A little job on the side

Tonight I started on a new tool holder for my lathe. I saw it on a forum to make it easier to cut threads.It allows the tool to swing up when reversing so you don't have to withdraw the tool between passes. It is made from a piece of scrap steel I found at work that was about the right size and shape.

The part I did tonight was to cut the dovetail. It is a 60 degree dovetail to fit my quick change tool post. This was the first time I have cut steel on my mill so it was a learning experience. Main part was getting the speed right for the material. It seemed to work better with a faster cutting speed than I expected. I thought I was going to cut a groove to depth and then work to the side to width. Wrong answer. I needed to cut down on both parts I milled out before switching to the dovetail cutter.

The next part will be to cut the step on the side to support the cutter holder and then it will just be drilling for the depth adjuster and a key to stabilize it.

Here it is sitting on the toolpost. I am really pleased that it came out as well as it did.

Part of why I am taking so long on my build for my router is to learn machining as I go. This won't be part of the router but it will make it a lot easier to cut threads to make some of my own parts for the motion components.

Here is a video from Bogstandard on madmodder.net (<- a link to the forum discussion) that is the design that I am basing mine on. Don't expect me to make one as nice as his.

Well, Actual progress

I finally have gotten materials and tools to the point where I can start doing some building. This is the lead screw for my Z-Axis. It is 1/2-20 Acme rod. I turned one end down to 8mm and threaded it to hold two bearings and a nut to hold them on. I also made the anti-backlash nut for it. It is made out of Delrin and is 3/4 in externally with a lip that will be clamped down to take up the backlash. It is going to be much like the system that they use for Sherline mills. I was tuning one up at work and liked the simplicity of the system. The leadscrew is about 18 in overall. I want to make a wide stance to help keep it steady.

The other end is turned down to 8mm to hold one bearing and the remainder is cut down to 1/4 in for the flexible coupling for the stepper.

In other news, I have all the electronics working. I have 1 nm stepper motors for each axis and two ways I can run it. Either with a parallel port controller or I also have my grblShield with the g-code interpreter already loaded. My next phase will be to make the Z-Axis unit and linear bearings.

See, and you thought I had given up.