Multifix Retracting Toolholder.

yes , badger mind. works a treat , for the cutting oil. can't remember when I last bought any.

Edited By capnahab on 27/01/2015 17:06:24

Edited By capnahab on 27/01/2015 17:11:10

Nick, I like the bed covers on your Hardinge, or is it a Feeler. Also, if you dont mind me asking, what are the advantages with a retracting toolholder, fitted to a retracting topslide ?.

I had a feeling Arceuro used to do them but can't find it now. These are from Beakbane and pretty good. I think they are a series of thin aluminium templates to fit over the bed, with black rubberised cotton sewn and glued and waterproofed. I never use coolant having seen what it does to the gearbox. Its a Hardinge.

I got the retracting toolholder in a job lot, so just trying it out. The Hardinge retracting topslide is good but not infallible. It retracts the tool at the same angle as the topslide (say 29 or 30), so if your run out channel is narrow at the end of the screwcut for whatever reason you run the risk of colliding with the shoulder of the last thread (am I making any sense?.)and you are betting to use the topslide dial. I wondered if the mulitifix retraction being 90° might be better. Haven't yet worked it out and I suppose it will depend on the situation. I have tested the accuracy of the retracting toolpost though and even after rotating it to a new position on the toolpost and back it is spot on.

If you want more details of the beakbane covers pm me.

Nick

Nick, I must admit, Ive done some screwcutting near a shoulder, and you are right, the tool starts to rub on the shoulder at the end of the procedure on my HLVH. Perhaps down to about 16tpi, it would be better to infeed at right angles to the job, instead of at an angle. On the bigger lathe, the retracting toolholder is perfect !.

Regards, Roger.

Hi,

Please forgive me for posting off-topic.

I have seen lots of pictures of this type of tool-post but they always have the tool-holder mounted. I've never had the opportunity to examine one, 'in the flesh', so I still don't understand how the tool-holder is attached to the tool-post.

Please could someone lighten my darkness?

The vertical corrugations on the front of the tool-post are reminiscent of a 1930s sea-side lido cafe's windows - are they decorative or functional?

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

.

What a delightful image !!

But: Here is the truth

MichaelG.

.

Edit: and here, a YouTube video.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/01/2015 21:59:03

Ok , the lido cafe bolts to the top slide and the curtains around it can be tightened by a cam pulling the toolholders corrugations (similar to the lido cafes corrugations) to mate with lidos ones this locking everything tight. These are hardened and ground. The lever operates the cam and when released it slackens the lidos surround such that it can be rotated and the toolpost corrugations can slide into a different position to mate with the lidos corrugations in a different position. - Handy for eg chamfering. see pics below, the cam outlined in green. s'that clear ?.

Beautifully over-engineered Cap'n

Neil

But lovely to use as they cover all the needs of a toolholder, multiple positions with good clamping and a system for any lathe.

Clive

Michael and Captainahab,

Thank you for your most gracious and informative replies to my post.

I had one of those 'seconds after hitting the post button' fears - what if they think I'm taking the mickey when, in fact, my reference to 'lido cafe' windows' was just a bit of whimsy!!!

I now understand how that pattern of tool-post works, it looks effective but it must be costly to manufacture?

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

You can take as much Mickey as you like.

Neil, ' over-engineered ', - its a concept I have struggled to understand. A bit like 'I couldnt care less'. Its a bit like saying don't use a scalpel for an appendicectomy because its over engineered, you could use a carving knife because it cuts and you can also use it on the sunday joint.

Hi,

Neil - I'll bight. Why is it "over-engineered"?

Steve

It's awfully complicated when I could get almost the same result by just making some extra ratchet notches in the bottom of my QCTP.

Neil

Neil, I think that your "almost" caveat is the whole point. Can you get a design that is simpler that gives you equal or better result? (result for our purposes being, rigidity, and repeatability of tool location etc etc)? If so I very much look forward to reading about it. For reference I am currently thinking about a solution for my shaper to cut the splines to make my own A sized blanks.

Steve

I know this was discussed herein a while back, but it seems the KOMET threading inserts for the Multifix retractable tool holders are becoming very difficult to obtain. The Multifix holder uses a KOMET FG(1,2,3..) insert and I cannot seem to find a source able to supply 'individuals' anywhere - USA KOMET are stuck up and just don't respond! German KOMET seem to not ship to Africa...

The ( previously proposed) Ifanger inserts do NOT fit the Multifix holder - the serrated teeth that comprise the grip are much coarser, and Ifanger's response to a query - No, you cannot use our inserts in that holder.

Does anyone know of a Insert source that works??

Even Nina at Create Tool, the Chinese mnfr of the Multifix post and holders has had little luck on my behalf!

I am aware of the hacks people have implemented. welding on a conventional insert head, etc, but nothing cuts as nicely as a really sharp HSS KOMET insert when threading..

regards

Joe