Laboratory Exercise 3

Metal Bench Work

I. Introduction

When making part characteristics that require less power and force, machinists use
benchwork to execute various cutting processes by hand rather than using a machine. Hand
tapping, hand reaming, hand filing, and engraving are all common benchwork procedures.
The term 'bench work' refers to the manual assembly of matching parts on a bench,
whereas fitting refers to the removal of metal from mating parts to achieve the requisite fit.
Benchwork and fitting both necessitate the use of a variety of simple hand tools as well as
substantial manual labor.

II. Objectives

At the end of the exercise, the student must be able to:

1. Identify the basic Metal bench work tools and equipment.
2. Familiarize the operation of the Metal bench work Tools and equipment
3. Identify the safety standards when operating power tools in metal bench work.

III. Materials and methods

Materials
 VISE
 GRINDER
 PLANER
 MANUAL BENDING MACHINE
 WELDING ROD
 CUT OFF MACHINE

Methods
1. Schedule a visit on a Machine Shop near you.
2. You can interview the shop in-charge. (if possible or not)
3. Identify and list the basic metal bench work found in the shop.
4. Tabulate the tools found with description and attach an actual figure.
5. Enumerate and discuss the safety tips when operating an equipment such as lathe machine,
drill press, and Milling Machine.

IV. Results and Discussion

Name of Machine Shop Visited: HANDY MANY

Address: CASISANG, MALAYBALAY CITY BUKIDNON

Table 1. Metal Bench Work Tools/ Equipment and its description.

Name of Tools/Equipment Picture Description
 VISE device consisting of two
parallel jaws for holding a
workpiece; one of the jaws is
fixed and the other movable
by a screw, a lever, or a cam.
When used for holding a
workpiece during hand
operations, such as filing,
hammering, or sawing, the
vise may be permanently
bolted to a bench.

GRINDER An angle grinder is a

handheld power tool that can
be used for a variety of metal
fabrication jobs that
include cutting, grinding,
deburring, finishing and
polishing. The most common
types of angle grinder tools
are powered by electricity;
either corded or battery
powered

PLANER Generally, all planes are

used to flatten, reduce the
thickness of, and impart a
smooth surface to a rough
piece of lumber or timber.

MANUAL BENDING used mainly with an aim to

MACHINE bend the pipe objects. Mainly
this type of machine is found
suitable to be used whenever
it comes to any bending
objects like a pipe, tube, etc.

CUT OFF MACHINE Cutoff machines are designed

to cut hard materials such as
metal pipe and tube, concrete
and masonry. Applications
for cutoff machines
include building and
construction, emergency
rescue and concrete and
paving. They are also known
as chop saws and abrasive
saws.
 WELDING ROD A welding rod is the generic
name used to refer to
electrodes or filler metal that
is used to join two other base
metals when performing
shielded metal arc welding

Table 2. Safety Tips when operating Metal Bench Work Equipment (You may or not do it in tabular
form)
Name of Safety Tips when Operating
Equipment

1. Lathe  Correct dress is important, remove rings and watches, roll sleeves
machine above elbows.
 Always stop the lathe before adjusting.
 Do not change spindle speeds until the lathe comes to a complete
stop.
 Always wear protective eye protection.
 Never lay tools directly on the lathe ways. If a separate table is not
available, use a wide board with a cleat on each side to lay on the
ways.
 Use two hands when sanding the workpiece. Do not wrap
sandpaper or emery cloth around the workpiece.

2. Drill press Safety glasses are required.

 Don’t wear loose clothing or gloves, keep long hair tied back.
These items will get caught in bit or spindle.
 Never adjust the drill press or setup while it is running.
 Never leave chuck key in press. It should only be on the chuck
when power is off and you are changing a bit.
 Always follow 4 inch rule.
 Never force the bit. Let it cut at is own rate.
 Work must be clamped or secured to table by some means other
than holding it. Do not hold pieces to drill them.
 Never remove guard unless authorized by Technician or WRL
Manager.

3. Milling  Do not take climb milling cuts on the shop’s mills unless instructed
Machine to do so.
 Make sure cutter is rotating in the proper direction before cutting
material.
 Before running machine the spindle should be rotated by hand to
make sure it is clear for cutting.
 Make sure the power is off before changing cutters.
 Always use the proper cutting fluid for the material being cut.
 Never run the machine faster than the correct cutting speed.
 Make sure that the machine is fully stopped before taking any
measurements.
 Always use cutters which are sharp and in good condition.
 Don't place anything on the milling machine table such as
 wrenches, hammers, or tools.
 Always stay at the machine while it is running.

V. Guide Questions
1. What is the importance of metal bench work in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering?
2. Aside from the tools or equipment you were able to find in the machine shop, what are tother
metal bench work tools you can suggest that the shop must have, if any.

VI. Conclusion

This activity taught me different kinds of welding tools. While going to the welding shop,
the worker introduced us to different welding materials. I learned that Bench work is an
important part of all engineering projects. In mechanized workshops, where most of the
work is done on an automated machine, bench work is still important. The projects can be
accomplished to a reasonable degree of accuracy using machining operations; but, they
frequently require hand operations to finish to the requisite accuracy.

VII. References

Workshop Practice: Lesson 2. THE BENCH WORK TOOLS AND ITS USES. (2015, September

19). Ecourseonline.

McNeill, L. S., & Edwards, M. (1997). Predicting As removal during metal bench work. Journal‐

American Water Works Association, 89(1), 75-86.

VIII. Documentation