Combination Tool

[Oldmechthings]

Here is a little combination tool that was put together after looking at a picture in a catalog. A socket was cross drilled for a light drive fit of a 3/8" rod handle. For a mold, a couple blocks were fitted with dowel pins and then bored out on the lathe in a 4 jaw chuck. To retain the melted lead, a tight fitting cardboard plug was inserted in the socket. Then the aluminum mold was clamped to the socket and poured full of melted wheel balance weight weight lead. The lead flows and fills much better if the receptacle (mold) is preheated a couple hundred degrees first.

Now I can use the wrench to loosen the drawbar on the mill, then flip it over and give it a little tap to loosen the collet. If, and when the lead gets so beat up it is no longer usable it can be remelted and poured back in the mold. It has been in use for several years and as you can see it still is not in too bad of shape.

Because it is a dedicated tool it hangs on the the side of the mill head on a forked bracket within inches of where it is used. That way I do not even have to look for it.
Birk

 

[BobWarfield]

Amazing how important that little tap is, isn't it?

I built a powered drawbar, and the little impact wrench has surprisingly little torque, but it taps away to make the job easy.

Best,

BW