Just got the cost sheet for some additional clamping blocks for my Mori duraturn 2050 and they were $270 a set!?! Is there a cheaper alternative around for tooling blocks and clamps? Thanks.

Do you mean the wedge clamp?

they consist of a wedge and mating bar with through holes used to hold the lathe tools onto the turret.

Would it be possible to make them? I have two Y axis NL's coming in 12-14 March. I am planning on making most of the Y axis double and quad tool holders. They are really crazy on the prices.

Um, I third that. We have an SL-15 that we have yet to tool up because of cost. Hell, if I bought all tooling from Mori, it would out weight the cost of the machine!! We found some tooling blocks on fleabay that were close and we are going to mod them to fit. However, the wedge clamps for OD bars is still an open book. Not real sure how to make them yet but I believe Mori makes the bolting block and then a separate "wedge" is put in when tightening things down.


Not real sure yet but what a pain!! man, those wedges should be around 30-50 each. Nothing to them as I understand it.

Would it be possible to make them? I have two Y axis NL's coming in 12-14 March. I am planning on making most of the Y axis double and quad tool holders. They are really crazy on the prices.

We've got an NL2500SY coming soon.

Is it worth the effort to make your own holders? We're already spending quite a bit on the live holders. We're gonna have to get an angled live holder sooner or later and that's gonna be around $5k for just one.

Zumba,

My NL2500SY/700 and NL3000Y/1250 will be delivered this Thursday or Friday!! I am planning on building all of the OD tool blocks. Mostly quad tool blocks for the 2500 and doubles for the 3000. It doesn't seem like a big deal. I haven't decided if I will make the boring bar blocks yet. It depends if I get lazy or not. I have the solid model for the quad block almost finished. I just need to fine tune it a little. I may also change a thing or two. Then I am planning on black oxideing them when I am finished. I have a few ideas just haven't decided how far I want to take this!

Zumba,


Considering that a quad block is almost a grand, I can buy a lot of material for that and make holders 'til I'm bored or drunk!!! Now that I've reread what I just typed, I'm in trouble. I get bored easily! And do I mean easily! And I drink like a girl so that will be a cheap/quick headache.

You have all purchased a machine tool that will last 20+ years. The tooling cost is expensive up front, but what does that figure out to over 20 years? Unless you have operators that crash the machine a lot, you should never have to purchase replacement holders. Besides, with the quality of work you'll be producing, they will pay for themselves in no time.

If you choose to make them yourselves and find you can do it much cheaper, start marketing it. There are several thousand shops that would be knocking on your door to purchase these.

That's the point!!!!