QTCP debate

[davidpbest]

Well, if I win the lottery then I'll spring for a quick change tool post. I simply don't have the money now... or rather I got rent, electricity, etc. to pay before I can have leftover for this. I doubt I'll ever buy some American made tool post. Logistics make this impossible, not to mention shipping would cost about 3x the cost of the tool post itself. I think I'll take my chances with chinese copies.

We all have financial limitations. Sorry if my post offended you.

 

[taiwanluthiers]

We all have financial limitations. Sorry if my post offended you.

It's ok... I'm not getting paid to turn stuff, I bought the lathe mostly because there are always fixtures or jigs I need to turn and not having a lathe is like missing an arm. I build guitars and I make use of the mill more than the lathe. In fact I built a fixture for thickness sanding guitar back and sides. The lathe allows me to turn the necessary shafts and supports, and maybe even build a proper thickness sander some day if budget allows it. I buy most my tools from China because it's close by, and so there aren't the logistical nightmare that the US currently have. I've mailed a guitar by EMS only for it to get shipped around and taking over a month before the customer received it, and Fedex is extremely expensive but the only reliable carrier for international shipment.

I don't mind taking a few seconds to stack some shims to turn something. I keep all my tools the same size for this reason. I still need a 1mm shim for me to reach center even with 20mm tools... which is weird. Perhaps it's designed for imperial measurements?

 

[Dabbler]

@taiwanluthiers In over 40 years of using a 4-way tool post, I've never used a shim. Not once.

I own an AXA on a 12" lathe, and both an offshore BXA (Aloris-style) and a *real* Aloris BXA on my 14X40. I also have and use my Dixon D sized (100mm between dovetails) I also use an American Rocker style. I have a 4-way tool post for every lathe I own.

If you learn any one system, it will work very well for you. On some jobs I load 4 tools in the 4-way, and I get faster tool changes than Aloris, and a more rigid setup. For other jobs, the QCTP is far better. It just depends. On my little lathe parting is better with the AXA, but on the 2 larger lathes, the 4 way and the Dixon work far better, so I guess it depends.

You shouldn't be in a rush to spend 5-600 bucks for a QCTP until you really need it, and when you do, buy the best you can afford.

Personally I am fluent on all of these. One day I'll conduct a rigidity study. There's lots of guys that will tell you that you aren't a good machinist unless you are tooled in a certain way. Usually *their* way. That's just BS.

Here's my heirarchy:
1) use what you have until you outgrow it. Make chips and gain experience.
2) when you upgrade make sure your money is going to an UP-grade, not just to something new.
3) Learning good skills and knowing your machines is key to getting a great result, the tools are actually secondary.

 

[Alcap]

I think I’m in the same situation with my 4 way , and not yet able to justify the cost going for speed and convenience of a QCTP .So far I’ve been keeping a large assortment of shims , once a tool is set I’ll tape the shims with it like others here do. My 4way is an ENCO that has 36 positions that are supposed to be able to repete though I’ve never vertired . That comes in handy for me at least .

 

[epanzella]

I have the chinese piston type tool post that came with my Grizzly G4003G and pile of $10 holders from CDCO. I've heard so many purists badmouth these things that I almost feel guilty not having a problem but I don't. They work fine. Oops, one problem. The grub screws are soft on the holders so so I bought a box of 100 screws for a few bucks. It sure beats paying $100 for toolholders from the big names. I could have 20 cheap holders or 2 holders from the big names for the same price.

 

[rwdenney]

To me, it’s about duty cycle, and amortization. If I could amortize an expensive setup over 40 hours of billable machining a week, I’d probably have a real Swiss Multifix system, and a lathe worthy of it.

When I was a paid mechanic, I bought premium tools and enjoyed their quality. But I have to admit that my old Craftsman wrenches serve me as well as my Snap-On wrenches.

But I have very limited time for projects and don’t want to have to stop and wait days or weeks for a tool I don’t have. And I doubt I will wear out any of my tools at this stage if my life. So, I’m starting my lathe journey with a fairly complete kit of not-so-premium quality, and will upgrade as (and if) needed. If I started with the most expensive stuff and then discovered I’d made a wrong turn, I’d be out more cash.

Rick “preparing a Shars CXA QCTP for a South Bend 14-1/2 with mostly import holders” Denney

 

[Dabbler]

@Alcap I have that or a similar 4-way on my LeBlond lathe. I find it very good - as good as any QCTP system I've tried. On mine the indexing holds to a tenth.

 

[Huub Buis]

I changed my tools to swap them in seconds without compromising the regidity of my lathe. After that I changed my 4 way tool post in a 2 way so I can lock the tool with just one handle.
I will make a decent video of my tool post next year. In the link you find a not complete not edited short video that will show how I do it.
My QCTP

 

[Dabbler]

@Huub Buis I think your tool post is brilliant! Beautifully done!

Clearly you have thought this through completely.

The 'engineer' in me makes me want to make a suggestion - in no way critical of your fine achievement - if you don't mind.

Your changeover can be made even faster if you put a third stud to eliminate the need for rotating the top plate. In that way you are always using the same top plate clamp in the same orientation. It will work well as long as there is only one tool in the tool holder at a time.

-- the way it is is just brilliant!

 

[twhite]

I changed my tools to swap them in seconds without compromising the regidity of my lathe. After that I changed my 4 way tool post in a 2 way so I can lock the tool with just one handle.
I will make a decent video of my tool post next year. In the link you find a not complete not edited short video that will show how I do it.
My QCTP

Ingenious I love that design. Great job!


Cutting oil is my blood.