Week #20 2/9 - 2/14

This week I was returning to the spice press and bringing it new life. After a lot of consideration I decided to change the design of my model. The reason that lead to the decision was that we lacked the right tool for interior threading also it would be more difficult than the project needed to be. Now the design features a fixed bottom with a singular hole for spice removal. The press now will use an exterior clamp to provide the pressing force. The new parts that I need to machine will be the bottom, two discs for the inside, and the rod to push the discs down.

To make the cap for the bottom I used a scrap piece from earlier in my project and I turned it down to the right size. My teacher Mr. L told me he was making something similar and he gave the cap a small part sticking up that with the same diameter as the inside of my cylinder. This helped the piece fit nicely with little movement.

Drawing for the new piece design

Once I manufactured the cap I decided to ask the metal fabrication shop at my school to weld it onto the rest of the tube. My other option was to screw the cap onto the tube which is something that I could have done in my shop but it is not how I wanted the finished product to be.

South Bend Lathe that I used to turn my part