Quick Change Post

GCM

GCM

Self Trained Hobby-Machinist
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May 20, 2014
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Last week I bought myself a Quick Change Post. One of those "To dad from dad gifts". I had to machine a new center shaft to make it fit on my Chinese "keep in cool dry place" Lathe and then I got a brainwave and realized that if I machine the base place of the Quick Post and make it fit in my South Bend 9", I can just move the top of the Quick Post between the Lathes depending on which one I am working on.
When I was busy milling the base plate into a T, I also realized how easy it is to machine the metal used. Obviously I am planning to make additional holders to have different holders for the two lathes. I have not measured yet but I am almost sure the centers of the two lathes are not the same and therefor the reason I want to keep two sets of holders.
My question now is, what kind of metal this is, because for a novice like me it would make machining additional holders so much easier.
Attached is one of the holders I got with the post and it is the same stuff you can buy from eBay.

holder.jpg
 
I would say something like 1045, it is listed as a medium strength steel.
 
Cool. I thought the reason of the easy machining is probably the carbon content. Did a quick search and on 1045 rated Bright Mild Steel and found that the carbon content is indeed more than the carbon content of the 1020 rated Bright Mild Steel you get here in South Africa.
I will some more searching locally maybe I might be able to find 1045 rated ;-)
 
Can't help you with the metal identification but I do have a comment to offer about using the same T nut for mounting the QCTP on two different lathes. Unless you get very lucky the T nut will only fit well on one of the top slides. On the other lathe clearances might be greater and it might not hold as well wrt rigidity. If you have the ability to make the tool holders then it would be easy for you to make a close fitting T nut for each lathe. Changing the T nut will not add much time when swapping over the QCTP and will give you the full potential of the set up.
Also, Dads deserve more than one QCTP, the second one being of the wedge type. If you agree please tell my wife, my birthday is coming up.
 
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