Making A Grooving Tool

[Walkman]

Very cool "hack" as they say nowdays. I'll make sure to file this in the old noodle.
Thanks Rick.
Walkman

[TrickieDickie]

"Groovy"....someone had to say it. I hope to remember this idea

[Baddog]

Thanks Rick! I keep a handful of ready made "packing" bars ready as needed, and I'll be adding that to the collection along with broken hacksaw blades.

It's not nearly as creative as yours Rick, but I've had similar frustrations with grooving, but at a larger scale, and with a different solution.

I have no use for the inevitable parting tool block that comes with Aloris knock off sets, so that holder meant for HSS blades isn't used for it's intended purpose. However, the blades are readily available quite inexpensive, and provide a very easy path to grinding various well supported widths for various grooves. I've used them for small o-ring and snap-rings of various sizes. I've collected 6 or so blades that have various grinds. And if that proves insufficient, they are generally cheap enough to expand the collection, and they can also be broken to provide even more edges.

[Moldyjim]

Great idea. Simple, elegant, and inexpensive.

To expand on the idea a little bit, don't forget about Bimetal Power hacksaw blades, thicker with high speed teeth.

I have cut portions of carbide circular saw blades into cutoff tools too.

If you can get the old blades from sawmills, some of them have really thick steel with big chunks of carbide.

The steel makes good knives too.

[rgsparber]

Great idea. Simple, elegant, and inexpensive.

To expand on the idea a little bit, don't forget about Bimetal Power hacksaw blades, thicker with high speed teeth.

I have cut portions of carbide circular saw blades into cutoff tools too.

If you can get the old blades from sawmills, some of them have really thick steel with big chunks of carbide.

The steel makes good knives too.

I have plenty of worn out SawzAll blades. Thanks for the tip!

Rick

[Don42]

Good idea! I make grooving bits out of broken slittlng saws of various thicknesses. I cut out a piece with an abrasive wheel in a Dremel, then silver-braze it to a piece of 1/4" key stock. High speed steel seems to be able to take silver brazing temperatures with no problem. Then grind a wee bit of relief.

[Moldyjim]

Good idea! I make grooving bits out of broken slittlng saws of various thicknesses. I cut out a piece with an abrasive wheel in a Dremel, then silver-braze it to a piece of 1/4" key stock. High speed steel seems to be able to take silver brazing temperatures with no problem. Then grind a wee bit of relief.

Nice one, love the reuse of broken things. Kinda reminds me of why they let me hang around...


I have a piece of a fine tooth one I stuck a handle on, I use it like a riffler file to cut groves and sharpen internal corners.

[Karl_H]

Nice one, love the reuse of broken things. Kinda reminds me of why they let me hang around...

Bought and paid for. Let's squeeze out every bit of usefulness before we have to pay to get rid of us.

[Saltfever]

Thanks for the great idea, Rick. While reading the other suggestions I was wondering if putting a 45 or 60 degree cone on the end of some substitute bolts (not the QC bolts) would give an even a better or smoother purchase? (with or without beveling the bar stock?)

[brownbs]

A great simple remedy, I’ll remember this, thanks!

If you own a Quick Change Tool Post, you are very close to having a nice grooving tool. All you need is a length of broken hacksaw blade and a piece of scrap aluminum bar.

If you are interested, please see

https://rick.sparber.org/MakingA_GroovingTool.pdf


Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick