Retrospective on four-way/turret and QCTP lathe post?

[eisenhaus]

Hi! I am new member, from Indonesia, Asia.

I curious by how different lathe post works. I took notice on many youtube content creators in america used QCTP post. But, i never find ones using them on any video from Indonesia or even Japanese content ones. For the rest of world perhaps (haha) seems use four-way post. That is just standard (and cheaper) way. Less hassle maybe? So, i questioned myself why that is the case. I want to look how machining industry historical development but it might hard as I was never instructed or tutored in institutional educated ways. I know some way to look on scholars google but it still perhaps hard to find and gathering proper understanding. Is it generational thing or the way american manufacturing development that introducing this "QCTP" post?

It is hard when most of content creator on youtube were using Carbide Insert and QCTP post which is not easy translate them over turret post know-how

 

[SouthernChap]

The use of Quick Change Toolposts is usual in most of Europe as well. Not necessarily the 'Aloris' type (although those are common), but Dickson types and Swiss style Multi-Fix types too. There other European QCTP designs, the names of which names escape me at the moment.

 

[Jimsehr]

I have been machinist for over 70 years. Years ago doing production work using 4 way turrets . When doing part after part the 4 ways we’re good. It took a bit of time to set them up. Most machines only had hard stops in those days. Now we have much more precise read outs. Much faster and better. I was very happy to get a travel dial as it made it so much quicker and better to set up and run lathes.
But that was production work running hundreds of the same part.
Then qctp became more available and popular. Soon everyone was using them.
So for a hobby or home shop machinist i think a qctp is a much better option.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

The main advantage to qctp is the ability to put the tool on center without the need to grind a tool to a specific height, or the use of shims to put the tool on center.
4 way tool posts are almost never on center

 

[GeneT45]

First, welcome aboard!

To echo what @Jimsehr said: I think the 4-way toolpost is good for production work. If you're making a single product, multiple times, then having four tools set up for that job makes sense. In the hobby shop most of us make one or two of a project or part, so we have to change tools much more frequently, and probably use more than four tools in a day. It's all about speed and convenience. You can accomplish the same work, with the same quality, either way. It just takes longer to set up a 4-way toolpost, particularly if you're going to use more than four tools on a project. On the other side, QCTP are more expensive, and the expense increases with each toolholder.

GsT