# Making insert holders for my lathe



## jumps4 (Nov 11, 2012)

I have started making several different style carbide insert holders for the cnc lathe. i wanted long slender inserts to keep down the number of tool changes i would have to do so i chose vnmg inserts, they are 35 degree angle and 3/16" thick. so i needed tool holders. factory ones are 60 to 100 dollars each and they are too big for an axa tool post. i'm making lefts right and centered out of A2 1/2" square tool steel and also making some from mild steel as one piece to fit the quick change tool post. i have finished one 1/2 holder all but heat treating, 5 more to go.
steve


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## Rbeckett (Nov 11, 2012)

Lookin good there Steve.  Are those inserts readilly available and fairly cheap?  I have seen some that were unreasonable and I never did figure out why they were so much more than other very similar configurations.  Any idea why they are so different in price?  Thanks for the pics.
Bob


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## jumps4 (Nov 11, 2012)

I watch for old stock or lots on ebay, these are $7 to $14 each to buy them from a supplier. I gave $24 including shipping for 10 of them and they have 8 cutting edges each. the tool holders are 3 degree negative rake so all the edges can be used.
steve


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## Metalmann (Nov 11, 2012)

Looking great, Jumps. 
One thing I noticed, don't you have the diamond tip hanging out too far? It should be supported closer to the end. You may be busting inserts at the screw, with that much overhang. 
Especially, if you plan on doing any interrupted cuts. IMO.


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## jumps4 (Nov 11, 2012)

it does look like it is out too far but in pic 9 if you zoom in you can see that it is under the end of where the insert is supported the edges around the inserts do not make contact they are below the surface anyway.
steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 18, 2012)

I put the 1/2" tool holders on hold for a while and now i'm making one piece axa too holders for the new inserts. here are a few pics of the beginnings and a vix of the zx45 cutting the bulk out before dovetailing. this 1" 2 insert carbide  endmill i bought is just great, if i need metal out of the way fast i'll grab it first every time. cutting the center out of the three parts took a little over an hour total but the dovetailing goes a lot slower.

[video=youtube;UpCWdcNt7QE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpCWdcNt7QE&amp;feature=youtu.be[/video]


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## jumps4 (Nov 20, 2012)

I have all 3 dovetails cut out now and they fit perfectly
that was a pain in the...
the rest of this should go a lot faster
steve


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## Ray C (Nov 20, 2012)

Looks real good.  Are you going to black oxide them?  That would be a nice touch.  I use the Caswell stuff.  Works great and I have parts several years old and the finish is holding up fine.

PS:  Why was it a pain?  Whenever I dovetail cut, I assume it's going to take several passes.  And for the center cut, I'm usually inclined to use a 3/8 or 1/2 carbide and make a couple passes.  Saves a lot of strain on the machine.

What kind of metal stock do you have?  If it's 1045 or 41xx, yeah, that stuff fights back.


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## jumps4 (Nov 20, 2012)

i'm not sure what the metal was it was a piece of scrap i pulled out of the dirt with an 1/8" of scale on it.
the center took minutes to remove with a 1" 2 insert carbide endmill
i think my dovetail cutters i bought off ebay were for wood or something they didnt have a brand on them.
see this thread for details  http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9584-are-dovetails-a-pain-to-cut
steve


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## Ray C (Nov 20, 2012)

Gotcha...  Yeah, dovetails are a little dicey and HSS dulls quickly -especially if you're working with higher carbon stock.  I have a carbide insert tool and it's better on the pocketbook in the long run.  I tend to spin fast and cut light -but different machines likes different things.

Looks good.  Nice job.



jumps4 said:


> i'm not sure what the metal was it was a piece of scrap i pulled out of the dirt with an 1/8" of scale on it.
> the center took minutes to remove with a 1" 2 insert carbide endmill
> i think my dovetail cutters i bought off ebay were for wood or something they didnt have a brand on them.
> see this thread for details  http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9584-are-dovetails-a-pain-to-cut
> steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 20, 2012)

i was thinking about case hardening them in powdered charcoal and leaving the blue/black color on them.
i'll try a piece of scrap first to see how it looks
steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 20, 2012)

I ordered a carbide cutter today and the inserts.
steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 22, 2012)

today i got some of the bigger chunks of material out of the way. it sure was a lot easier than the dovetails. i sawed the left and right and used a 1" mill to do the center one. next will be machining the noses down to the right cutter height and angles then the pocket.
steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 23, 2012)

today i got a lot done on the center cutter. it is hard to see and the pic that is the closest to showing the angles is blurry. the angles for this carbide are negative 3 degrees down and 3 degrees down to the left, so this cutter still only cuts towards the chuck.
I still need to machine the one side and install the stud but it is turning out pretty good.
steve


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## jumps4 (Nov 23, 2012)

A few more pics


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## DMS (Nov 23, 2012)

Looking _real_ nice.


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## jumps4 (Nov 23, 2012)

thats not a parallel i'm using in the pic for a shim to clamp against
that is one of my endmill hardness testers
steve


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## OakRidgeGuy (Nov 24, 2012)

That is real good Steve, I like the work that you do!


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## jumps4 (Nov 24, 2012)

thank you guys
i'm getting the hang of the speeds and feeds for steel. i didnt dull of break anything today  lol
the pocket for the carbide was slow going with this slow spindle speed (1970 rpm ) i had to take it easy with the 1/8 cutter.
steve


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## Rick Leslie (Nov 24, 2012)

Steve, I'm very interested in the swivel vise you show. Is that of your own creation? Please tell me you have a build thread on it.


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## jumps4 (Nov 24, 2012)

that is a grinding fixture i got off ebay
but check the size of it, it is large and tall. the pics dont make it look big 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-V...2?pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item4cf18bc31a
there is a build going on here for one though i cant remember who it is...
steve


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## Rick Leslie (Nov 25, 2012)

Thank you. I can't believe I missed that on the 'bay'.


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## jumps4 (Nov 29, 2012)

well today was interesting, I got to fix a tool so i could finish my tool holders.
the clamp on my universal grinding fixture cracked and i had to make a new one before i could continue.
tomorrow i'll start back on the tool holders.
see my new hogging cutter i got tuesday. see my vise jaw where i forgot to read what i typed into the cnc and forgot a decimal point. .750" is not the same as 750" and sent my new cutter screaming into my vise. I'm an idiot some times. i can resharpen the mill but the jaw I stoned flat and will leave as a reminder this machine does what it is told not what i mean.  lol
steve


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## darkzero (Nov 30, 2012)

Nice work & great pics! :thumbzup:


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## 7HC (Nov 30, 2012)

jumps4 said:


> see my new hogging cutter i got tuesday. see my vise jaw where i forgot to read what i typed into the cnc and forgot a decimal point. .750" is not the same as 750" and sent my new cutter screaming into my vise.
> steve



Ouch!  That's a serious hogging tool you've got there though, what diameter is it?


M


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## jumps4 (Nov 30, 2012)

it is metric, about 2-1/4". I'm going to see if the local carbide tool manufacture will fix it. he says he only regrinds carbide and this is cobalt but i'll ask anyway. if not i'm sure i can regrind it. i'd like to get to talk to the guy at the carbide place anyway to see if he sells regrinds. the last time i could not get past the secretarys.
steve


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## PurpLev (Nov 30, 2012)

nice holders steve. looking forward to hearing how they perform.


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## jumps4 (Dec 3, 2012)

I got the set of tool holders done today they turned out pretty nice.
I think i'm going to case harden them with charcoal and bone if i can catch the dog
just kidding... only charcoal
steve


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## chuckorlando (Apr 5, 2014)

Nice holders. So how do you like them? Shame that cast cracked like it did.


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## jumps4 (Apr 5, 2014)

they work good but I use them on my 11x26 lathe. they are a bit large for my 9x20 cnc lathe.
steve


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## chuckorlando (Apr 5, 2014)

Yea they look beefy. Still a great project. Just have to be made to the proper size and insert one wanted to use.


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