Ok. So the rings serve to lock the collets into the blocks, which are
held by the vise. I just have to figure out what size of 2 Flute end
mills I'll need and how best to "chuck" them.(I'll have to also search
for some 1/4" ball-end mills while I'm at it).

I'll try it again.. These 5C collets holding the work can be mounted in
the chuck or in the spindle with the tool at the conventional location
of the tool post.

Or I can use the collets(holding the work) inside collet blocks located
in the milling attachment with the tool in the chuck or preferrably in
an end mill holder in the spindle instead.

You can clamp the workpiece in a collet in the square block,
clamp the block in the vise on the milling attachment. and mill a flat
on the workpiece. You then loosen the vise, rotate the collet block one
flat, and mill the next flat. Repeat until you have all four sides.

Are there five sided collets?(Everything seems to jump from four to
six).

Ok. Now I know there are no 5 sided 5C collets.

The hexagonal block can be used to make hexagonal shapes (e.g.
bolt heads or nuts), or three-sided shapes. In the same way, the square
one can be used to make a simple pair of flats, instead of a square, if
that is what is needed.

I went with square because I assume it would be easier to make a square
hole in a Delrin disk to allow it to fit over/on a square rod.

This is one of the things which you *need* the MSC catalog for.
You could look it up in the index, and turn to the proper page, to at
least see what the blocks look like. That is page 1565 in the current
"Big Book". The previous page shows individual collets in the 5C size
(the ones which fit the blocks), which have hex or square holes to hold
workpieces of that shape. You have to step back to page 1562 to find
round collets, with differing prices for different grades of collets.
The "Import ones should suffice for this type of operation, at least.
The 7/16" one goes for $8.45, as do all of the other sizes in that
grade.

I would have bid over $100 for these but at the time I didn't know if
it was the round 5C collets that I needed:

An indexing head is more often used on a milling machine than a
lathe. Most are too big for your lathe, even in milling machine mode,
though some small ones could be adapted.

I'll have to search for the smallest one I can find and see what is
possible.

There are several styles. An alternative name to look under is
"dividing head".

Yes. In the Grizzly catalog I have there is one, and also indexing
rotary tables and chucks. BTW. There is a 3" rotary table(H6195) that
has a profile of 1.670".(But it doesn't index). :-(

It would be nice to have some sort of low profile, H/V 90 degree
tilting, indexing rotary table(with small vice or chuck-like jaws at
the perimeter) mounted to the compound slide that would have the
ability to extend the cross feed travel to at least half of the swing
so one can easily drill or mill opposite sides of a 7" diameter work
piece. :-)

Actually, a power-feeding assembly option to replace the tailstock
might work better than if put on the compound slide.(But that would be
some major modification). :-)

All of this would entail drilling *from* the head stock. I haven't read
anything about that, so I hope that is plausible.

Since I'm still a newbie(who hasn't even taken the lathe out of the box
yet) I'll have plenty of time before I get to all that. :-)

One Ebayer("czodda") has been auctioning a lot of tooling, but can't
tell me the size of any of it.

I can tell you that the collets shown in that one auction are
*not* the 5C size which you would need -- and don't look to be in any
condition worth bidding on. There are actually two different sizes
there, and neither is of use to you at present.

That's good to hear.

The lot which is supposed to include a "Starrett micrometer"
does not appear to have one -- though I see an old Starrett "speed
indicator", which is no practical use to you.

I feel better that I didn't miss out on an opportunity so close by.

I could literally walk to this seller and pick up the stuff if I won
any of the auctions, but why bid on something that may not be
compatable with my machine? I don't know enough to know what I'm
looking at.

Having looked at his auctions -- I would say skip him. He
doesn't know what he's selling. He can't provide good enough photos for
you to tell (or even me). And, given his shipping charge, I'll bet that
he would not allow you to walk over and pick up what you "won".

Actually I asked and he said that he would actually prefer in-person
pick-ups.

Leave him to the old tool collectors, who seem to be his target
market.

He's located in "Little Italy". It's been some years but I should
explore that area again. I knew of a couple of machine shops as well as
a place that sold(and cut) scrap metals.(The seller probably work/s at
one of those places).

As it turns out he is a she. I won a little something and will swing by
there to pick it up.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.