Making New Bushings For The Dragline Crane Track System - Manual Machining Nylatron

[@louisbigelow1866]

I'm retired from aerospace machining, there were some materials that we couldn't bore without a stringy chip. The solution to prevent them from wadding up on the bar was to start at the bottom of the boar and feed out, the chip comes across the insert into the bore the chuck instead of coming off the insert in the direction of the boring bar... It might make an interesting thing to try machining nylatron...

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Great suggestion. Never thought about that. I had planned on ordering a DNMG insert boring bar with thru coolant. Just hook the air line to it and blow it into the bore. But I'm liking your idea. Have to give that a try.

[@joshwilliams8765]

Ty I machining aluminum sky pole in a mazack and the stringy chips would always tangle up and ruin the finish

[@willgallatin2802]

Josh, a trick I stumbled into a few years ago for plastics is to rig up a shop vac to pull in the chips as you're cutting. It seems to work quite well.

[@StuartsShed]

Nylatron really is a wonderplastic. One of the most practical there is. I’ve had good results using very sharp inserts designed for aluminum. But it cuts so nice it doesn’t really matter.

[@bostedtap8399]

Spot on, polished inserts work great.

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Nothing to say just an algorithm boost for the channel 👍👍

[@ChuckNorriz1122]

Nothing more satisfying than a friction fit being pressed with an arbor press. Love that!

[@warrenjones744]

Nylatron, I looked it up. Interesting stuff. I have used Delrin in the past for similar bearings. Being a 60 Year old bronze Luddite I find I don't think about plastics. However I am slowly coming around😁 especially as the cost of yellow metals is sky rocketing.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I've had great success with nylatron, but this will be the ultimate test of it. Cost was the biggest factor in this project. I have under $200 in material vs bronze was quoted over $1000.

[@StreuB1]

Nylatron, Nolu-S, and Delrin AF, are the most amazing engineered bearing plastics on the planet. Amazing materials.

[@petefletcher]

I machine Delrin a lot which produces similar annoying stringy chips. I often vacuum it straight off the tool with the shop vac before it can get snarled up. Works for me 😎

[@luksan_swe]

I was about to suggest this.

[@jimurrata6785]

Is it better than being showered in brass? Got to be a lot more economical

[@argee55]

Glad to see progress being made on the dragline.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Me too.

[@lindoncoggins]

Ooooo. The satisfaction of machining off the label. More of that please. 😂

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Lol.

[@mikeking7470]

Yeah, that was strangely satisfying to watch.

[@edsmachine93]

Nice work Josh. Good idea using the Nylatron. Be interesting how it will hold up. Thanks for sharing. 👍🇺🇸👍

[@gusviera3905]

Good morning, Josh. Nice solution. Looks real easy to work with too. That crane is going to glide now! Thanks for showing us how. Cheers.

[@MrArtVendelay]

In my world, we use nylatron mostly in sheet form as wear pads between two steel surfaces. Easy to machine and lasts longer, usually longer than brass. Works great.

[@skunkjobb]

For what sounds like similar applications, we use Robalon which is a UHMW-PE that can have different solid lubricant additives, e.g. MoS2 like Nylatron. Since Nylatron is basically nylon, I would be a little concerned about swelling in water but maybe that's no big problem, at least not for you. UHMW-PE has great resistance against many chemicals, I think more so than nylon.

[@joewhitney4097]

Morning Josh, Something I've seen others do and worked very well for the string cuttings on delrin cuttings were using a shop vac hose tied off close to the cutting point sucking the cut material away instantly. Worked very well on both on external and internal cutting. With the amount of bushing you have to do it would be worth setting up for you to try it. Would save a lot of clean up. 🙂

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@joewhitney4097 air blowing it through the headstock is much more effective.

[@Danjr948]

@@TopperMachineLLC The vacuum works just as well when turning the OD.

[@PaulStaples-h2f]

You are awsome, absolutly amazing videos. Thank you.

[@user-oi8tg3dq7t]

Greetings from the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches. Another great video.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

We have been talking about visiting there.

[@ReaperRestorations]

i just made a custom bead roller die out of a solid billet of Nylatron. that stuff is really pricey, but so much faster to work than steel and time is money!

[@passenger6735]

Hi Josh. I machine some very similar plastics and I use inserts designed for aluminium. They work very well. Certainly worth a go next time. Bob.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks for the info. I'm actually going to order a new boring bar just for nylatron

[@alandawson2813]

Another awesome video Josh. Happy days. Kiwi land

[@michaellehmann280]

Another great video Josh!

[@GardenTractorBoy]

This was very interesting, thanks. I have not used this material before, it looks good. The coil or string looks to be a pain

[@bernardwill7196]

The dragline will be better than new, if you repair it . Greetings from Germany .

[@TopperMachineLLC]

That's the goal. Trouble free operation the rest of my life.

[@ypaulbrown]

that is one heck of a rolling pin for making bread dough or doughnuts ….cheers, Paulie down in Orlando, …10:55

[@SuperJaXXas]

Awesome! I worked around a big ass drag line up in the Wyoming coal fields for a few days years back. They told me the bucket was as big as a 2 car garage! Like some kinda prehistoric beast.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Cat still makes some big ones. I think they are over 200 yard buckets.

[@Andy-Gibb]

Super you will want to look up Thiess mining excavators used in Australian coal mines I drove past one yesterday and it is like driving past a high rise building. Talk about huge.

[@stephenbridges2791]

Easy to see why you like it. I'd bet tool wear is close to nonexistent.

[@seancollins9745]

I use hss honed and carbide honed inserts on plastics, there's a place called Arthur R Warner in PA, they have a great assortment of size, and hss is useful on a lot of applications

[@adrianstanton2652]

I enjoy your no nonsense approach. For the plastic lathing, could you put a vacuum at the other end of the thru tube? Develop a low pressure to remove the. Chips like a sawdust system.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I prefer compressed air over vacuums. There is more power to direct

[@riliwi]

I operated a motor grader ( blade, grader ) for years .Backside bottom of the blade it slides back and forth ,to eliminate wear there was something called duramide ,very similar to nylatron. Our duramide was a mixture of manmade plastics containing nylon. They took a long time to wear and wear out.

[@mauricekeithjohnson2598]

In BERMUDA, I am responsible for our 9 32 ft, 6 oar, Pilot Rowing Gigs and the trailers. Boats are F/glass at about 800lbs. No amount of rinsing off salt saves the wheel bearing. I knock out the 2" rollers bearings,1" solid St, Steel axles, and install Delrin 3" hub width bearing stock. Some are now 8 years old.

[@ttargetss]

Josh, a shop vac does wonders when turning most plastics. Sucks that chip as it is formed so it never has a chance to wad up.

[@iandibley8032]

Great job. I think that product is called Acedel in Australia, yep H.S.S. oil stoned & reasonably fast feed I find works well. This product seems to take heavy loads & dirty conditions well.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Acetal is totally different. I am sure nylatron is available to you. Just call your plastics supplier

[@iandibley8032]

@@TopperMachineLLC thanks I just had a look nylatron has molybdenum disulphide impregnated, interesting I will chase some up for the next job.

[@dcraft1234]

I've experimented with 6061 using my tool to score a deep groove or two down the length of the work. Seemed to greatly cut down on the stringies. I'm going to try on nylon and see what that does.

[@BrucePierson]

This Nylatron GSM tubing looks like a good material to work with. As long as it stands up to wear like bronze, it should be a better solution for this application. Hopefully you have enough time to get the tracks back together before you get snow.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Don't look like it will happen this year.

[@robertskelton2576]

How does nylatron compare with acetel/delrin? I use Delrin all the time for bushings.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I've used acytl plasticsbefore. I think nylatron has better characteristics. It definitely has held up well in tough applications.

[@thelastreformationarizona8132]

Thanks for sharing your shop and projects much appreciated.. Max Grant suggests not to hold a part in your hand when using a deburring tool as it could slip a cause serious injury which seems like good advice.. peace 👍

[@BurnAndHackett_RC]

Glad to see you having the time and space for your own projects ! As an armchair machinist, would it be feasible, since the material was so easy to work with to machine down and bore out a longer section of material and then cut off 2 or 3 bushes at a time. I was thinking that it may reduce the number of tool changes on such a repetitive job ??

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Quite honestly, i wish i didnt have the time to work on my stuff. Absolutely no work for the last couple months now. Customers going out of business all over. It is bad practice to do that. You would have a much longer part that is unsupported, causing deflection and making an out of spec part.

[@SettledBatches]

You could rig the shot vac at the head end of the spindle and leave it running.

[@wmweekendwarrior1166]

Good Stuff

[@alanm3438]

Good morning!!!! Thanks for the video. That would be great if you can get the tracks on before the snow and cold gets here. Was the original color orange? I still think it is great that you are giving it new life.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Unfortunately I think I am out of time to get them back on. I need to get ready for snow. Orange was the original color.

[@garyh4458]

Nylatron has molybdenum disulfide in it which makes it good for bushings.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Been using it for years with great results. This will be the ultimate test

[@garyh4458]

@@TopperMachineLLC Go put in those wheels and test it out right the first time.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@garyh4458 if this works, it opens up possibilities for many other applications

[@haydenc2742]

Plus it has a grease hole, so the grease will help alot too! With the rollers being such low RPM and it being better at corrosion resistance...they will outlast the originals probably alot!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@haydenc2742 that is the hope. My other thought was dirt infiltration. It should have a little more forgiveness for dirt.

[@73DiamondReo]

ill have to keep this material in mine next time i have to rebush something

[@billdoodson4232]

Seeing this, I owe a sincere apology to a 3rd Engineer I sailed with in about 1979. We were doing a cylinder overhaul on a large Sulzer main engine (900mm bore and about a 1,500mm stroke) there were bushes on the cooling water pipes to the piston that needed to be replaced. The 3rd Engineer said "Oh yes those Nylatron bushes will need to be replaced." I'd certainly never heard of Nylatron and nor had any of the other Engineers. We started to take the piss out of him mercilessly over the coming days, every time he said something, someone would find a way of inserting NYLATRON into the conversation. I made up a menu and gave it to the chief steward who sportingly printed out a copy for the Engineers table at dinner in the saloon that night. (This was at a time when the UK Merchant Navy still had silver service and stewards serving at table, with 5 courses in the evening). So to start we had Nylatron soup, followed by Devilled Nylatron bushes. The main course was Fillet of Nylatron with mixed vegatables and for sweet was steamed Nylatron pudding and custard, followed by cheese and Nylatron biscuits, or something very similar. This was enough to tip him over the edge, he took one look and shouted at the top of voice, "You f***ing b***ards, leave me alone." And stormed out of the saloon. I think we realised that we had taken it rather too far, and that was the end of it. But now learning that Nylatron is very much a thing, I really do owe him an apology. Having said that it was a good laugh at the time, for us maybe.

[@minigpracing3068]

If you were to grind a tool specific for this material, what would the angles be? I've worked with acrylic a little, and the best angles for the drills were a square corner where the bit scraped the plastic away. Prevent pulling into the work and chipping. Would this be the same type of application?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Very similar. A sharp corner gives a great cut in plastics, a small radius makes a smoother cut. Actually a tight angle insert like a DNMG would work great.

[@josephkrug8579]

Interesting video, I saw recently on another channel that one method to keep the plastic chips at bay is to suck them up with a shop vac....so they go away vs sticking around. Has anyone else tried that and had success with it? I have not yet tried doing plastic on my lathe but am always trying to learn in case/for when I do.

[@deemstyle]

I have two comments but will combine here: I’ve used nylatron gf30 before which is 30% glass fiber reinforced. I assume you are using nylatron gsm or nsm, right? I don’t think you’d want glass fiber for a bearing surface- but could be wrong. Thanks for clarifying! I noticed it looked like you were going to a number on your dials on the lathe. It reminded me that both Tom Lipton and Joe Pie have promoted “tool” settings in the DRO. Granted- looked like it took you no time at all, but just curious if you considered storing your turning tool, boring bar, and parting tools with offsets so that you just “dial to zero” for each tool. Do you think that would have actually taken longer? Would it be a quantity thing- like if you had a hundred to make, then maybe the DRO would help? But just not worth it for 30? Thanks Josh- love your channel!

[@deemstyle]

Bumping in case you missed these questions.

[@Frank-Thoresen]

Would it be any purpose to run the rusted track rollers thru the vibrator cleaner you recently purchased? Rust free and new paint looks nice though 😊 Maybe too late now that you have installed the bushings

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Paint doesn't make it run any better. This is a rebuild, not a restoration. It will be functional, not a trailer queen.

[@Frank-Thoresen]

@TopperMachineLLC in other words Rustoration like our friend Mustie1 does. Functionality over beauty.

[@TalRohan]

Do you know if the nylotron string is recyclable? It really is quite a quick process once you get your numbers dialed in and the quickchange tools makes life so much easier. How does Nylotron compare in price to bronze?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I don't know if it's recyclable. Good question. Price is about 1/8 of bronze.

[@TalRohan]

@@TopperMachineLLC that price tag alone makes it attractive ...I'll look into the recyclability of it...interesting stuff thanks Josh

[@markvoluckas4571]

I'm curious the advantages of nylatron over delrin? Not criticizing just curious as I have used delrin extensively over the years for bushings and gears etc but might change to nylatron if there is a good reason. Bronze is so expensive I really only use it for visible restoration parts like the ball joint linkage ends I machined from solid for my Ames Iron works steam engine

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Call your local plastics dealer. They can give you all the specs. Mine suggested nylatron over everything else to replace bronze.

[@markvoluckas4571]

I don't have a local plastics dealer sadly, it's McMaster carr and eBay for me. Specs look similar to deltin from what I can see online but I may have to give it a try next project that comes along

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@markvoluckas4571 I don't have one local either. I order it all from a dealer 3 hours away. Never met them, but do a lot of business with them.

[@waynep343]

I might have thought about oring grooves in the nylotron bushings to insert a square cut oring into to reduce dirt and water into the load bearing area

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Grease will drive that out. Shouldn't get too bad anyway. As long as I pay attention and don't do dum. Stuff

[@rogerrowsell5926]

Remember my father replacing kingpin bushings on the 37 Ford with nylon ones. Mid 50s, no fitting. Install and lube.

[@MrNeverseeme]

As long as you don't drive through molten lava i assume this material meets or exceeds something like Oillite bushings.

[@jackjohnson6074]

THANK YOU MR TOPPLER FOR CONTINUED TO MAKE GOOD VIDEOS. ABOM79 SUCKS ANY MORE. YOUR STILL MAKING THE GOOD VIDEO. APPRECIATE IT HOPE TO SEE DRAGLINE RUN AGAIN SOON

[@StreuB1]

Nylatron, Nolu-S, and Delrin AF, are the most amazing engineered bearing plastics on the planet. No reason to use yellow metals for bearings on nearly anything anymore.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Agreed.

[@kevinlott9626]

Great video, as usual..!! With the new administration coming back.. I envision a LOT more jobs heading your way. 🇺🇸😎

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I would hope, but my region is dead. I'll really have to work to bring in new work.

[@AlbertPGruchalski]

Did you need to put in a lead in chamfer before pressing in?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I didn't. Sometime it is necessary, but this time not.

[@davidmosscrop2374]

Hi Josh. Nylatron looks like a fun material to machine!!! Where can I get that little toy dragline you have. It would be great with my G Scale trains. Hope you get the tracks on this year. Be Well. Cheers. David

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It was an ebay find. No longer in production

[@glenncpw]

good onya

[@bostedtap8399]

If engineers had plastics at the same time as bronze, bronze would left on the shelf, unless higher working temperatures were needed.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Exactly. Plastics have come a long way.

[@StuartsShed]

Apparently people try and be first to comment. So - OK. Now I’ll watch the vid. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ljackson8220]

Hope to see the dragline moving

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Next summer it WILL be moving under its own power

[@Hyratel]

hidden bonus of using plastics for this: NO RAZOR-SHARP CHIPS

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Funny, you would think that. You are dead wrong on that one. They are just as bad.

[@Hyratel]

@@TopperMachineLLC ... true, I've gotten some BAD cuts off plastic edges

[@davidholder3207]

Is there a formula for internal diameter after pressing into a bushing?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Not really. Trial and error and experience.

[@TheJohndeere466]

I hope Im wrong but I wouldnt expect those bushings to last long. For one thing, I always thought plastic bushings should run dry. Grease actually makes them wear out faster. I know the nylon wheels for mowers last much longer with no lube. Put grease in them and they wear out in no time.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

The grease won't hurt these much. Basically it will only get a little initially, then greased once in a while to drive out contaminates. If they wear out, I just make more. Not a big deal.

[@candyjanusch3716]

you forgot the shameless plug lol.... that has to be cheaper then bronze or brass or comparable metal bushings isnt it? also much faster to machine. only thing to worry about is heat you will have to keep dragline below say 20 MPH so they dont melt

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Surprisingly these hold up will in hismgh speed applications. Also, buy anchorlube!

[@Hyzura]

maybe a stupid idea, but what about a good shopvac attacched at the boaring bar ?

[@Rigoknow]

👍

[@ramirocortez6392]

👍👍

[@erik_dk842]

Do you have a detailed video of the dragline model?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@erik_dk842 I do not. But it's very accurate.

[@erik_dk842]

@@TopperMachineLLC I grew up surrounded by square miles of gravel pits with house-sized draglines. Lima, Manitowoc, Bucyrus-Erie, Ruston. My older brother's friend had a homebuilt dragline model that I used to marvel at.

[@tiagolomar]

Are you planning to use grease? Usually with plastic bushing isn’t necessary Nice work…

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Grease will be necessary to drive out dirt and other contamination. As this is an in the dirt application, it will get contaminated.

[@lerkzor]

Useless fact: a 'butt' is an ancient unit of volume measurement, roughly equal to 150 US gallons.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

That's is useless knowledge, that I am now glad to know. Thanks.

[@ypaulbrown]

@@TopperMachineLLCBut, But….it was done right the first time….❤❤❤❤❤

[@tomtd]

Nylon was NOT a collaboration between New York and London laboratories, urban myth.

[@BrucePierson]

That's one way to remove the label, just machine it off.

[@jamesbonnema1041]

Nylatron is much cheaper than oil lite??

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Significantly cheaper.

[@george-b3i-d2d]

aren't those roller bars way too big for the crane on the table??😸

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Lol, yup

[@mmm365]

For the 100 yards it will drive in the rest of its live its ok.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have planned out about 20 miles just on my property, along with a lot of positioning. This is only over the next 5 years.

[@mmm365]

@TopperMachineLLC 🤣🤣🤣

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@mmm365 I don't buy shit just to pet it, it must earn it's keep.

[@mmm365]

@@TopperMachineLLC ok. Thats good. I restored to new some old Caterpillar tractors just because i liked them. And to keep me busy. Better than sitting in the bar.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@mmm365 I also have a steam traction engine. When that's done getting rebuilt, it will be the main power for my sawmill. Waste wood is free fuel. Totally green energy system. Lol

[@jyvben1520]

2 and 3/8 = +/- 6 Cm, 2 and 1/4 = 5.715 Cm

[@TopperMachineLLC]

We don't use metric here.

[@ronwilken5219]

Why do machinists almost always cut the identifying labels, painted code colours , off the end of materials, and then in six months wonder what this mystery metal is/was. Surely, turning the piece around and leaving the identifying marks on the other end would help later. Just a thought.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@ronwilken5219 in this case, it doesn't matter. I only buy nylatron, no other grade of plastic locks like it either. So no problem there.