This is a continuing update on my adventures with our Shop Fox 13x40
lathe.

Woodstock has been wonderful with their customer service. They have done
everything they promised, including giving us a healthy refund on the
initial purchase price.

They could not resolve one problem -- the correct steady and follow rests
for my machine do not exist. We had to modify the existing ones to
properly intersect the axis of the work.

It was only about an hour's work to fix both, and Woodstock compensated
me for our time. Plus they stated that if we destroyed both parts
trying, it would not affect the warrantee, and they would gladly replace
them with what they had (same mis-fit parts) for us to try again.

As it turns out, the modifications were quick and simple. The parts fit
fine now, and the cosmetics were only slightly affected (surface finish
on the paint job isn't sweet, because we couldn't wait another 36 hours
for a second coat of the linseed oil/white lead paint to dry G).

Only one small problem exists that didn't show up immediately, and
they've already shipped parts to fix.

My worklight is a 24V-55W halogen affair which draws just a bit too much
current from the 24VAC control circuit. It trips the thermal breaker
after a while of on-time with the covers on the machine. So they've
shipped a 230V version of same -- again, with no hassles and no charge.
It takes less than five minutes to change out.

I've done some actual production work with the lathe in the last two
weeks, and it does nice work. It seems rigid enough for anything we'll
ever do. I splurged and put a wedge BXA (style) toolpost on it (no, not
authentic Aloris -- wouldn't want to kill the Chinese karma of the
machine, now would I? G).

I was a bit surprised at the quality of the Chinese toolpost -- it's
nuts-on perfect. All imperial threads, and cleanly made. It fits
authentic Aloris toolholders perfectly, and the ripoff holders that come
with it are carbon-copies of the Aloris holders. Hell! The sockets in
the setscrews were even centered in the screws and actually fit Imperial
allen wrenches!

Iggy, you'll enjoy this. I finally tracked down a user who had a
professional Mach-3 conversion of this same make lathe done. He's
ecstatic about its performance, and he said the mechanicals took all of
about six hours to do. They removed the drive rod and replaced the
threading screw with a ball screw; replaced the half-nuts with a ball nut
(custom mounting block for centering), and hung the X motor off the back
of the carriage.

He's going to give me the details and parts sources. When I get them,
I'll explore if it's possible to retain more of the manual functions
while still doing the conversion. It actually might be possible. Except
for the manual threading, it looks like there might be enough room behind
the apron to leave the feed gears in place while properly mounting the
ball nut. It wouldn't be possible to leave the power crossfeed
operational, though, since the crossfeed drive gear must be removed to
install the X-axis ball screw.

So that brings up a question for you already-equipped CNC lathe users.
How "natural" is it to use a well thought-out CNC lathe for manual
operations? There are a lot of teensy jobs that just cannot justify CAD
time.

LLoyd