Beeston Myford Rear Tool-Post (Dickson QCTP Style) Model 30/145.

[Pete W.]

Hi there, all,

Please has anyone got one of these?

 

The version I'm interested in is the 30/145 for the ML7 & S7, not to be confused with the one for the ML10 (30/148), the 254+ (30/149) or for the 254S/R (30/151).

If you do have one, please could you measure the distance from the upper surface of the cross-slide to the underside of the Dickson mounting block? 

(And post it in your reply!!)   

Sorry about the poor picture quality - scanned from the fifth generation photocopy of the sixth carbon!!

Thanks.

[lordedmond]

Pete


1.688 inches

Yes mine is a local Myford one as I live not 5 miles from the proper Myford Works


Stuart

[Pete W.]

Stuart,

Thank you - you're a star!!             

I took my pix from a Beeston Myford leaflet that says there were several options for tool-holder - which do you have and do you find the tool-post a useful asset?

I made an impulse buy, a model 30/149 for the 254+ and I want to make an additional base for it to make it compatible with my ML7.

Thanks again.                     
 

[lordedmond]

yes its very useful

I use an iscar parting blade for steel  along with the other two holders  one with zero rake and a 1/16 parting blade for brass the other one for ali


Stuart

[krv3000]

handy bit of kit

[Pete W.]

Hi there, all,

                 

I started this post (quite a long time ago!!) because I had bought a Beeston Myford Dickson-Pattern rear tool-post, part number 30/149.  That version is for the Myford 254 lathe which is considerably larger than my ML7.

As bought, the tool-post looked like this:



Obviously, to use this tool-post on the ML7, its height would have to be reduced.  Thanks to Stuart, I knew that the lower block for the corresponding ML7 item, part number 30/145, is 1.688 inches or 42.88 mm.

I didn't want to modify the lower block from the 30/149 so I cast about (pun intended) for a suitable piece of cast iron from which to machine a 30/145 lower block clone.
With this intention, I purchased a length of cast iron bar from College Engineering.  They advise, quite reasonably, to allow for the material being as much as 5 mm under nominal size. 

The finished size of my block would be that 42.88 mm high, plus a bit for the locating tongues that fit in the cross-slide Tee-slots, by 78 mm long and 48 mm wide. So, having allowed what seemed enough machining allowance, I placed my order.  What arrived looked like this:



It transpired that my piece of material was actually a bit OVER nominal size, it measures 61 mm by 61 mm by 90 mm (I did up the length ordered by 10 mm).

That was going to need a lot of cast iron converting to swarf, taking a lot of time and making a lot of mess!          

So I thought long and hard, trying to think of a good approach.  I could have fitted the block into the four-jaw chuck and machined it to size - NO, too much swarf and too much time!          

I could hack-saw off most of the excess material, just leaving a mm or so to machine off - NO, too much physical exertion for an 'oldie' like me and I couldn't guarantee the required accuracy of cut!          

I enquired of the makers whether the Rage Evolution saw would cut cast iron and was told that it would not!          

I wondered whether anyone I knew had a metal cutting band-saw or a donkey saw and might make it available to me - I didn't know anyone!          

So, I got on with other jobs and this one receded even further back than the back burner!!                   

And there it stayed until ten days ago!   

[Pete W.]

Hi there, all, again,

Well, to cut a long story short (not something I do very often!) I spotted an item on eBay that looked suspiciously like the lower block of a 30/145.  I put a bid on it and spent the next week on tenterhooks. 
But, imagine my delight when the auction ended and mine was the only bid!                    

The seller got the item into the Post very promptly and I received the item the following day.  It looks like this:



or like this:



and, married up to the upper block, like this:



Here is a comparison of the two lower blocks:



I shall need to make a securing bolt of suitable length but otherwise I have a result!!                   

Share my joy!!                   

(Oh, by the way, when I bought the 30/149 it was a complete kit, with a parting blade and mounting bolts & nuts.) 

[dawesy]

Excellent result. It's nice when things just work
And you now have a lump of cast for another project