On 2014-05-26, Karl Townsend wrote:

Going with Aloris or PhaseII?

Phase-II works for me.

I've only seen one PII, but it looked well designed and worked fine.

Phase II uses a piston to push out on the Aloris style holder. Only
the angled surface and the psiton make contact.

Phase-II makes *both* styles. I know, because I opted for the
wedge style when I got mine

the Aloris brand expands the Z taper

The dovetail, you mean?

And I have seen one old Aloris one in the piston style.

with a wedge making full contact
on the entire Z area. WAY more rigid.

I agree that the wedge style is more rigid (which is why I got
that to start with, even though it cost a little more from Phase-II.

The Dorian toolpost is sort of a cross between the piston and
the wedge style. It has a small piece which projects out of the outside
dovetail -- or the one towards the tailstock for the boring/facing
station) which in effect does the same thing that the wedge style does.
And the lever does *not* swing in a full circle, unlike the norma
piston style. (See Below for significance.)

May not make any difference on
light lathes with small cuts. Pour the coals to it with a heavy cut
and insert tooling; the difference is night and day.

Agreed there.

Another consideration between the piston and the wedge style is
that (with no tool holder on the post) the piston style's locking lever
can freely rotate a full 360 degrees. This can bring it into the path
of the chuck jaws, and result in Shrapnel as the plastic end of the
handle shatters.

I did not know about this "feature" until I had already gotten
my Phase-II. It made me even more glad about my choice.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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