Questions about gang tool holders
Jumping ship from the mill side and hoping you lathe guys can help me. I have an 1100M Mill and am about to bring in a job for some turned parts (small brass bits that my spindle can easily manage). I want to build a gang tooling block to hold my profiling tool on one side, parting tool on the other, and two drills mounted in chucks in the center. Ideally I'd like to not buy new drill chucks as I already have a few with TTS ends. I assume to fixture them I simply need an appropriately sized hole with a couple set screws to grip the shank but I'm concerned that I will mar or otherwise damage my tool holders making them useless when I go back to traditional milling. Is there something that is done in gang tool holders to prevent that sort of shank damage? Soft metal set screws perhaps?
Re: Questions about gang tool holders
Hi there. Thats easy. I use a good sized grub/set screw and put a little slug of copper or aluminum ahead of it. (thread root diameter) It can be loose and carefully installed. But it is better to drill a small hole in the grub screw and machine up a spigoted slug so that you are sure it is in position. Then you can tighten up without damage. Cliff
Re: Questions about gang tool holders
That certainly is a simple solution. Thanks.
Re: Questions about gang tool holders
Another option is a split-clamp or split-cotter type clamp. Takes a bit more X space, but no worries about damaging the shank and they can hold very well.
Re: Questions about gang tool holders
Is there a way to use the CXA QCTP and the long gang plate? to move the QCTP to diferent postions along the T slots of the long gang plate?