I’ve made sooooo many tools, cutters, and jigs thru the years. I make cutters from scratch, that machine annealed stainless Tool Steel! And there’s every kind of clamp, bending, drilling jigs imaginable.

The amazing thing is that some have traveled with me thru seven shops. The bulk of the Airgun stuff came from BPN (Barnes Pneumatic North - in MD. ). But, 99.999% of them followed me they 10 trailers of boxed items 1,100 miles to BPS. An they made it into their spot in my wall racks here. Amazing. Some so bigger than a BB, but to fill a special need. Some actual machines. Some 13’ tall.

But this common version for 25 caliber bolts .... not so much. And so yesterday found me making this jig clamp.



Sharp drills make these chips



Sharp mill cutters make these chips.

A machinist could look at a chip or curl and tell you so many things about the tool, machine, bit, cutter, and purpose; that your eyes would glaze over.

I’m enjoying doing the machining and finding all sorts of knowledge in my brain that I haven’t used in some time.

Gary

Gary
Isn’t it always that way ? You make a special tool for a certain function and then BAM the gremlins come in and hide it .

I really appreciate the chips too . I’m not a machinist but have done a lot of operations and just by reading the chips ... the pitches , feeds , speeds can all be improved. That drill bit looks very intertwined with curls . I’d be afraid to use with even 2 or 3 full twists the full length of the flute.
Do you use any coolant or lubricant when drilling that expensive SS ? I know if you don’t get it right the first time the material will work harden and then you done . I’ve not been able to recover or save the piece very often. It seems like once you start you can’t stop either or the re entry just won’t work.

I really like aluminum! Hahaha .

Thanks
Kurt

Hi Kurt,

That drill, a sharp .265”, followed a sharp .250”, which followed a .232”. Thats why I could run the flutes full in about 1 1/2” to 2” of penetration. The .232” was the pilot bit after center drilling. This in is the mild steel of a tool jig. On the pilot hole, I’d get about 1/2” to 3/4” between cleaning and lubing flutes.

Yes, I always run the drills wet. Brush on lube.

After the .265” drill, a .268” reamer took over and all slowed way down.

People wouldn’t realize what goes into “drilling a hole”. Haha.

Yes, I detest Stainless til it’s finished.

Thanks Kurt
Gary

Even drilling thin wall stainless steel sheet-metal can be a PITA. I helped a friend install some stainless steel chimney pipe on a boat once, the exhaust for an old Dickinson oil stove. All we had was a super cheap auto-parts store drillbit set, and the stainless pipe would work harden so quickly we would only get two or three holes for every bit. The self tapping sheet metal screws are hopeless in this application, all they do is dent and polish.

Boy, it’s hard to file that loading port while it’s spinning ... whoooh. Ha.



Progress.

Gary

Simple cutting tools like drill bits and lathe tools are underappreciated by everyone who hasn't tried to make or sharpen one.

Lon