Look what I found inside a block of steel

[Mitch Alsup]

A few days ago I was standing around in my shop bored partially because my McMaster Carr shipment had not arrived, and partially because I had just finished cleaning and I still needed something to do for a few hours. As I pondered my next move, I noticed a block of steel lying in the corner of my stash bins. It came to me that I never liked the Die Wrench that can in my tap and die kit from about 20 years ago. In that block of steel I saw a new, beefier, weighter, and nicer die wrench.

So, I got to work and produced this::


Witness that it is of the same scale, but simply beefier, and ample enough that I may never need another die wrench for as long as I machine.....

It was all machined on centers (Both longitudinally and vertically). It took about 11 hours, 4 of which were simply figuring out how to hold the part on the rotary table solidly enough that the machining forces were not moving the piece being machined.

Anyway It came out great, and has a nice balanced feel about it. I learned a lot about how to setup parts using dial indicators, and concentricity indicators.

 

[Tozguy]

Its too nice to use with those rusty old dies of yours, what not just send it to me.

 

[DavidMTL]

Very nice for a few hours of work.

 

[brino]

Very nice looking!
I bet it's comfortable to use, too.
-brino

 

[benmychree]

Yes, very nice; all it needs is bluing --- to be fantastic!

 

[rwm]

Stunning! I would have probably cheated by machining the center and the handles separately and brazing them.
Robert

 

[markba633csi]

That must have taken some setups- how the heck did you do the center section? Ball turner+ ??
Better than I could do, and I'm no slouch either

 

[ezduzit]

I like it.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

That must have taken some setups- how the heck did you do the center section? Ball turner+ ??
Better than I could do, and I'm no slouch either

The center section was bored on the lathe (the inside part.)
The outer part was side milled on a rotary table on the mill.
I have gotten pretty good at using my concentricity indicator in doing the setups and getting everything concentric to the bored hole.
After the outside round parts were milled, it was returned to the lathe for final dressing of the joinery and a polish, first with 220 grit, then with 1500 grit and WD-40. The lathe stuff was all done on centers.

 

[Firstgear]

Ok, I know what concentricity is but what is your concentricity indicator and how is it used in the setups?