Useful Lathe Accessories?

[WCraig]

If you can pick one up, get a large diameter (~3/4”)MT2 taper drill bit. Very handy to make a big hole for subsequent boring jobs. Much easier to just jam it in as opposed to putting in your drill chuck , then chucking-up a bit and then having to later change boring bars from tiny to large during boring.

Um, the OP has a 6 inch Atlas/Craftsman lathe with MT1 in the tailstock. I don't think MT1-shank drills go up that big.

Craig

 

[Aaron_W]

Um, the OP has a 6 inch Atlas/Craftsman lathe with MT1 in the tailstock. I don't think MT1-shank drills go up that big.

Craig

True, but the idea has some merit just needs to be scaled down to fit the machine. I've never given any thought to MT drill bits, but that isn't a bad idea particularly on a small lathe where bed length can get tight real quick.

 

[Spokerider]

I guess tooling is an off shoot of "accessories"... and thus I have a few questions about 6" lathe tooling please.

To be used in an OXA tool post holder...….3/8ths or 5/16ths HSS tools? I have some 3/8ths already, is there a benefit to also having 5/16ths?
Parting blades. I have 1/2" x 1/16th HSS......nothing fancy, just China HSS tools. Is there a benefit to going to 1/2" x 3/32nds? Will the 1/4 hp motor have the torque to cut with a 3/32" wide blade?
What about HSS / cobalt blades or T15? Needed? If so, when?

Thanks guys.

 

[pontiac428]

You'll probably do the majority of your work with 3/8" tools. In my 1/4 hp 10" Atlas, the 1/16" cutoff tool has been the best for me. I also use 3/32", but it's harder on the machine. Cobalt is what you'd want when your work generates a lot of heat. HSS starts losing its heat treat before cobalt steel does. I use "regular" HSS most of the time.

 

[cjtoombs]

Here are a few more:
Taper attachment (you will have to build it for that lathe)
Bull nose center
Collet chuck (ER would be good for that machine, you will have to build)
There was a milling attachment on eBay that was sold for the Myford lathe out of India that looked pretty good, and probably sized right for your machine.
Boring table (T slotted table, you would probably have to make this)
Carriage stop
DRO (not much room to put the scales on a machine that small, maybe some of the IGaging scales would work, I could barely get a low profile scale on my 12x36 Atlas crossslide)

Good luck. You've got a few years of work just getting the lathe tooled up

 

[mikey]

To be used in an OXA tool post holder...….3/8ths or 5/16ths HSS tools? I have some 3/8ths already, is there a benefit to also having 5/16ths?
Parting blades. I have 1/2" x 1/16th HSS......nothing fancy, just China HSS tools. Is there a benefit to going to 1/2" x 3/32nds? Will the 1/4 hp motor have the torque to cut with a 3/32" wide blade?
What about HSS / cobalt blades or T15? Needed? If so, when?

Your lathe will be fine with 3/8" HSS tools. You can also use 5/16, and the benefit is that they are not nearly as popular as 1/4" and 3/8" tooling so they tend to be cheaper. If you happen onto them for a good price, grab them because they will work just fine on your lathe.

You might be better off with a P1-N blade that is 0.040" wide. Cuts with lower cutting forces IF your lathe is rigid enough. HSS is more than good enough for stuff that a 6" Atlas can cut. Cobalt is nice to have but its hard to justify the cost, and that goes for T-15, too.

 

[erikmannie]

And don’t forget a rotary broach. We all have those, right?

 

[chippermat]

I'd like to have a MT1 holder for my OXA quick change tool post.

 

[erikmannie]

One could also consider reamers, a test bar, tool post grinder, tailstock die holder set, taps/tap handles/spring loaded tap guide, tailstock end mill holder, tailstock turret, tailstock or tool post chuck, or a tailstock taper turning attachment (I just bought the one pictured below for $51.22 including shipping).

 

[wa5cab]

With reference to several posts in this thread (that I'll not attempt to list), and prefaced by the fact or statement that I have never had my hands on any OXA (or is it 0XA) cutter holders, are you guys sure that the 001 and 002 OXA holders are actually made for 3/8" square cutters instead of either 5/16" or 1/4"? The reason that I ask is that AXA 101 and 102 holders are made for 3/8" square cutters because the slot is 3/8" deep and the set screw centers are 3/16" out from the bottom (right side) of the slot and the outside side or surface of a 3/8" square cutter blank is flush with the outside surface of the holder. However, the 101 and 102 holders will physically hold a 1/2" square cutter blank because the slot is a little taller than it is deep. But the 1/2" square blank hangs out the left side of the holders by 1/16".

Or in other words, how deep is the slot in a 001 or 002?