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Mini Lathe/Myford Capstan

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Joules:
Hi,
    I recently started a short production run of plastic components and am trying to speed up production.  One thing I considered was a capstan for my Myford....   However having seen the price asked for them   :bugeye:  Has anyone fabricated, or can point me in the direction of a fabricated design I could use with a mini lathe.  I saw an interesting video for a Hardinge turret lathe that wetted my appetite.

     

If anyone should have a Myford capstan kicking about under the bench  :drool: That doesn't have an interstellar price tag...

lordedmond:
Joules could you not use a tail stock capstan with a lever TS it would do the job for small parts

Stuart


Edit
Something like this but I bet you could make one

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathe-Accessories/Tailstock-Accessories

Joules:
Thanks Stuart, I had looked at the offering from ArcEuro but wondered about how stiff a setup you end up with.  I suspect for the price its probably worth trying.  I do anticipate metal components being made in the future so hope I can cobble something along the lines of the Myford capstan for a mini lathe at some point before I REALLY need it.  Just found an interesting article from the early 40's on capstan tooling for model engineers.

I wonder if an old cross slide could be the basis for a capstan body.

drmico60:
Would something like this do the job:
http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/tailstock-turret.html
Mike

philf:
I don't want to be a killjoy but...........

I've never used a tailstock turret like in the two links - nor do I ever want to.

If you look at the one with tools in place, the drill looks ideally placed to blind you  :poke: when you're trying to get a good look at what you're machining.

In my opinion 4-way toolposts with sharp tooling stuck out in all directions are almost as bad.

A proper capstan is a different situation where the capstan is rotated by a lever away from the tools.

When our company's toolroom was moving premises I managed to get an immaculate Hardinge capstan like the one in the video for my late friend for a bargain £500 including a huge cabinet full of tooling. He used to make parts for a company who made consumables for scientific instruments and it paid for itself many times over.

Phil.

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