PeterE's Pillar Tools

[PeterE]

Yes, it is pillar tools in plural.

I started out by doing this simple one from a cheap drill press stand:


It worked quite well but was only for tapping and I wanted a bit more versatility. I began to make a pillar tool more closely to the GHT drawings. But at the time I only had the micro lathe and the small bench drillpress so the build was to be a joint machine-hand work task. The arms were sawn out of a piece of 38x75 steel and the larger holes were drilled using a large countersink that was ground for through drilling. The foot is 70 mm diameter which is about as large as can be pressed into a Unimat size lathe 

A lot of filing later the tool looked like this:


Some of the accessories are already made and a letter stamping holder is on the list - any day now ....

BR

/Peter

[Rob.Wilson]

Nice bit of MODDING Pete 


Rob

[PeterE]

Thanks Rob!

Btw, the table is a former Black&Decker power drill faceplate now serving well for tapping.

BR

/Peter

[PekkaNF]

Would have needed something like that today. I was making some T-nut and had to make M12 thread. I'm only equipped to make manual threading....the tap refused to start straight and finally I check the bugger with a magnifier. One tooth was chipped. Had a go with a spare tap and that started every thread fine.

How big threads you can do with that one? Or how small?

Pekka

[Rob.Wilson]

Thanks Rob!

Btw, the table is a former Black&Decker power drill faceplate now serving well for tapping.

BR

/Peter

   good use for  an old bit of kit   


Rob

[PeterE]

...
How big threads you can do with that one? Or how small?

Pekka

The chuck is a normal up-to-10-mm-chuck and it can therefore easily handle any tap put into it, although I tend to use it for taps between 3 and 8 mm. and those are not any problem at all.

When it comes to 10 and 12 mm taps I normally just start the tap using the tool and then change to a larger handle as the tapping stand handle is only about 10 cm across and for 10 and 12 mm taps it is very useful with a bit more leverage.

For taps below 3 mm I have made smaller chuck which also is lighter to avoid breaking taps just by dropping the tool onto the workpiece. The small tap tool looks as shown below.



Of course I did one other thing - a work light attachment from an old wall "spot light" from IKEA together with some bushes and voilá a useful lighting source. The pillar tool is mounted on the fitting/measuring/marking out table.

All in all, the pillar tool is just as versatile as stated in GHT's books and it works a real treat!

BR

/Peter