# BXA toolholder for 5C collets



## dave2176 (Dec 2, 2013)

I saw a 5C collet holder for a BXA QCTP and decided I wanted one. The one I saw was a Dorian and was $180 so I set out to make my own. I hope you will take the time to comment, share your knowledge on how it can be made better, better tooling choice, better method or what have you.

The first step was to select the steel for the project. I found a piece of salvage that said "A2 tool steel" that was close enough. It ran 32.5 cents per pound so the 2"x 2.5"x3.25" piece ran about $3.50. 

I mounted it in the 4 jaw centered between the 2" width and .875" in from the side opposite where the dovetail would go. Here it is faced just to smooth it up.



Next was to drill it 3" deep starting with a center drill and working up to 7/8" which is my largest bit. I left the hole blind bottomed so that coolant wouldn't run through the head stock onto the ground, plus the chuck wouldn't be throwing it.



Next was to bore the hole. My boring bar was a little small for the task so it was .010 at a time with frequent spring passes. The Shar's high-precision 5C collet set measured 1.248" so I bored it to 1.249". Worried that heat could cause it to stick I honed it later to clean it up and have just shy of 1.250" bore. (Note to self: Figure out how to fit "a larger boring bar would make a great stocking stuffer" into dinner conversation.)



The test fit looks good.



Next step was the taper. I found where the collet is 10 degrees but the holder taper should be 9 degrees 51 minutes so the clamp pressure is on the end. So with the cross slide set I cut the taper.


----------



## dave2176 (Dec 2, 2013)

After the boring was complete I cut 1/4" off the back to open the bore then milled the block to clean it up and get it to finished length and width.





Next step was to mill the dovetail. Using a 1/2" roughing mill I cut 1.400" wide by .410" deep. Depth of cut was .200".  The dovetail measures 1.740" at its widest point. My cutter doesn't have a radius and cuts to a point so make allowance for your cutter if you make one.



Cutting the dovetail. I increased the depth to .415" which is what I measured on 3 makes of holders I have. I could cut .050" horizontal on each pass with the HSS 60 degree dovetail cutter.



Cleaning up the top and bottom to remove the marks from bouncing around the scrap bin I found it in.



Drilling the holes for the height stud and a 1/8" alignment/anti-rotation pin.



With the block finished I needed a nut to tighten the collet. I knurled a piece of 2" diameter stock, drilled and bored and threaded it 1-1/4" 20tpi. Holes where drilled for a spanner to tighten the collet sufficiently.










The collet fits nicely.



Parting the nut off.



I needed a thumb wheel (Is that the correct name?) for the height adjustment. I started with 1-1/4" stock, cleaned it up and cut a knurl.






I had enough to make 9 spares. I parted part way so I could clean up the edges a bit with the DCMT bit above then drilled and threaded them before each was parted off.




Here's a couple pictures of the final results.





Hope this helps somebody in some way.

Dave


----------



## toolman (Dec 3, 2013)

Beautiful work!


----------



## Philco (Dec 3, 2013)

Excellent job! Very inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to document the process & post the pictures.
Phil


----------



## xalky (Dec 3, 2013)

Yes, very nice work. )


----------



## dave2176 (Dec 4, 2013)

Thank you for the kind responses. It was fun to make and I learned more about both machines.  We have woodturning club members who have been members for a year or more, attend every meeting, rent every video in our library and feel they are almost ready to try turning something.  I tell them they won't learn anything until they stick a  tool into wood. I think it is similar with metal,  the more you do the more you learn. The problem is that metal doesn't grow on trees like wood does.  If only I could cut a branch off my neighbors 4140 tree and put tool to it. :thinking:

Dave


----------



## melsdad (Dec 6, 2013)

That tool looks fantastic! A2 is one of my favorite tool steels. I would suggest having it heat treated and it will last you forever.


----------



## dave2176 (Dec 6, 2013)

Thanks Brian,  I found a place locally that will do small runs but they have a 100 pound minimum charge so it would be quite expensive for just the one.  I hope come spring I can follow Ray C's heat treating oven thread and make myself a small oven for just this type thing. 

Dave


----------



## melsdad (Dec 6, 2013)

I actually have a small heat treat oven about half built for doing knife blades. I will have to do a search on the Ray C oven you mentioned.


----------



## Bill Gruby (Dec 6, 2013)

Here you go.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9929-Heat-Treat-Oven?highlight=Heat+Treat+Oven

 "Billy G"


----------



## dave2176 (Mar 3, 2014)

Finally got to put it to use. That's a 7* mill in a 3/4 collet. Held secuely with no chatter during cutting. Much better than using a drill chuck. 
Dave


----------



## vapremac (Mar 4, 2014)

Fine job !   Its a wonderful feeling and gives you a great sense of pride when building a
useful functional piece of tooling.

William


----------



## ARM (Jun 7, 2014)

dave2176 said:


> Finally got to put it to use. That's a 7* mill in a 3/4 collet. Held secuely with no chatter during cutting. Much better than using a drill chuck.
> Dave
> View attachment 71639


Hello there DAVE
Better late than........
Firstly,  thanks for taking the time to post these pics of a great project.
Yours would have cost +- US $200, if purchased, whilst we convert at 10.75 times  !!! So really a worthwhile endeavour.
U make it look so much easier and possible for us novices.
And a good challenge for an exciting project.  We have the Collets and Mill  holders too. However, this is the cherry on the cake for our lathe work  !!!  
As U showed, we want to do exactly the  same, hopefully,IA
Once again, Kudos to U for an excellent showing and we will definitely get cracking on ours, LORD  WILLING.
Kindest regards
aRM


----------

