QCTP - Tool Holders

[caster]

I made this QCTP and seven tool holders but it seems that you always need more holders than you have and wined up changing tools in the holders. So I decided to make some more holders.




I purchased 12" of 1.25" square 1045 stock, cut it into 5 billets and faced them on the 4 jaw.



Mounted on the 3-in-1 milling machine, touched off, located the groove and milled.



Taking 50 thou cuts, got to within 10 thou and did a finishing cut



I now have 5 soon to be holders grooved and ready to have the dovetail cut.

More to come

Caster

 

[Bishop]

That's awesome, I've seen a few people making their own holders but I think your the first I've seen make their own QCTP nice work.

Shawn

 

[caster]

[SUP]Having survived the "Epic snow storm" I got some time in the shop this morning and I cut the first dovetail.

[/SUP]

Here is my setup



And the results



One down, four to go. "I love it when a good plan comes together"

More to come

Caster

 

[caster]

I finished cutting the dovetails, now to make the holders. I am thinking of making a parting holder. The one I use is a 1/16" x 1/2" mounted on a T type holder held in a tool holder, seems redundant one holder too many. Additionally I like tangential cutters, here too I have a holder being held by a tool holder, redundant. I will machine one of the holders to be a tangential cutter. The freed holders will be used for a knurling tool and a chamfering bit. I will get a long hss tool bit that extends beyond both ends, grind 45 deg cutting edge on each end. This will allow me to mount it perpendicular or horizontal to the work.



More to come

Caster

 

[thomas s]

Great job and very good pictures thanks for posting. thomas s

 

[Doubleeboy]

Excellent job on the toolholders, could you tell me how many passes you made to cut the dovetails, light cuts , heavy cuts?
Thanks
michael

 

[caster]

Hi Michael,

The dovetails are 0.191 deep. I started with a 0.070 followed by two 0.055 and finished with 0.011. I used plenty of wd40 and maintained a slow feed.

Unfortunately while working out the dimensions for the tangential holder I realized that I don't have enough material to clear the horizontal facing dovetail of the QCTP. I need 3/8" more added to the cutter side. I must admit I did not think about the varying holders until I finished cutting the dovetails. Given the materials I had, I don't know if I would have sacrificed a holder to have a tangential holder. Either way here are the plans for the tangential holder. I will make and show the parting holder.




Caster

 

[Doubleeboy]

Thank you for the info and drawing. How is your repeatability with the piston post?
michael

 

[caster]

The QCTP holds steady, rarely will a holder loosen. When it does its me not turning the handle enough. There is some tolerance, each time a holder is locked it will be slightly different.

Caster

 

[caster]

So I got some time in the shop and decided to make a parting tool holder. I layed out the groove and the centers for the holding screws and cut the groove.



Nice fit. While the mill was set up I decided to cut a plain holder as well.



Using a wiggler I positioned the drill, drilled the holes and tapped. Used the drill to center and start the tap and finished by hand.



Cut relief for the hold screws and trial assembly. Did the same for the simple holder



To finish I chamfered the edges



A little deburring and sanding and we have the finished holders.



I have three blanks left. I will finish them as need arise. I used 1045 steel with the notion that I would harden the holders. Ironically its too cold to fire up my foundry furnace which doubles as a heat treating oven. That will have to wait a few months.

Caster