"Almeenium" OK for pusher?

[pdhntr]

I am making a pusher similar to the Bald Eagle.

I have already made a steel sleeve and pressed it into the rear of 1.2 inch round aluminum, and turned a pusher to fit with the proper clearance.

My question is: should I turn a steel sleeve for the reamer to fit in, or can I just bore the aluminum bar to the diameter of the reamer shaft. (.437?) And fit a set screw to hold it in place.

My concern is the aluminum going to be stable enough to hold the reamer straight, or should I press in a steel sleeve?

OH, one more thing, for you guys that have made your own pushers, where do you like the handle to be mounted? Towards the rear, middle, front?

Thanks.

Jim

 

[Dennis Sorensen]

I don't know what the Bald Eagle pusher is like but I use a home made pusher (Mike Bryant style), with clearance... the secret to a pusher is it does not hold the reamer straight, it allows it to follow the barrel. I don't see an advantage to using aluminum.

 

[mike in co]

the whole idea is to not let the tail stock influence the setup...no set screw.....and clearance..it is a pusher only.......if you are copying some one else ask what they did and why....
but a pusher pushes only

 

[alinwa]

OK, I'm no expert but I see that as a little light. For two reasons. #1, IMO the pusher not only pushes but it pushes in such a way that if the reamer tries to walk, flex or otherwise pull itself off-center the OPPOSITE side of the pusher comes into play to force it back. Therefore I think it's important that this surface be machined flat (as yours is) but also fairly robust as only a small portion of the ring is bearing at a time. And #2, if you drop it you want it to retain it's shape.

Looks like it'll work fine though

al

 

[frwillia]

I am making a pusher similar to the Bald Eagle.

I have already made a steel sleeve and pressed it into the rear of 1.2 inch round aluminum, and turned a pusher to fit with the proper clearance.

My question is: should I turn a steel sleeve for the reamer to fit in, or can I just bore the aluminum bar to the diameter of the reamer shaft. (.437?) And fit a set screw to hold it in place.

I machined a steel collar to fit on the reamer much like the one Mike Bryant used. This is my pusher that works in principle just like Mike's.

I was very careful to make sure the face that would be pushed against was as orthogonal to the axis of the hole the reamer shank would fit in as I could make it. I used a boring bar and bored the hole for the reamer shank, then machined the pushing face in the same setup. If they aren't right, they will exert a side pressure on the reamer. I was very careful to machine the plane of the pushing face of the part in the tail stock ram perfectly orthogonal to the axis of the tail stock.

I do not think aluminum is the right material for either the collar on the reamer or the pushing piece in the tail stock. It's dirt simple to make them out of steel.

My concern is the aluminum going to be stable enough to hold the reamer straight, or should I press in a steel sleeve?

OH, one more thing, for you guys that have made your own pushers, where do you like the handle to be mounted? Towards the rear, middle, front?

See pictures for handle location.

Fitch

 

[pdhntr]

OK Guys.

I guess I was headed down the wrong road. Thanks for getting me back on the right path.

I would hate to steer myself into a wreck.

(how was that for a thematic post)

Jim