- Joined
- Sep 28, 2013
- Messages
- 4,392
next on the list now that my DP/ mill is more capable (treadmill motor conversion) is to make more QCTP holders. I only have 2 turning, 1 parting and 1 boring holder and I'm always swapping tools in and out of them, which rather defeats the purpose.
I wanted to make a couple out of alu first to get a hang of making the dovetail, so came up with a toolpost mounted/ drill driven drill chuck and some other bits'n'bobs. I also wanted to try my hand at making a dovetail cutter to see if I can make that work for alu and perhaps steel.
O1 cutter, using 1/2 rod
end grooved to 0.270in, with 0.2in left at the end, which was then turned down using the compound set to 60deg. End was faced with the compound set to 2deg, to give it a bit of end relief
in the collet block in the DP, with the non-collet end tilted up a bit to give 2deg relief on the flutes. Flutes were cut 0.5mm (whatever that is in inches) below center, which should give enough side relief.
unfortunately one of the cuts dug in (this whole thing is flex-o-rama), kicked the whole table sideways and walked across the face of the dovetail cutter. Bugger. It's now a 2 and a half flute cutter
anyway, thought I'd try hardening it anyway. Stoned the edges (what there were at least), heated it in the toaster oven to 400F, then heated it with my propane torch til the cutter end glowed dull red then dunked it in powersteering fluid. Fished it out, stuck it back in the toaster oven at 300F for 10min, stoned the edges again and had a crack. Most of the material was removed with a roughing end mill, then the dovetails done with this.
it worked ok, although it was wearing pretty fast. Might have been running too fast (900rpm sounded nice), might not have actually hardened it. Next time I'll use a magnet to check.
Now I need to cut out the recess for the drill chuck, but my arms are dead from a 5h bike ride today so I'll be watching Zootopia with the kids instead
I wanted to make a couple out of alu first to get a hang of making the dovetail, so came up with a toolpost mounted/ drill driven drill chuck and some other bits'n'bobs. I also wanted to try my hand at making a dovetail cutter to see if I can make that work for alu and perhaps steel.
O1 cutter, using 1/2 rod
end grooved to 0.270in, with 0.2in left at the end, which was then turned down using the compound set to 60deg. End was faced with the compound set to 2deg, to give it a bit of end relief
in the collet block in the DP, with the non-collet end tilted up a bit to give 2deg relief on the flutes. Flutes were cut 0.5mm (whatever that is in inches) below center, which should give enough side relief.
unfortunately one of the cuts dug in (this whole thing is flex-o-rama), kicked the whole table sideways and walked across the face of the dovetail cutter. Bugger. It's now a 2 and a half flute cutter
anyway, thought I'd try hardening it anyway. Stoned the edges (what there were at least), heated it in the toaster oven to 400F, then heated it with my propane torch til the cutter end glowed dull red then dunked it in powersteering fluid. Fished it out, stuck it back in the toaster oven at 300F for 10min, stoned the edges again and had a crack. Most of the material was removed with a roughing end mill, then the dovetails done with this.
it worked ok, although it was wearing pretty fast. Might have been running too fast (900rpm sounded nice), might not have actually hardened it. Next time I'll use a magnet to check.
Now I need to cut out the recess for the drill chuck, but my arms are dead from a 5h bike ride today so I'll be watching Zootopia with the kids instead
