Toolmakers Clamp

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ddickey

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Apr 21, 2016
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So I watched Tubalcains video and decided to make this clamp this weekend.
I learned a lot, or maybe a little, but hoping you guys and help with some questions.
1) I tuned between centers some and found a couple times my work piece stopped turning. I was not feeding fast or taking deep cuts. I was using a live center at the tailstock and a dead center with a Morse taper reducer in the spindle. I did not pound the adapter in very tight but gave it a little tap. I'm not sure if it was the center that stopped or the reducer. Maybe I still need a dog leg?
2) I used a lot of oil. Stuff I had laying around ISO10. Do I need to pay better attention to the oil I use? Is there a good sight that tells me exactly the oils I should be using for certain applications and materials?
3) Tubalcain did not turn down his piece before knurling. Is this okay?
4) His finish looks so nice and mine looks dark and unappealing. I plan on polishing it when I get everything done.
5) I still have to make an outside radius. I have a rotary table I was going to use for the first time but realize I have no t-nuts that fit it. I also have hold down clamps but even if I made the t-nuts I couldn't use them as the bolts are to wide to fit down into the nuts. That might have to be my next project.
That's all I can think of now, thanks in advance.
 
You probably learned more than you realize, and that is a good thing!
1. Yes, it looks like you need a lathe dog. This is a standard item when turning between centers as the friction of using just the dead center is usually not enough to positively drive the work.
2. Any oil is better than no oil. I usually use a mix of motor oil, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, etc. that I collect from empty oil bottles. I tip them up to drain into one container and use the mix for most of my cutting. It saves money and makes use of a material that otherwise would go to waste. If I have some heavy cutting to do, or threads to cut, then I will use regular cutting oil as the surface finish is usually a little better.
3. Sure is. You can turn it to any diameter you want, but turning it to a diameter such that the circumference is a multiple of the pitch of your knurling rolls helps a bunch.
4. I usually polish my work a bit too, just to spruce it up a bit. Oiling it up afterwards helps also and helps to keep the finished part from rusting as well.
5. Necessity is the mother of invention. I have made all of my clamping tools for my rotary table. It's also a great project that gives you more flexibility and more experience, too!

Have fun and be safe!
 
ddickey,
Thanks for this post.
I hadn't seen this video. Nor have I seen this method of threading.
Thank you!!

Daryl
MN
 
Grind the radius? Actually, the radius is for aesthetics, isn't it?
 
Yes it is. I don't have a grinder so that is not an option at this time.
 
Destroyed my clamp to day on the rotary table. Need to figure out how to use a rotary table I guess. LOL
 
A sharp file would work too. We sometimes forget the simple tools, especially when we have fancy tools.
 
So I milled the mistake off and re did the radius. A little shorter than planned but still okay with it. I believe the problem from yesterday has to do with my Y axis reading on my DRO.I noticed today if you change direction there is no reading taking place even though the table is moving. If you then return to the starting point it will be off. Not sure what's going on but haven't the time to investigate till next week.
 
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