MadModder
Gallery, Projects and General => Gallery => Topic started by: Jere on May 24, 2010, 10:44:34 AM
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Hello all,
Finished a little project and thought I would share. In the process of making various tiny screws, grinding and polishing the top surface can be a bit tricky. I had first made a jig, called a 'frog' or 'bolt tool' (depending on the text). It consists of a clamp with two rear leg-screws which are positioned level with the object to be polished in the clamp. The difficulty lies in leveling these leg-screws for polishing something only a fraction of a millimeter thick. I could have made some improvements, for example a smaller screw pitch, but I decided on a better designed tool. A source of information on the bolt tool can be found here (http://www.bhi.co.uk/aHints/frog.html (http://www.bhi.co.uk/aHints/frog.html))
Photo of the old tool:
(http://a.imagehost.org/0392/Bolt_tool.jpg)
In Henry Fried's book, "Bench Practices for the Watch and Clockmaker" he provides a diagram for a screw polishing tool which has three stationary legs, i.e. a tripod. This omits the need to make the tool level for each use. The object to be polished is held in a collet (8mm watchmaker's collets in this case), and an adjustment for height is provided.
(http://j.imagehost.org/0667/Fried_page_117_modder.jpg)
I made a drawing and machined the components from brass plate and hex rod, drill rod, and 12L14 steel rod. It consists of a tube to fit a collet with a nut to draw-tighten the collet. This tube is keywayed and fit into a larger tube, which has a set-screw to mate with the keyway (this arrangement allows for the height adjustment). I made the legs to fit into bushings which will allow small adjustments to be made to the tool to keep it level over time.
For additional information, I detail the construction process on my website (http://watchmaking.weebly.com/screwhead-polisher.html (http://watchmaking.weebly.com/screwhead-polisher.html)).
The finished components:
(http://j.imagehost.org/0011/IMG_6056_Resized_modder.jpg)
The assembled tool:
(http://a.imagehost.org/0527/IMG_6064_Resized_modder.jpg)
(http://h.imagehost.org/0411/IMG_6059_Resized_modder.jpg)
(http://h.imagehost.org/0712/IMG_6062_Resized_modder.jpg)
Thanks for looking,
Jere
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What a lovely looking device, I will have to add that one to my long list of thing to make :dremel:. Thanks for showing :thumbup:
Rob
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Very nicely done! :clap:
Love the build link.
how about some shots/video of it use? edit** saw it at the end of the page
Eric
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Super Jere! Thanks for posting, enjoyed the read.
Chris
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Such a nicely made tool. A sure sign of the craftsman.
Well done, Jere!
Dean