Extended cutting tools

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All
Some cutting tools needed to be extended to reach to the bottom of a bore in the trunk guides for my 3”scale Foden steam wagon for the stuffing box studs.
This is an easy fix which makes an otherwise difficult task very easy to machine.
First a suitable diameter piece of steel plain round bar is cut to the required length and drilled to accept the cutting tool shank diameter. A hole is then drilled at the depth of the hole to allow air to escape when silver soldering. If this hole isn’t drilled the cutting tool will eject itself out of the hole, it also helps with the capillary action required for the joint to be successful. The HSS retains its hardness after soldering so a clean up of the flux and the extended tools are ready to use.
The photos show a centre drill, twist drill and spiral flute machine tap soldered into the extensions. The centre drilling and drilling of the holes was completed on the mill and tapped on my home made mini drill/tapping tool
Extended tooling

Tapping the holes

This would have been impossible to do without the modification. These tools now live in my draw of special tools that one day I might never use again, but are ready if ever needed.

Thank you for viewing
The Home Engineer

[nova_robotics]

Nice work. Have you looked into aircraft drills? Won't help you with the tap, but for drills it can save you some effort.

[thehomeengineer]

Nice work. Have you looked into aircraft drills? Won't help you with the tap, but for drills it can save you some effort.

Thank you for your interest
Not sure on the price of long series drills/ aircraft drills. I do have quite a few long series drills but unfortunately not for 5BA tapping. Also my long series centre drills were also to short. As this is potentially a one off, the cost of a drill and a piece of mild steel bar is insignificant to the cost of the castings etc. But investing in a long series drill that I my never use again seems a bit expensive. I only get long series drills when I go to auctions etc. and buy up boxes of old tools etc. So I don’t actually know the cost of a long series drill.
thank you again
The Home Engineer