2017 POTD Thread Archive

HBilly1022 said:
I made a couple of dovetail insert holders. The first one was cut on the wrong side :rolleyes:. Would have been fine if my mill drill had a reverse but it doesn't so I made a second one. I tried it out but the insert kept chipping plus it hammered pretty good so I gave up on it and ordered a couple of HSS 60 deg cutters from overseas. I want this so I can make the tool rest in Harold Halls book.

I was thinking afterwards that the chipping could have been caused by flexing in the tool holder. I used some 3/4" bolts for the steel and they weren't grade 5. Don't know what they were because they were stamped with numbers I haven't seen before. They also seemed soft when machined. Maybe the inserts I used too. Don't know what they were either since they came with a set of cheap tools I got.
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Also made this thing. I had to have one after someone else on this forum posted pics of one he made. Now I just need to get some decent wire for it. Mechanics wire doesn't seem to be strong enough.

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And finally, a project of many days. Man I'm slow at machining stuff.
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I still need to adjust the angle of the pin but I couldn't wait to try it out.
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Here's a pic of a test run on a piece of scrap. 40 divisions, 4 short, then a medium, 4 more short, then a long. All done without me having to count or keep track of what mark was done last. This thing works pretty slick. I got the plans from one of Harold Hall's books. I had to alter some of the dimensions because his plans were for a Myford 7 and my lathe is bigger. There are quite a few little pieces to this thing.
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I plan on making the dial engraver too. What's the tool that requires wire? I have seen it somewhere, but don't know what it's for.
 
Jeff; it's for making your own hose clamps using wire. Check out the link David posted.

Thanks for that link David.
 
Ahhhhh that's why I've seen it b4... I know lee valley being a woodworker. Thanks.

Was the engraver worth making? I did my last dial using a stop and some spacers, but I like the idea of having a tool for it. I plan on making a few more dials.
 
woochucker said:
Ahhhhh that's why I've seen it b4... I know lee valley being a woodworker. Thanks.

Was the engraver worth making? I did my last dial using a stop and some spacers, but I like the idea of having a tool for it. I plan on making a few more dials.
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Was it worth making ......... that's a tough question to answer. I made it because I was intrigued by the tool and I was looking for something to make. It took me a very long time to make this. I'm glad I made it but mostly for the experience, not for the need. If I lost it, I doubt I would make another one. I have no need to make any dials and as you noted there are simpler ways to mark dials. Maybe not as easy as using this tool but a lot less work involved to get to the same end. If you can make one in short order and plan on making quite a few dials I think it would be a great tool to have. It's so simple to use and almost fool proof. You can focus on the indexing instead of keeping track of which mark to make.

The next project I want to tackle is the tool rest that HH designed and built and then the tool holder so I can sharpen the flutes on my end mills. I'm waiting for his book to arrive in the mail. I already made an R8 collet block and his tool rest for sharpening the ends of the end mills and it works great. I'll have to look closely at his plans for these though to make sure it won't take the rest of my life to complete them. I'm very slow at this stuff. I think I need to take a course or learn what's taking me so long by watching an experienced machinist do similar work on a small manual mill. In the meantime I just plod ahead slowly.
 
David S said:
Here is a source for the clamp tight wire.. I have it, made my own tool.. the wire works great.
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=59452&cat=1,43456

David
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Hbilly1022 thanks for posting the tool and the link, I don't remember seeing one. I couldn't wrap my mind around how this works, here is a video from clamptight at a show. Looks like a nice addition to the household toolbox. There are a number of knockoffs on youtube including one made from a carriage bolt.

Does "music wire" make good clamps?

Mike

 
Reeltor said:
Does "music wire" make good clamps?
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I've had good luck making clamps with the stainless tie wire sold at Harbor Freight. It's inexpensive and locally available (for many people). I've had no issues with it breaking, and there have been no signs of rust in exterior applications after a couple years.

It is exactly the same size as the wire that came with the clamp tool I purchased, but I believe the tools are available in different sizes.

http://www.harborfreight.com/0041-inch-stainless-steel-lock-wire-1-lb-coil-8895.html
 
Reeltor, I don't know if music would be good. I haven't tried it yet.

Sheather, WOW!!!!! The price of SS wire around here is anywhere from $40 to $80 for 1 lb.
 
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The Holbrook C16 has a proprietary spindle nose taper. I have an adapter for the factory collets, but that's all it can be used for. I decided that for my first project I would attempt to make one using the compound to cut the taper. I think it turned out pretty okay. I'm going to bore this one 4 MT, and I'm thinking about making another and boring it for 5C collets.
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Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 using Tapatalk.
 
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Another case of the dreaded Red X disease.

428Bird said:
The Holbrook C16 has a proprietary spindle nose taper. I have an adapter for the factory collets, but that's all it can be used for. I decided that for my first project I would attempt to make one using the compound to cut the taper. I think it turned out pretty okay. I'm going to bore this one 4 MT, and I'm thinking about making another and boring it for 5C collets.

bfac3b185e2554cff966e57edf7e92ed.jpg


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 using Tapatalk.
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