Side View of Fixture
Iso View of Fixture
Fixture loaded with 6x hexbolts (3 sets of cufflinks)
Backside of loaded fixture with hex nuts used to secure bolts
Fixture Loaded into Vise
Facing operation to remove lettering/numbers from top of bolt and to provide a smooth face to engrave
Finished hexbolts with custom engraving
My personal cufflinks with logo engraved
Close up of cufflinks
View showing hex bolt and serrated flange nut used for retention
Groom and groomsmens' cufflinks
For my wedding, I determined that I wanted to make monogrammed cufflinks as gifts for my groomsmen.
To minimize fabrication time, I ended up using 1/4"-20 hex bolts and serrated flange nuts as cufflinks. The tops of the hex bolts were milled with a face cutter and then engraved with a carbide V-bit.
The challenge with this project was not in complexity, but rather in quantity and repeatability. I had to make 7 sets of cufflinks in a relatively short time. For reliable workholding, I ended up making a fixture to house the raw hex bolts. This consisted of 6 holes and a channel for keying the hex flats to prevent bolt rotation. The center channel was 0.442" while the hex bolt was .4375" across (a .0045" clearance). I wanted to push the Tormach to see if it could hold this tight tolerance, and it was successful! The channel worked as intended and located the bolts correctly, allowing for engraving that was square to the hex flats.
This was my first fixture for the Tormach and I’m really pleased with its simplicity and reliability as well as the end product that it produces.