Hey All,
New to the forum, my name is Jon. Just got my Elite Journeyman two weeks ago and absolutely loving it. Had a Sienci Longmill for a year and while it was a great machine, I needed something much more robust and capable now that this is being used for a small business.
Something that’s always annoyed me while doing tool changes on my machines is the bit falling out after I loosen the collet. Since both my hands are holding wrenches, I unfortunately don’t have a third hand to catch the falling bit. Most of the time it lands on the workpiece or my wasteboard. But I’m just waiting for the day it rolls off the table onto the concrete floor (god have mercy 
).
Anyway, I got the QCW and tool setter with my new elite. After seeing how the tool setter was installed, I had a bright idea out in the shop the other day. What about if there was a small “bucket” mounted to the front of the QCW to catch the falling bit during tool changes at my programmed tool change location. I CAD’d something up real quick and 3D printed this. I don’t know what to call it…Bit Buddy, Bit Bucket, Bit Catcher…something like that. I stuck some foam in the bottom and am much happier with my bit hitting some soft plastic and foam rather than the tubing of my QCW or making a mark in my workpiece.
I just wanted to see if anyone else would be interested in something like this. I could put up a cheap Etsy post for the STL files or even sell the 3D printed file itself. Let me know what you all think.
