Simple Toolmaking Projects

This is a collection of some simple tools I've designed and built.

I needed a boring bar to cut a 1-1/16" diameter, 4" long concave radius in a small sheet metal brake I'm building and I didn't have a bar to do it. I made a quick one so I could get the job done that night.

Used a simple jig to grind a square broach to make a tap extension, so I could tap some holes in the bottom of an electronics enclosure for another project. Toolception!

Made a special spanner to disassemble a couple rotary encoder bodies from some old FANUC servo motors. I ended up turning the shaft down to install modern, higher resolution incremental encoders.

Here are a couple of freehand ground HSS tools for the lathe. The first is a 45 degree chamfer tool. It's super handy to chamfer ID and OD when parting off multiple parts. You can also face with it. The other tool is a vertical shearing tool. It works in a similar fashion to end mills. It's possible to remove a couple tenths at a time and leave a good finish on mild steel.

These plates are used for leveling weldments on uneven surfaces. Using a water level these can all be adjusted to the same height, and frames can be welded much easier on site.