Machining New Tools for the Workshop

Joe has a series of pulling/pushing tools for /2 that share this top piece.  One of my goals has been to copy Joe's tools, so I thought I'd start with the top piece.

I began with a blank of tool steel.

First I faced it and here I am boring a center hole. 

After boring it out to a larger size, I cut some threads at 16 tpi 

Looking good! 

I polished up the threads with a tap by hand. 

Then I milled slots, holes, and beveled edges.

Calculating the location of cuts for the DRO. 

The finished tool..

I'm hoping to get more than a lifetime of use out of these.