# Quick change tool post?



## Milan454 (Jul 21, 2020)

Now that the chuck has been secured, (thank you Porthos)!!! can anyone recommend a tool holder on a budget? I'm in the learning phase but, but once cry once always seems to ring true. I would prefer to a good used QC post if anyone can help out... I'm a hobbyist but plan on spinning up some bullets for my 50 bmg. Please help! TIA Milan


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## Chipper5783 (Jul 21, 2020)

Since you are just starting out, why not use the tool post that came with the machine?  What do you have right now - a turret style, or perhaps a later style?  Strictly speaking, a QCTP will not give you better results, it is a convenience.

Save your money and focus on learning.  Spend money only when you need something to complete a project.  Purchasing items because they may be handy someday, means you end up with stuff you rarely use.

Tell us what sort of lathe you have, what tool post you have now, what tooling you have and a few examples of the work that you want to do.  Then we can provide better advice.


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## mmcmdl (Jul 21, 2020)

What size ?


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## Aukai (Jul 21, 2020)

Are you going to make the bullets, or modify for better accuracy, and range? I'm not a shooter but, that is a round I would not like to be off in any dimension when it's in the breach.


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## Tozguy (Jul 21, 2020)

Wish my budget allowed me to shoot BMG 
For turning bullets we are talking very high precision turning. I am sure that many have gone before so it would be important to learn what others have found to be the most suitable tooling. All tool holders were not created equal so finding a deal might not be a deal after all.


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## Milan454 (Jul 21, 2020)

My Lathe is a 13" SB and it did not come with any tool holders. If I were to go with a Q.C., I would think a BXA would be the size needed. 

A .50 BMG is just a larger 30-06 round, and if you saw the variations in surplus ball ammo for these cannons, there is little that a lathe could do to make anything worse than surplus ammo. But I'm actively looking to learn all I can.


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## mickri (Jul 21, 2020)

There are lots of choices all the way from inexpensive to hold onto your wallet.  Tool holders start out with the lantern style at the low end.  Then progress to 4 ways followed by DIY qctp like the norman style.  4 ways are relatively easy to make as is a norman qctp.  At the top end are the Aloris and Dorian qctp.  The real cost of the qctp is the tool holders.  You will need at least 10 and 15 to 20 is better.

A 4 way tool holder and the norman style qctp can be made with just a lathe and a drill.  No need for a mill.  I made a norman style qctp.  Good project for a beginner.

Since you don't have a tool holder I would buy a 4 way to get started and go from there.


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## Tozguy (Jul 21, 2020)

Milan454 said:


> A .50 BMG is just a larger 30-06 round, and if you saw the variations in surplus ball ammo for these cannons, there is little that a lathe could do to make anything worse than surplus ammo. But I'm actively looking to learn all I can.


What variation have you found in surplus ammo? Just curious.
I have never shot a 50 BMG nor reloaded for one. I'm a 223 varmint guy, the scaled down version of the 30-06 is enough for me.
But turning 50 calibre bullets for the BMG sounds like fun. The copper alloys used must be super easy to cut. I would expect that the diameter would have to be very accurate and precise. Would you have to push them all through a finishing die for best results?
Hope you find a QCTP, they are very convenient for adjusting tool height and worth the money even if you only have one tool holder for it.


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## Milan454 (Jul 21, 2020)

Most guys use brass or high lead steel for bullets. The weight of a 650 grain bullet runs between 632 grains to 658 grains based upon the ones I loaded.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jul 22, 2020)

I think AXA or BXA would work fine, depending on what kind of work you want to do... If you want to push the lathe to make big cuts or not.  You may have more "room" using AXA.  You could always get long reach holders if that mattered.  On Youtube there seem to be an equal amount of folks with your machine with AXA and BXA.  










By the way, this guy does a nice series of videos restoring your machine:


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## Milan454 (Jul 22, 2020)

Well, I've ordered a NEW tool post from amazon. It an Accusize wedge style tool post. The feedback was adequate. I plan on making my own tool holders in short order.


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## tobnpr (Jul 23, 2020)

Fabricating and hardening toolholders seems crazy to me when they can be bought for $25....


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## T Bredehoft (Jul 23, 2020)

When they can be made out of 1 1/4" 4140 half hard bar stock that I have on hand.... made 10 of 'em. Work as good as commercial.


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## matthewsx (Jul 23, 2020)

Milan454 said:


> Well, I've ordered a NEW tool post from amazon. It an Accusize wedge style tool post. The feedback was adequate. I plan on making my own tool holders in short order.



I've been happy with the Accusize stuff I've bought. I think the AXA on my Seneca Falls was from them, they're headquartered in Canada from what I can tell and sell plenty of stuff that production shops use.

John


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