Atlas 10F came to the neighborhood

[pdentrem]

A file works just fine to remove the little section of the hump, if no mill available.
Pierre

 

[RandyWilson]

Milling won't be a problem. I'm likely going to have to make a T nut anyway.

 

[Maarten]

Apologies for reviving an old thread but having just bought an Atlas 10" I am also looking at QCTP's. Would putting a thin flat steel spacer underneath the tool post not clear hump on the compound slide? Or would that raise the tool position too high?

 

[pdentrem]

A washer can work. Since the tool post allows adjustments, you simply have to lower the tool holder by the height of the washer.
Pierre

 

[Maarten]

Thanks Pierre, I will order one shortly.

 

[brino]

Would putting a thin flat steel spacer underneath the tool post not clear hump on the compound slide? Or would that raise the tool position too high?

Just be sure to keep the plate as large as possible, you want it to support the full bottom of the tool post.
For instance, a washer could promote tool post rocking and spinning.

Brian

 

[Maarten]

Good point! And needing to be totally flat as well of course.
Mmmmm......maybe taking a file to the hump might give a more stablle result.

 

[pdentrem]

You only need to remove the small area that the tool post comes in contact with and a file makes short work of it as the metal is soft.

 

[Provincial]

I'm going to open myself to being flamed, but here goes:

I have both an Atlas QC42 (10F with a factory-installed quick change gearbox) and one of the last 12700 ("Industrial" 12") Atlas lathes. The 12700 has an AXA tool post installed, and the QC42 has a shop-built tool post that was built by a co-worker over 40 years ago.

The small tool post is a piston type, and is about the size of an OXA. The tool holders can hold a 3/8" bit on top of a 1/8" shim. I use 3/8" square tool holders with TCMT inserts and 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" square HSS bits. Given the amount of power (I run a 1/2 HP motor), and the low rigidity of the lathe, I have found that a larger tool post is unnecessary.

One advantage to the smaller tool post is that it rarely causes access problems. This is very handy when working near the tailstock center. It also doesn't extend past the machined flat above the T-slot of the compound.

My AXA on the 12700, on the other hand, is constantly in the way when working near the tailstock center. Other than that, it has the advantage of holding larger cutoff tools and boring bars. I use the same tool bits as the QC42, and have to shim up the bits in the larger slots of the AXA holders. I have a 1 HP motor on the 12700, and with the thicker ways, can take a heavier cut. Because of this, the AXA is more appropriate for this machine.

I've been using the QC42 with the smaller post for almost 40 years, and not once have I wished for a larger QCTP. I have wished that I had made holders for larger boring bars, but when I added the 12700 15 years ago, it made that unnecessary.

 

[pdentrem]

I too had a OXA on my 10” Atlas. It worked fine and I had some extra holders made up at work. Had the tool slot made larger to allow 1/2” tools. Later I sold the lathe and the newer machine AXA is a better fit.
Pierre