Shop Made Tools

[dian]

MichaelP, so is the rod rotating freely in the bushing and just pushing on the workpiece from below?

btw, i cannot see how you grind a drill that way.

[hammerfest]

DRO Support Arm for my South Bend

[flathead4]

Just another ER collet chuck. I chose to use the nut that came with the collets instead of making my own and that gave me an opportunity to use the metric change gears I got from Tools4Cheap. Probably the biggest challenge for me, was identifying the metric threads of the nut. At the time, I did not have a metric thread gauge and only a [email protected] HF metric caliper. Also, my 1964 copy of Machinerys Handbook did not list M40X1.5, so I had to scrounge around on the web for the thread specs. I made it from a chunk of unknown steel I had laying around so I'm curious how it will wear.

Tom

[Billy Hill]

I don't remember seeing this one in here, sorry if it's a duplicate...

One chuck key for a 4-jaw chuck just doesn't cut it so I made a second one out of some scraps I had laying around.

Unfortunately, my little Micromark 7x16 is too small to use the original 4-jaw chuck key without taking it out and re-inserting it. Major PITA.



So I made a 3rd one the same size as the second.



Now I can dial in parts on my 4-jaw using the two small ones. Only problem is I can't get the chuck as tight with the little ones so for big work I come back with the big one (while the indicator is still attached) to to snug it down.

[flathead4]

Billy,

You could make a key the size of the original one, but with a sliding handle like this "socket wrench."

BTW, what are the flat areas on the shaft of your keys for?

Tom

[Billy Hill]

Good idea Tom, thanks.

The body portion of the wrenches are from some scrap parts I made many years ago. I just milled the flats on the ends, put a hole in and used some other scrap parts from a few years ago to make the handles.

[BadDog]

I don't know about his, but when I made a key for my 8" 3 jaw, I wasn't sure the cross bar I used was going to be strong enough for everything, so I cut a 5/8" hex head on the top end of the shaft. So now I can use a wrench of socked if required, and didn't need a huge heavy cross bar.

[Billy Hill]

Another great Idea BadDog. I did something similar with a 3/8" extension for a spark plug socket for my brother's '69 Chevelle so he could use a wrench instead of a socket driver.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Shop-made gauge for accurately setting lathe tools on center using some scrap aluminum, ½” drill rod & an ebay dial indicator. It helps to quickly & easily set the tool on center within a thou (or less) on any lathe. I used a short travel, small dial indicator so it would be compact enough to clear the ways on my 8” swing lathes.

It’s calibrated with a .250” dowel pin that slides in & out of a close fitting reamed hole in the center of the shaft. The indicator dial is set & locked so that the needle sits on zero with the dial tip extended exactly .125” It works great and is very consistent. The only variable is making sure it’s set at 90 degrees to the carriage but that’s pretty easy using an accurate square. I thought about adding a level but I think the square is more accurate.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Thanks, I just thought of another use of the thing, dunno why it didn't occur to me sooner. Once the tool is adjusted on center, I can back it off a hundred thou or so, rotate the gauge 90 degrees away from the tool & re-square it, jog back in (I'm using it on a Mach3 controlled CNC lathe) until the clock reads zero again and I can compute the tool tip offset to go into Mach's tool offsets table. Easy-peasy!

[PixMan]

Thanks, I just thought of another use of the thing, dunno why it didn't occur to me sooner. Once the tool is adjusted on center, I can back it off a hundred thou or so, rotate the gauge 90 degrees away from the tool & re-square it, jog back in (I'm using it on a Mach3 controlled CNC lathe) until the clock reads zero again and I can compute the tool tip offset to go into Mach's tool offsets table. Easy-peasy!

That's a great idea, and would also work for me on my manual machine with a simple and old no-offset DRO. Touch off to center and zero it out, now I've got a direct reading diameter value in X. Nice.

I think I'll make one as well because I need some excuse to use my machines.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Thanks PixMan, I'm hoping the thing will get me a little farther down the path to my dream of the CNC lathe giving me accurate, consistent part diameters on command using several different tools without having to fiddle around, tweak or cut & try.

Once that dream is realized, I'll start working on voice commands. Y'know, like Scottie on Star Trek. I'll fold my arms in front of me and in my best Scottish brogue I'll pronounce "COMPUTER! Give me a shaft .624" in diameter by 2" long & be quick about it!

[chucketn]

I have almost completed my version of a Digital Height Gage.It is based on several builds, but the basis is an unmodified Digital VernierCaliper. I wanted to be able to remove the Digital Vernier and use it on itsown.
This is the chunk of Cast Iron I was having issues withgetting under the skin.
My build is based on a combination of versions by Frank McLean,Paul Pierce, and David Graves. It’s not quite finished as I don’t have thematerial to make the scribe point. My local Fastenal supposedly has 1/8” drillrod. I will post more pictures when it’s complete.
Pics here: http://s571.photobucket.com/user/chucketn/library/Digital%20Height%20Gage
I’ve noticed that handling the cast iron base still makes myfingers and anything else that touches it black. What finishes do you folks puton machined cast iron?
Chuck

[chucketn]

I have seen many extol the virtues of collets and collet blocks for various operations. I only have R8 collets. Quite a while ago I asked on several forums about the possibility of making R8 collet blocks for Hex and Square features. I mostly got giggles, ridicule, and in general laughed laughed at.
Then, a fella called Davyboy just went ahead and made some.Some folks even applauded the idea. Then the subject of dividing/indexing heads cropped up. This reawakened in me the interest in R8 collet blocks, and spindles.
I decided to go ahead and make an R8 collet block for several reasons. I wanted to, I had a use for one, and making a collet block would be a good practice for making a spindle, whatever the taper.
So, over the last couple of days, I set about measuring,studying, researching, and finally making a R8 collet block.
My collet block started out as a piece of 1 ½” brass Hex.Why brass? I was the only material I had that was big enough to make a R8collet with, that stood a chance of being useful.
First I cut a 4 ½” length of the brass hex, and faced the ends. As my 3” chuck was near its limit chucking the 1 ½” hex, and only with the outside jaws, I turned 1 ¼” of one end round, allowing me to use my 4” 4jaw self centering chuck to hold it. I drilled it through 7/16”, bored to a close fit on the R8 collets,and then bored the 16° 51’ closing angle. I added a pin to fit the key slot on the collets. I even had to make the closing bolt as I didn’t have a 7/16 x 20 bolt in my collection, and I wasn’t going to town for one bolt. I turned down and single point threaded a bigger bolt I did have.
As I was drilling the hole for the key pin, I realized I would not be able to mill square from round stock. I milled ½” wide flats on 2 opposite sides of the hex, effectively giving me the ability to create squares on round stock.
All in all, I made a tool that may not last as long as I do,and may not get a whole lot of use. But, I did it. I gained invaluable experience to guide me in making an R8 spindle for the Dividing/Indexing head when I make it. It also showed me the limitations of some of my tools, and how to work around them.
Pictures here: http://s571.photobucket.com/user/chucketn/library/R8%20Collet%20Block
Chuck

[Stern]

I wonder how hard it would be to set up a collet system on a lathe that isnt set up for it. Mine (PM1227) just has a hollow shaft with the chuck plate as part of the assembly. Guess I would have to make a "holder" that would mount on the chuck plate