A set of tool holders for my QCTP

[David Kirtley]

Well, a bit more practice. I have enough of the stock ones for my insert tooling but I have to swap them out when I want to use HSS tooling. Kind of defeats the purpose of a QCTP. 

I picked up a piece of scrap AL and cut the dovetail in one long strip. Then I cut them apart on the bandsaw and squared them up. I made them a little smaller than the stock ones from A2Z CNC.   I sized them to use the smaller 1/4 and 3/16 tools that Harbor Freight has as opposed to the 3/8 bits that the A2Z holders take.  The last one is not quite finished yet. I am going to drill it to fit the 1/4 round HSS bits to use for boring.

For now, I have the 8-32 SHCS because I am waiting on my order of set screws. The adjuster is a 10-32 brass screw with a knurled knob and lock nut. Just picked these up from the big box store today. I have not tried my knurling tool yet. I just wanted to get these finished so I can use them. I really like the insert tooling on steel but the HSS leaves a better finish on AL.

[ksor]

Nice work !

I still have mine to do ... http://kelds.weebly.com/vaeligrktoslashjsholdere-til-hurtigskifteren.html

but my milll is down for updating http://kelds.weebly.com/udskifte-knaelig-paring-vpf-1.html

Let Google do the translation for you - set it to ALWAYS translate my website.

[David Kirtley]

That horizontal mill sure leaves a nice finish.  I think my entire tool holder would fit inside of yours

[kvom]

You can never have too many holders.  Great job.

[Xldevil]

Hello.
Nice work,but don't you think that AL is too soft in the long term?
Cheers,Ralph

[David Kirtley]

The swing up threading tool holder that I just did was in steel but I honestly can't tell any real difference in use.  My lathe only has about a 350-400 watt motor so I really can't push them that hard. The A2Z CNC QCTP comes with aluminum holders. If I had a big lathe, be a different story.  I also made them a bit beefier than the original ones, but that was to use the little 3/16 HSS tools. I can squeeze in a 1/4 bit as well but so far the 3/16 seems to do just fine and I really can't take really heavy cuts anyway.

The AL was my first time cutting dovetails and I was using scrap AL from work ( free- Yay! ) so if they don't hold up in the long run, there really is no loss.

The last update is that I finally bolted on the 4-jaw chuck for the first time and I bored out the last holder for a 1/4in round HSS bit that I am going to grind for boring. I am out of little 8-32 screws anyway so I can't make any more until I get the screws I have on order. I plan to make some more later.  It just feels rich to be to the point of making stuff instead of having to buy everything. That gets old really fast.....

They are a lot of fun and I am getting in lots of practice.