Tool Post Material

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Tool Post Material

This topic has 16 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 17 May 2014 at 11:30 by Ian S C.

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14 May 2014 at 00:49 #17393
WALLACE
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@wallace
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14 May 2014 at 00:49 #152431
WALLACE
Participant
@wallace
I’m thinking of making ip a single Dickson type tool post to go on a Union cutter grinder – it’s mostly laziness so I can regrind tools without removing them from their holders !

Any reason why a chunk of cast iron wouldn’t be ok instead of steel as per the original ?

Thanks.

W.
14 May 2014 at 00:56 #152432
Saxalby
Participant
@saxalby
Hi Wallace,

I have made one for a friend who had the holders but not the toolpost. I made that out of cast iron. Filthy stuff, but easier to cut . Just used steel for the clamp (EN 8). Been working ok for many years.

Regards Barry
14 May 2014 at 07:56 #152439
Jo
Participant
@jo
On the Union lathe tools are ground by mounting them in the holder that fits to the universal head.

Have you thought how you are going to mount this tool post, to give you all the necessary angles, if you make one?

Jo
14 May 2014 at 09:23 #152442
WALLACE
Participant
@wallace
Hi Barry.

Cast iron it is then – as I have a lump already lying around..

Hi Jo.

I do have some’ of the Union tool holder – the graduated base and collet holder for end mills – and made up a slightly oversized holder that will take lathe tools etc.

But it’s slightly awkward for parting off tools – I can’t clamp them with the direction of grinding along the front of the blade

So I thought a single tool post that bolts onto the graduated base would present the blade at the right angle – and take other tools already in hoders.

It will be a bit quicker too – a simple swap to put a better edge on a tool rather than having to remove it ftom it’s tool holder.

I shall get dirty with the cast iron !

Thanks guys !

W.?
14 May 2014 at 10:49 #152448
Ady1
Participant
@ady1
If you machine cast iron like steel it's amazingly messy and flies all over the shop

If your lathe is stiff enough you can use a rear toolpost with a carbide tool and run the lathe on the backgear

This produces a neat pile of iron filings at the back of the lathe which can be sooked up by a vacuum in seconds
14 May 2014 at 11:12 #152449
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
Ady1, and if you use a vacuum cleaner with a bag that leaks, it will be quite spectacular as the cast iron dust goes through the motor, just like when a mates grandson vacuumed up the filings from the bandsaw, and they went through the bag, motor, and BANG. Ian S C
14 May 2014 at 12:32 #152452
Tony Ray
Participant
@tonyray65007
Wallace, I can see why you would want to grind tools in their holders especially when touching up an edge during a job but it seems overkill to use a T&C grinder unless you only want to do this for eg threading tools. I could be back machining way before having used my off hand grinder. It sounds like a nice project to make a block and for your application mild steel is perfectly adequate..
14 May 2014 at 12:36 #152453
WALLACE
Participant
@wallace
Alas, it’s going to be a milling job. ..friend next door with a shaper moved house and unfortunately took said shaper with him !

Modern vacum motors appear to have plastic commutators – not mica ones – and it doesn’t take much to carbonise them and burn them out….

I know !!

W.
14 May 2014 at 15:06 #152468
Nigel McBurney 1
Participant
@nigelmcburney1
big problem ,if you grind holder plus tool,then replace it on lathe what happens to the grinding dust that will get behind the tool and on the threads of the screws of the toolholder. The dust will get onto your lathe slides and will soon wear out your lathe. When grinding your toolbits by hand always wipe any cutting oil of toolbit and then after the tool is sharpened wipe off any dust before replacing in the lathe.
14 May 2014 at 15:41 #152469
WALLACE
Participant
@wallace
Hi Nigel.

This is true – although I’ve switched to diamond wheels to try and keep the dust down…

It would possibly make a bit more sense to have another go at my ‘universal’ tool holder to take a partong off blade at the right angle.. or even a holder just for them.

Milling out a complete Dickson type is startingto look like overkill – esespecially if the grinding dust problem is added…

Thanks for the thoughts !

W.
14 May 2014 at 17:07 #152484
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
Wallace

Considered same sort of thing myself some time back and agree that making a whole Dickson is way overkill. Before kicking the whole idea into the "life's too short" bin I concluded that for such light duties an angle plate with a Dickson adapter on the face would do just fine.

My back of envelope reckons this way is practical. Screw two bars onto a suitably thick steel backplate, screw heads to rear. Machine bars to profile and spacing to fit Dickson holder. Screw plate to vertical side of angle bracket and drill both for Tee bolt. Make Tee bolt to fit Dickson holder with suitably coarse thread so around 1/3 rd turn covers range from dead tight to loose for removal / fitting. Finally arrange or make fittings to hold bracket on grinder, probably best if position and alignment is repeatable, and job done.

Clive
16 May 2014 at 20:50 #152708
Howard Lewis
Participant
@howardlewis46836
To reduce/minimise the amount of cast Iron dust, (can't do much about the graphite) put a magnet as near as is safe to the point of cut, and cover with newspaper, or plastic sheet.

Most of the Ferrite will be attracted to the magnet. Afterwards, remove sheet and magnet, and hold over the scrap bin. Remove magnet, and most of the rubbish will fall off. Brush off the rest with an old / cheap paint brush, (I use a cheap pastry brush) This does help to keep the place cleaner.

At ALL costs, avoid getting the dust on the pot magnet. If you are lucky, you may be able to remove nearly all of it with some BluTack, which can then be thrown away.

Howard
16 May 2014 at 21:37 #152716
WALLACE
Participant
@wallace
Last time I did cast iron, I saved a large jam jar of the stuff… Dad was talking about making a wireless cohera ( that’s not in the spell check ! )

I rather like the thought of making a firework by adding naughty ingredients but that’s probably not a good idea. …

W.
16 May 2014 at 21:45 #152717
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Or chuck the magnet in the garden and let the filings rust, after which they can be brushed off.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 16/05/2014 21:45:29
16 May 2014 at 21:51 #152719
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
I just stick the magnet in a plastic bag and turn the thing inside out to remove the magnet leaving the dust nicely bagged.

Clive
17 May 2014 at 11:30 #152765
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
Wallace, it's Coherer, and the was an article about them in the very first model Engineer and Amateur Electrician, Vol., 1, No., 1 Jan 1898. Ian S C
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