Creative way to drill pin wrench holes in an endcap???

[cdhknives]

The goal is precisely spaced pin wrench holes in an endcap and a matching custom pin wrench. The endcap is already finished. 2024 Al material.

Does such a thing as a AXA toolholder 'blank' exist that is dovetailed and drilled for the height adjustment bolt but otherwise solid? I do not have a mill but want to build a special tool holder. Specifically I want to mount a rotating shaft to my toolpost so I can drill from the toolpost into something held in the chuck, using the chuck as a makeshift dividing head. I do not think the regular boring tool holders have enough meat to open up for this...to fit a bearing and a 1/2" shaft through them. I have watched a couple of how-to videos making such a tool and the dovetail is something I can't figure out how to make with only a lathe even if I had a collet chuck and a dovetail cutter. I do have 3C collets and some endmills...with some experience using them.

I can not picture how to make such a tool holder unless at minimum the dovetail was already cut. I can not find such a part anywhere. Custom machining is going to be cost prohibitive...and I need to learn these skills by doing it myself anyway.

I have though about trying to build a live spindle on my saddle. Most of the reasonable cost stuff is R11 collet engravers. Above that and again cost is prohibitive.

Thought about building an oilite sleeve for the boring toolholder and a thrust bearing...didn't think that would be very rigid.

Running out of ideas. Suggestions???

[a_canadian]

Not sure I'm following all the options you've laid out... as it seemed the original question was just how to get a couple of holes lined up with a couple of pins in a newly made tool. Seems to me that since your cap is already made, just boring a couple of evenly spaced holed through the endcap material then sawing off and finishing part of that as the pin tool (mount a couple of trimmed bolts in it with the threaded portion at the tip ground off and polished) isn't really an option.

So the next best thing would be to grab a piece of material you like for the pin holding part, say a 3/8" thick piece of aluminum, and bore a hole in the centre of that matching the hole size in your endcap. Then run a snug fitting bolt through the cap and the new piece and snug them together with a couple of washers on the outside and a nut. Then drill your holes through the whole cap wrench piece and however deeply you want to go into your endcap face. Then tap the holes in the wrench piece, finish it to whatever shape you want, knurl it or whatever, and mount a pair of trimmed bolts into it with some Loc-tite.

But I'm probably misunderstanding what you want to make. That's how I'd do it, assuring good alignment so long as the holes get tapped square to the face. With aluminum it's easy enough to run a lubricated tap through it in a drill press, probably best to go in two or three passes, part way through, backing off, then lube and finish the threads.

[#40Fan]

Search youtube for a drill chuck tool post holder.

[cdhknives]

a_C, you have the right idea, and I considered what you are describing, but could not figure a way to keep the hole spacing even. Yes they would match, but the spacing would be off and look like crap.

40F, done, but have not found one I can make *without a mill*.

[a_canadian]

What about this to get spacing even? Scribe a line through the punched centre hole in the tool piece before drilling it. Drill three small holes with a centre drill so there's no wandering, each one along the scribed line. Drill your centre hole in the tool piece and cap to spec. Mark one of the two small holes as the one you're using - the second small hole is just for alignment. With the two parts bolted together, drill right through with your desired finished size bit. Rotate the tool piece 180° and align the viewing hole with your endcap drilled hole perfectly, clamping the bolt tight and double checking to make sure alignment is perfect. Drill your second hole, using the same tool hole as your guide. Spacing will be identical and exactly 180° opposite, perfectly aligned with the bore.

[#40Fan]

This would have turned out better if I had used some drill rod in the correct size instead of turning down a piece of metal I had on hand.

Just the holder and a couple bushings.

https://youtu.be/fqPfgtM8M7w

[cdhknives]

...found brass and oilite bushings that fit my AXA boring tool holder with 1/2" ID, so a thrust washer and threaded shaft for the chuck are all I need to build. That'll work! Thanks!

[SuthDet]

Attach the cap to the tool post, put the drill bit in the chuck.


Edit:
Okay, just watched the video above, same deal.

[0101silent]

When I needed precise index marks I searched Google images for a suitable PDF of a protractor. I carefully cut it out, aligned it, and used a washable Elmer's glue stick to secure it to the piece. I then used an automatic center punch to make index points.

[msurveyor]

Do you have a four jaw chuck for your lathe and a dial indicator ? If so you can use your 4 jaw to offset the end cap and drill from your tailstock. If you want to really get into it you could "mill" the cap wrench using a 4 jaw as well. The wrench will require a fairly ridged lathe and tool post. Drilling the cap just requires some head scratching during setup