On Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:10:52 +0000, David Billington
wrote:

Ignoramus14738 wrote:
I was just wondering if anyone who has a lathe capable of using a
quick change toolpost like Aloris, would still have any reason to ever
need a lantern toolpost.

My feeling on this matter, without knowing too much, is that lantern
toolposts are obsolete and quick change is the way to go, and there is
never a reason to use these old style tools.

Would there be anyone who disagrees with this.

i

I've been machining stuff, mostly as an amateur, since about 1977-1978
when I did metal shop in junior high when I was 12- 13 and have only
used lantern tool posts in the US. Been living in the UK since 1982 and
the lantern types always seemed a PITA and have never needed one for
anything I've done in the last 28 years. Apart from indexing 4 way
toolposts that needed shimming I've almost always used Dickson type
toolposts in the UK or IIRC the Swiss type fitted to some UK Hardinges
which have a similar height adjustment. Both my current lathes have
Dickson or Bison knock off toolposts.

The main odd ball toolpost attachment I've run across was a local
machinist that had a Bridgeport M head fitted to the cross-slide of his
lathe. He had the head and had a requirement for a helical passage on a
hydraulic heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprised a heavy wall tube
with one fluid flowing down the centre and another in the helical outer
passage, it had a shaeth. He used a lathe about 20" - 24" IIRC and
mounted the Bridgeport M head on the carriage and then did thread
cutting as normal, with a very coarse pitch, but with a milling head
doing the cutting. Impressive and worked a treat.


Very very cool!!

Ive been working on some Okuma LN6s with a 20" spindle Bore..G
and cutting specialty oilfield threads with BIG thread inserts. Flat
threads..Butruss type threads and that would work a treat!!

Gunner

Whenever a Liberal utters the term "Common Sense approach"....grab your
wallet, your ass, and your guns because the sombitch is about to do
something damned nasty to all three of them.