Fitting a Curved Surface and Heimann Transfer Screws

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Thought this might be helpful if you find yourself fitting a curved surface and you need the holes exact yet hard to determine the location.  This is a bracket to hold a remote control panel for a Lathe VFD (needed to convert three phase to single and upgrade controls).  Here's the holder for the remote panel and the location of where I want to fit it.A bit of sanding on the 6x48 belt sanderTrial fit...looks goodNow that the holder is set let's get the bracket fab'd up.  First a trace onto 1/8" plateReady for Plasma Cutting (would be nice if I had a plasma table...someday)
Reply:These little guys are worth their weight in platinum.  If you have not used them yet they are called Heimann Transfer Screws and come in all sizes.  These are 1/4-20 thread and fit into all thread coupler nuts.
Reply:A light tap is all it takes to leave a mark them you can follow up with a center or prick punchHoles drilled and ready for paint Attached Images
Reply:Love the palm shot.-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:What corner clamps are you using?The really like the idea of this project and the fit-up looks great. The transfer screws look like they work great for locating the holes, but how will you handle the alignment?Last edited by giz; 01-06-2013 at 12:45 AM.
Reply:I have used that trick before. Never knew there was a actual tool for it. I just cut the head off a bolt and ground it to a point.Nice work If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:I think you have a VDF Allen Bradley. Am I right?Mauricio
Reply:Giz--those little corner magnets are strong hand, damn useful and I don't think I paid much for them, I believe I got them off Cyberweld.com.  Not sure what you mean by alignment.  These work fairly easily, place where you want it, tap and mark and your are done. mauricio--Yes that is an Allen Bradley, nice remote panel to vary speed, jog, and reverse, cool stuff. Larphead--thanks, you bet the bolts work, and I too have done the same grinding operation, but I have to say these make life easy, especially when you have a set. The nice thing is you can get low profile and the container is used to store as well as install and remove.
Reply:Thanks for your reply, I also have a Allen Bradley VDF for my lathe. running from 2 years ago. Very nive unit.I wired from the lathe to the VDF, the start, stop, jog command and also add a potentiometer to the variable spped. Best RegardsMauricio
Reply:Very nice mount! Those transfer screws are great.
Reply:those are indeed handy little boogers.  Can't you achieve the same if you sharpen some 1/4 20 bolts on your lathe and use use it the same way?  only 40 cents each and a few cuts on the lathe.
Reply:Nice job.Yeah those transfer screws are handy.I have some that I made from set screws.Ground them on a surface grinder w/spinfixture.Even ground the little hex on some of them.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Very nicely done.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Reply:Holes have a location and a direction. What I'm saying is that I think you might have a hard time aligning all four holes if you are marking with the transfer screws and then drilling by hand.Another method might be a bushing at the top of your hex stock rather than the screw at the bottom. Then you could drill pilot holes while the part is secured in place and guarantee all the holes are in the correct spot and aligned.If this was a flat mounting surface, I wouldn't be as worried.  Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:Nice !  Really like those transfer screws. Great job !
Reply:Originally Posted by gizHoles have a location and a direction. What I'm saying is that I think you might have a hard time aligning all four holes if you are marking with the transfer screws and then drilling by hand.Another method might be a bushing at the top of your hex stock rather than the screw at the bottom. Then you could drill pilot holes while the part is secured in place and guarantee all the holes are in the correct spot and aligned.If this was a flat mounting surface, I wouldn't be as worried.  Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadNah, I say drill them a 1/16 over size, throw a lock washer on it and call it good.
Reply:Mick120--yep would have used one of those if it weren't locked up in storage, they are by far more handy. I believe I would like to try fitting it against the round wonderfully curved object object in Larphead"s photoGiz--I will have to remember the idea of a bushing, I could see many applications for that. The headstock casing was simply drilled through and the 1/4 button head cap screws screwed into the althread connector nuts.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mick120An easier way to transfer a profile like that is, use one of these.........
Reply:Another good transfer tool is a flexible curve that they often sell with the drafting supplies. Usually its a soft coated lead "ruler" that you can flex to match contours. It won't do fine detail like Mick's transfer gauge will, but it will work well on large curves.Besides the "pin" type transfer gauge Mick showed, they also have ones that use small "slabs" instead. You often find the "slab" type in the tile section of the home center. Down side is many are plastic or plastic coated and don't take heat well. They are a bit more "robust" than the "pin" type where the pins can get bent or fall out with use..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Transfer Screws are available at McMaster-Carr:http://www.mcmaster.com/#transfer-screws/=kxjmbi- MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.