On 2008-10-16, Jim Wilkins wrote:
On Oct 15, 7:56*pm, "Michael Koblic" wrote:
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
***Now I get it. Inside. Are there many tools that have that particular
taper? Just off the top of my head I cannot recollect anything smaller than
MT2.
MT1 is the smallest common size on machine tool spindles and taper-
shank drill bits. My lathe's tailstock is MT2, which is a good useful
size for turning the likes of a 40 Lb hunk of scrap hydraulic cylinder
rod. MT1 drill bits fit with adapter sleeves. Normally tailstock drill
chucks work fine, my lathe was abused and has a replacement tailstock
spindle that is somewhat loose and taper-shank drill bits give better
results.
And you can use MT-3 shank drill bits (up to 1" diameter) in a
tailstock like the one on my 12x24" Clausing, or use the smaller shanks
with one or two reducer sleeves.
That's the risk of buying old machine tools. The 10" South Bend (or
Logan, et al.) is a nice lathe for a home shop but mine has a few
problems I have to work around. I can do that because like you I
design all the parts I make. It isn't the right machine to crank out
stuff for a living, that's probably why I could buy it fairly cheap.
That -- and the fact that it is a bit small for serious
production work -- even for smaller parts.
I mentioned that Sears lathe as a bad example to avoid unless you only
make small toys out of soft material.
Let's be clear *which* Sears lathe, as there were two 6" lathes
offered by Sears. There is the 109 series (made by AA tool, IIRC) with
the tiny spindle -- way too small for a 6" swing lathe. There is also
the Atlas/Craftsman 6x18" which is MT2 spindle taper with a 1"x(I
forget the pitch) threaded spindle, and a MT-1 taper in the tailstock.
This was a much more solid machine -- though it would have been nice to
have a quick-change gearbox for it.
It might actually be OK for
aluminum or brass gnomons but a poor choice to turn steel shafts for
your rotary polishing table. There may be others, I've seen complaints
about some of the Unimats being too flexible to make steel parts also.
The SL-1000 and the DB-200 -- early Unimats with a bed
consisting of two steel rods resting in 'V's in an aluminum base for the
SL-1000, and I think perhaps a cast iron base for the earlier DB-200.
Some later Unimats use the same cast bed as the Emco-Maier
Compact-5 lahtes (one flat and one V way -- the same ways used for both
the carriage and the tailstock). Those are rather more rigid for the
size.
I don't know much about the other mini lathes. 9 - 10 inch (diameter)
capacity seems about the minimum for making parts for gas-powered
equipment.
There are times when I would like to have something larger than
my current 12x24" -- but the space consumed makes this an awkward
tradeoff.
Enjoy,
DoN.
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