In article ,
Gunner Asch wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 21:09:50 -0400, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

Recently, I was in the bidding for a micrometer stop for a Clausing 12"
lathe. I dropped out when the price soared well above $200. Why?
Because I was thinking that for that kind of money, I can buy a
special-purpose endmill that will mill the 70-degree (included angle)
groove to fit the bedway V-rail. If as-milled isn't quite precise
enough, I can always scrape it into perfection.

It isn't obvious that I need a micrometer stop versus a plain old stop,
and I plan to make a clamp to hold a 0-2" dial indicator such that it
will indicate carriage location, and having the 70 degree groove endmill
makes it easy to make all such things.

So, I ordered a pair (main plus backup) of V-203 conical endmills from
the Conical Tool Company http://www.conicalendmills.com/default2.htm
in the frozen wastelands of Michigan, Grand Rapids to be sure. The
endmills cost $122 each, through MSC's special-order process.

It will be a few weeks before the endmills arrive. The first two
projects will be the stop and the dial indicator holder.

Joe Gwinn

ah..Joe..you dont have a sine plate or a set of angles you can put a
block in your mill vise and set up for a 45' angle, then reverse"

Ive used a set of old drafting triangles for years for this sort of
thing, and then used a regular endmill to cut one side, then the other.
Its not rocket science...but if you have lots and lots of
cash..sure..keep American Industry alive. And thank you for your
service!!

Gunner, who also uses a Logan shaper for this sort of work if the mill
is tied up

Sure, I could do all that. I have the sine bar and the gauge blocks.
But it's a lot of trouble, and the special tool makes sense to me on an
available-time economy basis.

The other problem is that the min distance (which governs the endmill
diameter) is a bit small.

Joe Gwinn