Share your special tools

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mklotz
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by mklotz »

When grinding or deburring, a lantern pin vise can be a useful tool. Here's my take on one...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/lan ... #post85644
Regards, Marv

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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Thanks, Marv. That's a great idea for a quick-and-dirty one in a special size for some one-off job. I'm saving that photo.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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mklotz
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by mklotz »

Greg_Lewis wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 10:26 am Thanks, Marv. That's a great idea for a quick-and-dirty one in a special size for some one-off job. I'm saving that photo.
The staggered length of the jaws allows it to be grasped in a bench vise and thus used for hand work on screws or any other part that has an integral projection like a screw head.
Regards, Marv

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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

mklotz wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:27 pm The staggered length of the jaws allows it to be grasped in a bench vise and thus used for hand work on screws or any other part that has an integral projection like a screw head.

Ohhh, that makes it even better.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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mklotz
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by mklotz »

Although I build model stationary engines that run on steam and air, I'm not into railroading.

With that said, I document all my homemade tools on (appropriately) homemadetools.net, a forum located here...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/activity.php

If you wish to page through a picture index of things I've documented there, it's here...

https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/mklotz

Two that you might find interesting are some unusual ways to accurately measure bores...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/sim ... ores-27245

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/sim ... ores-67626
Regards, Marv

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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Here's something I forgot in my o.p. — collets for making close nipples. I made a set for the various pipe sizes. Threaded to hold the stub of tube, the lathe 3-jaw closes around the collet and holds the bit of tube. The flange on the front end of the collet keeps it from being pushed down into the chuck when the threading die is started. The back end is turned down a little so the chuck jaws close on the slitted portion of the collet. I stuck a close nipple in this collet for the photos. After slitting the sides of the collet, you have to go inside with a jeweler's file to deburr the slit else the burr will mark the threads and possibly provide a path for a leak. If the tube wants to squish when threading, use a piece of solid and thread it and then drill it out.
IMG_8440.JPG
IMG_8441.JPG
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
KarlKobel
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by KarlKobel »

Among the many challenges for which special tools became necessary, the most challenging was the 'beading' for the tender.

Rather than re-post it here, here is a link to the explanation and tooling.
I did notice an omission, I should have mentioned that the mill should be stopped before un-clamping the X-Y vise when resetting it back to the left - Beading Fixture 3.

http://www.karlkobel.com/Tender/TenderB ... index.html

Karl
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Very clever, Karl. I like your method of using the cross vise to pull the material through. I tried something similar and was never able to solve that problem. I ended up buying some half round brass from a jewelery supplier. Fortunately, what I needed was a common size they had.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Here's another one I forgot about. I've posted this before on the forum but it's been a while. This tube roller was designed by Sacramento area builder John Bailie, and I wrote it up for Live Steam. It's an easy one-afternoon lathe and mill project with only two parts to make. If you want a copy of the article, send me a p.m. with your email address and I'll send it to you.
fig1.jpg
fig1.jpg (30.76 KiB) Viewed 7499 times
fig2.jpg
fig2.jpg (51.58 KiB) Viewed 7499 times
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
KarlKobel
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by KarlKobel »

Nice Greg.

You reminded me of another tool - a tool to hold the free end of the tube from rotating and in the 'correct' place.
P4207715.JPG
It expands to grip the inside of the tube and the bolt/nut sets the amount of the tube that is proud of the tubesheet.
P4207717.JPG
Shown installed prior to rolling the other end.

Karl
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: Share your special tools

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Very clever, Karl. I could have used that!
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
Celebrating 35 years of turning perfectly good metal into bits of useless scrap.
KarlKobel
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: Share your special tools

Post by KarlKobel »

Thanks Greg.

1st man - "I got tools"
Tim Allen "I got too that FIX tools"
Live Steamers "I got tools that make tools that fix tools"

Karl
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