Pm 1228-vf-lb Lathe Preparations

Great minds think alike? (Don't tell Matt I said that...)

I have been putting a considerable amount of time and thought into redesigning the compound on my SB, and when I looked at yours that was the first thing that jumped out.

Glad to hear that Matt is taking care of ya. :)
 
I got in the mood and felt like doing it,
so I took off the compound slide and turntable and removed the knife rest turntable seat (the thing under the compound turntable).
It has a t-slot circle milled into the top of it for the turntable, so I milled .050" off the bottom side with a facing tool.

A 1/2" tool is almost at perfect height with the tool holder down to the compound. Just a slight turn on the adjuster brings it up to perfectly centered. If I ever take it off again, I'll probably mill off another .020.

So, the QCTP issue on my lathe is fixed.
 
That looks like a good machine there Franko. Now that you have the height problem on the tool rest fixed.
I would work on getting the whole machine lower. That looks to be uncomfortable to work on at that height.
Have you thought of just using a single plate of 1/4" or 3/8" steel, instead of the plywood, that would take out 1-1/2".
 
Mike, an inch and half wouldn't be worth doing. The cost of a good straight piece of steel to replace the wood could be a couple hundred dollars. Not worth it for the small change in height it would provide.

I would prefer it to be much lower so I could sit on a tall stool when doing long operations. I haven't used it enough to know whether I'll be able to get used to it at the height it is. It isn't uncomfortable operating the hand wheels or controls, and I can see the top of the tool when it is cutting, so visibility isn't a problem. I can just see the tool on the piece over the QCTP. Other than that, I don't mind everything being up closer to my head. The veneer dials are at a good distance for my bifocals without having to stoop over as I did with the other lathe.

The x-wheel is well below my elbows and the cross slide has a power feed so that will cut down on a lot of turning that wheel, which is 3" above my elbows.

My other lathe was much lower and that is what I am used to. I'll give it a while to get used to. If I can't and get uncomfortable, I guess I'll have to come up with a plan B. Plan B might be a platform to stand on.
 
I asked Matt about the rough finish on the casting. He said it is a cost issue. For the factory to grind the insides of the castings would cost an extra 2 or 3 hundred dollars. The things that count are done very well with very good tolerances.
 
Franko said:
I asked Matt about the rough finish on the casting.
Click to expand...
A lot of times, the smooth finish on castings is just a layer of bondo (or equivalent) smeared on top and sanded and painted.

Does not add to the functionality at all.
 
tmarks11 said:
A lot of times, the smooth finish on castings is just a layer of bondo (or equivalent) smeared on top and sanded and painted.

Does not add to the functionality at all.
Click to expand...
Bondo also hides casting voids. I recall someone on the forum running into one while mounting a DRO.

-Joe
 
Functionality is added by you not scratching up your hands booting the thing down ;)
 
Glad to see you got your QCTP worked out as I was surprised to see a 12" lathe having trouble with an AXA-sized toolpost, but you definitely went the correct route by modifying your machine and not all your toolholders. The more toolholders you can buy and use the better as they save so much time and frustration as everything is ready-to-use.

As far as the height issue, I would go on the floor with the spring boards from 1x4's as mentioned in this thread:

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/anti-fatigue-mats.26955/

You can probably make the boards a bit higher if you need to. As well as the height extension for you, the boards save your back and knee's from that hard, cold concrete. I have to make do with a foam pad as my lathe, a SB 10K, is already a bit low for me. I need to find a nice, fat round to make some feet to get the lathe up a bit.

Looking at your lathe and it's healthy-sized spindle bore for it's size, it would seem it would work really well with a collet system. Have you thought about collets yet? It seems that 5C would work really well.
 
Doogie, it is possible a 5C collet set is in my future. I've always been satisfied with the tolerances I've gotten with a 3-jaw scrolling chuck. That could change if I get into projects that require more precision.

It seems like a slat anti-fatigue mat would hold chips and spider webs. I have used foam anti-fatigue mats and even they complicate cleaning up chips. I'm in a very unfamiliar and bizarre phase lately. I sweep up the shop every day and even sometimes more often if I'm doing a job that makes lots of swarf. I like the shop floor to be clean, but more importantly and practically, it cuts down on the crud I track into my house.

It is possible I will get over this crazy obsessive phase of my life, and get back to normal.

I think if I make a platform, it will be made of plywood on a frame with smooth sides and a closed bottom that won't fill up with spiders and their weavings. It will provide shock absorption and be easier to clean. (Anyway, that's my theory.)

Standing on concrete is very hard on my feet. That's one reason I liked using a stool.
 
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