Modifying a Follow Rest

[G-ManBart]

I recently bought a Victor 1640 and it didn't come with a follower (the manual showed it as an optional accessory unlike the steady which was a standard accessory). Yesterday I stopped in a place that sells machinery supplies and a few machines, but mostly just supplies. They used to sell more machines and just happened to have an NOS follower of the right style for my Victor. It was literally on the back of a shelf hidden behind other stuff and I just got lucky and saw it. The center height is absolutely perfect, but it's not as wide as the bolt spacing on the saddle. The problem is it's close to the bolt spacing so I can't just drill new holes in the saddle....they'd overlap one another. If it was off in height I'd make an adapter plate to go between them, but why mess with the height being perfect, right?

I took a picture showing where the follower sits when it's centered between the two saddle bolt holes to help illustrate the scenario.

I'm thinking of opening up the follower bolt holes so that they're U-shaped slots. Then make a hold-down that's essentially a T-shape that fits into the slot as well as goes over the top of the slot. I'd add a vertical hole to line up with the factory saddle hole and be a couple of thousandths shorter than the follower so it would be able to compress down and keep the follower snug. I'd probably make it a snug fit and epoxy the T-inserts in place so they don't get lost.

Thoughts? Better idea? I paid $40 for the follower so I don't have much tied up in it no matter what happens.

 

[G-ManBart]

Since folks like pics....here's the Victor as I brought it home. It was dirty, but nothing broken, etc and everything works. The second pic is after less than an hour of cleaning. The crazy thing is that it's a 1976 machine, I bought it from the second owner who was friends with the original owner and the plastic protective film was still on the dials/controls (with some cutting oil behind them).

 

[mickri]

I would plug the holes in the follower and than drill new holes the correct distance apart to match the saddle. Seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[G-ManBart]

I would plug the holes in the follower and than drill new holes the correct distance apart to match the saddle. Seems like a no brainer to me.

The hole spacing is wider than the follower base as pictured. In the picture the follower base is centered between the bolt holes....the other side looks just like what is shown above.

 

[WobblyHand]

Is the base of the follower cast iron or just steel? If steel could you weld some material to extend the base? Obviously one would need to consider warping. Or braze material? Then fill holes and redrill at the correct spacing?

 

[mickri]

Looks like all you need is a slight groove in the follower to make room for the bolt. That would keep the follower centered between the bolts. Make a hold down with a pin to fit the hole in the follower. This would clamp the follower to the saddle.

 

[G-ManBart]

Is the base of the follower cast iron or just steel? If steel could you weld some material to extend the base? Obviously one would need to consider warping. Or braze material? Then fill holes and redrill at the correct spacing?

I'm pretty sure it's cast iron. I'm a pretty good welder, even on cast iron, but the warping would be a concern and I think it would take more time overall to go that route.

 

[G-ManBart]

View attachment 497526

Looks like all you need is a slight groove in the follower to make room for the bolt. That would keep the follower centered between the bolts. Make a hold down with a pin to fit the hole in the follower. This would clamp the follower to the saddle.

Yes, that's the bolt hole. What I was trying (poorly) to describe was a hold down slightly different than you're describing. There isn't a ton of material where you're suggesting a groove so that had me shying away from just grooving clearance for the bolt, but it probably would be enough.

I was thinking of something of a double-T.....it would be a horizontal T to add the width for the new bolt hole, and a vertical T to rest on top of the follower. One would keep it centered and the other would keep it grounded. I'll have to think of a way to draw what I was thinking (over thinking?).

 

[gard]

Not entirely sure I understand your plan without a picture. Are you thinking the T shaped part contacts the saddle in front of the follower so it is sort of like a milling machine clamp? If not than what stops the T shaped part from tipping up? The milling table type clamp would probably work but recognize that the clamping force on the follower is only around 1/2 of the screw force (the other half being on the other side of the screw where the T contacts the saddle.
Another option would be to bolt a plate to the top of the follower and drill a new hole for the clamp screw.

 

[G-ManBart]

Not entirely sure I understand your plan without a picture. Are you thinking the T shaped part contacts the saddle in front of the follower so it is sort of like a milling machine clamp? If not than what stops the T shaped part from tipping up? The milling table type clamp would probably work but recognize that the clamping force on the follower is only around 1/2 of the screw force (the other half being on the other side of the screw where the T contacts the saddle.
Another option would be to bolt a plate to the top of the follower and drill a new hole for the clamp screw.

Yeah, I realize it's hard to follow without a picture. Here's a very amateur attempt at a drawing. The follower as it is, after I open the slot and then where the T-shaped part would fit. I guess it's really just an inverted T-nut with one side longer than the other.

I'm thinking I'd make the T-shaped hold downs, get everything fit the way I want, then mark and drill the holes last so the spacing is correct. I'd probably epoxy them in place so they don't get misplaced.