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Fims # 4 toolpost
- Thread starter mmcmdl
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
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I have a new to me #4 post (no holders) that I completely disassemble to clean and replace springs, not realizing the male dovetail is adjustable with the spanner nut. Without a factory holder to reset it too, I can't get back to where I started. I plan to make my own holders but I would like them to be FIMS interchangeable if I come across ebay or auction finds in the future.
Does anyone have or know where I can find the dovetail dimensions for a #4? The between roll dimensions and the dovetail depth? Overall height and width would be helpful for picking our stock material.
Does anyone have or know where I can find the dovetail dimensions for a #4? The between roll dimensions and the dovetail depth? Overall height and width would be helpful for picking our stock material.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
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Try indexing the plunger to be flush with the lock ring and face when the lever is in the down position. The two #4 posts I have are both set up like that.
Height and width of toolholders are almost irrelevant. You could make a thin one or a thick one. Each tool holder has its own height setting bolt, so they will fit no matter where the finished tool height is in relation to the post. The system is tolerant of variance in that sense.
I haven't found any prints, but I can measure and post the dimensions of a #4 holder by the end of the week. They are super simple- a dovetail, a tool slot, and a few threaded holes.
Height and width of toolholders are almost irrelevant. You could make a thin one or a thick one. Each tool holder has its own height setting bolt, so they will fit no matter where the finished tool height is in relation to the post. The system is tolerant of variance in that sense.
I haven't found any prints, but I can measure and post the dimensions of a #4 holder by the end of the week. They are super simple- a dovetail, a tool slot, and a few threaded holes.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,559
Sorry for the delay. I got the goods.
The critical measurements were checked against five copies of the FIMS 4-B holder. There are very few critical measurements, in fact the only thing that matters is the dovetail. The jack screw hole location has a good +/- .200" of tolerance, the pocket for the jack screw perch just has to clear the perch, the height variance between examples was huge. The tool slot must fit the tool, the fixing bolts fit the tool, so that's all dimensionally unconstrained. The height, width, and thickness/offset/reach are limited only to what fits.
The dovetail was measured with .250" ground drill rod. Dovetail depth is dovetail cutter face depth, there is a non-critical chip clearance cut about .015" in the channel. The calipers were locked at the value found between several blocks.
These are large pictures, click to zoom in.
The critical measurements were checked against five copies of the FIMS 4-B holder. There are very few critical measurements, in fact the only thing that matters is the dovetail. The jack screw hole location has a good +/- .200" of tolerance, the pocket for the jack screw perch just has to clear the perch, the height variance between examples was huge. The tool slot must fit the tool, the fixing bolts fit the tool, so that's all dimensionally unconstrained. The height, width, and thickness/offset/reach are limited only to what fits.
The dovetail was measured with .250" ground drill rod. Dovetail depth is dovetail cutter face depth, there is a non-critical chip clearance cut about .015" in the channel. The calipers were locked at the value found between several blocks.
These are large pictures, click to zoom in.