Shop Made Tools

[Black_Moons]

I took a slightly different approach to the drawbar-wrench-and-hammer-tool:
I simply got the cheapest wrench that was convenient from the local auto-parts store. Cut off the open end. Milled a slot in a piece of brass rod. Silver soldered the handle in to the slot.

The grooves in the brass head are to limit the size of chips that will eventually fly off.

-DU-

One problem, You can leave it on the drawbar... And then THWACK when you turn on the mill! This is why when I made mine, I cast lead around the closed end and left the open end free, Open ended wrench can't hang on the drawbar.

[H380]

Finished finally. I just need to come up with a spring.

[Void]

Nicely done H380. What sort of steel did you use and did you heat treat afterwards?

Sorry I can't make a recommendation on the spring other than I usually dig through my vast collection or wind one to suit.

-DU-

[H380]

Nicely done H380. What sort of steel did you use and did you heat treat afterwards?

Sorry I can't make a recommendation on the spring other than I usually dig through my vast collection or wind one to suit.

-DU-

Finding a spring is no problem. I just need to do it. It is just some type of cold rolled. It was some drop off given to the school. We have a lot of ex-students in the oil field around here. No heat treatment. I do not plan to use it. Call it an engineering exercise in futility.

[Greebe]

Exceptions are things like the Morse Taper Plug and Socket Gage. To buy a set is very expensive. To make a set it pretty cheap, a good exercise, and always useful in the shop.

Some pics:




-DU-

I am curious when you would need this tool? If for checking MT's couldn't you just use a dead center or a MT sleeve? Are there other things that this tool would get used for?

Thanks
Greebe

[ssnuce]

shop made mill down feed







SNUCE THANKS

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

Been a lurker here for awhile but FINALLY got/took the time to post.

Here is a depth tool I made 30+ years ago. It was to help w/construction of a precision clock I was going to build.



The smaller one is a commercially available one for watch work and the chunks of bronze in the rear were what I started with. The bronze had been a riser that someone made for a Delta Toolmaker surface grinder I had at the time.

When I finished this tool and went to design the clock movement, I found the tool was too small so I had to make the taller arms that are installed on one side.





I made a few changes to the standard design. I.E. the opening mechanism & return springs because I didn't like the way spring & screw just scrape against the outside & inside of the arms of the old style.



A couple of more things. Long before CNC or DROs. I didn't have a rotary table yet either. I turned my dividing head upright and took light cuts for the curved sides.

Obviously a lot of hand work too.

For those of you that don't know how this is used, you place the two arbors with their gears in place between the centers (or reverse centers). Then adjust the tool to get the tooth contact you desire. Next turn the tool upright and you have a ready made dividers to scribe the plates for locating where to drill/bore the pivot holes.

Used to be a standard tool for hand making a clock movement.

[Lew Hartswick]

That is a work of art. Beautiful!!!!
...lew...

[jhe.1973]

Hi Lew,

Thanks for your kind words.

I grew up in my Dad's machine shop starting 50+ years ago. He used to say,"You shouldn't have to brag, your workmanship should speak for itself".

Now that I am 'getting up there' myself I want to do what I can to inspire others honing their skills as he did.

Plus I am constantly amazed at all the things I still don't know.

Forums like this & PM are one of the best uses for the Internet that I can think of.

[Black_Moons]

Wow nice tool. Lots of work must of went into that, Not just functional work like the incredabley accurate alignment it must have, but aesthetic work getting everything to look just right without the smallest nick, flaw, or compermise.

Welcome to the board! And may we see many more posts from you.