Quick Change Tool Post for 7x10 Mini Lathes

[widgitmaster]

Last month a close friend of my bought an Enco 7x10 mini lathe, and asked me to spice it up for him!

The first thing I did was to make a quick change tool post, and a set of tool holders. Then I made a tool setting gage which allows quick setting of the tool height so it will always be on centerline of the spindle!

For starters, I measured the AXA size tool holders, an made a full set 50% smaller! At 1/2 scale, a 3/16" or 5mm square tool bit will sit perfectly below center!

Here are some images of the finished products.

[BobWarfield]

That's very cool!

But I think you're too modest, Eric. Looks to me like there is a carriage stop on the bed too?

How do you go about making your nice curved handles? I don't recall seeing a ball turner. Are you free-handing with a rest for the tool?

Cheers,

BW

[widgitmaster]

Thanks Bob!
Actually I made a form tool which turned the entire profile at one time!
First I made a sketch with the dimensions, showing the center point of the big radius. Then I took a 6" long 3/8" x 1" HSS tool bit and cut a piece off with an abrasive saw. Next I squared up the HSS block in my surface grinder.

Then I made an aluminum fixture which will mount on my rotary table, and a clamp to hole the HSS blank securely in the fixture.

After dialing in the center point of the fixture so that the center of the spindle, center of rotary table, and the fixture were all inline. Then I set the DRO to x,y zero.

Now with a 5/16" dia 4-flute carbide end mill, I moved over the radius plus half the cutter and milled the arc on the HSS blank.

Now that I had the cutter, which took about 1.5 hours to make, I mounted the HSS form tool in the lathe and turned the handles on at a time!
The lathe ran at 70 RPM and the feed was as slow as possible. Lots of cutting oil too!

Eric

[widgitmaster]

Oh yea, I forgot to mention that the part was made from 12L14 LeadLoy steel, and that it was held in the lathe by screwing it into an hole, then held with a tail center point.

Eric

[ger21]

Outstanding work, as always.

[BobWarfield]

Hard to beat a good form tool for something like that!

I assume it was somewhat prone to chatter even with 12L, hence the low feeds, speeds, and copious use of oil.

Cheers,

BW

[HackMax]

Last month a close friend of my bought an Enco 7x10 mini lathe, and asked me to spice it up for him!

The first thing I did was to make a quick change tool post, and a set of tool holders. Then I made a tool setting gage which allows quick setting of the tool height so it will always be on centerline of the spindle!

For starters, I measured the AXA size tool holders, an made a full set 50% smaller! At 1/2 scale, a 3/16" or 5mm square tool bit will sit perfectly below center!

Here are some images of the finished products.

Man those look great! You wouldn't happen to have any drawings on that? I have to keep fighting with shims on my default setup.

Thanks,

Rick

[widgitmaster]

Hi Rick,
Actually, I had made a few extra sets, and will put them on the WidgitMaster ebay page within a week or so! Still have a few more parts to make

The prints will be a little longer, as I have so much to do in the shop!
Eric

[widgitmaster]

I have posted one of these little puppies on eBay, if anyone is interested!
Eric

[fpm]

Yeah I saw that on ebay I short while ago. I have the HF 7x10. Does the HF have the same height as the enco lathe? I am interested in your product.
-fpm

[widgitmaster]

Just a different color paint job if I'm not mistaken!