What Did You Buy Today?

[dkemppai]

Good, reasonable price so less chance of it being a copy. Don't breathe too hard when using it - I have an ENCO 4-0-4 x 0.0001” but rarely use it since it’s so touchy (plus I’m lucky if I can start within 0.015” ).

I have that same Mit. It's really handy on the surface plate for checking things. Also use it with a test bar for dialing in the lathe. The .001" Mit seems to get more use on the mill.

 

[SouthernChap]

@SouthernChap

Remember this and the brief convo over the pallet/cross slide mount for it?


Well, it arrived today

The pallet for the C/Slide is actually a nice direct fit, though I would say use a couple of slightly shorter cap screws, otherwise they protrude enough to bite into the leadscrew of the C/Slide. May just make up a couple of spacers and use the original bolts to save a headache.

Other than that, 5 minutes deburring the gib and the dovetail edges of the slide improved the action. Decided to fit it loosly to see how it behaved.

View attachment 488305

View attachment 488306

The pallet looks nicely machined. The vertical slide looks bit more massy than the one I have, too.

I'd be inclined to get a smallish (75mm/3") but thick angle plate to replace the 90 degree bracket though. If anything is going to flex, it'd be that bracket. (from what you said, your use case for this job probably suits the 'mobility' of that bracket though, over increased rigidity. ).

Did you tell me where you got it from? I can't remember.

 

[GrifterGuru]

The pallet looks nicely machined. The vertical slide looks bit more massy than the one I have, too.

I'd be inclined to get a smallish (75mm/3") but thick angle plate to replace the 90 degree bracket though. If anything is going to flex, it'd be that bracket. (from what you said, your use case for this job probably suits the 'mobility' of that bracket though, over increased rigidity. ).

Did you tell me where you got it from? I can't remember.

@SouthernChap

Acquired it from HERE(<< link).

Ordered 24th April, Arrived today, a day ahead of schedule, so 5 days from order to delivery. Quite snappy considering where it came from!

If I was to design the pallet myself, I would shave some width from it (around 3/4" give or take) so I could spin it 180 degrees and have the slide mount across & over the pallet and cross slide. As it fits at the moment, it hangs over the side of the C/Slide. From the face of the slide to the edge of the C/Slide is 2 1/2" so the potential for leverage is something to be mindful of.

As regards rigidity, it's quite sturdy considering the construction of it and that 90 degree mounting bracket is sturdier than even I suspected. Once locked in place with all four bolts it is pretty solid.

I will only be using it for small, inconseqential milling as I have plans for more accurate milling capability just as soon I hit the "time to spend money" button.

 

[SouthernChap]

I have other plans for more accurate milling

Don't tease!

 

[GrifterGuru]

Don't tease!

@SouthernChap

Tease? heck no.. Have plans for a different pallet and a pair of 5x4 slides (onew fixed, one swivel). Just have to decide on whether to use a vice or not then.... Which reminds me...

I have a brand new in box milling vice to shift... a 4" one of these (4" between jaws when fully open). Purchased for a project but never used.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I have been looking for a Set-Tru 3 jaw 10" scroll chuck for quite awhile, mostly for when I am turning large diameter stock with a fair amount of stick out. I have a 3 jaw 6" scroll PBA Setrite (UK version) that I use quite a bit and had been looking for a 10" PBA or Bison/TMX. Prices in past years was much more reasonable, but the pricing of the 10" chucks has almost doubled in the last couple of years. The Set-Tru back plates are also quite expensive, in particular the forged steel ones. Recently an eBay seller had two Bison forged steel 10" chucks and they just happened to also include the 10" D1-4 Set-Tru back plate. Not inexpensive but 1/2 the cost if I bought both from an online store. Was a bit worried when it showed up as the box was trashed.

Didn't come with a chuck key so I made my own out of O1 steel, oil hardened the key, pressed in the T-bar and then blackened the surface. Chuck mounted up well and was able to zero the TIR, it is quite a nice chuck but at about 100 lbs with the back plate a bit much to lift up into position. Next project is to make a sled for the ways, just a bit too awkward to mount otherwise and have it role down on my foot.

Chuck spins up smoothly but my the VFD groans a bit coming up to speed, it also brakes it down to a stop in 1-2 seconds, faster than my manual brake. Without braking the chuck spins for a very long time before stopping. Chuck is very well balanced with no lathe vibration at spinning the chuck at speed. Bison/TMX chucks are very nicely made an accurate in my experience. This is my 3rd Bison chuck.

Was not impressed by the sellers packing, surprised the chuck didn't fall out of the box.
View attachment 488157

So much for the original styrofoam packing.
View attachment 488158

Run out zeroed down to around 0.0001" with a precision ground rod with no change at different measuring points. Chuck key I made from 3/4" O1 steel with a 14 mm square key, it make my other chuck keys look like toys.
View attachment 488159

About as big a diameter as one can go with a D1-4 mount. Back plate is by TMX, which is interchangeable with Bison. Stub pins appeared to be hardened, still a lot of mass when it gets going.
View attachment 488160

I like it..... I am adapting an 8" 3Jaw to mine, building the back plate out of 1045. I like your chip guard, did you build that?

 

[extropic]

@mksj
I'm going to second the interest in the chip guard. Is there a write up somewhere about it? The mounting (to the cross slide) is interesting. Are the two strips part of an adjustable mount or not related to the chip guard?

 

[mksj]

Chip shield is a fllexbar, I made the bracket to attach it to my cross slide T-slots. It has developed a few stress cracks in the polycarbonate shield, but continues to function well. The shield mounting bracket slides in the cross slide T-slots and is also adjustable along the Z axis with the mounting bolts for the ventricle support. It was actually an old mounting plate that I used on my last lathe and modified it for this lathe. The two strips on the cross slide are to keep the chips out of the T slots. Mounting it to the cross slide or carriage it follows the cutter and keeps down the chips and cutting flood flying in the air. I subsequently also added a chip polycarbonate shield over the Z axis hand wheel.

 

[IHinIN]

A few Amazon purchases arrived today. The Sata tap wrench set is identical to the Gearwrench set I have at work. They are both made by Apex tools but the Gearwrench one is about $30 more. The angle blocks were on sale for $20 when I ordered them.

 

[extropic]

@IHinIN
I'm curious about the tommy bar included in the tap handle set. Are the individual tap chucks cross drilled to use the tommy bar, or ???