Finally got back to making chips after a two month period of intense organizing and cleaning out in my shop (I should make a separate post about that, because it was probably 10 hours of cleaning and 40-50 hours of organizing).
Decided to make a BlondiHacks side clamp out of some 4340PH:
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This project would have taken me multiple days before I cleaned and organized. I would have spent way too much time losing my measuring tools in all of the crap that was spread everywhere. Now, I'm able to do a project like this in one day.
I milled the slots the way BlondiHacks did, meaning I had to take a boatload of passes using a 1/8" endmill. Next time, I might drill the end of the slot and then use a slotting saw. I only have one four flute end mill in this size, and it's been... Well used, let's just say.
I'm sorely tempted to polish this thing, but that would be silly, this part will surely get dinged up like crazy. I'll probably give it a cold blue treatment though.
Sorry for the rambling and meandering, I'm coming off of a migraine and my thoughts are a little disorganized.
Edit: I should add that I'm planning on making 2-3 more of these, so I've ordered some ground 4140PH bar stock that matches the dimensions a bit more closely than the 4340 I used for this clamp.
Edit: also, I should add that I tapped the holes ⅜"-24, which is a size I have absolutely zero hardware for. I have
twenty ⅜"-24 spiral flute taps, but no hardware. Amazing.
