What lathe?

[Lakeside53]

The Super 11 II is a sweet machine.

I'd love to find a V13 for less than $4000.... but rarely offered for sale unless someone dies (estate).:msp_mad:

 

[Tzed250]

The Super 11 II is a sweet machine.

I'd love to find a V13 for less than $4000.... but rarely offered for sale unless someone dies (estate).:msp_mad:

Yeah, some kind of alchemy going on because that old Austrian iron seems to be turning to gold.

 

[parrisw]

Or start with a block of steel with the hole custom fit to your lathes centerline and tooling, like this one. Do it all the time...Bob

Right, makes sense.

Tool holder can't handle the right sized bar? Here's one with the compound:

It's bored to size with a boring head like this. You can also use and endmill and/or drill. if your insert isn't on center (most positive rake are, but...) set the block height so the resultant center of the bore for the exact insert centerline. The pic shows one of my fancy solid carbide boring bars. It can extend as shown and more.

Here's the base block with an AXA toolpost (the block above can bolt to the top also). Massively rigid in comparison to a compound:

My problem is, when I take off the top compound, then how do I affix the "block" to the carriage? There is nothing to bolt to. I'd have to machine a small "button" that fastens the same way the compound does, then I'm back in the same boat as having a compound. Thanks all for the great ideas! I need another "me" to get them all done.

I've started another project today, I'm remaking my milling attachment, the vise on mine sucks, doesn't even have jaws, so I'm going to mill the fixed vise "jaws" right off and making a steel plate to bolt on a different vise. Will be able to hold parts much better when I'm done, right now it only has two screws that you can hold stock with. The vise I picked up is a style that clamps on, so I'm machining some clamps that will bolt down and hold the vise, this way its removable, and then I can also bolt down a rotary table if I want. I'll get some pics soon when I'm out working on it again. I really just need a stand alone mill, but they just never come up around here, just for a used Mill/Drill people want $$$$$$ for them.

 

[Lakeside53]

Being slight adrift from the mainland doesn't help. If you want a mill you should keep an eye on the Seattle/Portland area auctions.

 

[parrisw]

Being slight adrift from the mainland doesn't help. If you want a mill you should keep an eye on the Seattle/Portland area auctions.

Ya, I've often thought of that, but the time issue, involved with hunting down a mill in Seattle, buying, looking at it, picking it up, ect ect. Where would there be auctions listed?

 

[Lakeside53]

Right, makes sense.



My problem is, when I take off the top compound, then how do I affix the "block" to the carriage? There is nothing to bolt to. I'd have to machine a small "button" that fastens the same way the compound does, then I'm back in the same boat as having a compound. Thanks all for the great ideas! I need another "me" to get them all done.

I don't know how your compound attaches, but I assume it has t-bolts to the cross slide and some type of center That alone for a block is superior to most rubbery compounds. Additionally, you can drill/tap two or more holes into your cross slide. Easy stuff:msp_wink:

 

[Lakeside53]

Ya, I've often thought of that, but the time issue, involved with hunting down a mill in Seattle, buying, looking at it, picking it up, ect ect. Where would there be auctions listed?

Here's one : JGM - Home

There a mill in the auction on Thursday. Big auction on the 19th/20th has at least three BP's

If you need a mill bad enough, you'll find a way!

 

[Stihl 041S]

Toss the compound (ok, you can keep it), machine (or "obtain") a suitable block of steel, bolt it to the carriage using the compound mount post (or whatever) and use the lathe to bore whatever diameter you need for a bar. Also, make it so you can hold tooling. Light lathe compounds SUCK for rigidity; try a dedicated tool block when you don't need compound action and you'll be blown away by the improvement.

It's like my dear Ol Grandmother used to say;

The three most important things in sex and machining are;

Rigidity!!!

Rigidity!!!

Rigidity!!

 

[Lakeside53]

Just being able to lock the compound can make a big difference. Never mind that all metal is like rubber, the fact that it can slide means there's movement.

Project # 8795 is to modify my TUM35 compound so I can lock it! One day...

 

[parrisw]

I don't know how your compound attaches, but I assume it has t-bolts to the cross slide and some type of center That alone for a block is superior to most rubbery compounds. Additionally, you can drill/tap two or more holes into your cross slide. Easy stuff:msp_wink:

Just like an old south bend model A. There is a little button about 1.25" around with a taper, and two set screws pinch in on it, that's it. There is no t-bolts, I wish it was like that. Suppose I could drill and tap.

Here's one : JGM - Home

There a mill in the auction on Thursday. Big auction on the 19th/20th has at least three BP's

If you need a mill bad enough, you'll find a way!

Hmm, nice!!! You want to go pick one up for me? LOL.

If I'm lucky sometime next year I can afford one, right now just a dream. I'll have to make due with my lathe.

 

[Stihl 041S]

On a HLVH I took the compound off and had a 2x2 hunk of steel to mount a circular form tool to.

Rigidity!!

 

[parrisw]

Here's what I did today. Going to adapt this to mount in the lathe for a milling vise. Hopefully its not too much weight hanging off the carriage, if it is, I was actually thinking of making something to hang off the opposite side to equal out the weight.

Here is the vise with the 4 block clamps I machined today. Still have to drill out the clamps for a bolt, then drill and tap the plate its all sitting on, now just have to figure out an easy way to lay out the holes, that is one thing I'm always a little challenged with is hole layout.

Here is the block I machined, please excuse the surface finish, its a 2flute end mill, and still figuring this stuff out.

 

[Lakeside53]

Just like an old south bend model A. There is a little button about 1.25" around with a taper, and two set screws pinch in on it, that's it. There is no t-bolts, I wish it was like that. Suppose I could drill and tap.

I know exactly what you have. I'm so sorry... :msp_sad:

lol... seriously... when the rains return think about making a big "block" for your tool post and an auxiliary way of securing it

 

[Lakeside53]

Here is the vise with the 4 block clamps I machined today. Still have to drill out the clamps for a bolt, then drill and tap the plate its all sitting on, now just have to figure out an easy way to lay out the holes, that is one thing I'm always a little challenged with is hole layout.

Here is the block I machined, please excuse the surface finish, its a 2flute end mill, and still figuring this stuff out.

Hole layout.... a mill with a dro but way before DRO edge finders and counting x/y dials worked great. If your problem is repeating a pattern /measurment for mating surface - buy or make some cheap transfer punches.

Surface finish.. yes, always ellusive if you use A36 or 1018 type metal. Keep your eyes open for 1144 stressproof. Can't weld it, but it sure machines nicely..

 

[parrisw]

I know exactly what you have. I'm so sorry... :msp_sad:

lol... seriously... when the rains return think about making a big "block" for your tool post and an auxiliary way of securing it

LOL, thanks!! The problem is with a big block is tool height though, I would need allot of big blocks to fit all the tools. Unless I machine a groove then just shim the cutter, but its nice to just be able to adjust the thumb knob to adjust height.

Hole layout.... a mill with a dro but way before DRO edge finders and counting x/y dials worked great. If your problem is repeating a pattern /measurment for mating surface - buy or make some cheap transfer punches.

Surface finish.. yes, always ellusive if you use A36 or 1018 type metal. Keep your eyes open for 1144 stressproof. Can't weld it, but it sure machines nicely..

Ya, maybe I'll have to get some transfer punches. The problem here in this situation is once I get the clamps drilled, is getting the holes in the right spot on the backing plate, hard to hold the clamps in the vise groove then transfer the hole, I guess I could maybe clamp the clamps to the vise then transfer the holes??

 

[Lakeside53]

LOL, thanks!! The problem is with a big block is tool height though, I would need allot of big blocks to fit all the tools. Unless I machine a groove then just shim the cutter, but its nice to just be able to adjust the thumb knob to adjust height.

Maybe you misunderstand. You can make it the same height as your compound. Your AXA toolpost can also sit on the block (and rotate) for the time when you don't need compound action. I have that in one of the pics above.

 

[Lakeside53]

Ya, maybe I'll have to get some transfer punches. The problem here in this situation is once I get the clamps drilled, is getting the holes in the right spot on the backing plate, hard to hold the clamps in the vise groove then transfer the hole, I guess I could maybe clamp the clamps to the vise then transfer the holes??

You can also make a more convenient template out of thinner material. Use that with transfer punches. Before cnc/dro I'd often set one hole and bolt everything together, then transfer the rest. The transfer punch is just a "fat" (right sized) center punch. You a then use a point wiggler in your drill press to find that indent center.

 

[parrisw]

Maybe you misunderstand. You can make it the same height as your compound. Your AXA toolpost can also sit on the block (and rotate) for the time when you don't need compound action. I have that in one of the pics above.

Right!! Duuuuuu on my part. Couldn't see the forest through the trees!

You can also make a more convenient template out of thinner material. Use that with transfer punches. Before cnc/dro I'd often set one hole and bolt everything together, then transfer the rest. The transfer punch is just a "fat" (right sized) center punch. You a then use a point wiggler in your drill press to find that indent center.

Yes, I don't have any transfer punches, I usually just mark through the hole with a drill.

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[Lakeside53]

Hey, aren't you supposed it be at work?!

You have a lathe - For "one off" you can make transfer punches in seconds. Even make the end point lightly hard with heating/oil cool if you use something like 1045. You can also make a drill guide for a small drill. Example, if you want to mark the center of a 3/8 hole, turn a piece of stock to 3/8 and drill a 1/16th hole though the center (lathe tail stock). Use machine length drills though.. not jobber. Now you can "mark" with a 1/16th drill (use the end you drilled for the contact side). Even soft steel will work well for a quite a few holes. 12L14 makes for very easy machining and drilling.

 

[Stihl 041S]

'Nother Way;

Lay it out with your calipers. The lightly clamp it to the drillpress table. So you can tap it around.

Put in a good sized center drill.

Get the tip close to your crossed lines.

Bring the quill down and "bump" the workpiece.

Rotate 90 degrees. "Bump" again.

You have a nice "X".

Is it on the crossed lines?

No?

Tap. Try again. Tighten clamps. Recheck. Drill