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| 7x12 clarke cl300m lathe - changing tool post making milling machine! |
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| bogstandard:
Chris, You are spot on, imagine standing the lathe on end with the tailstock at the bottom. The vertical slide will give you the Y axis (fwds/back), and the lathe crosslide the X axis (side to side). For depth of cut, you move forwards with your saddle (like raising the table up to meet the cutter). For fine movement of the saddle, you might need to rig up a dial gauge to give you an accurate reading and a good saddle lock as I did in my post on fixing Darrens lathe. http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=627.msg5085#msg5085 --- Quote ---On an additional note, C3 Quick Change Tool Post Set - is that the tool post? How will it compare to the QCTP in my original post? --- End quote --- That is the whole lot to give you what is required, a means of permanently setting the tool height in the holder and a way of changing tools quickly. Every type is a much of a muchness, different designs, but they all work to give the same end result. The way they showed the milling being done in the first article you showed was, to put it bluntly, a load of crap. OK to put an odd slot in something to get yourself out of the s**t, but not a method for continual milling on the lathe like a vertical slide gives you. Hope this helps. Bogs |
| sbwhart:
Vertical slides are certainly a good route to mill in a lathe I used one on my 3 in 1 to give me better milling options. The one I used was for a Myford lathe, that I fitted to my machine this is it in use Hope this helps Cheers Stew |
| raynerd:
Hi Thanks for your input - the attachment has done a nice job of that piece. I am really in two minds here what to do. I am scrapping around for money (as are most) and so really don`t have a lot to spend - immediately anyway. The vertical slide is £90, but will it really do a good enough job and be stable enough to use as a mill for my small projects which invariably will get bigger as I get better and start to demand more? Will my lathe be strong enough to use the vertical slide effectively? - Is the Myford lathe shown above not a bigger lathe and can therefore cope with milling better. Also, from what I have read, there is no substitute for a milling chuck or tools work free. Would I have to purchase one of these for the "lathe conversion" and if so this is adding to the cost. In my head, it all leads me to the idea that I want a stand alone mill but they seem much more costly than lathes. I picked my lathe up for £165 on fleabay but there doesn`t seem any mills out there for even double this! I have been looking at the Chester Champion, Axminster or Warco ZX15....perhaps a second hand bridgeport? I can`t even find most of these at the moment on ebay second hand - what price do they normally go for? Also, I can`t accommodate for anything too big - I believe some require a 1meter square floor space!! I appreciate that this thread was started with me asking for alternatives to buying a mill, but I think as the answers have come back it has redirected my thoughts. Appreciate any feedback - I know this is now turning into a "which mill?" thread! Chris |
| bogstandard:
Chris, Before delving too deep into the subject of mills, wait until you can turn a bit, and then you will know if your lathe can do it. By diving in with both feet, you can end up hating it, when you hit your machining 'ignorance' and they start to eat expensive tooling. Get the lathe under your belt first, then make a decision if you can afford to go the way of the mill a little later. Then you would have the choice of going for a vertical slide setup, or a small mill. If you pick up a mill for say £400, it might cost you at least half that much again to basically tool it up, and that would only be fairly basic setup with a half decent set of tooling. Take it steady, and sleep on it. Think of the consequences if you get it wrong. Your bits could end back up on eblay if you get disillusioned. John |
| raynerd:
You right, John. I will sit on my hands and learn this thread cutting with multiple leads first. :jaw: :scratch: |
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