Author Topic: Gear Depthing Tool Plans- ideas, suggestions, plans, machining order (Read 122295 times)

BillTodd · « **Reply #50 on:** June 11, 2014, 05:10:45 PM »

Chris, did you get my PM?

raynerd · « **Reply #51 on:** June 14, 2014, 03:10:10 AM »

Sorry Bill, just got it. I'd some how opened it but not seen it!

I'll download on my laptop today!

raynerd · « **Reply #52 on:** June 16, 2014, 03:57:02 PM »

Guys, another favour. Does anyone have articles on building the depthing tool from castings? I'd like to have them for reference:

Model Engineer 19 October 1973 - I believe it starts!

BillTodd · « **Reply #53 on:** June 17, 2014, 01:56:30 PM »

just a heads-up

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=251561575761&globalID=EBAY-GB&alt=web

raynerd · « **Reply #54 on:** June 17, 2014, 02:54:34 PM »

Are they bulldog clip springs???

Don't know about you but looks homemade! Could be a clog mile out.

Bill, I'm not going to lie. Since having this discussion I have actually got my hands on some original Malcolm Wild depthing tool castings. However, I promise you I'm so excited about the ball bearing idea that I'm going to attempt making that as my first project when my workshop is setup!!

BillTodd · « **Reply #55 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:33:53 PM »

Quote

Are they bulldog clip springs???

they certainly look like them

PekkaNF · « **Reply #56 on:** April 14, 2015, 07:33:58 AM »

Wondering how did this progress?

latest MEW (The April issue of Model Engineers' Workshop, number 227) had an article:
MAKING A CLOCK DEPTHING TOOL -

Don't know anything of the mater, but remembered this thread!

Pekka

raynerd · « **Reply #57 on:** April 22, 2015, 06:08:35 PM »

The day after I purchased all the metal and even the ball bearings, I sold my house and in panic packed up my workshop. I've only just got the new shop straight and ready for action. This is still on my immediate to do list, in fact, I genuinely got the material out a few weeks back. I'll Certainly be reading the article if I can get my hands on a copy...

if I can get my hands on a copy

chipenter · « **Reply #58 on:** April 23, 2015, 03:28:49 AM »

Aprils issue of Model Engineers Workshop had plans and an artical for a dpthing tool , using a bulldog clip spring I don'd know iff it's the same , iff you can't get a copy pm me .

raynerd · « **Reply #59 on:** April 23, 2015, 03:36:37 AM »

It doesn't by any chance use bulldog clips and ball bearings as hinges does it!!! If so, I have an idea where he plans came from.

chipenter · « **Reply #60 on:** April 23, 2015, 04:01:30 AM »

No ball bearings but a hinge bar , it's 150 x 70 mm body , I have a PDF of the issue .

raynerd · « **Reply #61 on:** October 19, 2016, 02:15:50 PM »

Only two years later but I`ve made a start

mexican jon · « **Reply #62 on:** October 19, 2016, 06:01:26 PM »

Is it finished yet

raynerd · « **Reply #63 on:** April 02, 2017, 03:14:18 AM »

Well its been months since I last posted and I`ve been moving forward at a snail pace. Anyway, finally its been made.

It may have been 3 years ago or more, but the concept works and the project is finally finished.

Thanks to everyone who chipped in on here and especially Bill Todd for all his drawings and thoughts. Appreciate the video may not be to everyone's taste but I enjoy putting them together and each to their own. Certainly shows the build and final product! I`m always looking for constructive criticism and opinions as to my machining! Cheers

BillTodd · « **Reply #64 on:** April 02, 2017, 08:29:11 AM »

Nice one Chris, I'd forgotten about that design

Bill

ieezitin · « **Reply #65 on:** April 02, 2017, 08:57:40 AM »

Nice job Chris...

At the end of the video i was thinking you will have to get the measurement from the centers of the pins i was so surprised to see it doubles as a divider a very clever design... you made a smashing job of your tool.

Anthony.

raynerd · « **Reply #66 on:** April 06, 2017, 09:02:23 AM »

Thanks a lot for your reply. It's working just great!

mexican jon · « **Reply #67 on:** April 06, 2017, 04:49:04 PM »

Nice Job

IACooper · « **Reply #68 on:** April 04, 2026, 02:43:46 PM »

Sorry for well and truly raising a thread from the dead - but at least it's the right time of year for such things!

Having need for a depthing tool and liking the simplicity of this design, I decided to have a go myself. In the absence of detailed drawings I've needed to sketch it out myself, hence the reason for necro-posting to add some dimensioned drawings should anyone in the future have a similar need and come across this thread.

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I went with 4.5mm balls in 4mm reamed holes (no countersinks or chamfers!) with 6mm balls in 5mm holes for the hinges. I also roughly cut out the 'C' shape of the frames first to let any stresses and distortion out of the metal, then machined to shape and again unclamped to let it relax before then drilling and reaming all the holes as the last step so they should all remain true to each other.

The adjustment has a half-round 'nut' which sits in a similar half-round groove on the inside of the one plate, with the end running in a short vertical half-round groove on the opposite side:

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If I wasn't too careful slackening off the adjusters the flippin' balls would drop off their seats. I fixed this by fully cleaning all the parts then assembling and clamping the runners in position before using a wooden stick to add a small drop of cyanoacrylate glue down the hole behind. The ball is blocking the hole and is held in position by the runner, so the glue is just going to tack them in position without the risk of preventing them sitting down accurately into position.

I haven't tried it in anger yet, but just setting the arbors together for this photo seems to suggest it's going to do the job for me just fine.

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Ian.

vtsteam · « **Reply #69 on:** April 04, 2026, 03:46:54 PM »

Thanks Ian. That's a beautiful tool, and photos as well.

And especially for contributing a drawing!

BillTodd · « **Reply #70 on:** **Today** at 11:14:30 AM »

Nicely made tool.

I always felt the design was overly dependent on the edges of the holes , and perhaps I should have thought of something more robust.

Looks good though

IACooper · « **Reply #71 on:** **Today** at 01:52:01 PM »

Thank you.

I agree the sharp edge and narrow contact area for the balls is a potential concern for future wear. For the time being I'm just being careful not to wind them up with a torque wrench, just nip them. I suppose the cyanoacrylate will help spread the load a little as well. Another approach I've seen is to have a machined 'V' groove to locate and align the runners.

Having spent the afternoon depthing and measuring, it seems to have done the job. To fit the barrel arbor I made a couple of press on adapters with larger coned sockets. These are partially reamed 4mm but left the taper lead in of the reamer at the end so they wedge onto the end of the runner and thus saved me having to make an extra pair of runners with larger sockets.

Ian

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Author Topic: Gear Depthing Tool Plans- ideas, suggestions, plans, machining order (Read 122295 times)