Hi, Joe,Alan here in UK. We really enjoy your videos, and as a toolmaker who is still working after qualifying over fifty years ago still find there are things to be learned. We have a job which is a tube and sticks out of the chuck far enough to need supporting on a centre. Your expanding mandrel in a blind hole has given me the solution, and we can relieve it so as to be able to face the end. We like your direct no nonsense style, and I bet like us, every aspect of your life is precise, to the point and truthful.Many thanks, keep it up. Incidentally we use Hardinge and Cincinnati machines along with our native Colchester and Jones and Shipman. We're old school!
Hi Alan. Thanks for checking in. Glad to hear I gave you some food for thought. I like when someone takes one of my presentations and works it into something else. Evolution at its finest. Take care.
Hey Joe, It seems a bit lame to repeat the accolades offered by so many others, but I feel compelled to say that you're videos are ABSOLUTE GOLD to a 60-year old learner like me. Also, to the guy that queried about writing a book, don't mess with perfection this (RU-vid) suits your knowledge, personality and style to a tee. I vote you No 1 RU-vid contributor of all time. Best regards N.
Thanks Joe. Man after my own heart. Can't stop working out new ways to fix old problems. I'm 68 and just started learning lathe work. Never stop learning new tricks. Body shot, brain still active.
For thin items needing accurate work I like to use heat shrink fits on solid arbors so there is no distortion. Lots of good info in this video on expansion arbors, thanks for sharing the tips and tricks.
The O-ring arbor version was a nice implementation, and your afterthought pointing out the need for drilling a short recess to the major diameter to clear the unfinished threads under the head on most countersunk screws was pure gold. Most people would miss this, and the arbor would expand unevenly as a result. One quick and dirty kludge I have got away with for lightly skimming the outside diameter of (say) one or two bronze or plastic bushes to ease the fit, is to use an expanding reamer of the Sutton Microset style, chuckng the shank and supporting the entry end on a running centre in the tailstock. Don't overtighten or you'll mark the bore!
Been at the Job Shop game for 36 years. Made expansion arbors many times. Some things here have not thought of before. Absorbed, filed away for future ref. You CAN learn something new every day. Thank you very much for your generous share of cleverness.
thanks to your cool ideas ! they make this novice/wanna-be newbie machinist. think more outside of the box. thank you for sharing! here is a idea my little brain came up with for a machinist jack, the 1/2 fine thread bolt i used to make the jack, I turned a concave in the face of the head. to receive a 3/4 in ball bearing i had. the ball bearing i ground off about 30% flat spot in it. I thought about using a magnet to keep them together, but i found a small dab or oil or grease works wonders too. thanks again!
Joe, I so appreciate the creativity you bring to solving challenging jobs. Your positive, upbeat approach must reflect your approach to life overall. Thanks for sharing your ideas, and even more for sharing your attitude.
Outstanding as usual. I watch all your videos but every time I do so I ask myself, why is he not wearing a cape? Seriously dude, great stuff. Thanks for making the effort to share.
As always, I've learned more from your 15 minute video than I ever do watching an hour of the other guy's machines go round and round. Your videos are always informative. Thank you.
On a job today I was asked to make a removable fence to set on top of a brick wall. The builder had inset pvc to slide something in but did not know how to keep water out AND be removable. Guess what crossed my mind. I have several months before he needs them so I will be playing with this design as well as an offset bushing for misaligned pipe. Love your techniques.
Amazing and well done. I was just right now having a problem making plastic fittings for a job. You are correct, I was using an exhaust pipe expansion tool to hold the fittings but the forces were breaking the plastic. Also, it looks like the rubber O-rings will increase the friction for holding over the friction of the steel. Very much appreciated and it comes at such a good time. Thank you, helped me out very much. :-)
As usual Joe .. Great content and so down to earth with your approach of " No problems, just solutions to those problems" fantastic thanks for sharing.
These are my favorite types of videos (work arounds) seems so easy but the thought put into gadgets to help you get things done that's the magic. Thanks Mike
Hey Mr Pi, every time I run into a problem with a setup or just a general question about machining I know I can rely on you and your vids for the answer. I just want to thank you for taking the time to share your wealth of knowledge with us hobby types. The insight I have gained from your vids is priceless. Again Thanks
Last night I was trying to work out how I'm going to hold thin wall parts without a through hole, and I remembered that you had a video about expansions arbors years ago so I thought I'd rewatch that video. While searching I found "expansions arbors - no through hole, no problem". Perfect! Squeeze O-rings so they expand! Thanks Joe! - Happy Hobbyist
Great tips. One of the interesting thing about great tips is how obvious they seem after you have been told, as opposed to before when how to do a job can be a real conundrum.
Joe, I've been a tool maker for 20+ years. I always love learning things in the trade and your videos are excellent! Thanks for the tips . Keep up the great work! Really enjoy these videos.
Thanks Joe as it turns out I just today needed exactly this type of solution was trying to figure how in the heck I was going to hold the thing and well now I will just make a Joe Pie Special and continue along like I knew wast I was doing all along. Thanks again Joe.
Very clever! I could have used this a lot of times but I know it now. Thank you, Love your videos. I am self taught and wish I had the internet 40 years ago
Thanks Joe - been working with some thin wall tubing for air whistles and your first style expansion arbor will be just what the dr ordered to keep from crushing it in the chuck jaws.
Hello from John, Australia. I just subd after watching this vid. I use many of the ways you show here for work holding. I did learn from you some new ideas. Good for all watching! Cheers from John.
Your decades of experience and clear explanation with showing your specialty tools are very helpful to someone like me who is just learning lathe work for hobby use. Thanks very much
Agree Eric. its easy to make videos to show you how to do things, they all good but not as good as someone who not just shows and explains how to, but also explain the "what will happen" if you do it that or this way and the reasons behind. Joe P. is the perfect metal shop teacher👍thanx Joe
It amazes me the innovative ideas you come up with! This one goes into my permanent library of machinist tips. Thanks for the video & keep them cummin! JB (San Diego).
I love these versions of expanding arbours. I have no experience at all with machining, but bought a mini lathe last year and have been looking for projects to try and make ( mostly, all I've made is a mess, but I'm still enjoying it). This has become my new project for February.
Joe, I have watched this video a couple of times over the past couple of years and just watched it again because I am going to need to make a couple and wanted to make sure I got it right the first time. Thanks for the great content and your great attitude.
Hi Joe. Great video as usual. I needed a backstop for one of my 3C collets. Unfortunately they are all different internal diameters because they have originated from different manufacturers. So the expanding arbor I made for one of the collets with great precision did not fit some of the other collets. I really did not want to spend the time replicating my design. Your design is much simpler and quick to make so suits my application perfectly. In fact the O ring style might work even better since it will accommodate internal collet diameters of different sizes with just one device. Many thanks.
Thank you SO much for these tips. For others in the trade it might be old news, but I am learning every day. ESPECIALLY the tip of putting some pressure on the bolt first before turning the final OD. That is just brilliant. I am so glad I came across your site and subscribed! All the best for 2022 Mr. Pie!!
Thank you Joe, I have been working with plastic some lately and distorting it more than acceptable, this will solve that problem. Your a wealth of knowledge.
loved this on e Joe. Your skills and explanations are great. I think it is a very special kind of person to show tricks and tips that offer simple solutions to problems that I would spend all day trying to make work .. I will now find a way to use up some of my odd ball plastics and hold them so they are useful not all squashed up.. Nice work.
Many thanks for the work you do to bring us 'newbies' along. O-Rings are great, but sometimes misunderstood. Many times you will hear somebody say "compress the o-ring". But what you know, and maybe would be helpful to make a point of whenever the topic comes up is this: Rubber is not compressible, it is deformable. I think you alluded to this once when you were cutting an o-ring groove... The volume occupied by the rubber remains constant as the shape changes. So, that is why you can apply some serious pressure to the ID of a part with something that most folks would call squishy...
Great vid, Joe. I've made the regular slotted type for a number of jobs, but had never thought of the o-ring type. Great tip! Taught this old dog a new trick. Thanks much!
Joe there is or seams no limit to your knowledge i have to keep watching and rewatching to get all of the tips and tricks you use thanks for shearing this knowledge
Hey Joe! Another great vid! I've been a machinist for 50 years. First 5 yrs in a production setting, the next 20 in a seat of the pants flying in the dark, mom and pop job shop. Loved it! Needed better pay and bennies so moved up to stop tier job shop, 20 more years passed. I've been retired for 2 yrs, have a nice home shop. I thought I'd seen pretty much the best of the best. I know I would have enjoyed working around you. Like I saw earlier in one of your replies, everyone has a different take on machining solutions. I did a bit of mentoring over the years and some of the best ideas were from young guys new to this trade. This expandable arbor vid brought back a lot of memories when I was struggling with thin plastic and brass parts. Thanks for bringing them back. Great vids! Take care from another good ole Texas boy!
Thanks Joe, brilliant! I'm in the UK and been a subscriber for sometime. Every video is explained well, stimulating and a "lightbulb" moment for me. Please keep them coming
Saved the day! We machine polycarbonate tubing and have been looking into ways to hold it when facing the cut ends. The Idea of an 'O' ring id great. I just finished making one from solid PVC rod and tubing for the sleeves. It works great! Thanks Joe for this tip!
I thought up the o'ring arbor many years ago on a clear acrylic tube job. It was the only thing that would not scratch the part or break it while holding it securely. I hope it works for you.
Thanks again Joe, you saved my day . i tried to mount a 32 " Display to a wall in our guestroom-- not a prob ?-- of course it was one, there were no VESA mount holes (holes were there but not threaded :( ) in the back of the Display.- darn. Everything else was already mounted, swing-arm to the wall, power-outlet etc etc . and than i remembered the "last" expansion plug you showed, ran down into my shop, made 4 of these and finished the job. i really appreciate your knowledge and also your generous way of sharing it with us. rgds and all the best . michael
These things are very handy. First time I saw arbors like this we were using pipe thread plugs to do the expanding. Not as much radial expansion, but they worked well. As is the case with a collet, the expansion makes the arbor conical, so the better fit of the arbor to the part before expansion, the better. I've also used arbors that use an end cap to trap the part by its ends instead of expanding. Again, the closer the fit of the arbor to the part, the better for concentricity.
Simple brilliant idea, my physics teacher would remind us that rubber 'displaces' it doesn't 'compress', and that's guess is how this technique works. Thanks for sharing Joe. Kindest regards. Another Joe.
Great stuff Joe, I did some metal work in school 40 years ago, recently bought a small 14" lathe, been watching your videos avidly, my horizons are expanded more and more, keep it up, great work. Donald From Scotland
This one needs 10 or 12 "Thumbs UP" buttons! Thanks for this Joe. I now know what my next shop made kit project is. I will definitely be making a series set of both types! AWESOME video and GREAT help! Thanks Joe!
good vid as always..been using expanding custom collets for blind fastening of pipes and tubes..also tailpipe expanders have saved the day in this regard a number of times
25 years in the tool room and I've used all types of flat-headed locking holders. The Locking thread from the front in a blind hole is slick Joe thanks. I work on molds but this will help when I build fixtures or machine parts thanks again God bless you. I'm working some pretty sophisticated shops for example Norton's Advanced Ceramics division slick little shop. You've got one too.
Joe my friend, if you ever set up shop in the North East of England, I wanna come by and just learn the stuff you forgot, because it will surely amount to more than most would know. Once again thankyou for putting across years of experience in mere moments.
Knew of the expansion but never used a undercut which is to the advantage of expansion and never used the o-rings thanks for the sugustion keep uo the good videos Joe 72
Excellent. This is the method I usually use to hold the small cylinder casting for miniature steam engines. Once the outside flanges have been cleaned up and machined the casting is then held in the independent 4 jaws and the outside indicated and then the bore is machined. This way the bore becomes true with the usually irregular outside of the cylinder. Thanks.
That was really good Joe, I liked the o ring arbor. One shop I was in years ago liked to cut a 14 deg angle on the head of the screw and the arbor. This made the arbor and screw mach and expand easier. Thanks again.
Hi Joe I've often shied away from arbours, I'm not sure why! but you have given me the right ideas to use them more often now, thanks for that. I see you have a few members of your family trying to get in on your act via the white board, cute. Pete from West Australia
Nice i really liked the o ring idea when you disassembled it I was wondering why you have a sleeve but ahhh multiple O-rings nice idea Great as always thanks Joe
awesome idea about using the threaded cap to hold a part with a blind end. Now that I think about it, I have a set of mechanics tailpipe expanders that work on the principle... thanks again Joe..
I love watching your videos Joe, very informative and giving me lots of idea's to get over some of the issues I have with coming up with fixtures & jigs to do the things I do in my home shop. Top man for sharing your knowledge. Thanks fella.
I was just about to go out to the shop to make some expansion arbors. I'm glad that I found this video because you mentioned a few features that I hadn't thought of!
