Shop Made Tools

[Catshooter]

There is the right way to heat treat tool steels, and then . . .

Many years ago I worked in a bicycle factory. The hubs on the frame were installed with a special two-flat socket and a 750 foot-pound air impact gun. The socket started wearing out so our in-house machinist made a new (so we'd have a spare) socket and made the two flats replaceable out of 01. The flats would sometimes last a whole day.

So the boss got some S-7 and the machinist made the flats from that. Hardened 'em.

When I left there about a year later the original two S-7 flats were still going strong. The recommended hardening procedure for S-7 is quite complex and (if I recall correctly) involves the use of a vacuum oven. Our little flats were hardened with a torch, by eye, quenched by tossing 'em into a can of some oil and then drawn by eye.

Sometimes reality, and what works can differ from the perfect world.


Cat

[10KPete]

And sometimes you get lucky! Sure is nice when you do....



Pete

[MushCreek]

Here's another tool- a small precision grinding vise I made. It is 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 X 4. I also made a smaller one and a larger one. Note the 45 degree ways for the moving jaw. The idea was that if they ever got worn, the whole thing could be re-ground, unlike straight ways which just get looser and looser. None of them have ever worn enough to matter, though.

[gambler]

very nice, how does it work?

[quasi]

what type of material did you use for your vises.

[rcaffin]

What's the stamped logo on the top?

Cheers
Roger

[MushCreek]

The logo on the top has my name and the year I made it. It is engraved, not stamped. There is a logo EDM'd into the end with my initials. It is probably made of hardened S-7 tool steel, or possibly A-2 (I made it 27 years ago). How does it work? Very well, or are you asking about the actual mechanism? I'll post a pic of one disassembled if you like.

[RichR]

very nice, how does it work?

Google "screwless vise".

[gambler]

Google "screwless vise".

thanks, I did. that would make a good project. though it does use a screw!

[RichR]

thanks, I did. that would make a good project. though it does use a screw!

This guy has a step by step plus drawings:

http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/mill/vise/vise.html

His home page is also definitely worth a look at:

http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/projects.html

Amongst the many projects there is a 1" 4 jaw chuck, rotary table, boring head, dividing head, and many more. There's also a bunch of engines
on the site. Everything built using a Taig lathe and milling machine.

[softtail]

HSM had a vise build by Rudy Kouhoup.. late 80's or early 90's I think. Made of steel.

If you did an image search, it wouldn't be difficult to draw up your own.. pretty straight forward.

[wbc]

Another Gelbart-inspired rotary laser center finder

$4 worth of stuff and a little labor and you have another cheap interpretation of a Dan Gelbart rotary finder.
Video: Search Youtube for Dan Gelbart part 15, 2 minutes in. Counter balancing not really necessary and
grub screw not needed if making a dedicated finder for one size spindle or chuck. Ubiquitous laser module
found ebay and web; brass, < 0.5" dia and just long enough to insert 3 button batteries and an on/off screw.

[MasterMaker]

I imagine it would work ok on larger pieces but given how large and fuzzy any laser dot is likely to be, how precise is it?

[wbc]

MM:
Gelbart video best answer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otSjut1iGGk

Handy for center-drilling odd vertical cylindrical shapes that you don't want to bother with lathe and 4-jaw setup. With shallow laser angle,
a wide light band on vertical cylinder very easy to discriminate for center. "Fuzziness" becomes a virtue.
Can get to within 0.005" without trying hard, then switch to Indicol/dti or other means if warranted.
Is not substitute for that or mechanical edge finding.

[ezduzit]

w--Enjoyed watching some of Gelbart's videos.