F. George McDuffee wrote:

On Tue, 3 May 2005 11:46:17 -0700, "Harold and Susan Vordos"
wrote:
snip

Be *very* cautious in your application of carriage stops, especially if you
machine doesn't have a reactionary clutch for the longitudinal feed. One
mistake can cost you the feed train. It's especially bad if you're using a
lead screw with half nuts, such as when threading. The slightest mistake
in judgment will destroy your machine.
Harold

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Very true -- better to ruin what you are machining than the
machine. Suggest that you consider using a magnetic backed dial
indicator. You can get the micrometer feed control and if you
over-run the stop ythere is less damage of machine damage.

True enough, but if the tool jams in the work you may well damage any of
several parts of the lathe anyway. That's hardly less damaging than
running into a carriage stop under power.

Some lathes have crossfeed stops for similar reasons.

One place I use a carriage stop is when I HAVE to work very close to the
chuck. Often such work is hand fed. I do a set up, position the carriage
stop, and turn the spindle over by hand looking for any interferrence,
resetting the carriage stop as needed. Then in a moment of inattention
of stupidity I can't (easily anyway) run the tool or carriage into the
chuck.

When working in close quarters, I almost always try a mock rotation or
two by hand before engaing a power feed. One learns this especially when
running a shaper! It's easy to overlook some potential collision of
moving parts.

Dan Mitchell
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