PLEASE someone help me figure out this stupid compound!!!

[willio]

I have an Eldorado Tri Power with the OEM compound. I, for the life of me, can not figure out how to make this compound cut a taper.

I have it mounted to the tool post and then a cutting tool in the compound. The problem is that it seems that it should be pointing at a 90 degree angle to what it is. It is the tool is perfectly in line with the travel of the compound which makes it impossible to cut a taper. When you look at a video of someone cutting a taper with a compound it seems that the tool is at a certain angle to the compound, this doesn't seem possible with the one that hangs on the tool post as the tool angle is not adjustable to the slide. Its straight or nothing so how on earth do you cut a taper? What is the compound even for in this case??

PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I LOSE MY MIND!!!

[jalessi]

Willio,

Start watching from 4:25 into the video.

YouTube- TURNING A TAPER ON THE LOGAN LATHE tubalcain

Jeff...

[willio]

That is the exact video that I used to realize how bassackwards this compound is. There is no way on earth that I can figure out how to get the compound that came with the Tri Power to look anything like the configuration in the video.

[jalessi]

Willio,

Please post a few good pictures of your machine so we can give you better advice.

Jeff...

[instructor37]

This reminds me of an incident many decades ago when I was a student in an auto shop class. One day one of the other guys was yelling and throwing his tools around. The instructor came over to see what was up. The kid whined " This STUPID BOLT won't go in. The instructor thought for a second and then dumped the kid's box of nuts and bolts out on the bench and said, " Now sort through them and take out all the stupid ones, so you won't have this problem."

[willio]

Here is a picture of the setup. The tool is pointing in the same direction as the travel of the compound slide which (I think) makes it impossible to do anything. Its the same as just having it mounted on the tool post. I think im missing something here....

as

[smallblock]

Originally Posted by willio Here is a picture of the setup. The tool is pointing in the same direction as the travel of the compound slide which (I think) makes it impossible to do anything. Its the same as just having it mounted on the tool post. I think im missing something here.... as

It's obviously sitting at an angle to your cross slide, so as you travel the compound, it will cut a taper - however, your picture does not show the part you are cutting or the desired result. Its also a bit unclear what type of tool you have in the toolpost. If you want to cut a bevel on the face OD of a part, then you would use an AR style tool and reverse the chuck rotation-and cut from the rear.
To cut a bevel on the ID then you would run the chuck in forward.
To cut the bevel on the reverse face you would switch to an AL
To cut an internal taper like for an R-8, you would select the proper angle and use the AR tool if the compound travel is long enough. For longer tapers, you would use the offset tailstock.

[willio]

Smallblock, You are right. It will travel at an angle. Maybe its just me not being able to get it in my head as to how the taper is cut. It seems all of the videos out there that would help me get this right show the cutting tool perpendicular (adjustable angle) to the workpiece. All I want to do is cut a point on to a piece of steel to create a headstock center. So simple yet I cant figure it out!!!

[willio]

Here are some better pictures.

Firstly is how it is currently set up. (it is not in any relationship to the part in the chuck)




Next is how I think it should be.



And finally is a shot from the video which shows that the tool is at an angle to the travel of the compound, not linear which is how I have mine.



With it set up this way it makes perfect sense that when you adjust the compound it cuts the taper. However with the shoptask set up moving the compound is basically the same as pushing the tool in and out which does nothing to cut a taper.

Any ideas?

[gmfoster]

Maybe if you would mount the compound to the table and the tool post to the compound then the tool holder to the tool post it would make more sense...


In addition to that picture there is a close up to the Shoptask compound set up here.

http://members.cox.net/tangoromeo/setup_9.htm

The stupid bolt story seems to fit pretty well here.. But I think you have thrown out some parts alredy..

[willio]

I couldn't agree with you more, except thats not the way they were designed. This compound was designed to "hang" on the tool post as if it were a tool. I WISH I could mount it as in the photo.

[smallblock]

Originally Posted by willio Here are some better pictures. Firstly is how it is currently set up. (it is not in any relationship to the part in the chuck) Any ideas?

Willio,
In your picture you have the compound angled the wrong way. Set the angle of the taper you want so the tool is pointing toward the rear of the machine.
You will use the compound to make the cut and the main table to set the depth. You need to have a different cutting tool as well- what you have is a 60 degree threading tool- you need an AR 8.
You will be cutting on the backside of the part, so your lathe must be turning in reverse.
The cut will be done in steps-
Bring the tip of the tool up to where it contacts the back edge of your rod.
Lock down the main table
Move the compound slide in to make the first taper cut ( this will be a very small amount)
Retract the compound until it clears the rod
Move your main table back( toward you) the depth of your next cut and lock it down.
Move your compound slide in again for the second cut-
Keep repeating the process ( the cuts will get larger and larger each time)