[How do I?] Make And Fit A Rear Tool Post To My Lathe?

Downunder Bob

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Hi guys, I'm interested in making or buying a spare tool post and fitting it to my lathe LD 1216. I have seen a few articles in magazines about fitting them to some smaller lathes with slots in the crossslide but my lathe has a flat top cross slide no slots for "T"nuts.
 
Pics?
Sorry to ask: what is an LD1216?

Daryl
MN
LD 1216 GH is a Liang Die from Taiwan Haven't used it much yet but so far very impressed Google it.
 
Hi bobshobby,

Your question reminded me of a place that sells castings of replacement cross-slides (with t-slots) that you finish and fit to your lathe.

I had to do a little searching around but here's a couple top-slide kits they have:
-an Atlas/Craftsman kit: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/A-11.html
-a Southbend kit: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/S-4382.html

Here's their main page: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/

and the also have a rear-mount tool post: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/MLA-6.html

I dunno if any of those parts would fit your machine, but it may be worth a look to see if they could be made to work, or just for ideas.

Good luck, and please let us know how it works out.
-brino
 
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I have always thought that a rear tool post and cross slide t-slots were great ideas, and wondered why they are not fitted to all lathes. My 13x40 lathe has a very thin top surface on the top of the cross slide, so it does not lend itself to easy modification. However, looking at the links that Brino put up immediately gave me pause. Adding a rear tool post or t-slots pretty much requires a much thicker top surface of the cross slide, and that limits lathe swing over the cross slide. I don't like that side effect at all, it would interfere with work much more often than the t-slots or rear tool post would help. My lathe is heavy enough that I have not had problems with the usual cutoff from the front side. So, now I am not as excited about adding those features, and I do not see a way to add them without also reducing swing over the cross slide...
 
What about adding a few tapped holes? You said the cross slide was flat across the top.
In fact, even with a rounded top cross slide, I suspect one could figure out a bolt on plate (curved on the bottom, perhaps some mounting pads / filler material, machine the top of the plate after, . . . . ) - should be able to figure something out.

That is how my Smart & Brown is set up (it has a flat top and no t-slots). I don't have the rear tool post, but they did offer a RTP and the intent was that you bolted it to the cross slide.

I have one for my Enterprise machine (which has T-slots) and it is a base section (with a T-slot the other way), then a bolt on plinth.

I really don't think major HD bolting would be required.
 
I added a secondary compound mount to my Grizzly 602. I duplicated the pivot hole and the six tapped holes for the clamping screws (my compound clamp is a modification with four additional holes to the two OEM location) and moved one of the oil ports. When not in use, the pivot hole has a plug and there are set screws in the mounting holes.

There is a photo of the modification in this thread.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/g0602-compound-protractor-calibration.35295/#post-299198
 
I have always thought that a rear tool post and cross slide t-slots were great ideas, and wondered why they are not fitted to all lathes. My 13x40 lathe has a very thin top surface on the top of the cross slide, so it does not lend itself to easy modification. However, looking at the links that Brino put up immediately gave me pause. Adding a rear tool post or t-slots pretty much requires a much thicker top surface of the cross slide, and that limits lathe swing over the cross slide. I don't like that side effect at all, it would interfere with work much more often than the t-slots or rear tool post would help. My lathe is heavy enough that I have not had problems with the usual cutoff from the front side. So, now I am not as excited about adding those features, and I do not see a way to add them without also reducing swing over the cross slide...
Unless you had interchangeable cross-slides. Then the only tradeoffs are extra expense, the need to carefully store a second cross-slide, and the occasional time to change them out. Yeah, I can see why they aren't common. But I have many times wished my Logan had such an option. I've had in mind to someday experiment with replacing the removable way cover section at the back of my cross slide with an additional t-slot assembly of some sort (and incorporating a way of mounting it more rigidly than the two small screws for the way cover would allow as-is). It's on the list...
 
Hi bobshobby,

Your question reminded me of a place that sells castings of replacement cross-slides (with t-slots) that you finish and fit to your lathe.

I had to do a little searching around but here's a couple top-slide kits they have:
-an Atlas/Craftsman kit: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/A-11.html
-a Southbend kit: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/S-4382.html

Here's their main page: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/

and the also have a rear-mount tool post: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/MLA-6.html

I dunno if any of those parts would fit you machine, but it maybe worth a look to see if they could be made to work, or just for ideas.

Good luck, and please let us know how it works out.
-brino

Thanks, a great idea, however shipping from USA or canada to Australia would be prohibitive. However you have given me an idea about how to make a simple plate with "T"slots that will fit on top of my flat cross slide, thanks again.
 
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