May upgrade to an AXA toolpost.. Wedge or Piston?

[TroyO]

So, I finally got some Cashback from Bing and it's burning a hole in my pocket... errr.. PayPal account. ;-P

So now I'm back to the old Wedge Vs Piston debate... LOL

I can outright buy a Piston AXA style toolpost, with 5 toolholders or so. ($75-ish including ship)

I can wait a few weeks and get a Wedge style, also with 5 tools. (It's about $120 with ship... $45 more)

I'm just wondering if the wedge version is worth the extra dough.... I'm not so sure it is, but I keep waffling, LOL.

PS... anyone want to buy an A2Z toolpost and a big pile of holders? It should work great on a Mini Lathe.

[fatal-exception]

I bought a wedge style for my larger lathe (13x24) and it's been great. I think the wedge style holds the tool holder more securely.

I also have an A2Z for the mini lathe. I think for heavy roughing cuts with a 1hp or larger drive motor, your money would be better spent on the wedge style. Just my thoughts.

Paul

[thudson]

PS... anyone want to buy an A2Z toolpost and a big pile of holders? It should work great on a Mini Lathe.

I would be interested in the big pile of holders. I have the A2Z on my 7x, and only have three holders.

[TroyO]

I have like $90 in the cashback, so it would only be like $30 in extra cash to get the wedge.

I may just see what I can come up with to go ahead and get the Wedge style.... shuffle some finances around. That's the one bad thing about getting the new QCTP.. I'll be down to a handfull of holders again until I get some free cash to buy some more.

Thudson, I'll PM when I get the new one setup and can let the A2Z parts go. Having a bunch will spoil ya! ;-P

[bodysnatcher]

i use both, i made the piston version...they both work just fine

[knudsen]

Wedge.

[TroyO]

I ordered the wedge version today.

Once I get it hooked up I'll sell off the A2Z QCTP and use the proceeds to grab as many holders as I can for the new one.

[knudsen]

Don't forget to order me a couple of them too

[RotarySMP]

I use an AXA phase II wedge type on a steel riser block on the cross slide of my 7X12 CNC, and it's great. The AXA might be a little tall if you are using the compound slide.

I have about twenty tool holder, some Phase II, some Shars.

[TroyO]

There's a couple of easy mods on the 8X that give clearance. I think I will go for the one in this post... unfortunatley the pics are MIA.

HF 8x12 mod for standard AXA qctp

Basically it's a milled channel on the front and left side with a 45 in between that gives clearance for the toolholders.

CDCO Has the best prices on toolholders that I've found... search AXA

http://www.cdcotools.com/

$9 each.

[knudsen]

I wish cdco had 0XA.

http://www.cnczone.com/vb...-tools-159370/

See post #11 (bruto). My experience exactly with Tormac from LMS. So you might count on some metric set screws, but you might need those if you order elsewhere. I say go for it, Troy!

[TroyO]

I had seen that elsewhere too... that the screws were soft.

I'm wondering... why set screws anyway? It looks like there is room for a regular SHCS? Especially since the 8x will have it hanging "low" to meet centerline anyway.

Larger head + larger allen wrench= Less strippage?