Making Simple QC Tool Holders

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vtsteam:
I made mine several years ago and couldn't remember where I'd found the plan for them. I thought it might be an old issue of ME, but I have so many of those scattered in different boxes that I figured it would take forever to look through and find again. So I was planning to just copy the one I have.

Thinking about the possibility of cutters at both ends of the slot, but without having two jack screws or flipping the tool holder, I remembered another old series of articles in ME about a kind of sub-tool holder. this was a small block that held a lathe tool at an angle, and itself was placed in a larger tool holder, but square t that one. You set the tool at a consistent height inside the smaller toolholder block -- at least that's how I remember it. Then it was always at the correct height in the larger.

I tried to do a search for that ME issue reference, and failed, but accidentally turned up the plan to my own tool holder. Great! Now I don't have to reverse engineer something I made myself!

Here is the link -- the original article and design was by L.C. Mason in Jan 2, 1970 ME.

http://steammachine.com/hercus/page6.html

I see I did an even simpler (cruder) version of it without any of the nice reliefs -- but back then I didn't own a mill.

Now if anybody knows what issue the other unusual tool holders articles were in, I'd greatly appreciate re-reading them. I'm sure I have the mags -- just don't recall what the tool holders were called or the author's name, so I can't locate the issue.

vtsteam:

Faced 4 sides on 4 of the blocks and 6 sides on 3 of them by supper time.

Slow going here, mainly because of the mill scale. It dulls the HSS pretty quickly, and it takes 3 cuts for each side face. I honed the tool in the toolholder for the last cut on each face.

I used a carbide tool on the broad face to cut through the scale. Not a great finish, but at least it went a little faster.

I now remember that before starting on the first toolholder I made a few years ago, I soaked the blank overnight in a jar of vinegar and salt, and the scale was mostly gone by morning. Probably should have done that again.

vtsteam:
Speaking of removing mill scale with vinegar and salt, I was just kinda wondering if the washing soda-electolysis method of removing rust and paint that I saw elsewhere on this forum would remove mill scale? Might have to try that.

black85vette:

--- Quote from: vtsteam on April 09, 2013, 08:20:24 PM ---
I don't have have a carriage stop (one more project for another day).

--- End quote ---

I bought 2 of these. Because our ways are flat they clamp on to the edge very nicely;

http://www.shars.com/products/view/270/Quick_Clamp_Vise_Stop

I looked at the link you included. I like the round base that the height adjustment rides on. Wish I had seen this before I bought my QCTP. Would have suited me just fine. I really like simple and functional (and cheap)

philf:

--- Quote from: vtsteam on April 10, 2013, 09:17:45 PM ---[I now remember that before starting on the first toolholder I made a few years ago, I soaked the blank overnight in a jar of vinegar and salt, and the scale was mostly gone by morning. Probably should have done that again.

--- End quote ---

In the UK you can buy 'brick cleaner' from hardware shops which is dilute Hydrochloric Acid. I've used it further diluted (50%) and it shifts mill scale in 15 minutes as opposed to the hours it takes with vinegar. The scale just rinses off under the tap.

Phil.

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