It's not evident from the various pictures how the genuine ones are
manufactured.. compressed powdered iron, maybe? Parts made with that process
tend to be expensive, but very durable IME.
It seems a custom profiled cutting tool could zip thru a row of blanks
standing on end in a special fixture on a manual mill with power feed if one
was inclined to try a test quantity, but a $50 final price wouldn't provide
a real wage, IMO (considering the different features of the main body, the
separate clamping piece and the secondary grinding accessory part).
The heat treat and finish processes mentioned, wouldn't be insignificant
even if one could DIY them.
Maybe using a special fixture like the one suggested, with an adjustable
tilt feature would allow some common cutting tools to be used in a couple of
tool changes.
I haven't worked in the industry, but my guess would be that anyone who has
a CNC capable of producing fairly complex parts would need to be making big
bucks to try to pay down the machine, plus labor and shop costs.
I frequently see less complex parts which could be making a shop money if
they have CNC machines which have periods of idle time.
Then again, there are some fairly simple parts which sell for crazy amounts,
but only in small markets.
The China factor lurks in the shadows, although according to what I've been
reading recently, a lot of their manufacturing is shutting down.. but they
do hugely popular items when they choose to even if the item is an inferior
looky-like same same version.
--
WB
..........
"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
This style toolholder has been around since the late 1800's, according to
what I read in a forum. Universally approved - "I'll never go back" they
say. Yet, not that widely used, I think. A few make their own, as I did.
A few buy the $140 - $150 commercial one (Eccentric Engineering).
I think that these could be hugely popular at the right price. $50? And I
think that they could be produced very cheaply on a CNC mill. The only
tricky part is getting the CAD file, what with the funny angles involved.
Here is a good picture of the Eccentric Engineering one:
http://home.comcast.net/~bobengelhar...ToolHolder.jpg
Whattaya think - would the CAD file be that hard & what could they be made
to sell for?
Bob