Throwing this out there to all the guys who have little "tricks" that make our machining life easier and quicker. Here's my contribution and I hope you guys will chip in (pun) and tell us yours!
Here goes!
1) Most all my work is on small stuff. I drill a lot of small holes and tap a lot of them too. I have made up a simple small block of wood and I have drilled a set of three holes for each screw size #2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10. For each screw size there's a hole that holds the tap, the tap drill, and the clearance hole drill. Whenever I need to drill a hole for a screw one reach to one spot gets me what I need and quick!
2) Since a lot of the holes mentioned above are done in the mill and the mill most often has a 3/8" collet in it (sound familiar??) I fit all the commonly used drill bits with a 3/8" sleeve on it. I take 3/8" diameter brass stock, drill it with the drill as required in the lathe and loctite the drill bit shank into the sleeve (loctite loves brass). So when I need to use the drills they all fit in the same collet...I never have to pause to fit different holders for drills and milling cutters etc. Oh....one other thing...I took a dremel mini drill chuck and fitted a 3/8 shank on it too so it also fits into the 3/8" collet in the mill and I can fit all the other small drill bits I might want to use...works pretty slick.
Wayne
Here goes!
1) Most all my work is on small stuff. I drill a lot of small holes and tap a lot of them too. I have made up a simple small block of wood and I have drilled a set of three holes for each screw size #2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10. For each screw size there's a hole that holds the tap, the tap drill, and the clearance hole drill. Whenever I need to drill a hole for a screw one reach to one spot gets me what I need and quick!
2) Since a lot of the holes mentioned above are done in the mill and the mill most often has a 3/8" collet in it (sound familiar??) I fit all the commonly used drill bits with a 3/8" sleeve on it. I take 3/8" diameter brass stock, drill it with the drill as required in the lathe and loctite the drill bit shank into the sleeve (loctite loves brass). So when I need to use the drills they all fit in the same collet...I never have to pause to fit different holders for drills and milling cutters etc. Oh....one other thing...I took a dremel mini drill chuck and fitted a 3/8 shank on it too so it also fits into the 3/8" collet in the mill and I can fit all the other small drill bits I might want to use...works pretty slick.
Wayne