I made this so I could use my 5/8" hex dies on the arbor I had bought for round dies. After drilling and reaming for the arbor I drilled for the die and then set it up on the rotary table in a tool makers vice. Aluminum pop can was used to protect the knurls. I used a HSS 1/8" end mill, DOC .025 (after some experimenting to see what worked.) 3000 rpm. After all the straight cuts were done, I used the end mill to "drill" out the round corners. Got good fits and gave it a try on the lathe. 1/4-28 on aluminum. Got a very clean thread. I still need to make a cross bar handle for it if I'm going to use it on steel. I've got two more to make in different sizes.
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Die threading on lathe
- Thread starter Larry$
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Messages
- 4,056
Nice job.
I used a hex block, but it does the same job. had to turn the back down on some to fit the collets I have. No big deal.
I used a hex block, but it does the same job. had to turn the back down on some to fit the collets I have. No big deal.
That would be easier for the sides but then I rotated 30 degrees to drill the corners. Besides that I'm trying to get more proficient with the RT. I did use a collet block to drill the cross hole for the rod to give added leverage when doing steel.