Tunable Toolholder

A toolholder used for metalworking operations, said toolholder comprising:

• a) a shank having a front end, a back end and a longitudinal axis, wherein a cavity extends within the shank along the axis and wherein the cavity defines a cavity wall,
• b) an absorber mass positioned within the cavity, wherein the mass has a first end and a second end,
• c) a resilient support circumscribing each end of the mass and positioned to suspend the mass within the cavity,
• d) a pressure plate at each end of the absorber mass adjacent to each resilient support, wherein at least one pressure plate is movable along the longitudinal axis to compress each resilient support against the absorber mass,
• e) a toolholder head having a pocket adapted to receive a cutting tool and furthermore having a front face and a rear face, wherein the head is secured at the rear face to the front end of the shank, and
• f) an adjustment screw extending through the front face of the toolholder head and oriented to displace the movable pressure plate along the longitudinal axis within a desired range against the resilient support at the first end of the shank.