Hemingway Retracting tool Holder

[Don1966]

Well I am back to making tools again. I have a couple of tool I was interested in so another thread. The Retracting tool holder is used for single point threading and can be adapted to any lathe.
I started this of by making the tool slider body and the piece is 3.060" long by 1.100" wide by .720".
I started off by squaring the body and then cutting a .277" wide by .430 deep slot after mounting it into the vise leaving .5" above the vise. Then cut a midsection out of 1.72 x.430 deep 1" from the the tool mount head.

After milling we end up with this.

Next I flipped it over after cutting a .257 by .313" slot opposite the first slot which is on the bottom in the vise by the way. Using a 60 degree dovetail cutter and started cutting the slide V on bothe sides leaving .015" on the end of the dovetail.

Then we drilled the opening and milled it to .540" square. This opening is for the camshaft to operate into, which will move the slide back an forth.

After milling the 7 degree offset on the top of the tool holder block of the slide i drilled and tapped two M5 screw holes and flip the body and drilled the .25" hole for the cutting tool at a 7 degree rack angle.

And we have the slide body complete which looks like this.


That's all for today and thanks for looking.

Don

[Andy]

Thats a  good start Don    I struggled with that bit when i made mine, not sure if it was the way it was explained in the book or my inability to read it 
It really is a good tool though, made mine to cut my first left hand thread and worm for a Myford dividing head based on the Radford design.

[Don1966]

Hi Andy, thanks and I do find it to be a nice tool to use on threading. I hope I can build it without to many mishaps. The dividing head, I built both the attachment for the lathe and the VDH. Love using both of them.

Don

[Don1966]

More time in the shop today so I started on the body of the tool by cutting a .75 groove by .28 deep down the center. This will be the dovetail side and we will come back to that later.

Then flipped the body over to cut the tool support profile. And one of the reasons to not continue on the dove tail side was to prevent distortion by clamping it in the vise after cutting them, plus releasing the stress in the metal. So we have this photo of the tool support completed after calculating how high to place in to fit my tool holder.

So now we can flip it back over and now refine our edge to cut the dovetails.

After completing the dovetails we have this.

And a shoot of the assembly together with the gib inserted. Of coarse the gib hasn't been trimmed to fit yet. So that's another day.


That's all for today and thanks for looking.

Don

[b.lindsey]

Very nice Don and great pictures as usual!!  Looks like its coming together perfectly.

Bill

[Don1966]

Thanks Bill, so far so good and hopefully the rest will be smooth as well.

Don

[steamer]

Oh I'm watching this!   


Dave

[metalmad]

Looking good Don, I might make one some day so this post will be a great reference!
Pete
 

[pgp001]

Its not often you see these GHT retracting tool holders, mine was not built to be pretty but purely functional hence a few machining marks are still evident.



You might want to go the whole hog and make one of these next. I made this years ago and sold it when someone tempted me with a wad of cash. I should have kept it with hindsight.



Phil

[mklotz]

Those who don't have the patience to make the Hemingway may want to consider Bogstandard's ingenious swing-up threading toolholder.

A very complete description of its construction, and videos of its use, can be found here...

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,858.msg9461/topicseen.html#new

[Arbalest]

It's on my list Marv, thanks for reminding me!

[Don1966]

Hi Dave and Pete thanks for tagging along. Phil nice job on yours and as long as it works like it is suppose to.
Marv thanks for the link.

With a little time to burn I did a little more on the tool. After squaring the bridge plate I drilled the holes for mounting it. There are two pinning holes that will be use to line it up to the main body.

Next some work to trim the gib and cut the 30 angles on the swivel vise.

I also had to drill the holes in the main body for the Allen screws to adjust the gib with. Tapping it on the Pillar tool.

I aligned the bridge plate to the main body and drilled and pinned the 3/32" holes before drilling the mounting holes.

After a rough assembly we have a family shot.


That's all for now and thanks for looking.

Don

[b.lindsey]

That's looking great Don. Look like that pillar tool has come in very handy too. You should be getting close now from the looks of it.

Bill

[Mosey]

What is the reason for using a Retracting Tool Holder?
Mosey   

[Andy]

Its really useful when you are screw cutting on the lathe
Rather than reset the cross slide dial after every pass, you pull the lever back and it will clear the work piece by about 0.150"
So the screw cutting process for me is.
Touch off, either power feed the cut on (in back gear) or use mandrel crank by hand.
Disengage clutch, pull retracting tool lever back, drop back gear out, wind back using  hand crank.
Next pass, push lever forward (positive repeatable lock) add top slide cut put back gear back in and repeat.
By doing this, when using odd gear trains, it does not interrupt the timing of the gear train. So i can cut metric on my imperial lathe easy    
The tool just makes one part of it a bit simpler. But if you need to cut a worm, the tool bit can be rotated in the tool simply also .
HTH

[Mosey]

So, no losing your place on the threading dial, threading stops that slip, and all that stuff. Brilliant!
Put that one on the growing list of want to, but never get it done's.
Mosey 

[pgp001]

The real icing on the cake is to make yourself one of these Graham Meek screw-cutting dog clutches.



It has to be the best accessory I have ever made for my Myford, metric threads on an imperial leadscrew ?? how fast do you want em.... 

Phil

[steamer]

That's on the list for the Southbend too Phil!

Dave

[Arbalest]

What is the reason for using a Retracting Tool Holder?
Mosey   

It's even easier with the flip-up threading tool that John (Bogstandard) came up with that Marv linked to.

Have a look at one of John's videos to see what I mean.

[Allen Smithee]

The real icing on the cake is to make yourself one of these Graham Meek screw-cutting dog clutches.



It has to be the best accessory I have ever made for my Myford, metric threads on an imperial leadscrew ?? how fast do you want em.... 

Now that's cool - where can I get the drawings?

AS

[Andy]

What is the reason for using a Retracting Tool Holder?
Mosey   

It's even easier with the flip-up threading tool that John (Bogstandard) came up with that Marv linked to.

Have a look at one of John's videos to see what I mean.

Yeah that works well if you can make your motor reverse easy. Not so easy on an old Myford. Forward, stop, reverse, stop, forward, reverse, etc will kill the motor 

[Andy]

Now that's cool - where can I get the drawings?

AS

Projects For Your Workshop - Volume 1  By Graham Meek

[Arbalest]

Slightly different design from Johns for those contemplating making one!

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/swing-up-tool-holder.html

[Don1966]

Thanks for all the information guys and for looking in. Phil I don't think I will make the threading clutch because I don't feel that I do that much single point threading to justify the time to build it. Maybe in the future and I do have the plans for it.
On another note I did complete the tool. Most of the parts left were basic turning except the eccentric for the cam. I set it up in the four jaw Chuck and offset it .125" to turn the .3125" diameter shaft. Setting up in the photo.

The cram shaft completed. One side has .25 shaft and .3125 on the opposite side. I had to case harden the camshaft and the pressure plate

Next are the photos of the tool in use. Works a treat.


The tool completed.





This tool was a very enjoyable project to build and thanks for looking.

Don

[b.lindsey]

That turned out very well Don. A nice looking tool and well made as well!!!  It will be a fine addition to your growing collection of self-made tooling.

Bill

[Don1966]

Thanks Bill for following and commenting, I really appreciate it. I think I just about have all the tools for the Myford plus some. I have a large boring head to build but haven't decided if I'll  make it or another engine, we shall see.

Don

[fumopuc]

Hi Don, another usefull tool for the shop. Until now I have never thought about it. Very well done. A typical masterpiece made by Don.

[tangler]

Nice work Don. You've tempted me now, I've got the GHT books.......

Rod

[Roger B]

That's a nice looking and useful tool    The quick change tool holder looks very similar to the ones I have. Are they commercial or ones you have made?

[Arbalest]

Nice work Don, that turned out well. 

[vcutajar]

Well done Don.  Seeing the final photos of the tool I can now understand how it works.

Vince

[Arbalest]

Is it now time to make an Internal threading tool?

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/internal-swing-toolholder-for-threading.html

[Kim]

Nice work as always Don.  That's a great looking tool.
And you made quick work of this one!

So what's the first project you're going to use it for?
Kim

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Dog, you dog, while I've been cloaked in hickory smoke, you've turned out another beauty. In typical Don fashion, the brass and ball handle give it class I do hope there is a nice wood case in the making for this one too  . Great job my brother

E

[Don1966]

Thanks all for the kind comments and especially for following along.

Nice work Don. You've tempted me now, I've got the GHT books.......

Rod

Rod I am surprised you haven't already made one, you have just about all of the MYFORD add on.

That's a nice looking and useful tool    The quick change tool holder looks very similar to the ones I have. Are they commercial or ones you have made?

Hi Roger, yes they are commercial ones, but I do have a few I made. Some cutters have to sit low and the main body has a plunger that pushes into the tool holder to lock it. When the tool holder is to low it doesn't lock very good and the cutter wants to tip down when cutting. So I made a few to hold the tool lower and have more body to lock to.

Nice work as always Don.  That's a great looking tool.
And you made quick work of this one!

So what's the first project you're going to use it for?
Kim

Thanks Kim, I haven't decided yet if I make another tool or another engine.

Dog, you dog, while I've been cloaked in hickory smoke, you've turned out another beauty. In typical Don fashion, the brass and ball handle give it class I do hope there is a nice wood case in the making for this one too  . Great job my brother

E

m
Dog what have you been doing? You been mighty quiet lately, and thanks for looking my brother.

Don

[Mosey]

Don,
Must be the fresh breezes off the Gulf that inspires you to do such fine work. Keep it up Bro.
How's your Die Filer kit coming?
Mosey

[Don1966]

Don,
Must be the fresh breezes off the Gulf that inspires you to do such fine work. Keep it up Bro.
How's your Die Filer kit coming?
Mosey

Hi mosey thanks for looking buddy. I don't have a Die filer kit, but how's your kit coming? By the way I have a Kellar Die filer.

Don

[Mosey]

Don,
My  Die filer is about 90% finished, even bought a motor for it (thanks to your advice)
But, the law here for now is finish the engine before doing any new toy projects, so that's what I'm doing.
Don't worry, you will see the build.
Down in my cozy man-cave making chips and keeping warm, up here in the frigid mountains of New Jersey.
Mosey   
Regards to M.

[Don1966]

Mosey, Mickie says to wish you and your wife a Merry Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year.
Glad to see you working on the Die filer. The Silver Bullet how is it coming along?

Do

[Mosey]

Don,
Happy holidays to both of you from Debby and me.
The Silver Bullet is in the home stretch, as I have all of the valves done, and am now replacing the cages. I have worked out a method of getting the valves sealed on the seats, no simple task. I got amazing help from a lot of people, especially Brian Rupnow.
I am able to test the sealing before buttoning up the engine, and am finding great results.
I fixed lots of tiny top-end leaks as I went, getting leak down of about 15 seconds, expecting to improve that.

I understand that this can be a killer if you don't get it right.
I am coincidentally taking my time to get everything right as I go. I'm like a kid that got promoted out of 10th grade back to kindergarten.
Thanks for asking and that ignition system will soon be sparkin.
Mosey   

[ths]

Another nice job Don. All the best for the season. Hugh.

[Don1966]

Hugh thanks for looking and commenting. Same to you and yours this Holiday.

Don

[90LX_Notch]

Very well done Don.  That is a neat tool.

-Bob