 per foot. Not a bad price really. Aluminum likes to Gull (pile up) when you apply friction under great force.
 
I'm going to see a buddy shortly he says he has about 1500 lbs of aluminum brass and copper he was talking about taking to the scrapper some is valve body's good for casting.
 
I +1 the bearings, little fab work and cheap to replace, I think you can buy them for about 5 bucks a piece at princess auto or lordco. Even skate board bearings would work.
 
Tom O said:
I went to my buddies place and it is mostly material suitable for casting and he is talking $3.00 a lb for brass, so does anyone here do metalcasting? What size do you need for your fingers if nessisary we could pour some.
http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,9886.0.html
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Tom
Cool idea. We did have another guy named John come to the meet up and he was doing casting....

The brass I need for fingers would be approx 0.7" x 0.35 x 3. On the big side would probably be better to allow for machining, cleanup etc.? 0.8 x 0.45 x 3. Maybe if we were pouring a long bar 1" by 0.5" by 12" would make sense? I'd love to get 10 pounds or something and pour some bar stock and round stock for some gears?
 
jbrownslms said:
I +1 the bearings, little fab work and cheap to replace, I think you can buy them for about 5 bucks a piece at princess auto or lordco. Even skate board bearings would work.
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Small (25mm OD diameter) are about $2.50 at princess. I bought quite a few there.
 
Well I bought the scrap metal off my buddy so now I have about 130 lbs of aluminum and about the same in brass so I can see melting ingots in my future! 1"x.5"x12" would be easy to cast but by casting them you can make them closer to size (less machining) instead of one long bar, would you be using the bearing idea or just the brass end? Casting lets you modify as you see fit or we could do one of each so you could switch them out!
 
I would want to try both. Some people dismiss the bearing technique but others like it. Sizing it Closer to the right dimensions would be better, less waste, but I was thinking what would be easier? Would 0.7 x 0.37 by 2.5 be useful for anyone else? Sand casting?
 
Just curious where are you guys getting access to a furnace? I did a bit of sand casting aluminum at sait but they have a very elaborate set up. I am interested in casting some stuff but I don't currently have any need to. In the future that would be nice though.
 
Actually, I picked up a kiln over the weekend. Just finished getting it hooked up to my 240V outlet yesterday. First trial shows that it works, need to really heat her up to confirm it's not going to burn my garage down.

You're of course welcome to use my kiln!

JW
 
Oh boy this could be fun. Ha-ha I have one project I'm working on that will take at least another week. Then I'm thinking we should make a casting. @Jwest7788
 
Sounds good to me. I need to find a suitable crucible still, and some gear so I don't get burned too badly, but count me in.


Sent from my iPhone.
 
Oh a kiln.... Thats a good idea. How would you use that? Can you open the lid during operation? i imagine you might light the ceiling on fire. I say next meeting we go to joshs place and melt toms @Tom O brass...

Im trying to imagine how you would melt scraps into a crucible and then pick it up and pour it into molds. The kilns I have seen running, there is no way you would open the lid. It would light your clothes on fire, the walls, the ceiling. Ive seen some guys with the gingery clay pot approach. Small, concentrated, little hole with long tongs and outside.
 
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I'm still working out the finer details of a crucible, and lifting it out when it's glowing red.

Opening went well during test heat yesterday when it was (I estimate it was 700C or so when I cracked her open) pretty hot. The air coming out was obviously alarminly hot, but got it open with just a bare arm and a towel.
Need gloves and sleeves while opening it moving forward.

Janger said:
i imagine you might light the ceiling on fire.
Click to expand...

I am a little worried about the heat traveling. I think a fan will be in order to help dissipate it maybe?

Janger said:
I say next meeting we go to joshs place and melt toms brass...
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Sounds like a hoot. I'll have to clean up before then. haha.
 
maybe mount a thermometer on the ceiling so you can keep an eye on it?

Could you do powder coat curing in it? Lower temp, 350 or 450F i think?
 
Jwest7788 said:
I'm still working out the finer details of a crucible, and lifting it out when it's glowing red.

Opening went well during test heat yesterday when it was (I estimate it was 700C or so when I cracked her open) pretty hot. The air coming out was obviously alarminly hot, but got it open with just a bare arm and a towel.
Need gloves and sleeves while opening it moving forward.



I am a little worried about the heat traveling. I think a fan will be in order to help dissipate it maybe?


Sounds like a hoot. I'll have to clean up before then. haha.
Click to expand...

A fan is a good idea. Leather welding jacket and long welding gloves. Face shield. Safety boots, heat proof leather. Ive seen interesting boot covers made of leather too. Theres a guy on youtube making the gingery lathe and casting parts. He had all that gear on.
 
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