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Thread: Dovetail Cutter

  1. #16
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    Dovetails with a shaper. How easy do you want it?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY8wZlTKxJw

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  3. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan View Post
    Dean I find CXA a good size on the Graz, which is 14 x 40. I think your lathe is a similar swing? I reckon CA would be too clunky. Remember it gets wider when you put a holder on it, and you're comparing to one with 4 holders integral.

    That TP linked above looks the same as mine. It is a piece of poop. Don't get me started. I will be interested in what you make because I'd like to make one too.

    PS: Lots of people use Chinese toolposts and are happy with them. I guess I just got the short straw.
    You are right Bryan, the size of the holders will have to considered. One of the problems is that the toolpost has an indexing pin under it. I would like to try and use this on the QCTP if I can. I will have to measure the radius of the slot position. My lathe is 16 x 40.

    At the moment I am looking at John Stevensons design. http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/to.../toolpost.html

    I am still searching to see if something esle comes up. I have also seen some descriptions of building this with improvements. I am also on the lookout for materials to make all the parts.

    Dean

  4. #18
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    Dean,

    That's an interesting design that is relatively easy to make, and with no highly stressed parts he could get away with mild steel.
    Would be substantially improved with a harder steel IMO.
    As designed there is not a big range of tool height adjustment, and the design has limitations in that department (you don't want the clamp bolt grabbing the tool holder near the upper or lower edge), but with attention to the tool shank sizes that you prefer, and the height from the top of the compound slide to the spindle axis you should be able to scale the design to your needs.

    Given the tool holders have an 'external' dovetail unlike the Aloris style, cutting all of those tool holder dovetails should be easier.

    Cheers,
    Bill

  5. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by WCD View Post
    Dean,

    That's an interesting design that is relatively easy to make, and with no highly stressed parts he could get away with mild steel.
    Would be substantially improved with a harder steel IMO.
    As designed there is not a big range of tool height adjustment, and the design has limitations in that department (you don't want the clamp bolt grabbing the tool holder near the upper or lower edge), but with attention to the tool shank sizes that you prefer, and the height from the top of the compound slide to the spindle axis you should be able to scale the design to your needs.

    Given the tool holders have an 'external' dovetail unlike the Aloris style, cutting all of those tool holder dovetails should be easier.

    Cheers,
    Bill
    Yes, it was designed that way as it would be easier to make the holders. I was reading some forum posts tonight. In one John said that he designed this QCTP before he had ever seen one. There was also a comment from someone who had been using one for 3yrs and that the threads were starting to get a bit loose. A lot to learn about them yet.

    Re Bryans comment about the size of the Tool Post, I just had a look at H&F's version. The model C is 145mm wide and the biggest one is 175mm wide, without holders. This is a different type tho.

    CTC's offerings are 89mm and 102mm respectively for a similar tool height model.

    Dean

  6. #20
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    I have requested a quote for surface mail for the CXA toolpost kit from CTC. The kit is only $238.00 which seems cheap. My good wife keeps suggesting I do this.

    Does anyone have any experience with the QCTP's from CTC? This is a wedge type. It seems to good to be true.

    An initial quote for the material to make a toolpost and 10 holders is high enough to buy a good quality unit. I still don't have the money. I am going to keep looking as I will want to make more holders anyway. Maybe I will get lucky. It is my experience tho, that getting lucky like that is not very common for me due to the location in which I live. Maybe others will know of cheaper sources.

    Dean

  7. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldneweng View Post
    You are right Bryan, the size of the holders will have to considered. One of the problems is that the toolpost has an indexing pin under it. I would like to try and use this on the QCTP if I can. I will have to measure the radius of the slot position. My lathe is 16 x 40.

    At the moment I am looking at John Stevensons design. http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/to.../toolpost.html

    I am still searching to see if something esle comes up. I have also seen some descriptions of building this with improvements. I am also on the lookout for materials to make all the parts.

    Dean
    I started building that design but gave it up when I ran out of patience with it after seeing this one that was far more straight forward to make.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Best Regards:
    BaronJ.

  8. #22
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    I ended up making 3 indexable dovetail cutters today. I was not intending to, it just so happened I needed one and well, you saw what happened to my last "purchased" one. I have made mine to take 2 TCMT inserts. It was rather convenient as I was holding the cutter with a collet block. So flipping it over and adding an extra insert was far too easy.

    No photos as of yet. I need to do some test cuts..

  9. #23
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    BaronJ,

    That design does look a lot more simple to make. Are you going with a single sided post or just using it in the meantime? You can add the second side anytime from the look of it. Looks very well made.

    Variant22,

    I am looking forward to those pictures. I will make a dovetail cutter at some point. I already have triangle inserts in 2 sizes for my boring bars, but neither have holes so attachment might be tricky. I don't have a collet block either. Something else I want to make. A chance to try out the taper turning attachment on the lathe.

    Hmm! Make a collet block so I can make a dovetail cutter so I can make a QCTP so I can make........

    Cheers

    Dean

  10. #24
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    Hi Dean
    If you are trying to keep cost down why don't you cut these with a normal end mill. You can take most out and finish the corner with a small diameter end mill. By tilting the work and and overcutting the corner all should be fine. I have seen commercial product cut this way.
    Phil

  11. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigphill View Post
    Hi Dean
    If you are trying to keep cost down why don't you cut these with a normal end mill. You can take most out and finish the corner with a small diameter end mill. By tilting the work and and overcutting the corner all should be fine. I have seen commercial product cut this way.
    Phil
    I did think about doing this. Making a dovetail cutter or three is no problem as I want to try this anyway. I have discovered that the big cost is related to the materials to make the QCTP. From memory a local supplier quoted $270 for 100mm of 125mm x 125mm square. As for the material to make holders, the shortest length they could supply was 3.4m. That would equate to 34 holders. Not as much as you would think actually. Or me anyway. That was in excess of $700 tho. That works out at over $20 per holder. I am still looking, but due to my location this will be a very long drawn out look. This is going to be a long term project.

    Dean

  12. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldneweng View Post
    BaronJ,

    That design does look a lot more simple to make. Are you going with a single sided post or just using it in the meantime? You can add the second side anytime from the look of it. Looks very well made.

    Variant22,

    I am looking forward to those pictures. I will make a dovetail cutter at some point. I already have triangle inserts in 2 sizes for my boring bars, but neither have holes so attachment might be tricky. I don't have a collet block either. Something else I want to make. A chance to try out the taper turning attachment on the lathe.

    Hmm! Make a collet block so I can make a dovetail cutter so I can make a QCTP so I can make........

    Cheers

    Dean
    Hi Dean,

    Unfortunately I won't be able to add the second side ! I drilled a hole in the wrong place. If you look you will see that one of the two large 10 mm holes is at the wrong side. That what getting distracted does for you.

    However it does work very well. I've started to make a slotting attachment using a tool holder for this QCTP.
    Best Regards:
    BaronJ.

  13. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldneweng View Post
    I did think about doing this. Making a dovetail cutter or three is no problem as I want to try this anyway. I have discovered that the big cost is related to the materials to make the QCTP. From memory a local supplier quoted $270 for 100mm of 125mm x 125mm square. As for the material to make holders, the shortest length they could supply was 3.4m. That would equate to 34 holders. Not as much as you would think actually. Or me anyway. That was in excess of $700 tho. That works out at over $20 per holder. I am still looking, but due to my location this will be a very long drawn out look. This is going to be a long term project.

    Dean
    Hi Dean,

    All my materials came either from a local engineering firm or the scrap yard. A couple of pictures showing the way that I did mine.

    Drilled&Bored.JPG

    This was the main block after drilling and machining the recess for the index. At this point I had only done enough to make one side.

    Cutting_slot-1.jpg Cutting_slot-2.JPG DSCF0044.jpg

    As you can see I took out the bulk of metal with a large endmill 20 mm diameter I think. It was the right size to do the slot right across the block.

    1st_Dovetail_Cut-1.JPG DSCF0045.jpg

    It was after I finished the dovetail, flushed with success that I made the error drilling the other hole.
    Best Regards:
    BaronJ.

  14. #28
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    Yes. Comparing the drawing to the toolpost. Only one shot with your design. Better than what I have tho.

    It was after I finished the dovetail, flushed with success that I made the error drilling the other hole.
    I know that feeling.

    I am hoping to find something at a scrap/recycled metal yard, but I have no idea when I will get there (100km) and if that is a bust then it is off to the big smoke (Adelaide) and when I can get there with time to spare is anybodies guess. I have to see a lung specialist twice a year so he can tell me if I am likely to be able to breathe for another 6 months. One of the reasons why I was happy for someone else to do the bulk of the work digging the hole for the lathe foundations. Anyway, this visit used to be in Adelaide as the specialist had the equipment there to do the monitoring he wanted. Due to the issues with leaving home during summer (fire, feeding stock etc etc) I asked about seeing him locally for at least one consult a year. He was happy to do full testing yearly after this time. Now, due to technological advances I see him for both consults locally. There goes my trips to Adelaide with time to kill on a Friday, on sick leave. I actually see him on Saturdays now, so I don't get to take any time off work. SWMBO is happy with this.

    Dean

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