Where to get custom machining done?
 

I need a piece to repair my old air compressor. It's nothing complicated at all. 1.5x3x1/4 inch plate with two 1/4 holes and one hole bored and threaded for 1/2 NPT. Where does one get something like this made?

What's the true positioning tolerance on the holes?

You may try looking around for a local shop that could do it for you. I know of a great job shop machine shop near Chicago but the reality is they will probably charge you more than it is worth because they have to cover their time and overhead.

Quick question: if you had access drill press, would you consider making the part yourself? A scrap of 1/4" plate will cost you next to nothing, so your expense will really only be in drill bits and the NPT tap. If not and you want the name of the shop I know, send me a PM.

The part is not a precision piece at all. It's a flange to fit over this outlet. The original part is NLA. The problem with a local machine shop is, as you said, the one I talked to wants to charge over $100 because they have to cover their time and overhead. I was kind of hoping there was some on-line service that was less expensive, but I haven't found it. That's why I turned to the PPOT brain trust.
I do have a drill press. What I don't have is the material. That's another problem. The local steel supplier won't even talk to me about a 1.5x3 piece of 1/4 plate.
This compressor is 30 years old and a new one of this size is $339. I'm not averse to buying the new one, I just hate to throw this one out because of this one little part.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1397075509.jpg

A quick search on ebay shows a 12x12 sheet of 1/4 inch plate for $14.50 if that helps.

Will a local shop sell you a piece of scrap?

I have used these guys before with great success, and the piece you need delivered would probably be cheaper than the gas to go to the scrap yard.

Metal by the Foot, Inc.

You can buy small sheets of plate at all the Hardware stores around here. Lowe's, home depot. etc...

1.5inW x 6inL x 1/4inT mild carbon steel at mcmaster carr is $4.10.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#8910k553/=rgsito

This..

If you were near-by I'd give you a chunk out of our scrap dumpster.

Hit the google and find a Tool and Die or mold shop in your hood. With all the auto manufacturing related stuff in OH, it should be easy to find one.

Custom Online CNC Machine Shop | Free CAD Software

I'm not sure what their estimate will be - but I've heard/seen on-line several folks that have used the service very successfully.

That's a odd way to seal 150psi. Would aluminum for you? I could drill and tap the 1/2 npt in some scrap and send it to you to finish?

emachineshop.com (the link MBATarga posted) does stuff like this, but ... expensive for one.

I drew up a simple pillar to use in bedding a 10/22. 3/4" round, flat head on a hollow post 1/2" diameter with a 1/4" hole all the way thru it. Can be made out of a brass airhose barb connector in 5 minutes w/ a drill press and a file.

The first one (ie, only order 1) from emachineshop would cost $250ish. The next 99 cost 40 cents each.

ALuminum would work fine. Sending PM.

Another thought, if you just need an outlet an nothing fancy, could you just tap that hole to 3/4' npt, and thread a pipe in there?

A little out of the box thinking here, that looks like a flange like you'd anchor galvanized pipe to something with. Maybe get one of those and cap it off with the proper adapter?
Fabbing one up from scrap is the cheapest way to go for sure.

If you need small pieces of steel, do what I do. Go to a local steel supplier and ask to look at the scraps. They typically sell them by the pound and the guy in the chop saw shop will even cut a chunk off a larger piece for no extra charge.

Ya outa get yerself one of these, really comes in handy sometimes:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1397155943.jpg




Yeah I know, I'm no help at all. Sorry.

My last experience with this was fear of liability if I cut myself while sorting through the scrap. Even my local welding shop makes me stay in the waiting area. Maybe it's me.

I do have a solution on the way, thanks to a very generous Pelican.

However, I'm still considering this as yet another reason the company needs to buy me a milling machine.

Well, ya tried, and I appreciate it.

I can make you one if you one for free from scrap 1/4" steel if you send me a sketch of what you need.

THANK YOU PPOT MYSTERY PERSON!

Back in April a fellow Pelican whose name I've never seen on a post but who does read PPOT contacted me and let me know he could make this part. It arrived in a couple of weeks but the project languished in favor of more urgent matters. Today I put all the pieces together and it works perfectly. Thank you Mr. Pelican! ( I will thank you publicly if its OK to use your name.) And thank you Tim Hancock I didn't see your offer until just today. You guys are great! See you Saturday Tim.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1403892195.jpg

On the broken set-up a rigid copper pipe runs from the connector to the air storage tank. The copper pipe is inserted into the bore of the connector where there is an O-ring seal. The O-ring seal allows the pipe to slide slightly in the connector as heat makes the parts expand.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1403892299.jpg

My benefactor made a threaded flange that I could bolt to the head and use a street ell and a rubber pressure hose to connect the pump to the storage tank.

That's a great solution to your problem.
Thanks for posting the follow up too.

Freebie
 

If you will send me a paper or cardboard template I will make the part for you. I think I have some pieces of scrap steel around that would be large enough. Would it hurt for the part to be more than 1/4" thick? PM me for my address.