Got a set of plans from the Logan Lathe email list , looks like I'll
soon be finding out if it's worth all the work . I started to make one
several years ago , and it just wasn't coming together . Turns out it
was simply a matter of scale , I was building something that was better
suited to a much larger and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x
31 .
The body of the one I'm building now is only 2x2x1 1.25 inches , much
smaller than my original vision ... I've got the parts all at the point
where tomorrow I'll start to cut dovetails . My only reservation so far
is cutter height , I'll have to cut a recess in the top of the tool
holder blocks at the adjustment screw to be sure I can raise the tool
holder blocks high enough for the cutting edge to be on center with some
cutter profiles . I may end up going back to the lantern toolpost ...
time will tell !
So far I've used only material I have on hand . Looks like the only
things I'll have to purchase is the setscrews for the tool bits . All
the brass bits will be made of cartridge cases (damaged or calibers I
don't shoot) I will or have already melted down and cast into round
stock . Everything else is salvaged stock from wherever . I even know
what most of it is !
--
Snag
“Free speech is my right to say what you don’t
want to hear.” -George Orwell

"Snag" wrote in message news:te6s2d$3ipel$1@dont-email.me...

....I was building something that was better suited to a much larger
and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x 31 .

------------------

A Multifix tool post had been very satisfactory on my old 10" South Bend,
which is too worn and loose for carbide bits. Like a lantern post it rotates
(indexes) to position a hand-ground HSS bit in an Armstrong-type tool holder
to cut both lengthwise and crosswise, as long as the point angle is less
than 80 degrees, since it indexes in 9 degree steps.

I found a second hand Original Swiss size A post with a few holders and
added some Chinese tool holders which fit perfectly.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/multifix/
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/multifix-toolpost-sizes.202847/

On 8/25/2022 6:18 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> "Snag"  wrote in message news:te6s2d$3ipel$1@dont-email.me...
>
> ...I was building something that was better suited to a much larger
> and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x 31 .
>
> ------------------
>
> A Multifix tool post had been very satisfactory on my old 10" South
> Bend, which is too worn and loose for carbide bits. Like a lantern post
> it rotates (indexes) to position a hand-ground HSS bit in an
> Armstrong-type tool holder to cut both lengthwise and crosswise, as long
> as the point angle is less than 80 degrees, since it indexes in 9 degree
> steps.
>
> I found a second hand Original Swiss size A post with a few holders and
> added some Chinese tool holders which fit perfectly.
>
> http://www.lathes.co.uk/multifix/
> https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/multifix-toolpost-sizes.202847/
>
>

I've seen those in videos , but they cost money ... besides ,
spending time out in the shop is a Good Thing . Keeps me outta my wife's
hair .
--
Snag
“Free speech is my right to say what you don’t
want to hear.” -George Orwell

"Snag" wrote in message news:te7ttj$3lhaq$1@dont-email.me...

On 8/25/2022 6:18 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

> Multifix tool post ...

I've seen those in videos , but they cost money ... besides ,
spending time out in the shop is a Good Thing . Keeps me outta my wife's
hair .

-------------------

Genuine new ones certainly cost, more than I think they are worth, but my
second-hand set and the extra Chinese tool holders weren't too bad.

That day I went to the second-hand tool store looking for a dovetail type to
replace the lantern post I'd made from a bolt.

On 8/24/2022 8:59 PM, Snag wrote:
>   Got a set of plans from the Logan Lathe email list , looks like I'll
> soon be finding out if it's worth all the work . I started to make one
> several years ago , and it just wasn't coming together . Turns out it
> was simply a matter of scale , I was building something that was better
> suited to a much larger and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x
> 31 .
>  The body of the one I'm building now is only 2x2x1 1.25 inches , much
> smaller than my original vision ... I've got the parts all at the point
> where tomorrow I'll start to cut dovetails . My only reservation so far
> is cutter height , I'll have to cut a recess in the top of the tool
> holder blocks at the adjustment screw to be sure I can raise the tool
> holder blocks high enough for the cutting edge to be on center with some
> cutter profiles . I may end up going back to the lantern toolpost ...
> time will tell !
>   So far I've used only material I have on hand . Looks like the only
> things I'll have to purchase is the setscrews for the tool bits . All
> the brass bits will be made of cartridge cases (damaged or calibers I
> don't shoot) I will or have already melted down and cast into round
> stock . Everything else is salvaged stock from wherever . I even know
> what most of it is !

If you do much work using multiple tools its definitely worth it. While
tool height (depending on your tool post) might not be perfect from use
to use, it will be "close enough" if you use proper height settable tool
holders. This alone will save you time over stacking shims. Of course
there is a basic time savings just from the inherent nature of quick
change tool holders on a quick change tool post.

One of the things I see often on the pro snobs machinists groups is guys
commenting on and maybe even sneering at the number tool holders
hobbyists and home shop machinists have. The thing is I can pick up a
boring bar I haven't used in weeks, drop it on the machine, and its set
close enough for my one off job.

When I am doing things more production oriented (multiple parts the
same) I have all the tools I will need for that job ready to go. Except
to change speeds I can run from facing to parting and everything in
between without ever shutting off the spindle. I followed this up on
the tail stock as well. I have multiple screwless chucks, collet chucks
and tapered drill (some in adapter sleeves) so I can slide the tail
stock back, swap the tool, and slide it up again very fast. I do use
Jacobs style scroll chucks, but I use them like just another tool holder
with a tool mounted semi permanently or atleast for the course of that
job.

On the flip side if you just enjoy the machining, there is a great deal
of pleasure from making your own tool holders, adapters, bushings, as
needed. You can make "holders" for tools you might never be able to use
in a conventional 4 way tool post. The best part is even your not so
great holders will mostly still work. There is a great deal of
tolerance in turning tool setups.

Even back in the days when all I had was the little HF 7x10 I found a
quick change tool post handy from the first day I used it.

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On 8/25/2022 10:55 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 8/24/2022 8:59 PM, Snag wrote:
>>    Got a set of plans from the Logan Lathe email list , looks like
>> I'll soon be finding out if it's worth all the work . I started to
>> make one several years ago , and it just wasn't coming together .
>> Turns out it was simply a matter of scale , I was building something
>> that was better suited to a much larger and more powerful lathe than
>> my Logan/Wards 10 x 31 .
>>   The body of the one I'm building now is only 2x2x1 1.25 inches ,
>> much smaller than my original vision ... I've got the parts all at the
>> point where tomorrow I'll start to cut dovetails . My only reservation
>> so far is cutter height , I'll have to cut a recess in the top of the
>> tool holder blocks at the adjustment screw to be sure I can raise the
>> tool holder blocks high enough for the cutting edge to be on center
>> with some cutter profiles . I may end up going back to the lantern
>> toolpost ... time will tell !
>>    So far I've used only material I have on hand . Looks like the only
>> things I'll have to purchase is the setscrews for the tool bits . All
>> the brass bits will be made of cartridge cases (damaged or calibers I
>> don't shoot) I will or have already melted down and cast into round
>> stock . Everything else is salvaged stock from wherever . I even know
>> what most of it is !
>
> If you do much work using multiple tools its definitely worth it.  While
> tool height (depending on your tool post) might not be perfect from use
> to use, it will be "close enough" if you use proper height settable tool
> holders.  This alone will save you time over stacking shims.  Of course
> there is a basic time savings just from the inherent nature of quick
> change tool holders on a quick change tool post.
>
> One of the things I see often on the pro snobs machinists groups is guys
> commenting on and maybe even sneering at the number tool holders
> hobbyists and home shop machinists have.  The thing is I can pick up a
> boring bar I haven't used in weeks, drop it on the machine, and its set
> close enough for my one off job.
>
> When I am doing things more production oriented (multiple parts the
> same) I have all the tools I will need for that job ready to go.  Except
> to change speeds I can run from facing to parting and everything in
> between without ever shutting off the spindle.  I followed this up on
> the tail stock as well.  I have multiple screwless chucks,

*****************
That was supposed to be "Keyless" chucks. Not screwless. I actually
use a spanner on them, and I never have a drill slip in one. Now it
will probably happen since I said it. LOL. I talked about it before.
I bought a decent one with the for the South Bend mill, and I liked it
so much I decided to see if "cheap" ones worked as well for the lathe.
They do. I mentioned that here before.
*****************

> collet chucks
> and tapered drill (some in adapter sleeves) so I can slide the tail
> stock back, swap the tool, and slide it up again very fast.  I do use
> Jacobs style scroll chucks, but I use them like just another tool holder
> with a tool mounted semi permanently or atleast for the course of that job.
>
> On the flip side if you just enjoy the machining, there is a great deal
> of pleasure from making your own tool holders, adapters, bushings, as
> needed.  You can make "holders" for tools you might never be able to use
> in a conventional 4 way tool post.  The best part is even your not so
> great holders will mostly still work.  There is a great deal of
> tolerance in turning tool setups.
>
> Even back in the days when all I had was the little HF 7x10 I found a
> quick change tool post handy from the first day I used it.
>

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On 8/25/2022 4:18 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> "Snag"  wrote in message news:te6s2d$3ipel$1@dont-email.me...
>
> ...I was building something that was better suited to a much larger
> and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x 31 .
>
> ------------------
>
> A Multifix tool post had been very satisfactory on my old 10" South
> Bend, which is too worn and loose for carbide bits. Like a lantern post
> it rotates (indexes) to position a hand-ground HSS bit in an
> Armstrong-type tool holder to cut both lengthwise and crosswise, as long
> as the point angle is less than 80 degrees, since it indexes in 9 degree
> steps.
>
> I found a second hand Original Swiss size A post with a few holders and
> added some Chinese tool holders which fit perfectly.
>
> http://www.lathes.co.uk/multifix/
> https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/multifix-toolpost-sizes.202847/
>
>

Unless you are getting chatter why can't you use carbide? As long as
tool pressure is constant it shouldn't matter.

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:te8dcc$rlr$2@gioia.aioe.org...
On 8/25/2022 4:18 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

Unless you are getting chatter why can't you use carbide? As long as
tool pressure is constant it shouldn't matter.
-----------------
I don't know why carbide chips so easily. Maybe I should have bought C2
instead of C6??

The lathe is worn enough that I have to adjust the gibs for the tightest
area and then it's looser elsewhere. I surface-ground the base of the
compound which helped a lot but I can't grind the vee ways similarly, and my
$100 surface grinder is in worse condition than the lathe. I do have the
Machine Tool Reconditioning book and some precision straightedges and
squares I found at auctions.

Despite its age and wear the lathe does everything I want it to. Often I
make one part to some degree of friction fit with another so creeping up on
final size isn't an issue.

The most recent is a type T PVC conduit tee that houses a 50A current shunt.
The volt/amp readout is in a small box that swivels on the shortened and
grooved central spout. It's one of the power monitors I discussed with Bob
Prohaska on alt.energy.homepower.