Job Blending Part 1: Machining a Drive Hub for a Tractor Axle Shaft

What looked to be just a couple of simple jobs, we could compare the two mills with became a small challenge to machine, a mix and match drive hub, on an old tractor axle shafts. We also put in a plug for Mr. Pete on his new course style videos located on LFE. here is the link; www.lfe.com/cou... Sorry I have fixed it now!

[@andrewclarke3750]

You hit the nail on the head when you said you have to keep old school alive. Without old school there would not be new school as you have to understand the basic fundamentals of how things work in order to improve upon them. You could not write a CNC program without first knowing how the machine will cut. I enjoy watching your videos as well as mrpete222's as they are informative and you both get the message across very well. Thanks for taking time out to pass on your knowledge to everyone.

[@not2fast4u2c]

Yes Mr Pete is a Great Shop Teacher He has Taught me alot about lathes Thanks Keith for mentioning his channel Your Videos also Offer alot of learning in all the different Jobs that come in the door and I enjoy the hands on views of your Builds and Repairs !!!

[@outsidescrewball]

A buddy is there to help you as they can.....Keith and Pete are my buds and yours too! They are lucky that we all don't live close to them cause what a crowd they would attract. Thank you both for your time and passion to this trade.

[@yeshelloyou]

Hello Keith. Dont sell yourself short! you explain things just as good as Mr. Pete. You both have your own areas of teaching and are both masters in your field. There are some excellent guys out there and in my opinion you both are a cut above the rest and another guy I love to watch is Shopdogsam, a wealth of information presented in his own way. Fantastic work from you all :-)

[@ahz123]

You show class by plugging Mr Pete. Mr Pete is awesome.

[@mr.ostrander684]

Wanted to thank you as well. I started watching at the Babbit pour and have followed you ever since. The videos have really brought my work and teaching to the next level.

[@crabbyfrog]

Kieth, Thanks for all you do, I learn a lot just from watching you. I to am a fan of Mr. Pete, I learned to run my lathe watching his video. I'd also like to point out Jodie Collier for anything welding, he is a pro and great at explaining what he is doing. Thanks for passing your knowledge forward.

[@RemyDarke]

Mr Pete is a great teacher. He was also how I found your channel Keith.

[@chemech]

Mr. Pete is a great teacher - he does especially well at teaching the basic principles and techniques... I found Keith via Mr. Pete. Keith does a great job of showing you how to do precision work when you are pushing your equipment to the max. Also, great info on how a turnwright / millwright deals with shafts and sheaves, and how to use welding to make the machining go easier...

[@Cavemannspace]

I learned of you from Mr. Pete. I've learned a few things to do in my home shop. Big thanks to both of you.

[@frollard]

In all these videos, the one SKILL I've learned most (and appreciate you leaving in the edit): Cleaning up as you go. I can think of a hundred projects I've stalled on because my workspace was dirty/cluttered. You pick up a tool, use it, and put it back in one shot - then go onto the next part. Kudos.

[@aryesegal1988]

Mr Keith I'm a subscriber to Mr. Pete for a long time now (a year or so), he's a great instructor! :) Just wanted to say thank you for the level of detail you put in your videos as well! :) Can't wait for the next parts, I love big projects like this one :]

[@raymondclark1458]

Great video as always Keith! Thank you. Also appreciated the plug for Mr. Pete (aka Tubal Cain). The man has the heart of a teacher and is a pleasure to watch and listen to. I'm 40 yrs old and still find myself 'paying attention in class...' 😉. On a side note, it was actually Mr. Pete that introduced me to your channel. Good stuff. All of it. Thanks!

[@odc43054]

Hi Keith. My condolences on the loss of you grandmother. Love the new Lincoln gear!

[@KeithFenner]

The video was intended to show milling differences in between the K&T and the Bridgeport, then found a problem with the hub key before starting to cut it, so continued to work large squares and the second video finished up on the changed plans for the hubs. But the biggest lesson is jobs change sometimes and you need to keep eyes open, don't just take one word and adapt to keep the work flowing, without blowing a gasket! ;{)-----

[@jimbailey6522]

Could not agree more about Tublecain..I found him when i was researching info on my old Logan..He in turn sent me your way with a plug..Between the 2 of you, there must be a thousand videos of great teachings..

[@phillipjones3342]

I watch Mr. Pete as much is I watch you Keith great criteria

[@tonyrmathis]

Look at the view count vs. subscribers. That's a ratio all youtubers would envy. I've seen people with 1 million subscribers that don't get this many views on a video. Good Job Keith! Oh and you guys that aren't subscribed PLEASE remember to do so.

[@altonwhipkey2411]

I think Mr. Pete is the best for telling like it is, he's great in my book, He can teach us all a lesson

[@earendall]

Good stuff Keith. I enjoy the vids. I agree that we machinists need to keep the trade alive. For a little while I dropped out of it only to come back and fall in love with it again. Videos such as yours and Mr Pete hopefully invigorate the trade. I'm doing my part working on an instructor position at the local community college. Continue the good work.

[@bigunone]

Keith, I don't believe I have ever seen anyone use their hand on the rod to guide it! I wish I had, it would have made somethings much easier. Thanks Charlie

[@spongerich]

Thanks for that video Keith. I have to admit that I took just a little too much pleasure watching you get that #$%&# welding rod stuck a bunch of times. I'm a novice welder and sticking is one of the things that frustrates me the most. It makes me feel *SO* much better to see that an accomplished veteran like yourself still sometimes has the same difficulty.

[@iancraig1951]

I am telling you Keith--you are pretty good at communication and teaching yourself-- you get a lot of ideas over---there is the brotherhood of man-- of fellow fixer uppers-you live on the other side of the world from me and we can communicate in a very meaningful way,mainly you to me but already I look on you as a mate,we have similar interests and its win win for everyone.. There are people who just want to kill and cause havoc and youtubers are exactly the opposite view..Its fantastic there are people like you willing to put up videos.Ian

[@Gerhardter]

Tubalcain and weldingtipsandtricks for the basics and Keith Fenner to see what you can do with it. But the most important thing: Get to the workshop and use it! Keith, your videos are great, a big thank you from an austrian mini-lathe and mini-mill operator!

[@wfd805]

Thanks for the link. Sorry for the loss. Be safe.

[@sjacobson005]

I enjoy all of your videos. I especially appreciate your ability to use the correct technical terms for procedures and tools.

[@billdlv]

Nice work Keith. I was wondering about the material springing up after you had made you cuts with the shell mill. Right then you started talking about that, great info.

[@OutOfTheirSkulls]

Keith, is 100% right about Mr.Pete.

[@Bereft777]

Of all milling I think this cut is the most satisfying. 4" cutter trucking along, great finish too.

[@turbinedoctor]

I am glad to talked about why you were taking so much material off of the work piece. I was starting to cringe at all that waste. I also had no idea that that much material could be taken off in one pass. Thanks.

[@mr.ostrander684]

MrPete222 the best! Plan on using them in my classroom next year. Love this guy

[@KeithFenner]

I have fixed the link now, I'll catch you all in a couple days, funeral for a 99 year old grandma! good cheer, bragging rights! ;{)-----

[@tobsco2]

Yes, on machines with some backlash in the feed like you will find on most manual machines, this is the way you want to go, especially for heavy cuts. Modern CNC machines and manual machines without any backlash can cut the other way and is generally preferred. It's called conventional vs climb milling.

[@stanleyrodgers3375]

Great vid! Like your work holding solution, leaves tool path wide open. Respectable cuts, good to see the old girl still has it in her! I'm a little surprised you did not use the horizontal spindle with an arbor and the outboard arbor support, but maybe you don't have a wide enough slab milling cutter? Would it have been any quicker to have milled using the horizontal spindle?

[@WAVETUBE84]

Good comment. A "shell" mill is a modular tool: bits, shell, and arbor. A basic/plain/ordinary mill is a single unit. That's a lot of expensive alloy! Various diameter, style, etc., "shells" can be attached to a standard arbor. If you crash a basic mill, it is damaged or ruined. If a "shell" mill wears out you just replace the cutting inserts. If it crashes, the arbor or shell may survive...

[@2007markb]

Love the new lincoln electric shirt and the new gloves! Another set of great videos keith!

[@KeithFenner]

Yes, the table has a drain that passes back down though a return system built into the machine, Cool! glad your able to understand my old school names for some of the tooling. Before inserted facing heads all simular type cutter were called shell mills, in my book. ;{)-----

[@HWPcville]

Keith, you crack me up. After measuring with your machinist scale (5 or 6 times on each side of the hold down clamps @6:15) and lightly tapping with a hammer and measuring one more time you say "close". :-) I know its a machinist thing and to be more than close you would have used a dial indicator but it struck me funny. I enjoy all your videos and appreciate you taking the time and effort to produce them.

[@edmundmatthews3180]

Great stuff you and Mr Peterson are amazing. Thanks for the information. I've watched all his vids over and over. Wish I had seen both of you before I bought a Chinese piece of junk mill, drill, lathe. Had it 4 months and had to fix it right out of the box and everyday it took up space in my shop. Sent it back for refund. If you guys see used american made machinery, Bridgeport or Southbend or equivalent, please let me know. Thanks for all you do Edmund Matthews

[@KeithFenner]

Well I don't have the killer band saw, that would auto feed through a three inch thick part for the three foot long cut and cutting it in the mill, with the same set up, for roughing it, is able to create the finish true to the part also. ;{)-----

[@KeithFenner]

I had a problem when I get rushed. I just tested it out myself and works now. Thanks for bringing it up to my attention! ;{)------

[@matter9]

Great tip about the table trough, thanks Keith!

[@68sweetnovember]

excellent vid Mr. Fenner....pleasant to watch & learn....

[@alhagopian2100]

you are very smart kieth thank you for machineing the parts for my south bend 14

[@Sodaexe]

for sure on the old + new skills mixd togehter it is grate that way , Iam a cnc lathe and mill operator did both of the trainies in germany, and here we allways start with the oldest mashines untill you know your stuff/needs on it then move on like everything about metal to put in a nut shell, peace from germany and keep it up !

[@darrenjlobb]

Keith, What is the granite sink / well thing in the background at a few points in the video? Excellent video as normal! :)

[@andrewwilson8317]

I am lucky enough to have a pair of matching machine vices for my mill,they can hold long jobs no problem,good thing to look out for or even machine to get a pair same hight? When comes to removing so much stock like this I like to use a carbide tipped slitting saw to cut off the excess. As a bonus, you get a good offcuts to use on another job! Great video by the way.

[@paulreider]

Keith, thanks for another great video, you are the best...? @ 30:55 you show a rawhide mallet do you know where I could get one of those mallets? and @ 10:15 you are welding with a 90 degree rod holder for your stick welder, any chance you could share that part # with me...?

[@esoomreltna]

Keith, I believe you removed about 1/2' off the bars. Would it have been OK to run the bars through the band saw first, say take 3/8 off and finish up in the mill? Thank you for the great videos. Eric

[@b3nsb3nz]

So you use the aluminum plates to help with the splattering of the coolant, but where does it all go? Does that machine have some sort of drain in the table or something? One last thing, is what your calling a shell mill the same as a face mill? Thanks for another great video.

[@AstraWerke]

The problem of the chatter may also have resulted from the inserts not being able to cut away the most upper part of the work - so the cut maybe was deeper then the cutting edge of the inserts which thereby made the shell mill itself rubbing on the metal.

[@scotttipps8155]

I would kill to find a large cast iron table such as yours. Keep on keeping on, love the vids. Get er done!!!!!

[@KeithFenner]

If you add a shim to the center you will be changing the thickness of the overall length and have a bow also. but good thought. the full length was cut into 3 or 4 pieces. ;{)-----

[@klincoln75]

That k&t is sure a sweet machine!! I must have one.

[@eelcogg]

Amazing, it is a mix of science, art and lots of skill :)

[@AlchemistLair]

Hey Keith, I tried the link (after you said you fixed the previous problem and now I get this: 404 - File or directory not found. I've seen Mr. Pete's videos and just bought his series on "How to Run a Lathe" as I have recently purchased a South Bend Heavy 10. They are very good videos for sure!!

[@chadstrutzenberg9171]

I agree with you on Mr. Pete! Also I’ve had to deal with lotta hogs in my life, and they weren’t the squealing type either

[@bruno640]

I used to work with a fella a lot-shorter than me. I'd get tired of gettin' the "knee"-crank in my shins---so I'd leave it in the half-hitch-up position. He'd come along after me, and get it in the groin---after which we both-agreed to RE-name it the "knutt"-crank, when he operated it. I miss those days, and even though I ended-up on a CNC-Okuma machine center before retirement? I always missed the "romance" of these! And I see you have the same feline-"boss" in your-shop as I do in mine...!

[@davidhoekje7842]

Thanks for the videos, always enjoy them. I'm curious about a setup like you used for those slabs. With the 15/1000 of preload on those pieces, if you put a dial indicator at the center of those slabs would you see them rise measurably? In other words, if this were high precision would the tension of the tie downs influence the dimensions in a meaningful way? Thanks!

[@bentontool]

Keith, I am a novice, but I wonder why not just band-saw the waste? Thanks for the great videos...

[@daleburrell6273]

That would require a really good-size bandsaw...and it would STILL take a long time to get the job done-!!

[@schneidp20]

It looks like when you do the side cuts like this, it's kind of like the way you run a router, the cut rotation is against the feed direction. Correct?

[@bux49]

Keith, I would have been safer as far as wearing a watch and long sleeves? It just takes a second to loose and finger or hand. Was there any bowing of the piece from milling on one side only?

[@GMCShazamataz]

Keith, I'm guessing its not imperitive that the part stays straight in this case, but if it was imperitive would you just toe clamp a small block in the middle of the piece to take out the 20-25thou of bend? Also, A big thanks to you for sending me the hat. (working with my wife on the sly) I could hardly believe my eyes when I got home from work and found one of your hats on my desk. A total serprise. Thanks again....

[@KeithFenner]

Yes the way I use my coolant keeps the insert longer than running it dry. ;{)-----

[@bcbloc02]

It is my understanding all face mills are shell mills but not all shell mills are face mills. Shell mills are cutters with multiple inserts, the orientation of the insert determines the type of shell mill it is ie possibly a face mill. It depends on the operation it is designed for, some chamfer, some face, some bore, and so on. His K&T like my Cincinnati has a drain with a screen over it built into the back of the table. It routes the coolant back into the base of the machine its also the sump.

[@WAVETUBE84]

It's a stone hand wash sink. There were a lot of them at the Long Beach McDonnell-Douglas aircraft plant. Look at the price on Grangers: around $4500!! The stainless steel ones go up to $9000+++ similar to a BRADLEY-Washfountain

[@daleburrell6273]

SINCE WHEN DO STATUES HAVE TO WASH THEIR HANDS(?)

[@KeithFenner]

I like the bessy clamps and they are low profile and out of the way for tacks and welds if working the foot side of the clamp. ;{)-----

[@subieism]

Another great one Keith,by the way: i didn't see the scene where Obiwan helped Aragon and Gandalf,hmm have to see that movie again, the sixth time. lol Best regards from Denmark Ps, I've just started going to Metal-college here in Denmark(in the age of 43) all credits to Mr Pete and You , love your vids'

[@stanleyrodgers3375]

Thanks, Keith! Would have been fun to watch, too! I see NOS top US brand HSS horizontal slab cutters on "that auction site" for pennies on the dollar...but you've already got the operation covered with that shell mill cutter and replacing inserts is likely cheaper than sending an HSS cutter out for sharpening.

[@KeithFenner]

They are the standard length rods may be the camera angle or something. ;{)-----

[@edgeman333]

Keith, Question, Why did you end O the bar you were thicknessing with the Milling cutter, Looks as if you have the table length and travel to mill in one set-up? What am I missing? I realize the way compliance may give you a bit of a bend in the machined face due to overhang, But will be the same even if you end O? Great video, E J

[@sawdustmaker49]

what exactly are you milling in this video? I watched part 2, and saw the hubs and keyways, but I can't figure out what the big piece of steel is for.

[@KeithFenner]

The parts are antique tractor hubs. ;{)-----

[@daleburrell6273]

...for the HELL of it(?)

[@KeithFenner]

I just asked her! She said; "good for ya, always thought you could be a teacher." I wouldn't be where I'm at, with our own business, if it wasn't for her, support. She enjoys the reads and meeting those who stop by to say hi, especially those from across the pond. ;{)------

[@127069]

Very true if you have a big shaper, peel that off in no time!

[@esoomreltna]

Keith, What rod and setting did you use to weld the hold down tabs on? Great video. Thank you Eric

[@Gerhardter]

Hey Keith! Really nice video, again! But I have a question... I have to say that I don't wanna be a Mr. Know-it-all but my teachers always told me to use much more coolant than you on carbide mills or to work completely without coolant because the thermal shock may destroy the inserts. The way you cool, do the inserts last longer than working dry? Hope my english is okay, I'm from Austria so German is my mother tongue. Keep doing what you do, it's awesome to see!

[@Ron_EZ]

Keith, I see your shop is used to house some of your old Halloween costumes. Great videos lots of good info, I love seeing talking nothing and making something. Keep up the great work.

[@bx2200]

Hi Keith, What kind of coolant are you using on the K&T. Great video, as always.

[@WAVETUBE84]

Check out the Miller welding products website: Stick Welding Calculator. But the "general rule" (for approximate amperage setting) is one amp per 1/1000" of rod diameter. 1/8" = .125" So, roughly, around 125 amps. Add or subtract from there, depending upon material thickness, etc.

[@skrem63]

Hi Kate! Why use welding MMA, not accustomed to see you with the welding. My opinion TIG or MIG more technological.

[@andywander]

Hi Keith-why did you need to endo that piece on the K & T? Does the table not travel that far?

[@johnmcmickle5685]

What happened ot the square steel you were working on in the first part.

[@KeithFenner]

Yes, there is always a bowing effect to some extent, just like a weld pull. the bars were cut into four small pieces and the bow was not of concern, on this pacific job but I like the comment and everyone should be aware of stress relieving by removal as much as weld pull and or heat draw. ;{)-----

[@SlowEarl1]

Hi Keith, how fast was your spindle speed when you ran the turbo endmill. thanks

[@res1492]

why did you have the rods in the oven..does it make it easier to weld

[@KeithFenner]

That was 1/8" Excalibur 7018, set the machine at about 120 ;{)-----

[@edadpops1709]

Im subbed with Mr pete,love his vids .

[@M1028Man]

Hey Keith odd question here. What kind of pants are you wearing? I've been looking for that style for awhile now and can't seem to find any I'm happy with. Thanks!!

[@edadpops1709]

seems like a nice shop vac what brand do you like ??

[@KeithFenner]

I like Craftsman and Shop Vac ;{)-----

[@joemcglothlin1058]

+1 on Mr. Pete's videos.

[@richardhjones5576]

who invented the electric arch welder and when?

[@rjlundeen]

Know I like that. I had a shop cat, best assistant I've ever had.

[@rg7474]

Why do not you use the pliers snap?

[@paulduffey7975]

Ditto Mr Pete. Thanks for vid.

[@KeithFenner]

Cool! thanks for the comment! ;{)------

[@gbowne1]

I noticed that too. I would have been near 325SFM.

[@KeithFenner]

That is a wash sink, foot peddle operated, use to be in a school. ;{)-----

[@konaryders]

stronghand clamps? or bessey?

[@KeithFenner]

Bessey clamps! ;{)-------

[@dav1099]

Cool video Keith, I have not seem welding rods that long around here, they special order or something? Also like the way you say "we" most of the time, kinda like a 1 man team. I have a habit of doing the same thing. 8-) Keep the vids coming, always enjoy your efforts. 5*****

[@KeithFenner]

The travel of the table is only 28" and the parts are 36" and the heads sits of to one side or the other. ;{)-----