Looking for a better way to make carbon torque bars...

From: <mkirda_at_sbcglobal.net>
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:07:05 -0000

So I am trying to figure out a better way to make these.

I have tried making them by hand with a pin vise.
Then with a Dremel with HSS bits.
I finally settled on splitting the carbon, roughing out a bit with a Dremel cutoff wheel, then gluing it back together with a bit of Kevlar and CA. This is at least relatively consistent.

Jake pointed me to using a drill press - Drill a few pilot holes and hog out the carbon left in between the holes. After getting a drill press, a host of carbide #80 bits and a cross slide vise, my results are not much better than doing by hand. The bits tend to walk by 5-15 thousandths, so I cannot keep the centered. One person I talked to suggested buying a Dumore jewelers drill. Possibly a mill bit?

I've thought of using a Dremel saw blade - any number of places have blades of HHS 1" or so round by 0.2 or .3mm. Wide enough for the end slots.

Any machinist types out there have any suggestions?

Regards.
Mike Kirda
Received on Wed Feb 27 2013 - 11:07:07 CET