# Hi - Abbotsford BC



## Arbutus (Nov 14, 2022)

Hello!

40+ years as a machinist. Retired with a well equipped shop in Abbotsford.  I enjoy designing, building and repairing machines and tools of all kinds.  The shop is equipped with CNC and manual equipment for precision surfacing and gear making.

Don Gibson


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## YYCHM (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Calgary.


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## Arbutus (Nov 14, 2022)

"The challenge of retirement is how to spend time without spending money."

LOL  !   isn't that true!


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## David_R8 (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Victoria.


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## Dan Dubeau (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Ontario.  Congrats on the retirement.  

This has got to be the only profession out there that when people retire, they spend their time doing the same thing, just on stuff they want to build instead.  We're a sick bunch lol.


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## JReimer (Nov 14, 2022)

yay another person in the lower mainland. Hi from Chilliwack. not a machinist just a hobbyist trying to learn as much as possible.


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## StevSmar (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Winnipeg!

Congratulations on your retirement!!!


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## crittermutt (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Sherwood Park. AB


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## jcdammeyer (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Victoria.  Looking forward to learning more about gear making.


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## Susquatch (Nov 14, 2022)

Another welcome from Ontario. This time from corn country. 

I retired 15 years ago from industry and took up farming to keep me fit. I'm mid 70s now. I wish I could have retired 25 years ago. Time is not our friend. 

But I'm have a blast enjoying every single minute. Even our worst moments are moments others would love to have. 

Looking forward to your contributions and ideas. 

You have landed on a good spot by joining here.


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## Arbutus (Nov 14, 2022)

Current projects include a mini Blanchard grinder for a Bridgeport mill and I'm developing a gear hobbing machine for gears up to M1 and 120T. If anyone has experience with hobbing small gears, including helical and spiral bevel, I'd love to hear from you !


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## jcdammeyer (Nov 14, 2022)

Arbutus said:


> Current projects include a mini Blanchard grinder for a Bridgeport mill and I'm developing a gear hobbing machine for gears up to M1 and 120T. If anyone has experience with hobbing small gears, including helical and spiral bevel, I'd love to hear from you !


What kind of CNC are you running?


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## curmudgeon (Nov 14, 2022)

another welcome from the Island


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## 140mower (Nov 14, 2022)

Welcome from Lillooet BC.


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## Six O Two (Nov 15, 2022)

Welcome from BC's interior.


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## Arbutus (Nov 15, 2022)

jcdammeyer said:


> What kind of CNC are you running?






This is a customised TAIG mill with Teknic servomotors and an SMW tooling plate. There are several rotary tables for indexing parts.  The controller is a PlanetCNC 9 Axis system driving MC542 stepper drivers.


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## 6.5 Fan (Nov 15, 2022)

Welcome from SK.


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## jfbotero (Nov 15, 2022)

Welcome from Victoria!
Really nice toys you have in there!


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## little ol' e (Nov 15, 2022)

Welcome from Ontario Don.
 Nice keyed table you made along with your set-up!


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## Tecnico (Nov 15, 2022)

East coast/NS checking in, welcome Don! 

I think we're going to enjoy hearing about the projects you mentioned and more.  Maybe some of your 40 years experience will rub off on those of us that are more hobby than pro.

D


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## jcdammeyer (Nov 15, 2022)

Arbutus said:


> View attachment 27930
> This is a customised TAIG mill with Teknic servomotors and an SMW tooling plate. There are several rotary tables for indexing parts.  The controller is a PlanetCNC 9 Axis system driving MC542 stepper drivers.


Nice.  I see the gear cutter in the arbor.  What sort of RPM do you run that at?


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## Arbutus (Nov 15, 2022)

Thats a 40mm dia cutter - if I recall S&F maybe 1600 rpm in Acetyl, 1000 rpm in 6061, 600 rpm in CRS/MS and slowly with oil at 300 rpm in Cast Iron. 

In acetyl I cut two passes to DoC and in CI perhaps as many as six passes. Depends on material and depth of cut.

The setup also allows resharpening the cutters with a 50mm diamond wheel.


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## whydontu (Nov 15, 2022)

Welcome from Richmond BC


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## jcdammeyer (Nov 15, 2022)

Arbutus said:


> Thats a 40mm dia cutter - if I recall S&F maybe 1600 rpm in Acetyl, 1000 rpm in 6061, 600 rpm in CRS/MS and slowly with oil at 300 rpm in Cast Iron.
> 
> In acetyl I cut two passes to DoC and in CI perhaps as many as six passes. Depends on material and depth of cut.
> 
> The setup also allows resharpening the cutters with a 50mm diamond wheel.


Can't wait to try that stuff myself.  I have all the bits and pieces.


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## YotaBota (Nov 17, 2022)

Another Victoria(ish) welcome.


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## Arbutus (Dec 7, 2022)

little ol' e said:


> Welcome from Ontario Don.
> Nice keyed table you made along with your set-up!


Thanks but not mine ! - the tooling plate is from Saunders Machine Works. This one is M6 on 20mm centers.  I made all of the pallets and fixtures, angle plates and so on. It really makes life simple when producing a batch of parts, by reducing the setup time and keeping things organised.


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## Aburg Rapid Prototype (Dec 10, 2022)

Welcome for Ontario.


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