Homemade Quill Clamp for Dual Coolant lines

[widgitmaster]

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!

[widgitmaster]

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.

[widgitmaster]

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!

[widgitmaster]

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!

[widgitmaster]

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.

[widgitmaster]

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

[GisMo]

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.

[rhino]

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

[the_ball]

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

[mwalach]

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!

[widgitmaster]

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

[mxtras]

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.)





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

Scott