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Softening a hardened tool holder

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Bill Robley21/01/2014 09:08:51
21 forum posts
1 photos

So, I bought a lathe tool holder from the Ally Pally show on Saturday with a view to modifying it at a later stage to fit my CL300.

 

Life being what it is, when I got it to my shed and tried a file on it, it's harder than a very hard thing, the file skidded off without leaving a mark (Sigh)

 

Now, I have no idea what steel this is made from but can I assume that if I heat it to cherry red and let it air cool it will become workable or is it going to be more elaborate than that?

Fortunately I only have a few Queen's heads invested in this so it's not the end of the world if I can't do anything with it, though it would be nice if I could make it usable.

 

Heading SHOULD have read annealing, Sorry, fingers outrunning brain (As usual )  )

 

Edited By Bill Robley on 21/01/2014 09:10:04

Involute Curve21/01/2014 09:38:55
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337 forum posts
107 photos

You will need to hold the red heat for a while depending on its cross section it will also need to cool slowley, if I need to do this sort of thing, I used to throw it in the fire and leave it over night to cool, I now have a heat treatment oven so use this instead ..........

having said that if you hold it at red heat for five mins then cool it slow you might get away with it.......

Shaun

Speedy Builder521/01/2014 10:51:23
2878 forum posts
248 photos

If you have a log stove, put it inside a tin packed tight with ashes and leave it in the middle of the fire for a few hours when its going well then let it cool down as the fire goes out overnight.

You could take it to a small m/c shop and ask them to surface grind it down for you. (Would save the bother of annealing it).

Do you need to harden it once it has been modified ?

Tony Pratt 121/01/2014 17:21:44
2319 forum posts
13 photos

Heat to red heat for 1/2 hour and cool as slowly as you can. Wrap in some thin sheet metal to avoid scaling.

Tony

Stub Mandrel21/01/2014 17:55:53
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4318 forum posts
291 photos
1 articles

What modification do you nee to make? is it to reduce height or bore out the fixing hole?

Neil

Howard Lewis21/01/2014 20:04:56
7227 forum posts
21 photos

If it is to reduce the height, you could rough it out with an angle grinder, and then get the local machine shop to finish to size on a surface grinder.

Howard

jason udall21/01/2014 22:07:06
2032 forum posts
41 photos
Angle grinder. .then carbide mill?
Ian S C22/01/2014 09:56:49
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7468 forum posts
230 photos

Here is a tool made from a HSS flat bit, the original drill bit is in my album. Hardend all over, most ly cut with the angle grinder, the bottom ground flat with a cup stone in the vertical mill(well covered). I,v made 2 of them, and have another one that can be done at a later date. Ian S C023 (640x480).jpg

Bill Robley22/01/2014 10:06:25
21 forum posts
1 photos

The tool in question is a small (ish) tangential tool holder that I thought I might like to try on my lathe, however, the main body of the tool holder protrudes too far out of the front of the tool holder, pushing it beyond the centre point on my lathe (Clarke CL300) so I think, with the lack of treating oven, it might come down to careful use of an angle grinder and bench grinder to finish off.

Thank you very much to all who replied, I appreciate your comments and ideas.smiley

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