Building your own toolpost for a lathe

[tool-me-up]

my 2" diameter metal arrived today so i finally got round to making a new tool post!

The old one was only 40mm thick so allowed the tool holder to "rock" slightly when machining, also i couldn't get my knurling tool in the lathe because it is quite long and i couldn't wind the holder far enough away from the workpeice. See below.


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Click to see full size image


TO start with i took a big 1/2" thick peice of aluminium and bored a hole half way through it just ever so slightly bigger then the round peice of metal


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This is the sort of fit you want, it just goes and will rotate but its just tight enough that the plate doesnt fall off.


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next i machined a groove into the aluminium bar, and faced of both sides, finishing it to length


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Click to see full size image

Well thats all the machining done so time to strip down the vice


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And grind the top flat


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Bolt on the plate, and add some metal "tabs" to locate and secure the aluminium Bar via the groove machined earlier



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Click to see full size image

And its done! One very sturdy and rotate - able tool post!
All i need to do now is add a pin to the tool holder so that cannot rotate on top of the aluminium bar, The four metal tabs grip the bar a lot better than a single bolt through the holder.
You could use this method to add a third crosslide to the lathe to let you cut at angles ( i would have but didnt have space ).

 

[wizard]

Ever thought about getting a job in china

 

[MickCheese]

Not a metalworker myself but would love to give it a try. Interesting set of photos.

Ever thought about getting a job in china

Is that an insult? :?:

Mick

 

[wizard]

Have i said something to upset the Chinese?

 

[mark2191]

very interesting mate