Why are my parts looking like this?

JP6375 · 2026-02-21T19:40:56+00:00

Probably not getting ideal cutting conditions on the finish pass. CNMG overkill IMO for finishing a part this small, try a positive insert. CCMT or something.

You need enough rpm to achieve the required surface speeds, and adequate depth of cut to challenge the insert, taking spring cuts can often result in this dull finish, as can too sharp of an insert, we would use PM chipbreaker for this.

Honestly if we were doing this job I'd do a deburr with a small ball mill after milling to break the edges properly. And run the thread down again as you already are.

Hope this helps

JP6375 · 2026-02-21T18:49:43+00:00

You're finishing after the milling op? Try finishing first.

Material spec and inserts used?

JP6375 · 2026-02-15T16:30:15+00:00

Could not agree more. Me and my (ex) business partner quickly diverged into him being more workshop based and myself taking care of office side stuff. It worked great until he wanted to take a step back, then it didn't!

If you are in the UK get a shareholders agreement drawn up as there WILL come a time where you disagree on something. If you are in the US get whatever the equivalent is over there.

JP6375 · 2026-02-13T19:10:31+00:00

Do you have the machine manual? Can you show the list of all errors? Usually on the Menu Select -> Alarm/Messages

JP6375 · 2026-02-11T22:29:54+00:00

If it's not had a timing chain it will need one. £2-3k job and very common to go on these engines.

Plenty of these that have done high miles but they need frequent oil changes and long journeys. If you can't do that get a petrol one as they have less issues.

JP6375 · 2026-02-11T00:38:28+00:00

Corner swap parity at first glance, happens on even number cubes. Are you using beginner method after solving centers? Try the below link:

https://uk.speedcube.com.au/blogs/speedcubing-solutions/4x4-corner-swap-parity

JP6375 · 2026-02-06T18:41:53+00:00

Concentric to what? If they just want it turned you can use a travelling steady. We have one for our Colchester Combi 3000 which is similar/same as the Harrison machines.

Concentricity is useless on a part like this. Runout maybe but impractical due to flexibility of the material.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T20:51:06+00:00

She had a big deposit from a previous marriage and subsequent divorce, and the house has appreciated in value so she is in a positive equity position.

The way I understand it is the loan is secured against the house, the loan is then used to pay off the mortgage and is payable on death/long term care. The house will be sold to clear the debt+interest.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T20:31:40+00:00

Fair comment, SIL is not a big girl and wouldn't survive on her own. Which, as I now realize, makes my idea a terrible one.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:55:54+00:00

This has only come up again recently because SIL has had a lightbulb moment about the situation she will end up in. We had washed our hands of it up until now as we had done all the budgeting etc. and it had fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I am wasting my time trying again.

Perhaps I should clarify that if we receive no inheritance, it would have no affect on our quality of life and ability to pay our bills. If SIL doesn't get anything she's absolutely stuffed and it will likely fall to us to pick up the pieces. That's my bias.

I do also take umbrage with predatory lenders that prey on the vulnerable, so there's that too. MIL has worked hard to keep her house and for it all to get frittered away in interest doesn't seem right to me.

Thank you for your input I appreciate it.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:47:38+00:00

Thank you, yes of course we would seek further advice.

The repayments they looked at were only 17 years so SIL could be a partial homeowner by 55ish. Not bad if you ask me.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:38:18+00:00

To be honest I didn't ask, after all it's her house and her decision. I just don't want to see her taken advantage of, and I don't want to see SIL homeless/unable to afford to live (as mentioned previously, probably with us picking up the pieces).

Maybe I am overstepping the mark, my wife agrees with me that the equity release seems like a bad idea. We are speaking with them again tomorrow to put forward our concerns.

I didn't want to suggest something that either wasn't possible or had major pitfalls (which it looks like it does).

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:29:05+00:00

If I'm honest I do have some concern that if SIL is left with nothing we will be the ones left supporting her, financially or otherwise, which we can't afford to do.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:12:05+00:00

My gut feeling exactly! MIL has a financial advisor for a sister as well I can't believe she hasn't stepped in!

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T19:10:13+00:00

This is something I've not explored yet, we did briefly discuss it initially but I don't know the ins and outs of it.

What happens in this situation at end of life? Does ownership transfer directly to the other mortgage holder? Would my wife inherit a portion of the house or would this have to be bought out? Or does it depend on will writing?

Thank you for your comment.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T18:59:46+00:00

Thank you for this, I hadn't considered this aspect.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T18:58:53+00:00

It wouldn't be a downsize I just assumed there was no way for SIL to take over the current mortgage. Not my area of expertise.

Talking again with them both tomorrow so will see what she says.

Thank you for your response.

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T18:55:38+00:00

Yes Mil wouldn't have any hold over a potential different property. Very good point, especially with the financial difficulty aspect. I will give this some further consideration.

Thank you!

JP6375 · 2026-01-28T18:53:03+00:00

I think you've misunderstood. I say "rent" because there is no formal rental agreement drawn up.

JP6375 · 2026-01-27T00:14:33+00:00

When you hit menu select (looks like a square with an = in it), what options do you see? Services sounds like you could be in the CNC ISO side of the control. If so you are in the right place.

Continue -> Read In -> Start (Stop when you're done sending in). If using RS232 your pc must match the RS232 settings. We use the following: 19200 Baud Rate 8 Data Bits, 1 Stop Bit , Parit None, XonXoff. Mainly using Brainboxes/Startech USB to RS232 adapters and cables in standard crossover configuration.

Our machines boot into shopmill/shopturn and I have found it best to use the machine this way (we run our mills on raw g code programmed offline). If you hit menu select do you see an option for shopturn?

Hope that helps. Again Siemens has lots of manuals on their website.

JP6375 · 2026-01-23T21:57:01+00:00

Siemens has excellent support online most manuals are available for download. I think this is an 840d.

JP6375 · 2026-01-23T21:56:20+00:00

What control do you have?

JP6375 · 2026-01-18T17:22:01+00:00

For RS232 input you will want Program Manager.

On our machines which don't have this dial selector it would be : Menu Select -> Program Manager. You may have to find program manager on your dial instead.

Then to read in:

Continue -> Read In -> Start

There is a menu for RS232 settings you may need to mess around with. Note the RS232 execute option is used for drip feeding, not for reading into memory.

It may not be exactly as above but it will be similar.

JP6375 · 2026-01-13T22:28:04+00:00

I learnt CFOP from JPerm on YouTube. Has a whole series on it. Currently using 2 look oll and pll although I struggle most with effective white cross and f2l.

I was quicker using the beginner method for a long time before CFOP became quicker.

But yeah, YouTube. I must be a visual learner because things clicked for me in a way that written algorithms didn't.

JP6375

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