# Phase II AXA mounting for Craftsman 12"



## bloomingtonmike (May 29, 2013)

Mounting was going to be interesting using the Phase II TNut as it was much larger than the slot.

Today  I found a metric ($4?!) Grade8 4" long M14-1.5 bolt at Ace Hardware, hit it on the 6"  belt sander for about 30 seconds and it worked perfectly in the Craftsman 12" Tslot  and is now my new post's mounting bolt. I just kept the head from  spinning in the slot while tightening it. The head was so large there is  a lot of surface area and did not need a washer. I wanted to keep as  much of the head mass as I could. My other thought was grind it down more and  weld on a washer that I ground for the slot. That would keep it from  turning.  

Pretty quick solution.


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## Ulma Doctor (May 29, 2013)

i went the other way on mine, i took a m14 stud and turned one end to 1/2-13 UNC to use for the original T nut.
just goes to show, there's more than one way to skin a cat....
you're ideas better though)


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## jgedde (May 29, 2013)

Those t-nuts are that way on purpose.  You have to mill 'em to fit your lathe.  You'll be happier in the long run if you get rid of the bolt and go with the t-nut.  This is because there are numerous applications where'd you'd want to sit the QCTP at an angle and having the bolt spin everytime will drive you nuts!

Do you have a mill or know someone who does?  It's a simple matter of fitting it.  The Phase II AXA worked fine on my old Craftsman 12x36...

John


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## kd4gij (May 29, 2013)

Also you are risking breaking out the T slot on the cross slide. anic:If you don't have a mill to mill the nut then do a serch on here on how to machine it on the lathe.


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## mrbreezeet1 (May 29, 2013)

Here is one made on the lathe.


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## jgedde (May 29, 2013)

kd4gij said:


> Also you are risking breaking out the T slot on the cross slide. anic:If you don't have a mill to mill the nut then do a serch on here on how to machine it on the lathe.



Excellent point!

John


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## bloomingtonmike (May 29, 2013)

*Re: Phase II AXA mounting for Craftsman 12&quot;*



jgedde said:


> Those t-nuts are that way on purpose.  You have to mill 'em to fit your lathe.  You'll be happier in the long run if you get rid of the bolt and go with the t-nut.  This is because there are numerous applications where'd you'd want to sit the QCTP at an angle and having the bolt spin everytime will drive you nuts!
> 
> Do you have a mill or know someone who does?  It's a simple matter of fitting it.  The Phase II AXA worked fine on my old Craftsman 12x36...
> 
> John



I do have a mill but just learning to use it along with learning the lathe. What is a good way to hold that plate to mill it - going to have to make it thinner and narrow it?

I ordered out a M14-1.5 tap and yesterday slotted some 1 X1/2 steel to make a true T nut but did not have a tap large enough for that M14 bolt.

- - - Updated - - -

BTW - both a M14X1.5 nut AND 9/16-18 nut both fit the Phase II AXA bolt. Are they that similar a thread pitch?


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## wa5cab (May 30, 2013)

Mike,

On the M14 versus 9/16" nut question, no.  1.5mm pitch is just shy of 17 TPI.  9/16" dia. is 14.2875mm.  So the 9/16-18 nut is enough larger in diameter that it's sloppy enough to engage.  But most of the tension will be applied to the outer half of one thread or less.  Works but not for long.  And it probably won't stay tight, either.

On making a long T-nut out of flat bar, I would first cut the bar to length.  Make the length at least twice the finished width to spread the forces that will later be exerted on the compound slot.  Then after indicating in your vise, stand the bar up on one side in the vise and narrow it to what you need if you were unable to buy the exact width.  Sit it on a spacer if the vise is deep enough to swallow it.  Then rotate it in the vise so that the top face is up and support on a spacer thick enough so that you don't cut into your jaws.  First thin the bar if needed.  Then cut the corners out equally.  You might first rotate the bar 180 deg so that an original surface is up, just for cosmetics.  Finally, drill and tap the hole.


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## stevecmo (May 30, 2013)

Mike,

Tubalcain has a video on how to make t-nuts on the mill.  If I remember correctly it's a two part video - so he covers it pretty thoroughly.

Hope that helps.

Steve

Youtube BTW


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## kd4gij (May 30, 2013)

*Re: Phase II AXA mounting for Craftsman 12&quot;*



bloomingtonmike said:


> I do have a mill but just learning to use it along with learning the lathe. What is a good way to hold that plate to mill it - going to have to make it thinner and narrow it?
> 
> I ordered out a M14-1.5 tap and yesterday slotted some 1 X1/2 steel to make a true T nut but did not have a tap large enough for that M14 bolt.
> 
> ...





 First do you have a vise on your mill. Second does the plate look like a T-nut or is it flat.


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## mrbreezeet1 (May 30, 2013)

The plate that comes with the phase II is flat, about 1/2" thick.


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## bloomingtonmike (May 30, 2013)

I do have a mill and a vise on it. In fact I took a thick size 1/2" fender washer and milled 3/16 off each side to make it 1" wide of it and ground the bolt head down a bit more and have that washer now under the bolt head. 

The phase II nut is a 1/2" thick rectangle. I would need to face mill it to under 5/16 and in doing so it will not leave much thread when I am done doing that. That is why I was looking for other solutions.


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## jgedde (May 30, 2013)

Why do you have to face mill the whole thing?  I think all you  need to do is narrow it to fit your slot, then relieve the sides for the height of your T-slot.  The center of the plate can remain the same thickness it is now with no effect on the threads.

John


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## mrbreezeet1 (May 30, 2013)

jgedde said:


> Why do you have to face mill the whole thing?  I think all you  need to do is narrow it to fit your slot, then relieve the sides for the height of your T-slot.  The center of the plate can remain the same thickness it is now with no effect on the threads.
> 
> John



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                        This


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## kd4gij (May 30, 2013)

Yes mill it like a T-nut leaving the center 1/2" thick Just keep the bolt hole centered


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## Wierd Harold (May 30, 2013)

It should look like this.


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## jgedde (May 30, 2013)

*Re: Phase II AXA mounting for Craftsman 12&quot;*



Wierd Harold said:


> It should look like this.



Yes!  ^^^^^^^^

John

- - - Updated - - -

Wait a minute.  I remember now! Sorry it took so long to blow the dust off my memory... 

When I milled my plate for my Craftsman lathe I was worried about the _width _of the center section being so narrow as to impinge on the sides of the threads (think 3 and 9 o'clock on the t-nut).  

Then I thought about it...  Even if it did (which it didn't), there was still plenty of meat from 10 to 2 o'clock and 4 to 8 o'clock for the bolt to hold.  And it did...

John


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## bloomingtonmike (Jun 1, 2013)

Thank you guys. I will give milling it a try.


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## bloomingtonmike (Jun 1, 2013)

Well I put on the Big Girl Panties and got it done (3 and 6 year old daughters in my household hence the reference). Check it out.....







Also picked up a MT3 drawbar threaded ER32 Collet chuck for the lathe as well. Already had the collets for a shaper. Ordered an R8 adapter for teh mill for the ER32 collets as well.


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## stevecmo (Jun 1, 2013)

Mike,

Excellent job!  Makes 'ya feel good, huh?  Now give the girls back their underwear! )

Steve


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## bloomingtonmike (Jun 1, 2013)

stevecmo said:


> Mike,
> 
> Excellent job!  Makes 'ya feel good, huh? )
> 
> Steve



Should have seen the grin on my face when it fit perfect first try!What really makes me grin though - Th QCTP! Wow that is a slick design! I am betting my 6" Atlas has one VERY soon as well.


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## kd4gij (Jun 1, 2013)

Nice job:thumbsup:  Well done.


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## jgedde (Jun 1, 2013)

Great job!  Alls well that ends well.

Cheers,
John


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## toag (Jun 1, 2013)

Awesome job!

and i spit out my drink reading the "big girl panties"  my wife used that line on the daughter this morning!

too funny
I have QCTP envy... again

we should have a button to give "atta boys" just like the thumbs up thanks, kind of a virtual pat on the back


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## schor (Jun 21, 2013)

I did mine using the milling attachment for my lathe. The block provided was too thick and too bog. I faced it off in the 4jaw then trimmed it down with the milling attachment.


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## toag (Jun 21, 2013)

nicework!  is that the milling attachment from the guy in state college?


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## schor (Jun 21, 2013)

The miling attachment came with the lath. I added the vise to it. Worked very well.


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