Making Some Custom Aluminum Brackets - Manual Machining on a Bridgeport

[@timscartoys9321]

I love your closing analogy!!! As head of maintenance, I had a Foreman that was just like that, and finally I told him that every time he asks "is it done yet" I will add another day before I get to it!! You know, he finally backed off and let me get it done for him!!

[@steverhodes467]

I couldnt agree more! I build custom smokers and santa marias and hand make almost every part. So many think Im amazon and pull these things off the shelf and glue them together. And I lm with you, there are so many times I have returned deposits for the very things you are talking about. When it comes to work like this, people are beyond unrealistic. Love your channel!!! Keep up the great work!!!

[@donwilson6617]

Its great to watch someone who actually knows what he is doing. You are an asset to You Tube...

[@StuartsShed]

That’s really excellent that you included the info at the end. Your average person just isn’t clued into how machine shops have to operate. Good message to get out there.

[@jiminalaska]

I owned a machine shop for 20 yrs, kept a mill and a lathe still like to make things and watch your videos, not many manual only shops around . None around here.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I'm one of the last ones around here.

[@GardenTractorBoy]

This was great to watch and it was interesting to see how you tackled a small production run. Thanks

[@alanm3438]

How nice to see you first thing in the morning. As always, you done a great job on the part and the video. When I had my shop, I struggled with the same thing. You can only do so much. I had a customer that did not want to pay me for programs that I made or purchased. If it was a program that I would use a lot, no problem but to use it only once, it is a big expense. The more you try to please someone the more it comes around to bite you in the ass. Thanks for the video!!😃😃😃

[@frankward709]

No the feeling I've sent customer away for the same reason Thanks for the video

[@juhajarkkoulvila7041]

you and your shop reminds me of my late father and his shop. extraordinary skills. as a mere mortal cnc machinist I value this kind shops and manual machinists / welders still going strong!

[@cjtroutt8092]

Josh I like the last part of customer service msg as a little kid in the back seat are where yet over and over. As I do not allow this happen here at all I make them sign a guidelines of contacting us during business hours only only after my cellphone was blown up on a weekend on that Monday morning I ask them to pickup there part and not to come back as they waste my time. The material did not go to waist. Marry Xmas and Happy new year.

[@carrollprice1213]

Thanks for the tip on climb milling aluminum. Which explains why the finish on aluminum I have side milled with conventional milling was not been as good as expected.

[@BrucePierson]

Hope you have a great Christmas without freezing and I hope your bees are OK. All the best from Queensland Australia.

[@inhibited44]

glad you mentioned you were taking 10 thou off the piece at 5:40. I was wondering what the setting on the cutter would be

[@joewithrow2345]

been down that road, Josh. had to order a rotary engine for an Rx7 and the airfreight threw the engine off in Arizona so instead of a couple of days to get back to the replacement ,I got a complaint filed against me with MAZDA; to which I got a call from Corporate Technical advisors and chewed out!! Then no apollogy when they determined it was the freighter's fault. Also got written up over a driver's error; I refused to warranty any engine work on her car as she hydro-locked the engine. It wasn't a factory defect ,so again got the call, got chewed out they wouldn't remove her complaint and I lost a trip to master tech regional compition. Life in the fast lane; they both kept calling on when can I have my car daily!

[@kentuckytrapper780]

Great video Josh, keep'um coming..

[@Peter-V_00]

I've too dealt with people like you describe Josh that somehow just don't understand sourcing parts or material can be problematic, I started putting it on the customer to get the needed materials for their job and lo and behold the majority of the phone calls stopped. One of the things that happened when I put this policy in motion was the customer many times would abandon their "project" all together due to the sourcing issues, kind of ironic how they expect you to spend your every waking moment bugging suppliers but when it comes to them doing it themselves they just don't have the time. Frustrating to say the least.

[@umahunter]

My biggest peeve is people want it done instantly but they also want a deal and don't wanna spend anything if you want someone to drop whatever they're doing to get your job done immediately it's gonna be priced accordingly for me to stay and work all night or you have to wait your turn in line 👍👍👍

[@Unrivaledanime]

Josh that is why you have priority pricing if you need it the next day it cost a lot more so they don't do that again... LOL...... Merry Christmas to you and your family

[@TopperMachineLLC]

He paid for it.

[@dalebennett8169]

Merry Christmas

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Short and sweet job there. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@bostedtap8399]

May I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Safe New year. Many thanks for all the videos in 2022, looking forward to 2023 Josh. Thanks for sharing

[@rickymale8203]

Hi Josh. Thanks for all your posts throughout the year. Merry Christmas. 👍

[@terryjennings2356]

MSC has the Kurt vise stops. I use rubber bands to hold parallels against the vice jaws. When milling aluminum I prefer a 3 flute carbide end mill and I run it as fast as the manual mill will go. On our HAAS VF-2 I run a 1/2" at 8,000 rpm and 100 ipm. WD-40 is the best cutting fluid for aluminum.

[@rayp.454]

Hi Josh, I noticed how your part cut off in the Johnson, twisting and possibly moving your stop. I had a Kalamazoo (9 x 18 w/ 1" blade) that did the same thing, so I made a fence/stop behind the part being cut, and collinear with the fixed vise jaw. That keeps everything straight when the part separates. Give it a try, I'm sure you will like it. Thanks for the great videos!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

That is not what you saw. My stop is movable. You set it, slide the part into it, then retract for the cut. After cut, move it back and repeat. Repeatability is within 0.005"

[@rayp.454]

@@TopperMachineLLC A swing away stop. Very cool. Thanks for explaining.

[@RalfyCustoms]

Merry Christmas Josh, best wishes to you and yours buddy, thanks for sharing journey this past year, here's to a wonderful 2023

[@sallybrokaw6124]

I worked in a farm equipment repair shop while in college. There were 3 of us and the owner who was busy hammering sawmill saws. First in was first out or you could leave the part or machine and we would work it in. We also stocked hardware, v belts and steel stock so we were always getting interruptions but that was the nature of the business. AL B.

[@wallbawden5511]

Josh i know how annoying that is when the customer is at you every day for the part had simulacra just the other day and i was weighting on stock to arrive for the job i should have watched your video earlier and i think i may have sent this chap on his way and i would go one further and let the other 2 shops in my area of his problem he just would be on phone every day and then wonted to torch about just any thing as if i was his best mate for an hour as well i did hang up on him on accusation but he would ring back as tho he is dong nothing wrong but wonted the job i did try to tell him i am a one man shop and need time to work not be on the phone with him any way i am now raving Sorry Josh nice job as is the norm from you i have picked up some tips off you so thanks Cheers

[@johnsullivan7633]

Good advise.

[@mightyrocker]

Great video!

[@danbreyfogle8486]

Merry Christmas Josh, I sure enjoy your content.

[@inhibited44]

wanted to see how it's done. Apparently you just watch the setting and turn when the settings are reached manually. Just getting familiar with bridgeports don't know yet when to turn the wheel left or right to make it move as needed

[@phicks42]

I get "one or five" parts made as part of my job. I ask for an estimated completion date, get that on the purchase order and go from there. I might have a local shop make some stuff for me, I'll operate the same way. I'd like to have benchtop mill, lathe and welder.

[@joewest1972]

Hi, in my little retirement hobby shop this is the kind of work I find myself doing quite a bit. I know for whatever reason lots of youtubers dont give info on pricing but it would be very helpful if you could offer an idea, a ball park of how to charge out these kinds of milling jobs. Thx

[@hacc220able]

Thanks for Sharing

[@TheTsunamijuan]

I am really curious, how much time did you spend planning out your process/order of operations. You did it so quickly and effortlessly. But I am sure that most of its from your vast experience. What can I say, I am in awe, and a little jealous.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you! Honestly I don't spend much time at all planning out this kind of job. A little figuring on paper to get my cutter locations and off to work. I've had some practice to get to this point.

[@TheTsunamijuan]

@@TopperMachineLLC You must of learned from some real masters :)

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@TheTsunamijuan the ones I worked with were good, but they mostly told me to figure it out. I've done well, but there is a lot I don't know.

[@RichardThompson-gc1cf]

Mr Topper merry christmas happy new year. Love your videos keep them coming

[@SouthernEngineering]

First thing in the morning with coffee, I enjoyed this; Merry Christmas. If you don't mind my asking, what would you ballpark for such a fast, simple job, sans-material?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I made my hourly rate X 2.5 plus a pain in the a$$ charge.

[@SouthernEngineering]

@@TopperMachineLLC Thanks for the feedback. I recently retired and would like to pick up a few $ with my shop, onesie to'sy projects to offset the cost of more tools 😁 I have a nice barn full of equipment, but the doc has yet to give me the go-ahead; while, I feel I'm ready, my wife is adamant that I wait a little longer. (guess she wants to keep me around a little longer) Thanks again for sharing, I look forward to you next video.

[@BrucePierson]

@@SouthernEngineering Hope the doc clears you to continue doing what you like doing.

[@basbh1782]

Josh Climb milling you are a rebel😀😁😂 I know it is hard to do the proper feeds and speeds required on a manual machines especially going into corners using DRO vs a CNC i know how you pride yourself on being a manual only shop but considering using Ez track or Proto Track or something on that line even though I am not a great fan of the Proprietary Property conversational programming because i am a dinosaur that learned on punch tape NC before the CNC days where the machine tool only went where you told it to go and didn't have a mind it's own and does all kinds of unnecessary moves. If you never show the controller and have your hands on the handles, only but a few astute Machinist would ever notice the difference I would never rat you out if you went to the upgraded technology. 😀😀😀

[@Randysshop]

Merry Christmas Josh.

[@BrucePierson]

For some reason, the audio was not good on my laptop. I watched a video from a different channel before your video and the audio was OK with the other one, so maybe that audio problem you mentioned previously is back? Otherwise, interesting video.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I tried fixing this video. It is the last one. No more made yet. Starting fresh in new year.

[@dannywilsher4165]

@@TopperMachineLLC I wasn't going to say anything, but I could barely hear your voice.

[@kamper4140]

Do you have ball screws in that mill? Climb cutting is best in every situation, but not always possible without ball screws.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

No ball screw. Just experience and knowhow. Tricks I picked up doing tool and die.

[@kamper4140]

@TopperMachineLLC you can get away with it depending, but that one time you get too aggressive, it gets interesting lol..

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

Just curious, when you were milling those cutouts you stated a couple times you were climb milling but when you cut a slot aren't you climb milling one side of the slot and conventional milling the other?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Technically the finished side of the cutout is climb milled. Which is what I want for a good finish in aluminum.

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

@@TopperMachineLLC 👍Gotcha! Merry Christmas!

[@kimber1958]

Merry Christmas, IL CALL YOU WHEN IT HEAR

[@garrattfan]

Hope you’re okay in the winter storm

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Surviving it. Definitely don't want to be outside.

[@BrucePierson]

@@TopperMachineLLC Good heater in the shop!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@BrucePierson radiant floor heat. Nothing like warm concrete.

[@mikeking7470]

Does your back hurt? I see you hunched over the mill working on jobs like this all the time and my back hursts just watching you!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

My back has never really been the issue. More my neck.

[@ianpendlebury3704]

I agree with all that you say, but his constant harassment pushed you to do the job faster. As far he was concerned, it worked! There are a lot of thick-skinned and selfish folks out there - sad but true. I enjoy and learn from your channel. Stay warm. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

[@wilcojuffer5940]

At 10:00 you take the edgefinder and do the job but then you move the table half of your edgefinder you can't type in the DRO 2 1/4" 0r 57.15 mm ???? bring also the table up not the spindel down it more stabel it also better for your back

[@de-bodgery]

I hog out aluminum with conventional milling and then finish with climb milling. I don't like how bits of aluminum adhere to itself with climb milling

[@U_ever]

"LIKE" button has been torqued to the manufacturer's recommended specification. "CLICK" Merry Christmas ! ! !

[@markshort9098]

Need to add the time wasted answering the phone to a fully itemised bill so they get the message

[@MillBrookRailroad]

I don't machine aluminum very often (unless I'm cutting it with a circular saw), so I was wondering why you were climb milling. Thanks for mentioning a little later in the video.

[@bcbloc02]

So are you done yet? LMAO Apparently lots of people fail to tell time. I love it when I tell somebody I should have it next week and then they call the next day asking about it. That is when I have to tell them week and day are not the same thing. lol

[@phicks42]

I noticed the climbcutting right off...why? I generally avoid it.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Something about aluminum that likes it. I always get a terrible finish when conventional milling.

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

I know you were making those parts to the customer's design. It seems like they could have been made just by cutting the stock at an angle and drilling the 3 holes instead of doing the milling. It would have taken less material to make them.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I agree. Gotta do what the customer wants, even if they are wrong.

[@AlbertPGruchalski]

Hi Josh Just curious why don't have a power drawbar on your Bridgeport? Your "customer" sounds like a PITA hope you made pay COD.

[@nobuckle40]

Sounds like the guy might have been an engineer.

[@terryjennings2356]

How tall are you??

[@curtisroberts9137]

They always say, "it's not a hurry. No rush." then call every ten minutes.

[@RambozoClown]

Every phone call is another line item on the bill.

[@funone8716]

I had a (good paying) customer for over 10 years, they would order the same parts every so many weeks, Quantity 200-400 pcs. Same scenario EVERY order. I told them 1000 times, do not wait till you exhaust your inventory! It takes 2-3 weeks to complete the order in my shop. Nope.....every time the ordered, they would pester and call almost daily until they got their parts because they were completely out. I would ignore the phone most of the time. Lots of 'customer's' out there that are just idiots. I put up with a lot of aggravation from them because it was $100-120/hr work.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have a few of those myself. A few years back I just made an extra batch. Now when they order I start another batch and deliver the first. Of course, I upped my price to reflect the fast turn around. Lol. They have no idea I have inventory, and it keeps business flowing smoothly.

[@R_B62]

I have a vehical mechanic that I have used for years. I am a self employed person who depends on my works truck everyday. I keep up on maintenance on all my vehicles with this mechanic shop being the only shop that I trust. My truck broke a lower ball joint that had been installed only 18 months. I called my machanic and told him my problem. He said get it here as soon as you can, wrecker was on the way. They wrecker dropped at off at 10:30am, he called me at 2:30pm the same day to tell me at was ready. The ball joint ended up defective so the parts supply ate the parts cost and I paid the labor. Long term relationships are worth there weight in gold; he has been my only mechanic for the last 20 years. I hoped he could get it fixed in a day or so because he is always 2 to 3 weeks out on repairs but he pulled a rabbit out of his hat and had it back in the road in 4 1/2 hours and they close for any hour at lunchtime. I didn't harass him, I just told him my problem.

[@redmorphius]

They have brackets that do that same thing at the hardware store 🤷‍♂️

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes, but it wasn't his design and made in USA.

[@emilgabor88]

Privat Persons just don’t get it , that they parts have the least priority for us, machine shop owners . I also have parts from factory where basically some people can’t work when parts fail. I refuse 99% of private persons and the 1% always are unhappy that i charge them too much…

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes! Absolutely! Everytime! I had a guy want me to mount a boat winch on his trailer. Had to drill 2 holes through 3" Box tube and I supplied the bolts. Took half an hour and he had a hissy fit that I charged him $40, and that it took so long.

[@BrucePierson]

@@TopperMachineLLC He should have done it himself .... but I guess he couldn't!

[@gerardvandermeeren7195]

Perhaps it's only me, but the with the volume at 100% it is hard to hear you talking.

[@gregeconomeier1476]

Every time i see the Johnson cut off a piece it makes me cringe. Maybe you could rename it, Haha

[@BrucePierson]

Don't know why it's called that...... Just looked it up. Named after a large railroad brake lever. Josh will like that!

[@funone8716]

Drive to the johnson, get out of your car, cut off your johnson, get back in your car. .......Johnny Carson......Slauson cutoff.

[@glennmoreland6457]

Josh Best not to be saying too much about customers in here... You don't know if they're watching... ☹🇬🇧

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Most of them watch. Problem ones aren't going to be coming back. As I said, my priority is the big customers who are broke down, not the joe bob homeowners.