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AXA Tool Holder(s)

YYCHM

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
I was looking at my AXA tool holders and got to thinking.... With a mill and a shaper I should be able to make these things.

RawStock.JPG



As a first go I thought I'd use some of this funky 1" thick aluminum stock I got from @kevin.decelles and @RobinHood (@Janger originator) Thanks guys.

The trick now was how to liberate that 3" X 1.5" piece on the bandsaw......

BandSaw1.JPG


BandSaw2.JPG


BandSaw3.JPG


Took some fooling around but I eventually got her LOL....

Mill1.JPG


Mill2.JPG


Next up was throw it on the mill, square it up and mill out the majority of the dove tail

Shaper1.JPG


Finally on the shaper. That setup was a bit of a head scratcher.....

Shaper2.JPG


One side of the dove tail done.....

Shaper3.JPG


And the second side......

TooWide.JPG


Bummer:mad: She's too wide by at least 0.069" Don't know how that happened..... I checked my tool holders against the Shar's website and came up with the same numbers?

Oh well. Try again I guess......
 
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Don't worry I screwed up my first set in CX as well - metal was hard and had other issues.

But my 2nd set in AXA came out perfect, way better then Chinese stuff, top quality, like US made stuff. Very snug.

I may do some more, just boring bar holders in oversize variety, like 1", 1.25" or maybe even huge like 1.5" I probably just make two and add adapters.
 
YYCHM said:
I was looking at my AXS tool holders and got to thinking.... With a mill and a shaper I should be able to make these things.

View attachment 20352


As a first go I thought I'd use some of this funky 1" thick aluminum stock I got from @kevin.decelles @RobinHood (@Janger originator)Thanks guys.

The trick now was how to liberate that 3" X 1.5" piece on the bandsaw......

View attachment 20353

View attachment 20354

View attachment 20355

Took some fooling around but I eventually got her LOL....

View attachment 20356

View attachment 20357

Next up was throw it on the mill, square it up and mill out the majority of the dove tail

View attachment 20358

Finally on the shaper. That setup was a bit of a head scratcher.....

View attachment 20359

One side of the dove tail done.....

View attachment 20360

And the second side......

View attachment 20361

Bummer:mad: She's too wide by at least 0.069" Don't know how that happened..... I check my tool holders against the Shar's website and came up with the same numbers?

Oh well. Try again I guess......
Click to expand...
did you see that video of the guy using hand powered shaper to make tool holders? You got it easy compared to that guy ;)
 
Hey, process still looks good for a first attempt, even if it is a bit big! I've made a few pieces to fit my BXA post. I cheated by taking readings between pins on my best-fitting import holder to get my dimensions, even for when I made drawings before starting a project.
 
I have two AXA 250-001 tool holders I ordered in ignorance. The Ali website pic showed the toolpost, but the number indicated the holder. These look well made and even have an inspection sticker ;-). I would part with the two for $20 and $5 shipping if you can't pick them up in Sherwood Park Alberta. Also open to an interesting trade.
 
Everett said:
Hey, process still looks good for a first attempt, even if it is a bit big! I've made a few pieces to fit my BXA post. I cheated by taking readings between pins on my best-fitting import holder to get my dimensions, even for when I made drawings before starting a project.
Click to expand...

You know that line from The Hunt for Red October... "The average ruskie son, dont take a dump without a plan". I modified it for my motto,... I need a full set of construction drawings before I even get out of bed.

not being a machinist it helps me work out the order of operations
 
Ian Moss said:
I have two AXA 250-001 tool holders I ordered in ignorance. The Ali website pic showed the toolpost, but the number indicated the holder. These look well made and even have an inspection sticker ;-). I would part with the two for $20 and $5 shipping if you can't pick them up in Sherwood Park Alberta. Also open to an interesting trade.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.... isn't 250-001 actually a 0XA tool holder?
 
Craig, i did one on my shaper that i spent a lot of time on before cutting the dovetails...i should have cut the dovetail first...but i ended up welding it up and recutting it, and it worked out great.
 
dfloen said:
Craig, i did one on my shaper that i spent a lot of time on before cutting the dovetails...i should have cut the dovetail first...but I ended up welding it up and re-cutting it, and it worked out great.
Click to expand...

Ya, I hear you on that. Not going to finish to dimension again until the dovetail proves out. The other thing that has occurred to me is that the dovetail could probably be cut with a fly cutter on the mill....maybe?
 
YYCHM said:
Ya, I hear you on that. Not going to finish to dimension again until the dovetail proves out. The other thing that has occurred to me is that the dovetail could probably be cut with a fly cutter on the mill....maybe?
Click to expand...
Maybe. I bought a few dovetail cutters on Ebay for the mill, so i've been using those now.
 
YYCHM said:
I was looking at my AXA tool holders and got to thinking.... With a mill and a shaper I should be able to make these things.

View attachment 20352


As a first go I thought I'd use some of this funky 1" thick aluminum stock I got from @kevin.decelles and @RobinHood (@Janger originator) Thanks guys.

The trick now was how to liberate that 3" X 1.5" piece on the bandsaw......

View attachment 20353

View attachment 20354

View attachment 20355

Took some fooling around but I eventually got her LOL....

View attachment 20356

View attachment 20357

Next up was throw it on the mill, square it up and mill out the majority of the dove tail

View attachment 20358

Finally on the shaper. That setup was a bit of a head scratcher.....

View attachment 20359

One side of the dove tail done.....

View attachment 20360

And the second side......

View attachment 20361

Bummer:mad: She's too wide by at least 0.069" Don't know how that happened..... I checked my tool holders against the Shar's website and came up with the same numbers?

Oh well. Try again I guess......
Click to expand...
now I see the appeal of a shaper. looks like fun.
 
Bummer about the fitment, but the old saying goes, those who've never make mistakes, never make anything.

If you shim it permanently, make sure to do it on the back side. It's the front side (closest to spindle) of the dovetail that is the most critical register surface for repeatable tool changes (part diameter), and the back is basically for tightening. Not sure what kind of toolpost you have or whether it registers on the face of the block, the tails themselves, or the bottom of the dovetail slot, but you might be able to get away with cutting that off, cleaning it up and remounting it with SHCS in a tighter position. Or even making a new block that screws on. There are lots of ways to fix it, but the answer depends on some variables. I think an epoxied shim would be more than servicable for an aluminum toolholder. If it falls off after x number of uses, just re glue it. You could also bend it over the edges and screw it that way too. The clamping force of the toolpost will hold it where it needs to be in use.

I made my OXA holders out of a big long rusty and bent piece of steel I bought at a farm auction many years ago (apart of a bigger lot of a bunch of steel bought for less than scrap). You never know what can be hiding inside a piece of material until you start cutting.
 
YYCHM said:
Ya, it is....and rather relaxing.... swish, swish, swish, swish as you stand there down feeding the tool. Figuring out tool geometry can be frustrating though, lots of chatter if it's not right.
Click to expand...
Sort of like watching a power hacksaw. I drag mine out every now and then just to watch it work. LOL
 
@YYCHM , as has been stated, your process is right on the money. The fit is a bit off, but you can fix that.

For your second attempt I suggest you make a vise stop for the shaper. It will allow you to take the part out of the vise to try and fit it onto the tool post. This allows you to sneak up on dimensions.

Remember with dovetails, both the depth and and width need to be correct for proper fitment. Measuring across pins is a combination of both depth and width. So it may be perfect, but still won’t fit.
 
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