In article ,
Paul wrote:

Joseph Gwinn wrote:
In article ,
Paul wrote:

This sounds like a very good conversion, but is a future project.
First, I will get the lathe going in its present form, and use it for a
while, for the experience.

That said, the bottom shaft on the variator does wobble badly, and I bet
it needs that famous plastic bushing.

Even with good bushings the small shaft that retains the piston block
will wobble somewhat, mine did and I believe those bushings to be OK.
They looked pretty new when I stripped the original stuff out and there
was a spare set that came with the machine, I think somebody bought two
sets. Anyway, if you end up needing them, and I can find them, I'll
send them your way as I don't think I'll need them anymore.

I may well need those bushings, so I'm putting my dibs in. Thanks for
the kind offer.

I bought the manual from Clausing, and it should arrive this coming
week. Then, I will take the wobbling assembly apart, and will see what
I will see.


I have some opinions on tool posts for this machine if you want to hear
them also.

I would certainly be interested.

BXA is the correct size for this machine, and the Phase II I have has
been more than adequate even though it's the (GASP) dreaded piston
version. It works just fine, if you just have to have the wedge style
go for it but don't be afraid of the piston type. I've used a genuine
Aloris 'D' size and it was quite nice, this on a much larger lathe than
mine, I also have some experience with an 'A' size wedge type (I don't
know what brand) and found it to be somewhat lacking. I'm pretty sure
it was not an Aloris but which import I couldn't say.

All reports point to BXA as the correct size. Given the small price
differential between Aloris and the knockoffs, I'm leaning towards
genuine Aloris, but had not really thought about piston versus wedge.

I guess the piston approach is more-or-less equivalent in mechanical
solidity to the Dickson, despite the differences in mechanical setup,
and the Dickson is also reported to be adequate.


DoN gave me some good advice back when I got the Phase II which is to
replace the tool bit clamp setscrews with a decent USA brand. I bought a
box of 100 Holochrome brand and replaced them all. The original ones
were certainly of lesser quality and prone to stripping or splitting the
socket.

Yes. Steel and tempering quality seems to be a weakness in all Chinese
and Indian machine-tool products.

I'll be replacing all the clamp screws on the Dickson-style toolpost
holders that came with the lathe, probably with Holochrome. I gather
that the Holochrome cap screws have been adequate on your Phase II
holders.


I've made a couple of tool holders over time, the knurled thumb
nut is available from MSC, but I made a batch of my own. The jamb nuts
I purchased. I used imperial size fasteners for the homemade ones.

The lathe came to me with the familiar four position tool post, and was
adequate, just not convenient. The wedge post is for sure better.

I also got a 4-side screwclamp holder, but with no attachment hardware
whatsoever. Who knows what it was to fit, as it seems a bit undersize
for the lathe.

Joe Gwinn