I have been drilling and tapping lots of holes in case hardened linear rails, so I decided to make a clamp to go on my Bridgeport's quill to hold two Snap-Lok coolant lines!

I started with a chunk of 1018 CRS around 6x6x5/8.

First I sawed off the excess from one side, then I squared it up in the vise using my shell mill, and an endmill.

Then I picked center using an edge finder, and spot drilled all the hole locations. then I rough drilled all the holes.

NOTE: If you choose to make one of these, make the large bore match the quill on your machine!

Next I milled the slots in the sides, to form the ears of the Quil Clamp! This was done with a .500 dia 4 flute HSS endmill.

Then I used a .125 R corner rounding end mill to smoothe the edges of the ears.

Next I mounted my 4-jaw chuck in the lathe, and dialed the steel plate to center hole. Little pieces of scrap aluminum were placed between the hard steel chuck jaws and the soft steel part, to keep from damaging it, and to make adjustments slide a little easier!

A nice 3/4 shank carbide tipped boring bar made easy work of putting a large bore in the steel plate! After several .1" deep passes (.200 on the diameter), I had the bore finished in no time!

Next I grabbed an aluminum plate an bolted it to the top of my little rotary table, and milled away at the top surface, leaving a .05 high step.

The step was the exact same diameter as the bore in the steel block, minus .001" for a slip fit.

Then I drilled and tapped two 3/8-16 threads at the same spacing as the holes in the steel plate, I had to rotate the steel slightly to miss some pre-exsisting holes from a different project!

When the plate was on the aluminum boss, and securly bolted down, I proceeded to rough mill the outer radius with an old 3/8 dia 4 flute end mill.

Then I used the new 1/2" dia 4 flute end mill to finish the radius and blend them into the existing bores next to the ears!

Next I took the steel clamp over to the mill, which now has a 6" vise on the table. I inserted some long 1/2" dia dowel pins into the holes in the steel clamp, and leveled them in the vise.

Then I picked center with an edge finder, and moved to the location over the existing bores. Then I drilled and tapped a 10-24 thread through one wall of the ears.

Then I rotated the steel clamp in the vise 90°, and used a square to line up the pins!

Then I picked center, and moved over to the location of the little ear. Then I drilled half way with a drill to make a clearance hole for a 10-24 screw, then I drilled the rest of the way with a smaller drill and tapped the hole for 10-24 thread.

Next I counter bored the top hole so a SHCS would be flush with the surfaces.

Then I mounted a 1/8" thick slitting saw around 3" dia in the spindle, and carefully sawed a nice slot through the clamp. Now when the screw is tightened, the clamp will close slightly and lock it on the Bridgeport's quill! The spindle was set to 80 RPM.

Tomorrow, I'll turn up some special fittings with 1/8 pipe threads, to hold the plastic Loc-Line coolant hose fittings. Then I'll make up a couple short lines so I can attach this to the spindle and plug in the coolant supply line, whenever I need to drill hard stuff!

To be continued.........

Eric

Really nice work so far. Looking good.

I really like to comment on how well you are documenting this and sharing. I love that. And I'm sure everyone appreciates it. I wish more of us would post all these details on their little...or big projects.

real nice, pls let us know how it turns out.

That's great documentation. I learn quite a bit from reading this, as I am fairly new to machining. :)

very nice. I took one machine class in college (I am a tech ed teacher) and loved it. Would like to take more at some point. But then I would want metal working machines! :)

Thanks Guys! :)

Today I finished making the pipe fittings, and made a trip to ACE hardware for some brass barb fitting and plastic tubing!


Then I realized I was missing one of the Snap-Lok fittings, its the one with a 1/8 NPT on the end! So I will have to order one from Enco!

This quill clamp will make a big difference in cutting steel!
It will also come in handy when putting holes in hardened steel shafting!

A fun project!
Total shop time was 5.5 hours!

Eric

That thing looks terrible! Take it off before someone sees it! ....absolutely horrible!!!

(send it to me, I will make sure nobody ever sees it again.)



:D

Very nice work, Mr Widget. We expect no less from you! I really like it. And your photo documentary is pretty cool, too.

Scott

Thanks Scott!
I needed a good belly laugh!
At first I didn't know you were joking, bat as I read on, I was rolling on the floor! :)
Eric

I want one!

What if instead of rounding off the back of this clamp, you kept it square. And in this now square portion of the clamp, drill oil passages, so that externally, there is only one oil line. To do this, you will need to drill several oil passages, then plug the opening with a set screw of sorts.

This approach would eliminate a few components in the design. It would also be necessary to move the "split" in the clamp to just in front of the side.

Just a thought.

Finally, all the little Snap-Lok fittings came in!

This thing is great!
I have ordered som Lexan sheet 1/8 thick, to make som nice splash guards!

Then I can really make a nice mess!
:idea:

What ideas have you got for your splash guards.

I need to make some for mine too so any ideas or pics of existing guards would be great.

I've been playing with bits of cardboard at the moment trying a few ideas out but I can't decide on the height, I could have it so I can use it with the knee at any height or I could leave it nice and high but it would limit my table movement with the knee right up, I'm thinking of fixing it all the way around the table probably using the two 1/2" holes in the back corners of the table

Also I really like your quill mount and was wondering how much of the quill it really needs to clamp on to, I only ask as my Boss only has about 3mm maybe less protruding when it is in its home position.

Thanks

Chris

Hello Chris,
I have ordered two 24x12x.125 sheets of Lexan
I plan on using the holes on the back of my 6" Kurt vise to mount the lexan.
I plan on knotching the lexan so it slides over the bolts, then bending the lexan with a heat gun to make the lower edge drip into the outer t-slots.
I guess I should do a complete build log for it, with lots of pics!

I just hope it bends ok!

Eric

.....125 sheets of Lexan....then bending the lexan with a heat gun......I just hope it bends ok!Eric

Bending lexan with heat is a bit tricky. Lexan absorbs moisture in the surface and before it is heated for bending or vacuum forming you have to heat it at a moderate temerature for many hours, some people do it for days, to dry out the surface. If this is not done the temperature needed to heat bend it can cause the moisture to vaporize and make bubbles in the plastic and it looks terrible.

It is possible to bend Lexan in a sheet metal brake if you have one. The edge of the top clamp needs a small radius around .06" to .08" and this can be obtained by using a radiused strip of aluminum on top under the clamp if you don't want to modify the machine. It is also a good idea to finish the cut edges on a belt sander and deburr the edges. The saw blade marks from cutting it with a table saw can start little cracks coming in from the edges at the bend. With sanding and deburring this does not happen.

Thanks for the heads up Geof!
I have ordered a set of acrylic plates just in case I have a lexan disaster!
My experience in plastics is strictly machining and tapping, not bending or heating or even gluing!
If the plastics don't cooperate, I'll scrap them and go for soft 01 aluminum sheet! One way or another I'll get my splash guards!
Eric

Just thought I'd show you my efforts, It's ended up a bit noisy but other then that I'm happy. My ally welding leaves little to be desired.

Look on the BTC club house by tomarrow night I should have more pic's of my effort I started out with something like creep pea's but I wanted to stop mopping between part's Like your coolent ring Kevin