- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 5,596
Just rambling here and passing along some of my first impressions...
I recently ordered a (much needed) handful of BXA tool holders from Shars and along with it, a couple sets of 5/8 insert tooling holders. It seems that Shars' QCTP holders are the same as others now, in that they are not as long overall (by about an inch) as the original holders as well as others I purchased longer ago. -Just passing that along. It's no big deal really and on the up-side, the shorter length almost ensures you will always get 3 bolts on the insert tool for holding.
Next ramble:
I had an AXA QCTP from my previous lathe and had a decent collection of QCTP holders and 3/8 tooling. I use it a lot on my 1236 machine but, the machine came with a BXA QCTP and for convenience, I wanted to shift over to BXA with 1/2" tooling. Someone here mentioned that 5/8" insert tooling is a better option so I picked-up two of the simple 5-piece sets from Shars. As always, they're fine quality for my purposes but, I must say, 5/8" tooling in a 1236 is almost too big. They fit the QCTP holders but do overhang sideways by about 1/8" but, they're long enough so that all 4 bolts of the short-style holders can clamp the tool.
Also, you have to screw the height adjustment all the way down to center the tool and there's only about 1/16" clearance before the holder bottoms out. If I were to ever buy 331 size inserts (slightly thicker than 321 or 32.51), I don't know if the tool will center. I will check tonight.
There seems to be a moral here: If you have a 12" lathe and might get a bigger one later on, BXA with 1/2" or 5/8" tooling works. If the 12" lathe is as big as you'll ever go, probably life will be fine with BXA and 1/2 tooling -or even AXA with 1/2 or 3/8 tooling...
Ray
EDIT: Clarified QCTP holder vs Insert holder/tooling.
I recently ordered a (much needed) handful of BXA tool holders from Shars and along with it, a couple sets of 5/8 insert tooling holders. It seems that Shars' QCTP holders are the same as others now, in that they are not as long overall (by about an inch) as the original holders as well as others I purchased longer ago. -Just passing that along. It's no big deal really and on the up-side, the shorter length almost ensures you will always get 3 bolts on the insert tool for holding.
Next ramble:
I had an AXA QCTP from my previous lathe and had a decent collection of QCTP holders and 3/8 tooling. I use it a lot on my 1236 machine but, the machine came with a BXA QCTP and for convenience, I wanted to shift over to BXA with 1/2" tooling. Someone here mentioned that 5/8" insert tooling is a better option so I picked-up two of the simple 5-piece sets from Shars. As always, they're fine quality for my purposes but, I must say, 5/8" tooling in a 1236 is almost too big. They fit the QCTP holders but do overhang sideways by about 1/8" but, they're long enough so that all 4 bolts of the short-style holders can clamp the tool.
Also, you have to screw the height adjustment all the way down to center the tool and there's only about 1/16" clearance before the holder bottoms out. If I were to ever buy 331 size inserts (slightly thicker than 321 or 32.51), I don't know if the tool will center. I will check tonight.
There seems to be a moral here: If you have a 12" lathe and might get a bigger one later on, BXA with 1/2" or 5/8" tooling works. If the 12" lathe is as big as you'll ever go, probably life will be fine with BXA and 1/2 tooling -or even AXA with 1/2 or 3/8 tooling...
Ray
EDIT: Clarified QCTP holder vs Insert holder/tooling.
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