On 2010-05-18, Wes wrote:
"Bill Noble" wrote:
the imports are "OK" but you can usually get used Aloris for the price of
the import - I find that the real thing is much more consistent and
stronger - I replaced my import with a real Aloris, and I generally avoid
the import holders too unless I find a pile really really cheap -
Do you run into used BXA Aloris posts often?
I don't know about him, but *I* don't -- except at insane prices
on eBay.
I've seen one really old BXA sized toolpost by Aloris -- made
back when they still made piston style toolposts, for about $100.00.
This was at Cabin Fever.
I *bought* a used (but in very good condition) Dorian toolpost
(BXA sized) for $100.00, and am using that in place of the Phase-II
Wedge which I have several years of use on. This one I picked up at a
meeting of our local metalworking group -- where at least one member
shows up with a lot of used tooling, sometimes something which I can't
resist such as the Dorian toolpost.
My Clausing 6903 sports a Genuine Aloris AXA post but that is a bit small given the 3 HP
and working varidrive.
Yes -- it would be better with a BXA size.
I'd love to have a decent used BXA Aloris w/o paying near oem prices. I'm holding off on
expanding my tool holder collection based on knowing I'm using a too small post.
I would suggest that you make the initial step by buying the
Phase-II wedge style Series 200 (BXA sized) toolpost, and a few of the
corresponding holders (plan on replacing the setscrews which hold the
tools), and keep waiting for luck with genuine Aloris. This will let
you buy genuine Aloris holders as you find them, and use them with the
Phase-II toolpost until you get the Genuine Aloris or perhaps (as I did)
the Dorian. With the Dorian, I suspect that I will not keep looking for
a genuine Aloris toolpost. The Dorian is at least equal quality, if a
somewhat different (but just as good) locking system as the wedge style
Aloris. Both are *vastly* better than the piston style posts in my
opinion.
Some holders from Aloris tend to go used on eBay for prices just
a few percent below what MSC sells them for new, so for those, I bite
the bullet and buy new. I never felt that strongly about the toolpost
itself, once I had the Phase-II working for me on my Clausing, so I
collected a good supply of various genuine Aloris tool holders, many
used, but a few new. One of the most interesting genuine Aloris used
ones which I got was a knurling tool which had two arms sticking out
above and below the workpiece which traveled on a vertical dovetail with
a leadscrew connecting them -- left hand thread at one end, right hand
at the other so the arms remained centered once you set the height
correctly the first time. A *lot* better than the bump style, knurlers,
even in genuine Aloris. This is a scissors style knurler made the way
they *should* have been made from the beginning. :-)
Good Luck,
DoN.
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