On Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:31:44 -0800 (PST), Jim Wilkins
wrote:

On Mar 10, 11:58*am, wolfgang wrote:
...
I do most cross drilling of round parts in the lathe with a motorized
drill spindle that fits the QCTP at lathe centre line height.

The spindle is aligned parallel to the chuck face with a 123 block and
is driven by a windshield wiper motor at 30VDC or so, developing about
1/4 HP....
Wolfgang-

Similarly I made a Dremel tool holder from an upright rectangle of
aluminum plate thicker than the compound slot.

The lower edge was stepped to fit snugly into the slot. A vertical
hole near the right edge takes the hold-down made from a carriage
bolt.

I set the compound parallel to the ways and bored a snug hole at
center height for the Dremel nose. If the hole had been a looser fit I
could have slotted the block to let the carriage bolt clamp the
Dremel. The compound feed screw runs a drill bit straight in or a
grinding wheel at the compound's angle.

My next project of that type is to adapt a laminate trimmer to the
larger lathe.


I have been looking at the similar arrangement and have not ruled it
out completely:

1) Do it on the Taig. Make a divider plate which should be relatively
simple and the spindle lock is easier to make than on the 9x20. Adapt
one of the toolholders (or make a brand new one) for the Dremel flex
shaft. The only thing that put me off that is the 1/8" or so limit of
the Dremel. In fact the whole concept started me thinking along the
lines of buying a new Taig headstock and adapting it as a dividing
head - then I could also mill etc. on the X2.

2) Do it on the 9x20. It should not be difficult to make a clamp for
the Dremel flex shaft here either. The cons are no spindle lock and
the drill size limit as above. I am not sure that I grasp the concept
of the "spacer pin". However, if I found a way to lock the spindle in
any position one could use a magnetic protractor gauge which I have
found eminently useful in other applications to set the angles.

3) Do it on the *wood lathe* - that one has not only a spindle lock
but an in-built dividing plate with 72 positions. Again the Dremel
holder should be easy to adapt to the tool rest banjo, but the above
limitations apply. Also would have to get a new chuck for the 1"-8
spindle. OTOH how easy would it be to get one of those MT2/plain
adaptors and cut 3/4"-16 thread on it and use it with the Taig
chucks?


BTW I have been looking around at the spin indexers: Somebody on
another forum posted pictures of the indexer which he adapted for ER40
collets! I thought it was a particularly smart move but could not find
a description of how he did it.

Many options could result in paralysis by analysis :-) However, as the
job is not imminent, it is good to explore them.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC