Over time, people have reported their experience with both the AXA (100 Series) and BXA (200 series) QCTP on the 10" and 12" Atlas or Craftsman lathes. As far as I can recall, the only AXA owner reports saying that they wished they had bought BXA seem to have been from people who had or had acquired cutters on the next size larger bar (usually 5/8" tall). There is now a vendor selling AXA holders in 101 and 102 style that will take a 5/8" tall cutter blank. Price is only slightly more than for the standard 101 and 102 (~$15 each versus $12 if I recall correctly). I bought one of each JIC, and quality is good. So that is no longer an issue.
Reports from those who bought BXA seem to be split about evenly between those who are apparently truly happy with the BXA, those who aren't but aren't willing to admit it, and those who say they wish that they had bought AXA. :thinking: So buy the AXA.
On the piston versus wedge issue, I have had a Yuasa piston type for more than 30 years and never had any reason to regret it. In all honesty, I have to admit that at the time, the price differential exceeded 200%. And that I haven't ever used one of the Chinese piston types. At roughly 20% price differential, I might go for the wedge type today, assuming equivalent quality. The one thing I would recommend is avoiding the aluminum body tool post. Oh, one other thing. Buy several extra 101 style holders (at last count, I had 7). All of the sets come with only one, plus one 102 which you can also use as though it were a 101. With only two, as soon as you run a job that uses three cutters, the only advantage you have over the 4-way turret is that you don't have to use shims to center up the cutters. And buy one #116 dual insert holder. It is by far my most frequently used holder.
Robert D
