rotary tool in mini lathe

[wdeputy]

I was looking for a way to mount a rotary tool on my mini lathe.  All the methods I found on the interweb used a piece that screwed onto the front of the tool and had a bar that went into the tool post.  These all left the rotary tool hanging by just the nose of the tool.  Didn't look too good to me.  I decided to try mounting just the flex shaft...
The first photo shows the finished mount with the flex shaft.  The finger guard at the end of the tool was replaced with a collar that fits closely into the mount and is secured by the SHCS.  The second photo is the mount by its self.
The only mounted wheels on hand were not the best so I tried using a sanding drum as in the video and it seemed to work.  The last photo is the end of a 1/4" piece of drill rod that was beveled.
The mount is in the original lathe tool post.  This allows the compound to be used for tapers.
Sorry about the poor quality of the video (good camera had dead battery). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBlcGsT1p_E" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBlcGsT1p_E</a>

[Thor]

Nice looking tool, I made something similar ( http://home.kleppnett.no/thorhansen/m/DremelHldr.pdf) using a Dremel clone. I use it to touch up the headstock centre.

Thor

[derekwarner]

wd...without knowing what you are trying to achieve, even grinding poppet spools in a precision cylindrical grinder can leave minute marking on the poppet face that needs semi manual lapping to ensure a fluid free leakage at pressure

So whilst I acknowledge you may experience minute chatter convolutions in the process you display, a little diamond lapping paste may solve any issue you have 

Keep us posted    .... Derek

[Allen Smithee]

These all left the rotary tool hanging by just the nose of the tool.  Didn't look too good to me.

WHilst I get what you're saying, do remember that in normal "hand" use a dremel is usually held by just gripping it around the nose-collar (ie in the same place as a nose-mount) with a couple of fingers and thumb.

PDR

[mklotz]

These all left the rotary tool hanging by just the nose of the tool.  Didn't look too good to me.

WHilst I get what you're saying, do remember that in normal "hand" use a dremel is usually held by just gripping it around the nose-collar (ie in the same place as a nose-mount) with a couple of fingers and thumb.

Yes, but all the accessories Dremel sells (router, shaper, drill press) hold the tool with a band around the nose and a band around the body.

Given that most (all ?) of the tools have a plastic body, cantilevering them from the nose seems contraindicated.

[Allen Smithee]

These all left the rotary tool hanging by just the nose of the tool.  Didn't look too good to me.

WHilst I get what you're saying, do remember that in normal "hand" use a dremel is usually held by just gripping it around the nose-collar (ie in the same place as a nose-mount) with a couple of fingers and thumb.

Yes, but all the accessories Dremel sells (router, shaper, drill press) hold the tool with a band around the nose and a band around the body.

Given that most (all ?) of the tools have a plastic body, cantilevering them from the nose seems contraindicated.

Again, I get what you're saying, and you're probably right. But many hand tools are held well away from the centre of mass, and I've sometimes wondered if they actually function as inertial damping as an alternative to stiffness. We use that approach in aerstructure design quite a lot because it can deliver a much lighter structure for a given set of load cases.

AS

[90LX_Notch]

In the end, the bearings suck for anything requiring precision.

However they still prove to be very useful.  The holder I made for my flexshaft has gotten me out of few challenges.

http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php?topic=319.msg2061#msg2061
http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php?topic=1233.msg15993#msg15993

I also made an MT3 holder for it that fits through the Mini Mill spindle.  I don't currently have a picture of it.

-Bob

[Roger B]

I have also made an adaptor to fit my Proxxon mini drill in the toolpost. The yellow piece is part of the Proxxon drill stand.

Proxxon also make a toolpost adaptor for their drills. The bore is 20mm.