Hydraulic DIY QCTP

Nice project, now if you can find a DIY hydraulic or pneumatic follow rest, I will be interested in copying it.

Thanks for posting it.
 
Nice project, now if you can find a DIY hydraulic or pneumatic follow rest, I will be interested in copying it.

Thanks for posting it.
How about using bimba pneumatic cylinders with bearings in the yoke , with a valve to lock position. A tire valve would do . Of course I don't see the need for a powered steady or follow rest.
 
How about using bimba pneumatic cylinders with bearings in the yoke , with a valve to lock position. A tire valve would do . Of course I don't see the need for a powered steady or follow rest.

To play wth, I bought a 2 inch Bimba, that should give enough pressure on the work piece with around 3X the incoming air. I was thinking about machining a Delrin saddle that will straddle the barrel when turning. Using a regulator for the incoming air from a reserve tank might do it. Thoughts?
 
You would need a way to monitor your tool pressure to maintain even pressure through the entire cut.
 
for a rest, Maybe a symple coil (or a bolt) will be better than a complicated Hydraulic system.....
 
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If the hole through the body from the piston chamber to the inner chamber were drilled at the top of the piston chamber instead of the center then it would preclude getting air trapped behind the piston.
 
Hmmm ... Good thought! While watching the video, I kept wondering about trapped air, which would result in "lost motion" for the small piston - requiring several turns to release the springiness of the compressed air when releasing the tool holder, then requiring several turns to build up pressure when trying to hold it.

Perhaps the originator will see this, or maybe somebody can add a comment to the Youtube posting. If nothing else, he can drill a second hole at the top of the piston chamber. Two holes will not affect operation of the hydraulics. Might even aid in the removal of air!
 
What about boring the hole for the slave piston (large one) through to the T bolt hole and moving (or adding a second hole) near the top O ring on the T bolt to vent the air during filling. Just a thought.
 
In this incarnation, the idea takes four O-ring seals (the most accessible one being doubled),
and complicates the central post of the toolholder. The multiple O-ring
seals is a bother, any one of 'em that leaks during a cut
would ... drop the tool.

A variant could use gas-over-liquid
pressurization (like, from a CO2 cartridge) with a single O-ring seal, and wouldn't require a post (so a holder could be bolted to a mill table or somesuch, and still hold the tool).

I've seen wedge quickchange designs with tension on a rod to actuate the clamp, http://hobby-machinist.com/threads/a-quick-change-toolpost-by-john-stevenson.268/
and a cylinder-and-linkage could provide tension hydraulically. Then the 'master piston' could
be a sealed bellows under a toggle-clamp. Two-dovetail holders could be accomodated
with multiple master pistons, just swivel the toggle clamp to a second push-position.

All told, the Stevenson design has more appeal (though the
central block with dovetail innies instead of outies is... unsettling).
 
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