In article ,
"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

On 2007-12-29, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
In article ,
"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

On 2007-12-28, Mike Henry wrote:

"Joseph Gwinn" wrote in message

[ ... ]

Toolpost is funky, a wrench-activated sort-of aloris, but no pistons or
wedges. Also got lots of bits and holders, plus some knurlers.

Hmm ... is it perhaps the Dickenson style common in the UK with
Myford lathes? The toolpost has two vertical male V-ways, which match
female ones in the holders. The toolpost wrench a bent shank socket
wrench rotates a cam which draws in a T-stud which engages a T-slot in
the holders between the female Vees. There are two sets of V-ways and
T-studs -- one for turning and one for boring/facing. Each holder has a
long knurled thumbnut to raise or lower the holder, and an Allen-head
cap screw to lock the thumbnut to the proper height.

Not quite as convenient as a wedge style Aloris or clone, but
pretty close to as rigid and better than the piston style. I've got one
on my Emco-Maier Compact-5/CNC (a significantly smaller lathe).

This sounds like it could be what I have. The body is marked "RAPID
I.S.A" in an ellipse, plus "TIPO-M" in a rectangle. Where would one
find information on these holders? I guess that RAPID is one maker,
probably British.

Hmm ... "TIPO-M" suggests Italian or Spanish manufacture ("tipo"
being "type"). Not sure about the "RAPID I.S.A.", but you could try
a Google search for it.

Nothing came up on Google. Who knows if they are still in business.

"Dickenson style" implies multiple makers. What are likely names?
Maybe Myford has a favorite maker?


The mounting of this toolpost onto the lathe compound rest is homebrew
and strange and ad-hoc, and seems floppy. This deserves a bit of
reengineering.

Hmm ... the one on my Emco-Maier Compact-5/CNC secures with a
center bolt to a steel plate which is secured via four Allen-head cap
screws to the cross-slide. (No compound on the CNC version, as angle
cuts are done by programing the CNC.)

The toolpost bolts to either of two different positions,
depending on the diameter to be machined, as the CNC cross-slide does
not have sufficient range to handle the maximum radius part down to he
center in a single pass.

Examination of the underside
suggests that it was intended to clamp down on a tapered stud instead of
clamping down to a flat plate -- but I haven't gotten around to making a
matching taper for it yet.

The one I have appears to be intended to mount on a cylindrical post
with a smaller cylindrical screw clamping it down. There is a sliding
pin with a rounded nose that is intended to engage location holes at
various angles in a plate that is not in evidence, to prevent rotation.
There is no taper.

I don't think this toolpost came with the lathe, as it is cobbled to the
lathe.


[ ... ]

I don't think the welders ever oiled the lathe. Nor did they use it
much. When I pumped Vactra #2 into all the oil fittings, vast amounts
of dirty oil flowed out at first, and it became easier to move whatever
had thus been oiled. The dirt seems to be accumulated ferrous wear
products, not grit.

The ways are flame hardened and look good, so the wear products probably
come from the cast iron saddle sliding on the bed ways.

The spooge could be splattered ferrous metal melted by flame
cutting and scattered over the whole shop. Their not lubing things much
has the benefit that it did not grab hold of more of the airborne junk,
since it sounds as though they never cleaned it. :-)

The black stuff was inside, in places airborne iron oxide dust could not
go. But it was never cleaned. Actually, I think that the lathe came
dirty, because there was a lot of hardened cutting oil and chips in the
chip pan, and the welders cut dry - I didn't see anything like a coolant
circulation system. If it had had one, I bet it would have been
included.


Joe Gwinn