From: none@none.com99   
      
   Geometric Self Opening Die Heads   
      
   I've made simple die heads.  Some driven by a tommy bar, others by a pin   
   in the mandrel that can be set up come out of the groove and free spin   
   when it reaches the stopping distance.  recently I started researching   
   my $350 Lin Huan TL-25 lathe score in the long term plan to getting it   
   running again.   
      
   Its a copy of a Hardinge turret lathe. Jet, Enco, and probably some   
   others sold it under their own label with some form of "25" in the model   
   name.  I've been watching videos during my connection time with the   
   brain sucker box while drinking coffee in the mornings.  There are lots   
   of cool tool holders available for the turret, and I have some ideas for   
   the head stock top mounted parting blade holder to add "one more"   
   function to it for some repetitive jobs.  There are parts I would   
   probably offer for sale more aggressively if I had this machine running   
   and a few setup configurations ready to go.   
      
   A lot of the "expensive" special tool holders for it are pretty easy to   
   make, and I may make them as needed or in some cases make batches.   
      
   I found only one really good video on setup for one of these machines.   
   Lots of guys did a short video that was basically "look at my machine,"   
   and a number of machinery dealers did a short video showing the machine   
   runs and most of the function work, but there was only one I found so   
   far that seemed to show the setup and setting up a job.  Its about 3o   
   minutes long, and its a little slow for my taste, but the first 15   
   minutes shows his setup for a job, some of the limitations, and finally   
   cutting one piece in the job setup.   
      
   Here is where he introduces the part.   
   https://youtu.be/WXoG9uEMIpA?si=li89-lU1laugGfOE&t=295   
      
   The video showed one tool that might very well be a challenge for me to   
   make.  I also looked them up and new ones are fairly expensive.  A self   
   opening die head.  One some types of jobs this could really be an   
   efficiency tool.  I am sure I can my shop made simple die heads on the   
   turret lathe much the same way I use them on the engine lathe, but I   
   have to stop, reverse, reengage the tool, thread the die off the part,   
   and then stop the lathe to switch it back to forward.  The self opening   
   die head pops open when it reaches its "limit" which would allow me to   
   simple back off the turret and use the next tool.  At most change the   
   speed (which is supposed to be shift on the fly).  A speed change is   
   something I would have to do anyway if the next tool demands it.   
      
      
   If you don't want to watch the whole video here is where he runs through   
   one part.   
   https://youtu.be/WXoG9uEMIpA?si=eZCT38b5dpSwocNM&t=1141   
      
   I am sure if I look around I can find a used version of this tool for   
   less than a brand new one, but I need to ask. Have you used a tool like   
   this.  The self opening die head, not a turret lathe.  I am sure lots of   
   you have used a turret lathe.  How easy was it to setup for each job?   
   How affordable where the thread jaws?  Did you find it worked reliably?   
   Do you have nay other feedback for using one or reasons not to?   
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
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