Another home made insert turning tool

[Davyboy]

Hello to All. I've seen some other fine examples of ho-made tools along this line, here's my take on it. Not better, just different. At the shop where I work, we've gone thru several hundred inserts boring holes for months on end. My machine alone, about 4500 holes per week. But that's another story. So we've got CCMT (80* diamond, positive rake, 1/4" IC) inserts used on 2 corners only. My aim is to make a turning tool to use the other 2 corners, and while I'm at it, a tool to re-use the first corners. Here's a photo of the plan and the finished tools.

I sketched up the plan on a CAD program, helped me to visualize the RH and LH tools. My plan was to have the 15* lead tools in the QC holder both RH for turning and LH for facing still only one QC holder. Also made a LH and RH tool for the 80* corner.

Here's a photo of the fixture I made to mill the pockets. Being positive inserts, the pockets are flat to the holder. There's a pin at X0 , Y0 to locate the parts. The other pin locates the edge of the tool at -15*, -5*,+5*, or +15* to align the different sides of the pockets. I used the CAD program to locate the holes. I used the center of the insert screw as 0,0, so all I need to do was change the angled pins and still mill a 1/8" radius pocket. Then to make the other hand tool, I turned the fixture plate over, to mirror the pockets. The clamps are not on photos for clarity. The holes not labeled are 1/4-20 for the clamps.

Now it's over to my (surrogate) brother's shop, to trade a couple of those tools and inserts for some propane heat and Kasenit case hardening agent. BTW, I chose to use straight sides on the pockets, not 7* as the inserts are molded, I don't see these tools as getting severe use or tool pressure. Again, not better just different, hope somebody can use and / or improve on this info .

Enjoy. DB

 

[Hal]

DB
What a great idea and doing your part to recycle.

Let us know how it cuts.

Hal

 

[kustomkb]

Well thought out and perfect execution. 8)

 

[bob ward]

Davyboy, your fixture plate is a good idea. I want to make a few insert holders and was thinking of somehow doing it on the rotary table, but your fixture idea seems a lot simpler.

 

[Davyboy]

Fellas, thanks for the kind words. I've been wanting to make those tools for a long while. The fixture made it easy to do 4 of each style of tool, 8 pockets total. One design note, I left the sides of the pocket about .003 stock heavy, so the screw forced the insert into the pocket, not "floating" about the screw. I'll post again when I get some lathe time to try them out.

DB

 

[SmoggyTurnip]

Nice job, What material did you use? What size tap did you use?

 

[Davyboy]

The material I had was 3/8 Square steel key stock, probably low carbon, so I plan to case harden the pocket areas with some Kasenit compound, heat the tool and dip in the powder, repeat 2 or 3 times. I'm not sure if water quench or not. I will have to read the directions when I get to the shop.
The inserts are CCMT21.51 sold by SECO. I used SECO brand screws C02506-T07P Catalog #60475381 MSC Big Book 2007/08. Page 744 in my book-near "spare parts for indexable tooling". The SECO number means: 2.5 mm dia screw(0.45 pitch is not specified but that's what they are) 06 MM long T07P is "torx plus" #7 key (regular torx key #7 will work). So for the cost of a 2.5X0.45 tap (about 7 bucks) and 10 screws at 2.90 each, I got about $250 worth of tool bits, if I were to buy them. ;D
I just tested the tools. I cut .030 depth of cut on 1" dia cold-rolled steel in high range on a little 7X10 HF lathe. those tools ROCK! Why didn't I do this sooner? :wall:

Hope this fills in some details without getting boring.

DB :wall: