On Sep 2, 6:08*pm, Wes wrote:
Another day in manufacturing land. *Temps down a bit this morning so the plant floor was
comfortable for a change.

Get called to a line. We have a special tool that feeds a fastener and torques it to spec
as part of an assembly station. *The tool bit is 12" long, 1/2" dia, has a 7/16 hex on one
end, and a 5/16 hex that drives SHCS. *Obviously custom tooling.

Item has a 3 week lead+shipping time. *The last time I changed it I had two spares on
hand. *Today, I had zero.

Well that stinks. *Multi shift operation, no one admitting to using the last one.

Check with supplier, I can get it in 2 weeks if I expedite. *Okay fine order some.

Take a worn out one I had in my tool box. *I hold on to the old ones since I figure this
is some decent steel to do this job and I'm just paranoid that I tend to keep stuff that
might go another lap or two just in case. *On a PM you replace things that might not be
totally used up to avoid down time.

What to do. *We have a bunch of 5/16 hex extended bit stuff for other operations. *If I
drilled a hole in the end of the tooling, I could silver braze portion of that in and make
a good tool. *One problem, my special tool is hard and tough. *

Okay, do what has worked for me many times. *Use oxy/a torch to take detail red, check
with magnet, air cool, then machine.

Well I did that, set the tool aside, had lunch, it was still warm 30 minutes later.

Turn off the hex bit end. *Chit, this thing is hard. *Harder than some dowels I've turned
into step pins for locating things in my cells. *Must be some sort of air hardening steel?

I know we stock #3 carbide center drill counter sinks. *I had a bad feeling since the tail
stock ways on this lathe I use is whipped. *Two tries, broke off the reduced diameter part
of center drill. *Too much droop in tail stock. *

Went to a 3/8" dia carbide spotting drill. 90 degree point. *It cut wide due to the tail
stock droop and there is that 90 degree taper in bottom of bore.

I managed to change to a collet chuck before I got called away. *Tomorrow, I'm going to
put a matching 90 degree taper on the piece of bit I'm going to braze in. *That should
nicely center my bit in the over sized hole and allow the few thou a silver braze likes
for a good bond. *Also, I can keep the heat away from the working end so I don't affect
the heat treat.

Wes

Torch cool instead.

Doug