Mini Lathe ( C2 ) tooling what do you use?

[jack404]

G'day folks

i've been getting used to my mini lathe and am now quite impressed with it

i'm makeing a small cam for a stirling plan i have here out of 2041 T? Alu
alloy ( 20% titainium ) and as usual the carbide tipped tools have issues with Titainium
and a small test on 4130 steel ( Chrome Moly) showed the same ( although i was happy the lathe did handle it with a few light passes and did not stall but trying to part off the 20mm bar the carbide was useless as usual)

looking for a cutoff tool holder for HSS cutoff toolblades i found nothing! there all too big!

what do you folks use for cut off tools on your mini lathes (C2 size) or am I back to hand making tools outta 3/8" and 1/2" HSS blocks ?

( i have a few )

one thing i read was to get a quick change tool post but will this actually fit my mini lathe??

if so what size do i order??

questions questions always with the questions ( more $$ too most likely )

cheers

jack

 

[Tin Falcon]

Jack there are several options here
I see three off hand.
1) Get yourself an AXA /100 sized quick change tool holder set. These are a little large for the 7x 10 but will work with a modified cross slide.so you need to buy a modified piece or modify yours.
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1777&category=1
I used this setup on my 7x 10 until I bought a South Bend 9" and the AXA holder moved to the SB

2) Buy a A2Z CNC QC holder these are sized for the mini lathe with no mod needed this is what I currently use on my 7x 10
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products
/product_view.php?ProductID=2461&category=-139540609

IMHO a decent QC tool holder is one of the first upgrades to be added to almost any lathe.
3) Make or buy one of these

Also although un-related here is a link to Knurler Plans
Hope this helps
Tin

 

[jack404]

Tin

Thats a ripper!

the AXA/100 is too big i read and am wishing to just plonk on ( no mod needed ) something

I'll order up A2Z as i'm ordering some other bits and peices from LMS

i'll download the PDF catalougue tonight to make finding things easier

cheers Tin

jack

 

[Macca]

Jack,
My most regularly used parting off tool is a hacksaw, just make sure you put some thing down to protect the ways, the last thing you want is to jam the hacksaw into them when you suddenly break through the part you were cutting off.
After hacksawing I turn the part around and face it off. I don't see this as an issue as I would have to do it if I used a parting off tool, as I can't do it accurately enough yet.
If you can't find a holder, Bob had these nifty little things over on his cnccookbook.com site,

a few minutes with a grinder should get you there.

 

[jack404]

Cheers Macca

being "King of the bodgey" ( very good at gerry rigging for the US folks)

the plan was to make similar if i could not buy a decent set ( i have some M2 HSS steel in 3/8")

Tin's link to LMS saved the day, because the 2041 is so hard to get and expencive
( $148 AUD a foot for 50mm Dia)
and i want to save as much as possible i'll leave it a week or so till i get a good tool to part ot of clean

this is whats used to mount turbine blades in military jets and its tougher than my home made bread

i'll chase up the gent from ebay US for some of his cut off tools too but that will be next month when i get paid next

thanks again

cheers

jack

 

[Cedge]

www.Micromark.com offers what is known as an "economy QCTP" which is what I use here. It works just fine and its not very expensive. www.Littlemachineshop.com offers the same set up. I'd probably recommend buying extra tool holders.

Micromark also offers a set of mini cut tool holders which uses a much smaller cutting tools (1/8 HSS) . I've used them but as with all miniature tools, you have to do so with a bit of care.

Steve

 

[jack404]

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82743

Found this on micromark

exactly what i'm looking for

hmmm QCTP set

bit holders

now this

i can see i slim picking Christmas at my place this year :big:

lotsa new toys though..

cheers to all for your help ( and i better dig out some stuff to sell off eh)

jack

 

[Julian]

Jack

Go onto the ArcEuroTrade website and navigate to the bits for C2. You can buy a qc there which fits straight out the box,packed and sent to you in deepest darkest oz.

www.arceurotrade.co.uk.



regards

Julian

 

[Tin Falcon]

Jack there are several good to exelent qaulity qc posts out there LMS is a good reference.
Do not get the economy model
I used on for about an hour one time they are a pita and not quick to change.
Most of the good ones ar some variant of an Aloris.
Tin

 

[jack404]

ok the shopping list so far

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2461&category=-419988835

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82743

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1669&category=8

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1214&category=8

cheers gents ( i think, i'll be broke until january)

jack

 

[Tin Falcon]

Jack IMHO the A2Z should work fine and the indexation insert set is also good to have You may want to get some HHS inserts for it
As for the boring bar/parting tool holder set and the items in the 4th picture I think you could spend your funds better on getting extra holders for the A2Z.
Tin

 

[jack404]

Tin

thats planned ;D i did some reading on both LMS and micromark the users ( customers ) feedback there and the advice here showed what was a direct swap and what wasn't so took that direction

the 3 extra are in the order as well from LMS

yes the version of indexable tool holders where chosen because they accept both carbide and HSS and i can get both M2 and M15 bits for them here in tool steel

and if i could seperate the bottom set and just grab the left hand side holder i'd do that but that one has great potential to replace /copy one i have made to work angles

to explain proper i'd have to show you the reverse radius/taper cutter i use but it takes a rather wide tool steel blade

another post coming up after i get some pics of my radius/curved taper cutting rig

cheers again and thanks a heap :bow: :bow: :bow:

jack

 

[Tin Falcon]

No worries Jack it is as they say on your dime (or the Aussie Equivalent) just my $.02
Tin

 

[Cedge]

Tin
I have to agree, there are much easier to use QCTP's than the economy version, but once I added the magic bicycle cam lock to mine I'm really quite happy with it. It's now a true quick change. I mentioned it only as a low cost option.

Jack...
Choose your tools with an eye toward whether you can easily make them. Boring bar holders are an easy, almost "when you need it" kind of tool. A couple of minutes with a drill in the lathe chuck, add a couple of locking screws and you pretty much have one.

Those bright red brazed carbide boring bars have always been a bane, around here. They tend to flex and cause uneven bores. Usable, but be aware of their weaknesses. I've cussed them from red to blue... more than once...LOL The have an amazing ability to chatter. I recently got my hands on a nice set of HSS boring/internal threading bars and boring is now just pure fun.

Steve

 

[itowbig]

Tin
I have to agree, there are much easier to use QCTP's than the economy version, but once I added the magic bicycle cam lock to mine I'm really quite happy with it. It's now a true quick change.


ok ill bite what is this magical bicycle cam lock thingy.
(and where are our pics atof this magical cam lock)
im interested in this perhalps we can coax some pics from ya

 

[jack404]

yeah pics would help i was googling bike cam locks for lathes

guess its a bike cam fitted to a lathe

who knows???

pic's would help

:big: :big: :big:

but back to the subject

Tin

i agree with you with all the choices

but i'm buying not only for hobby,

i have to make some rather "special" items for my $ making side too

Cedge

i'm just getting the holders

i have a huge range of drill rod i make boring bars out of in the past and will do so again for this one too

offcuts galore here sells it to me by the meter (yard and 3 " to you folks)

i'll get down the factory and setup the radius turner in the next few days and show you what i mean both ways

you have probably seen similar before but this is my little trickand will show you why i want those two tool holders, again not model related but could be one day..

cheers and thanks again all

jack

 

[Cedge]

I'm pretty sure I've posted this mod before, but it didn't get much noticed at the time. However, your wish is my command....

First off, the idea isn't completely original. I just applied it in an unusual way. It might have been Bob Warfield who mentioned these cam locks, sometime back, but memory fails me. It was mentioned that bicycle shops often have these things to throw away, due to some owners not wanting them on their bikes. My original idea was to use these for hold down locks on my indexing table, but they proved a bit large for the work area available.

They can be had for literally a song if you just ask around their repair shop. I think I gave fifty cents apiece, for 3 of them and they had a good number still in the spare parts bins.

I simply made a new threaded rod with two different thread sizes, one on each end, and installed the cam lock in place of the socket head cap screw that it originally used. No more chasing down an allen wrench to change a tool holder. It turned an annoying minus into a huge roaring plus and the QCTP is now a real joy to use.

Just give it a twist and flip the lever open to release the tool holder. Replace the holder, flip the lever closed and give it a light twist to the upright position to lock it.
Steve

 

[itowbig]

i think i remember reading about this now that ive seen it. thank you very much .
i love my qctp its great. i got it at lms.