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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2014 14:33:19 GMT
Hello all-----------A bit of progress at long last here at the Swindon Sub-Workshop !!........All the upgrade items, powder coated screens and other misc. items have now duly arrived and the mini - late is ready for action !!---------------------------  |
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Post by Roger on Jul 12, 2014 14:06:39 GMT
That's a very tidy and useful bit of kit Alan, it just needs a quick change toolpost and a splash guard at the front to finish it off.
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Post by andyhigham on Jul 12, 2014 14:18:06 GMT
The clarke lathes look to be quite well made, In Bulgaria I believe
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2014 21:55:44 GMT
The clarke lathes look to be quite well made, In Bulgaria I believe ---------------- I thought they were the Chinese-made SIEG models ?? ( www.siegind.com/ ) ...Certainly the tailstock is from ARC EUROTRADE whilst the fixed and travelling steadies are from AXMINSTER TOOLS..............There is also an importer in North London who supplies an upgraded headstock spindle, bearings etc..Can't remember the name alas... |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2014 21:58:13 GMT
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Post by Roger on Jul 12, 2014 22:29:38 GMT
Well, I was thinking of the Dickson ones but yes, that sort of thing. If you search for Dickson on ebay you'll find much cheaper ones than that. I made a load of the toolholders years ago when I didn't have money to spend on such things. The main column is hardened so that's probably not practical to make if you want it hard. I don't know why they're so expensive, they aren't that complicated. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2014 23:03:00 GMT
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Post by Roger on Jul 13, 2014 7:11:58 GMT
Ah, I see. That last link is interesting. There's a disengagable handwheel which might be worth having if I ever add servos to the lathe.
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steam4ian
Elder Statesman
One good turn deserves another
Posts: 2,069
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Post by steam4ian on Jul 14, 2014 21:53:15 GMT
There are two different models of the same pattern of lathe.
Hagley's is the same as the Sieg, the Amadeal is of the Real Bull type. There are some arguments over which is better, my preference was the Real Bull model for which at that time the quality was better. The parts are almost interchangeable. The main problem difference I found was the size of the keys for the change gears (soon fixed with a file).
To make room in my shop I passed the mini lathe to my son.
Ian
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 22:12:58 GMT
Hello Ian, ----- Yes, I'd agree with you on that.( Their Tailstock in particular is a much better designed and manufacturered bit of kit ).......I have an oversize headstock spindle mod to fit plus the bearing upgrade to match, ..I'll be buying the metal changewheel mod. soon but that's as far as I need to go.. This "baby" is mainly for churning out semi mass-produced pins, bushes, bolts,etc. in line with 5" loco overhauls.........My Chester Craftsman lathe is for all the "Tech." stuff...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2014 21:45:17 GMT
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Post by Roger on Aug 1, 2014 5:37:35 GMT
That's it... I'm not sure why the Dickson ones go to the trouble of having mounts on all four sides of the cube, that just makes it more expensive. I can't see how you would ever use more than two sides. |
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Post by ejparrott on Aug 1, 2014 7:48:43 GMT
Over size job requiring a tool in the back of the toolholder for one, been done many times by ME's, and we have to do it at work occasionally. The right hand side can be handy for getting close to the tailstock, depending on length of job, length of bed etc etc
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Post by ettingtonliam on Aug 1, 2014 9:00:49 GMT
Just a word of warning about the use of QCTPs on mini lathes. By their nature, using a QCTP, the tool position is 'overhung' (not hung over, that's the operator), and cutting forces are trying to twist the crosslide on its dovetails. Now this doesn't matter too much on larger lathes with substantial slides, and I'm very happy with the RDG one I got for my 280 Denford. When I had a Chester mini lathe (also bought just for doing small components when my main lathe only had a top speed of 680rpm) I had a QCTP supplied by Chester, and it was awful! Insufficiently rigid, so tools tended to dig in, and parting off was a nightmare. I reverted to the 4 tool post, where at least the cutting forces via the tool go straight down into the topslide, cross slide and carriage to the bed, and it worked quite happily for a number of years. I always try to work with the topslide not projecting beyond the edge of the crosslide anyway. To be honest, that put me off QTCPs for a number of years, and I've only just taken the plunge again so to speak. I don't know if my bad experience was down to the quality of the QTCP I used or the fact that the necessary overhang is asking a bit much of limited rigidity of the mini lathe carriage.
by the way, I fitted a roller bearing conversion marketed by ArcEuroTrade (this was about 8 years ago, don't know if they still do it) and was very happy with the results.
Richard
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steam4ian
Elder Statesman
One good turn deserves another
Posts: 2,069
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Post by steam4ian on Aug 1, 2014 23:13:29 GMT
I "solved" the QCTP problem with my mini-lathe by getting extra 4 way tool blocks. A 4 way block cost less than a single holder for a QCTP.
I do have a QCTP on my 10"lathe although I can change it back to 4 way quickly if I have a heavy parting job.
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