A Quicky

[RJSakowski]

A simple little project to fix a problem. My AXA parting tool holder has had a problem with the back end of the blade pivoting out from the groove. A simple fix is to modify the tool holder by drilling and tapping a hole near the back to prevent this. I rummaged through my screw collection and found a short 8-32 screw with a large diameter head.

I drilled and tapped a hole for the 8 -32 screw and counterbored the face .030". Altogether, about a 10 minute job.

 

[woodchucker]

Hey RJ, was that holder designed to hold P type blades, or tapered blades? I have a Chinese holder and it's for tapered, but I would like to put a P blade in it...

I have thought about making a new holder that keeps it level to avoid having to adjust the height when changing the stick out. I realize that angle helps with the cutting, but it's annoying having to re-center it.

 

[RJSakowski]

Hey RJ, was that holder designed to hold P type blades, or tapered blades? I have a Chinese holder and it's for tapered, but I would like to put a P blade in it...

I have thought about making a new holder that keeps it level to avoid having to adjust the height when changing the stick out. I realize that angle helps with the cutting, but it's annoying having to re-center it.

Mine came from Grizzly with a 1/16" tapered blade. Grizzly's parting tool holders are advertised as for either tapered or P style blades, although I don't know that it was true when I bought the QCTP set back in 2015. I bought some 1/8" cobalt P style blades which is what I am using currently.

 

[lordbeezer]

Broke down couple commercial treadmill rollers. Heavy shafts. 1.375”. Didn’t get length. Rollers have balance weights both ends. Make good pig cooker smoke stacks. Good sized sealed bearings.

 

[pontiac428]

Rj, I am familiar with the issue you had with the parting tool holder, where the blade tweaks out from the side a bit. Now, I'm just curious, but by putting a stop screw there, are you correcting the symptom only? I mean, if the wedge block is torquing the blade, it's going to do that whether the tail is being held straight or not.

This isn't a problem confined to just far east import tool holders. A number of different parting blade holders I've used will tweak the blade when tightened. I've taken that as part of the game, and I square my blade to the chuck face instead of squaring the tool holder to it.

 

[RJSakowski]

Rj, I am familiar with the issue you had with the parting tool holder, where the blade tweaks out from the side a bit. Now, I'm just curious, but by putting a stop screw there, are you correcting the symptom only? I mean, if the wedge block is torquing the blade, it's going to do that whether the tail is being held straight or not.

This isn't a problem confined to just far east import tool holders. A number of different parting blade holders I've used will tweak the blade when tightened. I've taken that as part of the game, and I square my blade to the chuck face instead of squaring the tool holder to it.

Time will tell as to the effectiveness. The shoulder of the blade is now being held tight to the side of the groove which wasn't possible previously, no matter how I tried to do so. My objection to the original design is that the blade would twist out in use. as there was essentially single point contact.. now, with two contact points, it should be more stable. Also, because of the second restraint, the rigidity will be increased.

I also square the blade rather than the tool holder. to the chuck face. The issue was that during the cut, the blade would wander out of square. and hopefully, this will correct that issue.

I have a set of tool holders from Clausing for my 6 x 18 that replaced the Armstrong style tool holders. The parting tool holder has a shallow secondary groove at the bottom which prevents this type of wandering. That type of feature could be added to my AXA parting tool holder with a narrow Woodruff key cutter.

 

[pontiac428]

Ah, I see. Tools shifting in use is a no-go. I find the classic rhomboid or "knife" type parting blades don't twist at all in their holders. I consider myself fortunate for acquiring a lifetime supply of various US tungsten steel blades from the mid '60s with rhomboid profiles. Now, all of the P-type profiles I used to favor are loose from their holders and tucked away at the back of the drawer. Maybe it would be different if the parting blade weren't the easiest tool to grind. That u-shaped groove on top isn't all that great unless you have a lot of negative rake in your holder to begin with. The undercut sides make those blades tough to mount, as you know. Not a very good trade, I guess.

 

[ltlvt]

I like the idea of the improvement. I have found now that I have a brand new still in the package blade and a carbide insert blade, I never break the one I have. I keep waiting for it to chip or even explode but now that I am prepared it just does not break. My idea works on taps as well. I just bought duplicates and in some cases 3 or 4 of the same size taps now I never break a tap. I think maybe it is jealousy that keeps them from breaking. Anybody that takes me seriously should see the Igloo I picked up in Arizona. Really, I changed type of taps I use. All those straight flute taps never get used anymore since I started using the spiral flute power taps. And I am still using the broken piece of HSS cut off blade because I've slowed my game down a lot when using it. If I am not parting into a through hole, then I don't cut all the way. I stop soon enough and withdraw the tool and just break the part off or use a hack saw and cut thru the rest of the way. I have broken plenty of the carbide inserts and usually it is at the very end of the cut when the tool tries to climb up over the work. I am seriously thinking about trying some of the old school 4-way tool post and lantern post tool holders. The AXA wedge style Bostar that I have is showing its weaknesses the more I use it. Many children have been fed and clothed by the old school tools before EZ-PZ quick change came along and made everyone lazy. Well at least that is what I keep telling myself every time I look at all the old school tools I have.