The Shop > Tools

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

<< < (2/2)

Pete W.:
Hi there, all,

 :update:   :update:   :update:   :update:   :update:   :update: 

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!   :doh:   :doh:   :doh: 

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!   :bang:   :bang:   :bang: 

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!   :bang:   :bang:   :bang: 

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

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!   :bang:   :bang:   :bang: 

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

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!    :D   :D   :D   :D   :D   :D 

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!!   :ddb:   :ddb:   :ddb:   :ddb:   :ddb:   :ddb: 

Share my joy!!   :D   :)   :D   :)   :D   :) 

(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 :)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page