I was making a large steady rest and did the same thing where the fingers slide. It's a weldment and can be fixed, but I was so disgusted I put the thing away and never returned to it. That was about 20 years ago, the steady is still in the lathe cabinet as a reminder.
I'll definitely get back to this project once the mill power feed is done. After all, I have to catch up with Tom's videos.
Ed
Ok, what am I missing? Everyone says the knurling tool that comes with the QCTPs are junk, but I've gotten some great looking knurls out of the one that came with mine. Did I get lucky or something?
(04-05-2016, 09:50 PM)Vinny Wrote: [ -> ]Ok, what am I missing? Everyone says the knurling tool that comes with the QCTPs are junk, but I've gotten some great looking knurls out of the one that came with mine. Did I get lucky or something?
Either you got lucky or I didn't.
I'm going with this instead of depending on luck.
http://tomstechniques.com/clamp-knurling-tool/
Ed
I get crappy knurls all the time. I've decided that it's because I don't take the time to figure out the correct starting diameter of the knurl so it's a multiple of the pitch of the knurl.
(04-05-2016, 10:19 PM)Roadracer_Al Wrote: [ -> ]I get crappy knurls all the time. I've decided that it's because I don't take the time to figure out the correct starting diameter of the knurl so it's a multiple of the pitch of the knurl.
and there in lies the secret to good knurls
And a good set of knurl wheels. I have a Chinese one that never worked great, then was given an old Atlas one that wasn't any beter, figured it was the nature of bump knurlers. Needed to knurl something a little while ago, had a new set of wheels from god knows where. Figured what the heck, put them in and it was night and day. Perfect diamond pattern for the first time ever.
Getting back to this project, I got the blanks all squared up and dimensioned for the knurl holders.
Ed
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