For the South Bend 14-1/2 that I have recently bought, in advance of moving it to my shop, have acquired:
1. Shars CXA toolpost, wedge style, after you guys told me BXA would be too small.
2. Shars 301 CXA tool holders (4). In them, I have mounted right-hand and left-hand 3/4"-shank CNMG insert holders, an HSS bit ground for right-hand turning that is 3/4" (and would never have fit in the lantern post and was thus unused), and an insert holder for SER16 threading inserts.
2.5 (I forgot this one)--Shars cut-off tool holder, with a cut-off bar that uses GTN cut-off/grooving inserts, plus a box of those.
2.75 (I should have forgotten this one)--a knurling tool that came with the kit that has one redeeming quality--it holds a bit on the opposite end. I will use that for various small (3/8" and 1/2") HSS tooling that came with the lathe, and there is a LOT of that.
3. 302 tool holders (2). I will install a holder for facing that turns the CNMG inserts on the broad angle. The other will be for various smaller boring bars that came with the lathe.
4. Shars boring-bar holder, for the good 3/4" boring bar that came with the lathe. It uses ground boring bits, either carbide or HSS; it has a sharp HSS bit in it right now.
5. The 4C collet drawbar and collet sleeve that was missing from the lathe tooling. I paid too much for it, but these are not exactly common for the old, small-spindle 14-1/2.
6. A starter set of old Hardinge 4C collets, to which I will at least need to add a 3/8 and a 1/2 for specific duties in the fullness of time. These will be needed for drilling precise holes in things held in place in #8, and for holding end mills.
7. A gallon can of WD40, which I use for cleaning. A gallon ain't gonna be enough, but it's a start.
8. South Bend milling attachment, which I am reasonably sure is for a 16" lathe, but which I am even more sure I can make work. It is missing the mounting dovetail, so I'll have to make that. I know these are less good than even a cheap mill, but I will use it for drilling holes, facing small parts, and machining the T-nut that comes with that toolpost
9. Clamp for the saddle clamp--I found the square-head bolt, and I found a shop-made part made from a piece of 1/2" CRS plate, but the original part looks stronger. The Ebay ad didn't specify what lathe it was for, and I went on a hunch--but once I wire-brushed the crust off of it, I found "14-1/2" stamped into it
10. Micrometer stop that came with the clamp, which I didn't need. I'll compare it with the one on the lathe, once that is brought back to serviceability (it's frozen up now--probably it has never been used), and use whichever works best. The micrometer stop goes well with the milled attachment--after each cut, loose the stop the desired amount, unclamp the saddle, move the saddle against the stop, clamp it down, mill.
11. A new brass nut for the cross-slide, just because. The lathe shows little wear, but that brass nut is brass for a reason.
12. Ilion felt kit for the 14-1/2.
13. A used Do-All (Royal) live center with a pipe adapter that slips over the center. I was expecting crunchy bearings but it's fine, at least for now.
14. A 12" diameter by 7/8" steel fixture plate. The lathe came with a shop-made 8" steel fixture plate that I will use as a spindle adapter for this one. I doubt it will be true, but facing it true will be a good project. There are no t-slots, but I can drill and tap holes where needed in it--it already has some.
15. Various and sundry CNMG tooling, including some targeted to steel, some for stainless, and some for aluminum.
16. Machine skates for the move.
17. 2x12 and 4x4 lumber plus various fasteners for making a skid that will sit on those machine skates.
18. Pricey 3M DP420 toughened epoxy for repairing the broken power-feed shifter.
Some of this may have been ill-advised, including the carbide insert tooling, given the relatively low top speed of this lathe. But all of it is commonly useful, so if I have to change to tool holders for inserts with sharper points or positive rake, what I have bought will find a good home somewhere.
I was told that I would spend as much in tooling and fixtures as I spent on the lathe, and that isn't far from the mark.
Rick "budget blown, but WTH" Denney
1. Shars CXA toolpost, wedge style, after you guys told me BXA would be too small.
2. Shars 301 CXA tool holders (4). In them, I have mounted right-hand and left-hand 3/4"-shank CNMG insert holders, an HSS bit ground for right-hand turning that is 3/4" (and would never have fit in the lantern post and was thus unused), and an insert holder for SER16 threading inserts.
2.5 (I forgot this one)--Shars cut-off tool holder, with a cut-off bar that uses GTN cut-off/grooving inserts, plus a box of those.
2.75 (I should have forgotten this one)--a knurling tool that came with the kit that has one redeeming quality--it holds a bit on the opposite end. I will use that for various small (3/8" and 1/2") HSS tooling that came with the lathe, and there is a LOT of that.
3. 302 tool holders (2). I will install a holder for facing that turns the CNMG inserts on the broad angle. The other will be for various smaller boring bars that came with the lathe.
4. Shars boring-bar holder, for the good 3/4" boring bar that came with the lathe. It uses ground boring bits, either carbide or HSS; it has a sharp HSS bit in it right now.
5. The 4C collet drawbar and collet sleeve that was missing from the lathe tooling. I paid too much for it, but these are not exactly common for the old, small-spindle 14-1/2.
6. A starter set of old Hardinge 4C collets, to which I will at least need to add a 3/8 and a 1/2 for specific duties in the fullness of time. These will be needed for drilling precise holes in things held in place in #8, and for holding end mills.
7. A gallon can of WD40, which I use for cleaning. A gallon ain't gonna be enough, but it's a start.
8. South Bend milling attachment, which I am reasonably sure is for a 16" lathe, but which I am even more sure I can make work. It is missing the mounting dovetail, so I'll have to make that. I know these are less good than even a cheap mill, but I will use it for drilling holes, facing small parts, and machining the T-nut that comes with that toolpost
9. Clamp for the saddle clamp--I found the square-head bolt, and I found a shop-made part made from a piece of 1/2" CRS plate, but the original part looks stronger. The Ebay ad didn't specify what lathe it was for, and I went on a hunch--but once I wire-brushed the crust off of it, I found "14-1/2" stamped into it
10. Micrometer stop that came with the clamp, which I didn't need. I'll compare it with the one on the lathe, once that is brought back to serviceability (it's frozen up now--probably it has never been used), and use whichever works best. The micrometer stop goes well with the milled attachment--after each cut, loose the stop the desired amount, unclamp the saddle, move the saddle against the stop, clamp it down, mill.
11. A new brass nut for the cross-slide, just because. The lathe shows little wear, but that brass nut is brass for a reason.
12. Ilion felt kit for the 14-1/2.
13. A used Do-All (Royal) live center with a pipe adapter that slips over the center. I was expecting crunchy bearings but it's fine, at least for now.
14. A 12" diameter by 7/8" steel fixture plate. The lathe came with a shop-made 8" steel fixture plate that I will use as a spindle adapter for this one. I doubt it will be true, but facing it true will be a good project. There are no t-slots, but I can drill and tap holes where needed in it--it already has some.
15. Various and sundry CNMG tooling, including some targeted to steel, some for stainless, and some for aluminum.
16. Machine skates for the move.
17. 2x12 and 4x4 lumber plus various fasteners for making a skid that will sit on those machine skates.
18. Pricey 3M DP420 toughened epoxy for repairing the broken power-feed shifter.
Some of this may have been ill-advised, including the carbide insert tooling, given the relatively low top speed of this lathe. But all of it is commonly useful, so if I have to change to tool holders for inserts with sharper points or positive rake, what I have bought will find a good home somewhere.
I was told that I would spend as much in tooling and fixtures as I spent on the lathe, and that isn't far from the mark.
Rick "budget blown, but WTH" Denney
