Taig Gerry-rigging

[K\Harnish]

I was trying to re-mount my t-bar cut-off tool and could not get the threads to bite. It had seemed fine when I last removed it. I found that T nut was stripped and the 10-32 bolt was also buggered.

Saturday night and the last Mom & Pop in town was closed for the weekend. I went to both our big boxes (farm supply and home improvement.) Neither had SHCS in 10-32 (only 10-24) and their longest was only 1 and a 1/2 inches. (The special tool post for the cut off tool requires a 2 & 1/4 and I could not find anywhere else on the Taig that uses that size.)

I was able to find a zinc/steel machine screw in 10-32 but my choices were 2 inches or 3 inches.

I threaded the t-nut onto the 3 inch screw, only enough to allow 1 bite of the thread showing through, then took up all the slack with the nut, holding the machine screw with a screwdriver to keep it from threading into the t-nut and possibly scoring the floor of the slot on the cross slide. Worked just fine!

Photo attached.



I am considering making some beefier t-nuts - especially for the cut off tool, since I have to crank it pretty hard to keep it form moving. Here is my sketch on the back of an envelope.



Since I am brand new to machining and my Taig is only a week old, I was wondering if there are other parts likely to break after Mom & Pop close. Any suggestions for an emergency kit? (for steel, not for skin!)

Thanks.

KH

 

[mikey]

Instead of clamping down hard with the screw, why not attach a ledge to the side of the parting tool so it cannot rotate? That way, far less force is required to hold the tool in place. If the side of the tool holder is not square then mill it square so that when the ledge is in contact with the carriage the blade is automatically perpendicular to the work; this will save a lot of time.