Extension tool holder, can't find

[Pull Up Now!]

I've been machining metals for a long time. In the old days, when I ran a Hardinge Tooling Room lathe, it was equipped with a KDK quick change tool holder. Now I have a BXA quick change system on my 14" lathe.

One of my favorite holders at the time was one we all called a "threading tool" holder. It would hold AR6 bits parallel to the cross slide, but would extend quite a ways beyond the holder. And the right edge was beveled to clear a live center.

The closest thing I see today is this Aloris. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Alo...MI5NTznfq03wIVhDxpCh1VVALlEAQYAiABEgIpjfD_BwE

But the cost is more than 5x the price of it's slightly shorter brother. And it appears to not be extended nearly as far as the original KDK version. But that could be lived with....but the cost is silly compared with the "standard" slightly shorter tool holer that comes in sets. I could literally buy 2 standard holders, somehow cut one into two pieces, and weld them together to get something like what I want.

But I don't think I should have to do that. Has anyone seen a similar extension tool holder for a reasonable price?

 

[Blogwitch]

Hi Pullup,

As you have stated that you are used to machining metals, these types of tool holders are very easy to make, I have made dozens of them in the past and I just made them to do the job that was needed.
The part that fits onto the tool holder is standard, all you do then is shape up the parts you need onto the front of it.

John

 

[Charles Lamont]

To illustrate the point, here are some I made earlier:

http://www.charleslamont.me.uk/iqc_toolpost4.htm

 

[mu38&Bg#]

Truth be told it's almost twice the price of a regular aloris holder. Maybe five times the price of a ChinaCo copy. If China doesn't make it, that's because there is no demand. That price for a genuine Aloris made in the USA holder is not unreasonable. Might be hard to justify for hobby use, but not for what it is. They can be had on Ebay for ~100USD new, or with patience, ~50USD used.

 

[Pull Up Now!]

Beautiful work Charles. What is the tool you use to mill the dovetail? And what is the cost of it? Also, can you give a situation where that nice indicator holder is useful? Thanks! Bye the way, are you interested in selling one?

 

[Wizard69]

That price is actually pretty good. You need to realize that these are high quality devices made out of good steel and treated properly.

You can make your own of course but buying tool steel will quickly explain part of the cost for these holders. For the home shop you don’t need tool steel, mild steel can get you by and some gues have even used aluminum. If your usage is occasional I’d go for mild steel or a tool steel like 4140 and use it unhardened. For most home shops or even light commercial use they will last a long time.

If you don’t want to make one try the used market. This stuff isn’t in demand like if once was. A lot of that due to the transition to CNC.

 

[Pull Up Now!]

Thanks Wizard. The extension tool holder is quite rare on the used market. I tested my import BXA holders with a file. They aren't very hard. The genuine Aloris might be a different story. Anyway, I ordered and received a dovetail cutter, and I am expecting some A1 or A2 tool steel, flat ground precision bar. From that, I hope to make my own. Pretty sure I need to carefully measure the existing dovetails using dowel pins before milling my own. The only downside is the real thing is precision ground. Mine obviously won't be.

 

[Charles Lamont]

Beautiful work Charles. What is the tool you use to mill the dovetail? And what is the cost of it? Also, can you give a situation where that nice indicator holder is useful? Thanks! Bye the way, are you interested in selling one?

I thought I had replied. Evidently not. Anyway, you have discovered you need a dovetail cutter. The indicator holder is used any time I need to set a job up to run true - typically in the 4-jaw or on the faceplate, or simply for second operation turning using my Burnerd 'Griptru' chuck rather than a collet. My toolpost and holders are made from cast-iron bar - expensive stuff, but easy to machine, and has better damping than steel. And to the last question: no!

 

[Pull Up Now!]

Charles, no problem. I agree about the damping of cast iron, but don't like how dirty that metal is given how often tool holders are handled.

 

[Pull Up Now!]

Took a while, but I made my own. I used .250 gage pins, and an adjustable parallel spread between them, to get the right dovetail width. It works just like the originals. This material is A2 tool steel.

 

[kuhncw]

Very nice work. Looks great.

Chuck

 

[Charles Lamont]

Nice job.