Milling Tools

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Guys,

The Hertel brand of FC3 have a  slightly longer shank than the original (?) Clarkson ones, but seem to be pretty good quality. I have a set in a nice little plastic box that came from J&L for about £20 +P&P+VAT . The box also contains non FC3, 8 &10mm cutters.

I used to have a source of FC3s at very advantageous prices, who remembers Bert at Sert? A shop and shop keeper sadly missed? For those interested the last I heard, during the summer,  he is alive and well and breeding Budgies! 

Come to think of it, who remembers the Summer, on a wet and miserable day like today?

Regarding marking your mill table, as has been suggested in hints and tips why not use brown Kraft paper under anything you clamp to the table. Saves marking the table and promotes better grip, also delays condensation induced rust.. Although if machining Titanium take care, sorry Circlip, I could not resist it, as a penance I shall brave the cold and wet and go and make something.

chriStephens

[harrye frowenParticipant @harryefrowen43373]

Wanted, Atlas horisontal mill, slotting attachment+ verticle head.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

I remember Sert.

Great little tool shop.

Shame his daughter died suddenlyy and he had to shut the shop to look after his wife.

regards david

 

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi David,

If you knew Sert you must have been local to West London, so I guess you will have the opportunity to see the young ones next month. Enjoy! 

chriStephens

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

For parallels I have as well as bearing races,so pieces of key steel(new unused,in origional box)all within .0005″of each other.They are 5/16″x5/8″x12″,and I got 4 at a second hand shop for next to nothing.IAN S C

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Hi Circlip

Thanks for those 4 website – I continue to marvel at the wealth of information on the web if you know where to look or are pointed in the right direction. 

 

regards, Chris 

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

An udder one for the droolers, and if you need ideas, and can’t spreken ze Deutch, don’t bother with Babbel fish, this booger is a serious CRAFTSMAN.

 

  After you’ve made one or two bits from other sources and learn how to see things without having everything dimensioned for you, click onto the various topics for expansion.

 

  Brass must be cheap in Deutchland.

 

  Regards  Ian.

 

  OH YES, :-   http://www.metallmodellbau.de/

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

One of the most useful ‘tools’ I have found is the  library of utilities free from Alan Munday there are all sorts of useful tables and functions, saves a lot of calculation.  Get them in one package, free, here:

 

http://www.alanjmunday.info/

 

 

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I make my own fly cutters,and thread the end 3/4″ 20tpi to fit the largest collet in my Posilock milling chuck,saves making or buying no 3 MT blanks.Ian S C

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Ray,

 

Perhaps this is a bit late but if I were just starting I would do as you, except I would miss out the clamping set, they are so easy to make.  Also I would miss out the Boring Bar and Head (- you can make one later if you need it as your skills improve); and parallels ( I use ball race shells and lengths of ground stock and make them as needed.

 

Unlike others, I would buy sets of drills, taps and cutters from the less expensive ranges (Far East probably) that Arc Euro, Chronos or RDG etc sell, but certainly not the Aldi stuff (drills etc).  Buying these, means that you can get going reasonably cheaply and then buy quality tools as you find out what you use most and as they wear out. As a beginner your are likely to make mistakes and it’s better to ruin inexpensive tools rather than the better quality you will buy to replace them as they wear (or break/chip)

 

You will decide what you need most as your interest and skill develops and beginning with a good set of inexpensive tools is not a bad start given the reasonable quality of most Far Eastern products.  In my experience they are not bad at all.  And by the way, it is better in the long term to go metric if you are happy with it as there are less variation of tools to buy (just look at the range of taps you will need for imperial).

Edited By Terryd on 19/01/2010 17:40:23

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I bought a clamping set because it was cheaper tham the materials required to make the stuff.Ian S C

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I must be honest, i get as much pleasure from making tooling as making models. More I suppose, because you get the pleasure over again from using the tools.

My dividing head  mounts my mini lathe chuck. The spindle and body were two huge lumps of cast iron from college engineering, and I ‘free hobbed’ the gear at a second attempt (number 1 had 61 teeth!) It looks a bit agricultural, but it does the job. I also made a boring head and a ER25 collet holder (which was in ME about 9 years ago).

 

I suggest putting your money into one or two solid vices, good milling cutters and standardising on one type of holder. You can make almost anything else, if you wish.

 

Neil

 

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Making tools brings twice the satisfaction; you get to make it, then you get to use it.

I advise investing in a good vice/clamps and plenty of milling cutters that all fit the same holder system. You can make almost any other accessory you need, if you should choose to do so.

 

Neil

 

Oops sorry for the double post – Firefox crashed and I didn’t think I had sent the first version.

Edited By Neil on 20/01/2010 21:31:35

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

I agree about the personal satisfaction in making one’s own tooling, and even better, using it. As a bonus, because it was for personal use, its often been made more accurately by far than some of the professional stuff. (In our circumstances wear and tear is not a major problem)

 

So I made all sorts of dividing heads, a complete mill, boring heads, vices, mods to the lathe, rotary tables, interchangeable mandrel sets and more yet which  was indispensable (on the day!).

 

The problem comes when a visitor comes and looks at this well appointed workshop, and says “When are you going to make something then?”

 

So tooling has a fascination all of its own, but it gets you left out in the cold. 

 

A Stuart 10 which you can knock off in  3 or 4 longish evenings and bits only have to fit where they touch and it will still go OK, has them drooling as it runs on air.

 

So where are the priorities?

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

LOL!

 

A Stuart 10 which you can knock off in  3 or 4 longish evenings

 

You might manage that! Mine took ages –  It would take longer now as I’d try and do a better job.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

“A Stuart 10 which you can knock off in  3 or 4 longish evenings and bits only have to fit where they touch and it will still go OK, has THEM drooling as it runs on air.”

 

   Whom Meyrick???

 

  The pleasure I get from the hobby is for my own satisfaction, the toolmaking part is a means to an end and part of the experience. God forbid that THIS site degenerates into the likes of many of the American “Tool Gloat” and sicofantic praise trawling Fori.

 

  Can’t understand how so many can extol the virtues of EVERYTHING from the far east and then decry that homeland manufacturing is disappearing and weep bitterly.

 

  Yes, not everyones boat, but the challenge is to my own (Or lack of ) skills, but I never cease to wonder at some of the efforts made long before the advantage of todays multi tooled workshops.

 

   Regards  Ian

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Circlip,

Re your last para. In “olden” days before a cheap tool for everything, far eastern or not, home Engineers used the most adaptable tool control system available, then or now, their own Brain. 

It does seem that these days folks feel inadequate if they don’t have a workshop full of kit, instead of being proud of what they can achieve with so little.

Comments, anyone?

chriStephens

Edited By chris stephens on 25/01/2010 12:37:01

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Hmmmmmmmmmm, BIG cars used to have a similar effect.

 

   Regards  Ian.

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