Tool Holder!

[smokindawg]

I've had a set of 3 ball end mills for over a year now. I've tried to figure out how I can use them without spending a lot of money. I didn't want to buy another Jaccobs chuck as it would cost me $200 +/- Mine is only a 5/8" and two of the end mills are bigger than that. So I tried turning the shanks down, not going to happen as hard as they are.

So they set on the shelf for a long time. Then one morning I sat up in bed and said "I finally figured it out!"

Here is what I came up with.

[Archer]

Sometimes inspiration just smacks you in the face...even while sleeping! Pretty Cool!

[caskwith]

Nice solution. Check out ebay for cheap chucks, I picked up a brand new 3/4" chuck for only about $60, It has been used for much more than just holding endmills for drilling.

[smokindawg]

Yep Archer I've come up with many solutions in my sleep.
Chris, that would work for two of them but I have a 7/8". Made these for about $2 each. My 5/8" works fine for everything else.

[caskwith]

Yep Archer I've come up with many solutions in my sleep.
Chris, that would work for two of them but I have a 7/8". Made these for about $2 each. My 5/8" works fine for everything else.

Ah well if you must insist on buying giant tooling

[Taspiper]

If your using insert type lathe tooling, ceramic and cbn inserts will turn your cutter shanks down. Ceramics are the cheapest but use light cuts and they will last ok. We turn punches out of HSS blanks this way.

[smokindawg]

I'm just cheap Chris. Otherwise I would have found the bigger chuck or just sprung for more expensive tools with the shank cut down. Or better yet I'd just hire people to carve pipes for me and then stamp my name on them. LOL