Hello guys, hope all is well. Got a quick question. What would be the best quick change tool post for my Prazi lathe. Talking type and brands. Would love to know what you guys are using. Thanks in advance
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Help me pick a tool post for my SD300 lathe
- Thread starter Pevehouse
- Start date
Sorry, just realized my question has already been answered above, however I would still like to hear what you guys currently use and any modifications that need to be made to improve or mount the tool oxa toolpost
Hi, on a little bit different topic, I noticed you have a tachometer set up on your lathe. What brand and how and where did you mount the pick up for it? ThanksThe factory tool post is somewhat problematic and should be changed out IMO, as improper use can lead to the top slide threads pulling out and ruining the slide. This is due to there being only two rather shallowly threaded "Fixing" bolts and compounded by the ability to clamp down onto 4 individual tool bits simultaneously. That is the total force of 8 bolts unevenly applied (Side load and uneven torque values) to just two bolts. This can inadvertently cause enough force to be exerted on the fixing screws to cause the top slide to fail.
View attachment 478586
In light of that, in conjunction with the tooling I'm using I've also added a quick change tool post from Banggood. Prices on these fluctuate, but their usually around $120 or so ($109 currently) and the brand I'm using is called Machifit.
These are OXA size and fit perfectly with little modification needed. Be careful and study the ad your buying from. Some of these are worded so poorly and can be confusing enough to lead you to order something that you do not want or at least less than you thought you were buying.
Drillpro 6Pcs/Set 250-000 Cuniform GIB Type Quick Change Tool Post Tool Holder for Lathe Tools
Only US$89.99, buy best drillpro 6pcs/set 250-000 cuniform gib type quick change tool post tool holder for lathe tools sale online store at wholesale price.www.banggood.com
The above link is directly from my order page in my BG account, so its basically the one you want. However, the cutoff tool holder and knurl holder will not drop down far enough to work on the SD300 without making a custom plinth to replace the compound slide assembly. Their really not the best cutoff tool or knurl size for this machine anyway.
I initially made a plinth tin order to be able to use the knurl and cutoff blade, but this seemed suboptimal in use so I shelved it and went back to using the top slide and Im happier with it set up this way.
Plinth.
You can see I was just about out of vertical adjustment and needing a 3/16" tool bit under the Edelstaal tooling to get the height right.
View attachment 478587
IIRC I did have to turn down the tool post clamping bolt from 10mm to 8mm to fit the top slide, but other than that its a direct fit with the top slide in place.
View attachment 478588
If you poke around BG for this brand you can also buy separates to avoid winding up with the two undesirable pieces I mentioned above and possibly save some $$$ or spend it on extra tool holders that suit your needs.
I just now bought 3 of the 250-001 standard tool holders @ $7.99 each.
View attachment 478360
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The tach I have is integral to the Custom Crafter drive and is only indicative of motor speed, not spindle speed.
T-DRO has a tach function, and I plan on using that in the future as Im already set up for it, but there are several stand alone tachs that can be found on e bay and other sites that are good.
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I have both this:
Drillpro 6Pcs/Set 250-000 Cuniform GIB Type Quick Change Tool Post Tool Holder for Lathe Tools
Only US$85.99, buy best drillpro 6pcs/set 250-000 cuniform gib type quick change tool post tool holder for lathe tools sale online store at wholesale price.
And this:
On two separate machines. I really like the multifix style tool post as it has some definite advantages, but the one from Ali just isnt up to par. Its not that it doesn't work, it just seems more fiddley than it needs to be and its just not as well made as the wedge style I got from BG.
PEWE Tools has a nice looking Multifix style tool post. Its 3X the price as the one I bought and individual holders are twice the price, so I would hope quality follows suit, but they do get good reviews.
Yes sir, the multifix looks like it would be the ticket. I’m probably gonna go with the wedge, at least until I get more familiar with the machine. I appreciate you pointing me in the right directionI have both this:
Drillpro 6Pcs/Set 250-000 Cuniform GIB Type Quick Change Tool Post Tool Holder for Lathe Tools
Only US$85.99, buy best drillpro 6pcs/set 250-000 cuniform gib type quick change tool post tool holder for lathe tools sale online store at wholesale price.
And this:
On two separate machines. I really like the multifix style tool post as it has some definite advantages, but the one from Ali just isnt up to par. Its not that it doesn't work, it just seems more fiddley than it needs to be and its just not as well made as the wedge style I got from BG.
PEWE Tools has a nice looking Multifix style tool post. It’s 3X the price as the one I bought and individual holders are twice the price, so I would hope quality follows suit, but they do get good reviews.
I do have one other question about the Prazi mill. I have a set of metric collets that came with the machine and I believe they are the original Prazi collet set that was available to purchase as an accessory. They look like a miniature R8 collet. Do you happen to know what they are called? Like are they a ER collett or something differentI have both this:
Drillpro 6Pcs/Set 250-000 Cuniform GIB Type Quick Change Tool Post Tool Holder for Lathe Tools
Only US$85.99, buy best drillpro 6pcs/set 250-000 cuniform gib type quick change tool post tool holder for lathe tools sale online store at wholesale price.
And this:
On two separate machines. I really like the multifix style tool post as it has some definite advantages, but the one from Ali just isnt up to par. Its not that it doesn't work, it just seems more fiddley than it needs to be and its just not as well made as the wedge style I got from BG.
PEWE Tools has a nice looking Multifix style tool post. Its 3X the price as the one I bought and individual holders are twice the price, so I would hope quality follows suit, but they do get good reviews.
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No idea.
I’ve read that they are proprietary, but I’ve also seen the same style collet nose for sherline or unimat and possibly ENCO.
Doesn’t mean the collets are different or the same, but the closer body looks similar.
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I got my Hobbymat MD65 a few months ago, spent some good hours in the workshop and lots of petroleum and oil cleaning it up and adjusting it, and it's now running very well. I'm a turning-beginner, I learnt to use a lathe 30 years ago in university, now finally now has my own and is trying to learn the basics.
I'm as well looking for a quick change tool post but a thing is puzzling me. I can't work out how any available posts actually fit on the machine with the tool height correctly aligned. I cannot get 10x10 mm insert-tools to align on the lathe sitting sit flat on the top slide under the inverted top-hat tool post, so how can a quick change tool posts that bolt on the top slide in the same location, fitting tool holders that obviously wrap around the tools to hold them align?
None of them seem wide enough to actually suspend the tool off the side of the slide, and few seem designed to do so.
I've seen some youtube videos of people fitting different tool posts to their mini lathes, and some even mill or scrape off material from their top slide. I'm not going to do that on my original 1981 Hobbymat, and by the way, it wouldn't work, as I'd have to remove so much that the slide would be destroyed.
I'd really appreciate if someone could post a picture of their toolpost on their Hobbymat. I've attached a photo of how badly a 10x10 insert-tool holder fit on my lathe.
This is my first post. This seems a very serious forum. I hope you guys will bear with my silly question
I'm as well looking for a quick change tool post but a thing is puzzling me. I can't work out how any available posts actually fit on the machine with the tool height correctly aligned. I cannot get 10x10 mm insert-tools to align on the lathe sitting sit flat on the top slide under the inverted top-hat tool post, so how can a quick change tool posts that bolt on the top slide in the same location, fitting tool holders that obviously wrap around the tools to hold them align?
None of them seem wide enough to actually suspend the tool off the side of the slide, and few seem designed to do so.
I've seen some youtube videos of people fitting different tool posts to their mini lathes, and some even mill or scrape off material from their top slide. I'm not going to do that on my original 1981 Hobbymat, and by the way, it wouldn't work, as I'd have to remove so much that the slide would be destroyed.
I'd really appreciate if someone could post a picture of their toolpost on their Hobbymat. I've attached a photo of how badly a 10x10 insert-tool holder fit on my lathe.
This is my first post. This seems a very serious forum. I hope you guys will bear with my silly question
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I got my Hobbymat MD65 a few months ago, spent some good hours in the workshop and lots of petroleum and oil cleaning it up and adjusting it, and it's now running very well. I'm a turning-beginner, I learnt to use a lathe 30 years ago in university, now finally now has my own and is trying to learn the basics.
I'm as well looking for a quick change tool post but a thing is puzzling me. I can't work out how any available posts actually fit on the machine with the tool height correctly aligned. I cannot get 10x10 mm insert-tools to align on the lathe sitting sit flat on the top slide under the inverted top-hat tool post, so how can a quick change tool posts that bolt on the top slide in the same location, fitting tool holders that obviously wrap around the tools to hold them align?
None of them seem wide enough to actually suspend the tool off the side of the slide, and few seem designed to do so.
I've seen some youtube videos of people fitting different tool posts to their mini lathes, and some even mill or scrape off material from their top slide. I'm not going to do that on my original 1981 Hobbymat, and by the way, it wouldn't work, as I'd have to remove so much that the slide would be destroyed.
I'd really appreciate if someone could post a picture of their toolpost on their Hobbymat. I've attached a photo of how badly a 10x10 insert-tool holder fit on my lathe.
This is my first post. This seems a very serious forum. I hope you guys will bear with my silly question
Welcome Dinsen!
I think the problem you're having is that a 10mm tool holder is simply too tall for this size lathe.
It looks like you have the original tool "Post" (I hesitate to call it that) so that is as low as you're likely to go.
I'm using smaller tooling, 6mm and under for my SD300 (Same lathe, different name) and an OXA tool post with excellent results.
As far as serious goes, this is one if not the friendliest metalworking forums you're likely to find. I work in the trades and have thick skin and don't really like some of the more serious boards.
Ill find some pics of my setup for you to review and if you have any questions at all please feel free to start a separate thread. I started this section for Prazi/Hobbymat and we could really use the content.
ETA, rather than just pics, Ill link to my SD300 thread. Lots is good tips for this machine.
Tool post pics and review on page 2
RBW's adventures in tiny Industrial machines. Prazi lathe and milling machine score.
I have lusted after machine tools since 9th grade shop when I made a working cannon, and much to my shop teachers dismay set off all of the car alarms in the neighborhood with it outside of the shop doors in the faculty parking lot. He thought this was impossible for a kid like me, but I had...
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