How to cut a Radius

[@rebelheeler]

I have been a manual machinist for 30 years.........and this is the first time i have seen this Idea...........thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Hi Keven, I hope your get to use it very soon.

[@SOSdoorgunner69]

Great to get ideas even after a lifetime of fabricating..Im 70, and still learn something new everyday. thanks for your tips

[@neilvandepol2903]

Fortunately the finger I am using to enter this comment healed after I learned not to do what you were doing. Good idea dangerously executed.

[@diogenesstudent5585]

For our safety please explain. Im a beginner.

[@matthewdouglas2373]

@@diogenesstudent5585a beginner you haven’t even learned the day 0 rules about safety?

[@diogenesstudent5585]

@@matthewdouglas2373 google beginner.

[@markbutler5127]

I really appreciate your video, I'm 61 and recently started work in a machine shop with no experience, great bunch of guy's to work with and learn new things every day, Thank You.

[@kocnn]

I specifically don't design them because Of the time involved in setup, the guys are gonna love this one. Thank You for sharing your knowledge.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

:-)

[@k2ser1]

Great tip when need the man ...

[@brianjones5270]

This is a great idea! Never thought of it. I have a machine at home, an '81 Bridgeport. I don't want to invest in a seldom needed rotary table or a lathe for round work either. If you have a digital you can also do facets using a hole pattern movement with end mill. That is trigonometry for rise and run/ radius math stuff.

[@stephenmelton2532]

Very nice. A Rotary table would be better for a large run, but I usually do a one-off like this project. Setup takes longer than this, plus this is in tolerance for most radius work. Perfect.

[@joshmellon390]

Lol my name is Stephen Mellon. Just saw your name and thought it was mine haha

[@ThemightyPooge]

I saw you at the grocery store in pacifica and asked if you would sign my special clough42 4-jaw chuck challenge printed thumbnail screenshot and you told me "Get away from me you freak!". I have been a fan of yours for thirteen minutes and I cannot believe this is how you treat the people you love.

[@PedroGomez-bd9ro]

"Every day is a school day" That will be the motto

[@danielmcdowell9526]

I been a Machinist for almost 20 years and that's the first time ive ever seen this. That was a very fast way to make a radius on a part. I guess you learn something new everyday well that's my goal anyway. Keep up the good work and teaching these things cause there are people like me who love to learn.

[@cri8tor]

There are those who choose to take safety to a degree that is necessary and those who go beyond that point. Regardless of the tool you're working with, it all comes down to personal choice that is dependent on one's experience and ability. Awesome video and greatly appreciated. Cheers brother

[@Equismaximus]

That was a good tip. I have ALWAYS had access to a rotary table and of course now a CNC mill so I never had to do what you describe here but that being said for those that do not have access to either of the two afore mentioned machines this was an excellent way to achieve that radius. For the garage machinist with little to no fancy equipment you demonstrated a great way to achieve the goal. I served my tool and die making apprenticeship with Ford Motor Company over 53 years ago and always had good machines to work with. We even had a mill that had a rotary table built into the bed so you could move both X & Y but also circular. This of course would allow one to make complicated parts with many radiuses and straight cuts with one setup. That was back in the 60s. Of course as time went by we acquired NC and CNC machines including Mills, Lathes, and EDM machines so I never had to do what you demonstrated here but you know what the say, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks". Well that is crap. I am 75 and turned the handles all my life and now have a CNC mill in my garage but you have defiantly taught this old dog a new trick and for that I am grateful and quite frankly impressed to say the least. I am a firm believer in the KISS Principle, Keep It Simple Stupid! The world today is full of ignorant people and they haven't a clue as to what it takes to make parts for whatever and they don't realize what it takes to make something, anything. A lot goes into the setup and just holding parts to machine them is something that has to be learned. You have to be able to improvise and adapt to use the tools you have at hand. This is the sign of a good tradesman. Machine tools cost a lot and even the tool holders and end mills will run you into the thousands. Great job my friend. Maximus has spoken. kzbin.infovideos?view_as=subscriber

[@DaveSmith-cp5kj]

This is one thing I have an issue with the 3D printing community. Because you are drawing straight from CAD to CAM, they never learn how to make efficient designs, or ones that are easily end user serviceable. Many 3D printed designs are very difficult to translate to higher quality metal products, even through advanced casting techniques.

[@gregoryphillips142]

First time viewer. I love the way you get to the point quickly.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

+Gregory Phillips I'm glad you like it :-)

[@superhorse7191]

Gregory Phillips I'm a first timer reading your comment so ditto also I'll double down on that!

[@WPXTacoMan477]

He didn't get to the point till 5:23

[@thundercuck1779]

10 minutes, it could of been explained in almost 1 or 2 min, but hes nice to watch

[@robthesultan]

Are you joking

[@cindysullivan4265]

Very COOL!! My mini mill is arriving in a couple days, and I was dreading buying a rotary vise to Make the small Parts needed for a prototype truck part I am inventing..I was quoted $700.00 To have 6 radiused parts made on a CNC mill plus 3-4 week lead time..if they needed adjustments It was the same cost, and wait time..You have solved both my prototype cost plus a long wait! I have approximately $1200.00 in the mill, tooling, clamps etc... I will have them completed by The end of the week, and now I can also prototype an actuator assembly with radiused ends!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! GREAT TIP AND VIDEO! Don Sullivan

[@J9_j3]

most excellent trick. thank you for sharing.

[@DaardieAnderMan]

It's like the world sent this video to me. Just today, I wss struggling to figure out how I could cut 3 radii quickly. Thank you so much!!! Awesome video! Awesome attitude! Awesome teaching technique!

[@TM15R]

Really slick. Sometimes the easiest methods are the best. Keep up the good work.

[@jimfitzgibbon5492]

Great tip Dave, I,m a retired tool maker & I seem to remember that trick many years back. Maybe not but ether way you refreshed my memory if I did & forgot. It,s funny to what you said. We NEVER quit learning.

[@elmarqo_3448]

very clever Dale. I subscribed. can't wait to see more of your tips and tricks.

[@tims2188]

Novice metal worker! Now 3-17-2021 I am looking to create a part for a 70's era motorcycle springer that is elusive to find. Instead of paying a machinist, I have a used Smithy with end mill that I need to learn to use. Looking to take a 1" thick by 2" wise piece of AL and put a 1" radius on the end, by far this is a great example of how I could accomplish the radius. Thanks despite this post being about 6 years old now!

[@aphexengineeringfabricatio955]

It's a useful trick, but setting up a rotary table is pretty straight forward for things like this, and will give far better results - and once you've learned the set-up shortcuts, it's probably just as quick. Also, you should never set Z zero with the knee handle removed or on the left...

[@RazorCustoms]

New to machining, why not removed? Also, not all brand new home machinists have access to a rotary table. We tend to get components as we can afford them.

[@aphexengineeringfabricatio955]

@@RazorCustoms without the handle in place, you can't accurately determine the current state of the backlash on the knee leadscrew.

[@philipbisson2593]

What a perfect hit for the day..... You have made this hobby machinist a happy fellow...Thank You !!

[@Jianju69]

Always cool to see real machinists solve these problems. Makes me feel a bit sheepish for doing everything with CNC.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

we don't all have CNC machines. :-)

[@Jianju69]

***** Yep, and truly I think the manual machinists are of superior caliber.

[@MTG_CMG]

Not necessarily. Some machinists actually do programming that can do plenty of complex things to figure out some "seems impossible" things. It's still cool seeing this manually done, though.

[@bollywoodbeats911]

Great,excellent,now that is what you say ,man using his brain and nothing is impossible.Thanks for sharing how to cut a perfect raduis.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@randyhertzberg7549]

I showed that same "trick" to a coworker , when he didn't believe that I could shear a circle

[@owpeterj]

As I am a beginner, your demonstration and presentation makes a usable impact. My head rattles with ideas of tools, jigs and so on. Thanks - ja, I did sub

[@knightlangelot5238]

thank you for sharing. I enjoy it and I'm not even a machinist! subscribed.

[@nojorseguairacapiotu]

Dale Thanks for this tips because I´m a mechanic guy doing machinist program in College. I really appreciate it.

[@ShivJG13]

I'm just in the process of buying my first milling machine, and this is the first "how to" video I've watched. Already I feel like I've learned a lot. Looking forward to trying this out as a learning exercise. :)

[@tictac9229]

How's the milling machine, made anything cool?

[@ShivJG13]

@@tictac9229 well, it's standing there in the garage, not doing anything sadly. I've been struggling this last year to get my head into the right place to make anything. I have started making a brake lever for a motorbike though, and that's about 60% done. Once I get my head together I'll resume making it. It's not the easiest thing to make for a first project! Haha 😅

[@pirminkogleck4056]

@@ShivJG13 get yourself together and find a nice project! this is no excuse ;) i was 7 years homeless and injected 20 shots heroine each day ! and i am on my machines each day! i make a small engine as my first timer project. maybe i can motivate u to find something cool and get the mill going

[@middleway1885]

​@ShivJG boop... how did the project go? I've found Bach Flower Remedies to help with all kinds of emotional/mental states... You can also use NLP techniques to change those old 'triggers'... (We do it all the time, changing from one state to another... if you want to make one, all you have to do is remember the steps you chose to be your 'trigger'... and your 'emotional peak' is key, as well.) Another is, Change the way you perceive it by 'muting' it or shrink it... And make it ginormous and loud... and Blissful... of that which you want to be your experience in life... Just think about all those Blissful moments you can create by being free from those pesky limiting voices... (the 'mask' that looks and sounds like you, but it only limits and creates suffering; you'd be surprised who is behind that mask)... Towards more Blissful moments~!

[@fall22123]

Great video. Thanks for posting it. I like seeing people make do with what they have.

[@Abom79]

Good tips Dale!!! Hey get up with me soon.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

+Abom79 Thanks, Ill call you this week

[@dollarking9641]

Nice !

[@dragman377]

You and others here, have renewed my interest in metal working. Love your video's.

[@macrory]

My boss is wondering if there's a faster way to do that. I told him to buy a CNC.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

LAUGHT OUT LOUD

[@jhareng]

CNC would be far slower, build in the time to proggy could do 5 by the time even done that way above.

[@scottnipper5066]

Or retrofit a ProtoTrak controller on your mill. But for a couple one off parts, this is the smartest, most efficient, way.

[@themonkeyproject]

@@jhareng promise you I could fatfinger a program and have 20 done in the time it took to do your 5. That program would be like 10-20 lines of code, start to finish.

[@jhareng]

@@themonkeyproject I would certainly hope so thats very basic. One thing all you cncers cant grasp is simple basic work holding on zero, in any case radius should have been put in with the holes. You think i would part machine the end profile like the video above, think again. Done exactly the same as your cnc super machine without the programming and setup which means i would do faster!

[@DennyWizard]

Great tip - once you get it that far along you can reset the ctr and stick the pin in the vice grab the work-piece with a vice grip and pull the work-piece around to make the radius smooth - that's how I do my connection rods

[@therealstubot]

"Every day is a school day" - My new mantra.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

+Jeff Stewart I wish I could say that quote is mine. Thanks for watching

[@donking6527]

Scotty ,that's because your use to the rotary table ,what if the rotary table is being used,Try to do it like this a few times and you might like it.I like it ,as long as I'm only doing a few parts,it might be kind of slow if you have to do it to a string of parts.

[@craigsudman4556]

Dale great outside the box thinking. I'm a carpenter/metalworker and I find that a lot of your trips and tricks work with wood as well. Great job keep it up!

[@Ttavoc]

Perfect method to lose a finger. Never ever adjust a part in the vice while the mill is running.

[@Ttavoc]

@oTomahuK We are talking about Basics. Absolute basics. You dont need to put your hand on the part while milling. You have a vice.

[@frenchroast1355]

​@oTomahuK 😂

[@marvinmyers9367]

And yet he still has all of his fingers.

[@30wrdy]

Not with that attitude

[@maxwellbarnhart1375]

​@oTomahuK8945lol that's hilarious. But no. Don't wear gloves around drill bits.

[@jonpayne6482]

After forty years in the business/trade that's a new one on me. Life is good outside the box!

[@ralphschoch9538]

Did you ever try disengaging a rotary table and turning the part with your hand? Using a 4 flute end mill and NOT climb milling it works better than you would think. This can also be done by setting a vertical pin and hand feeding the part thru the rotation. Similar to what wood workers do with the band saw. Thoughts?

[@Stephen1455]

+Ralph Schoch Refer to Oxtool Tom Lipton. Very good method.

[@chuckgood5442]

I was thinking something similar. I'm just an apprentice now buy seems like putting a pin in and rotating the part is easiest way. I use the cnc mill for my radii and that's how it cuts. With the side of the end mill.

[@charleshubert6751]

Exactly, with conventional milling it self limits.

[@breakingtoast2255]

lol all the maths and tricks learning my trade in machining and this has got to be one of the most brilliant ideas that I have never seen

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Thanks for your comment. Glad I could help.

[@metalmorphist]

I have a rotary table and if doing 1 or 2 parts, I think this is it. Thanks

[@pops87fxr]

Excellent, you are a very good teacher, never would have thought about doing this

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Thanks. I got lucky. Even broken clock is right twice a day. LOL

[@xxinsufficiency]

Being unsafe “because of time”. You’re setting a really good example...of what not to do

[@coreydolan]

This is by far my favorite video you've produced so far! I've probably re-watched a dozen times.

[@tommynordin2484]

I was doing this trick and to save time I kept the machine on. I was so focused on the part that I wasn't watching out for my finger. Now I have a shattered finger tip, part of my nail bed is gone, and partially no feeling in my finger. And with all the money spent at the hospital I could have bought another bridgeport.

[@culmalachie]

Yes! Think outside the box and have a mental , if not written "Procedure" is my advice to students. All very well talking about CNC stuff - but you have to understand the process - even for when the CNC goes down. Well explained and shown - and for all the time it takes, better than the agricultural angle grinder or better belt sander! Know from hot fingers. great videos thankyou

[@bctrails7206]

why not set pin in vice at 90 degrees and rotate part on pin into bit with wrench/holder from back?

[@Oaf2877]

that is so dangerous. bad advice.

[@bctrails7206]

well that's why i asked, thanks! planning on purchasing a few bits for drill press and wondering how to properly and safely use to radius some small brackets for trail bike swing arm end flange.

[@Toolmamon]

Actually it is good advice. That is the way I would do it. You just have to feed into it little by little and not all in one shot. That is how I would do it!.

[@bctrails7206]

think i will have to try it! going to have lots of small parts i want to round edges on thick and thin.

[@bctrails7206]

also might try with a bolt n washer to pivot part on just in case part wants to jump

[@45SideShow]

Years later and this is still a great tip! Always learning in the machine shop.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Glade you liked it. :-)

[@davidjanda2888]

I'm a first time viewer, worked in a machine shop all my career in cnc machining. Allways wonder how they did profiles before cnc. Thanks for the video.

[@robertchauval2682]

AWESOME.. Just found your page - Ive been mulling over this problem for the last couple of weeks - thanks for the clear and well produced demonstration. Subscribed..

[@FredMiller]

Cool tip Dale. I am sure the safety trolls loved it too. LOL Happy 4th my friend!

[@triggerguard1]

If you ever run into a situation where the radius is not concentric to the hole, you could always turn down a pin, up or down from the bore size to accomplish the same thing, compensating for the offset of the two radiuses. Good tip. Just hope I can remember it, if the time ever comes. I seem to be forgetting more and more these days.

[@jwalexander1980]

Wow! There's a TON of trolls on here. Boy I'd love to see one of their videos since they're so perfect & smart!

[@MikeSmith-sm4zz]

Dam, never thought of this. Crude but incredibly effective and time saving. Brilliant! Thanks

[@ProtoG42]

Awesome, thanks!

[@BuildSomthingCool]

:-)

[@alanreynolds5985]

What a nice precise video. Great tip, thank you. I'm just about to have to use a mill at the age of 72 (yep still working) and although I'm know as 'Super Al' and expected to know everything, as you say, every day is a school day. If you don't learn something everyday, it's time to retire. While people like you are around, I'll need to keep working.

[@BurtonsAttic]

Nice tip Dale, I don't have a rotary table so this is useful to me as I would normally do this all with a band saw/grinder/file/sweat/time/etc. I've seen parts that where made in this manner before that where not fine finished, just didn't realize how it was done. Thanks.

[@adamralstein6655]

Thanks Dale,I'm doing a course on fitting and turning, so this has been helpful

[@marktucker1651]

I used my radii cutters. and use them in the lathe to make ball end tooling quickley, wish i had cnc at my finger tips like I did at wolrk 20 years ago..... but I dont. pockets are very shallow these days. but this is a good lesson about using you head. thanks for the food for our brains.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Hi Mark, Thanks for your comment. I'm glad I could feed some thought

[@gwheyduke]

Why don't we lock the pin vertically in the vice and then rotate the part ?

[@TitoRigatoni]

+gwheyduke Because then the part wouldn't be clamped. Are you thinking about holding the part with your hand and feeding it into a mill? That's a pretty bad idea...

[@TheMetalButcher]

+Tito Rigatoni That's what Tom Lipton does.

[@TitoRigatoni]

justfakeit888 I have no idea who Tom Lipton is, but it's still a pretty bad idea.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

+gwheyduke ...if you want to hold it with your fingers !!!

[@Stephen1455]

+Tito Rigatoni Actually I watched and it looked pretty safe.

[@Bartolobot]

Love your channel Dale, Worth watching when your trying to learn something. Same with Abom79, This old Tony, Steve Jordan, and there are others. but so many videos that don't explain what they're doing or what the purpose of the video is or just talk too much. You on the other hand, Dale are wealth of info!

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Thanks for the comment. :-)

[@keaganwells3828]

First video I found of yours, instant subscribe. I just picked up a Grizzly Mini Mill for really cheap, still a beginner but have used a Bridgeport.. Eager and loved this video. Sad to see you haven't posted in a while, hope all is well! Plenty for me to catch up on.

[@mikeyoung6731]

nice, I've been machining for over 20 years. haven't seen that one until now. again nice.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Thank Mike😀😀😀

[@philipgeorge5708]

So useful parts I have to do are too small for a rotary table. A big thank you.

[@ManicMater86]

awesome quick tip been a cnc machinist sharpening my manual skills ready to add this into my skills

[@adhdlight6005]

That was pretty bad ass i always wondered if there was a different method of making a radius on a manual

[@andrewdaniels7076]

Im going to use this method for some parts I need a radius on for clearance. I made a few others with the rotary table but it's such a pain in the butt to set up. this will make it much easier to knock out the couple of parts i need

[@joescola7498]

I'm just a beginner so these tips are so helpful!

[@wilcorijlaarsdam6194]

DANGEROUS watch out for your fingers

[@wtf9246]

First time I watched your video. They don't teach this stuff anymore. I always thought my machinists were the best guys to know. Still do! Thanks.

[@dragman377]

Tried this a while back and it worked quite well.....thanks for the tip.

[@ZygmuntKiliszewski]

A simple method but very effective. Congratulations 👌.

[@ProfSimonHolland]

Can’t wait to try this Dale...thanks

[@mopar1465]

I lost 3 fingers just by watching the video

[@shirothehero0609]

Jeez, you're a TERRIBLE machinist then.

[@vossievos3040]

Excellent practical trademanship

[@derekswann1315]

Very nicely done in cutting that radius, that was a great tip

[@willemhouweling9257]

Never ever! adjust your workpiece with the mill still running! one wrong move or slip and bye bye fingers! argh

[@denniswinter7714]

Outstanding, I like thinkers Their is always a way to do things all it takes is good thought. Thanks Dale!!

[@niltonpolydoro1]

Very nice tip. Thanks for sharing with us. Congratulations from Brazil. Nilton Polydoro

[@kynemarshall360]

Good thinking 99. One question I have is regarding your filing action. I was taught (from way back in metal shop at High School), that when filing a radius, it should be done with an action opposite the curvature. I've always used this method with superior results to when filing 'with' the radius. I am Australian though.... maybe it's a hemispherical thing :)

[@aronbennett4760]

That finish looks great.

[@erikev]

And 8 years later: If you just mount the part on a rotary table, you can just swing it around and mill it perfectly with one quick cut.

[@josip.harasic]

Tako ja radim već 35 godina...

[@ilikeoranges4]

I can’t believe that I haven’t thought of this before! This is genius!

[@ctrchg]

Pretty cool! Love your tips & tricks.

[@darrenoliverio7259]

quick, and well thought out. you are articulate. NICE JOB!

[@andersgrassman6583]

Great idea! 😃 In most cases the outer radius isn't actually a critical functional dimension. It might be there just to provide clearance, or even just for looks! Like if you for example make a small model built up crancshaft, this method will make it look great with very little work. And a lot of hobby machinist's don't even have a rotary table as an option.

[@scottmarshall6766]

That's a keeper. Looking forward to using it. Thanks.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

it's a good technique.

[@rafaelortega5990]

I like your commonsense easy and to the point

[@lbccwelderman]

Wow I which I would have had this video 10 years ago. Great vid

[@garybendickson7262]

Slick way to do that Well Done haven't had to do this but I can very quickly.

[@MrJitendra007]

Now I can see the benefit of youtube.....Gr8 video...loved it.

[@jen5092]

Awesome! Such a creative way to do it.

[@JermwoodMakes]

Just stumbled onto your channel. Very cool man, I will definitely use that trick to mill a radius! Thank you. Subscribed.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Welcome to Metal tips and tricks.

[@marc-antoinethebeautiful7714]

this was my first video that I saw of you can't wait to see what your channel is about.

[@doraleousandassociates]

Nice. Master machinist here. Good demonstration bro. Almost forgot that.. thanks.

[@tomwyrick2824]

Great shortcut! Makes me think in a whole new direction.

[@BuildSomthingCool]

Glad I could help

[@donaldnaymon3270]

Great video. Great tip. Thank you for sharing

[@ironhorse1888]

Great Technique. I'll try this soon in making radii on my mill. thank you

[@markanthonysmith413]

Great video, part of an engineers job thinking outside of the box...all the best mark.

[@jimmorton5820]

Very nice. Thanks for showing.