Asian Lathe Compound Help

[tacarms]

I have an Enco 110-2079. It has the Asian compound orientation (The compound is parallel to the bore when set to Zero)

This makes setting the compound for threading interesting. As you can see, the scale only goes to 50. So setting the compound to 60 1/2 degrees is a pain.
My question is: What kind of mods have you all done to help ease the pain? I have thought for many years of putting a scribe line on the carriage where the zero should be. Just wondering what everyone else has done.

Thanks

 

[pontiac428]

The 90 degree thing makes no matter, just use the complimentary angle instead of direct. But the short scale is inexcusable.

When I'm against a short scale, I move the scale to it's max. I transfer max - 10 degrees to the base hash mark, then rotate the max to the new mark, and use the existing mark to auto punch a dot at exactly max+10 degrees. Then continue all the way around. Now you have reasonably accurate 10 degree marks. Use a good bevel protractor to set your 59-1/2 index mark. Otherwise, put your compound on the rotary table and index it that way. One thing is for sure, you're not buying your way out of this with a credit card, it's a DIY only.

 

[tacarms]

The 90 degree thing makes no matter, just use the complimentary angle instead of direct. But the short scale is inexcusable.

........... your compound on the rotary table and index it that way. One thing is for sure, you're not buying your way out of this with a credit card, it's a DIY only.

Ain't that the truth. Yet another drawback of not having an unlimited budget and buying a Southbend.

 

[DAT510]

I'd pull the compound off, find the center line to the compound pivot and add a hash mark at 90 degrees to the Left of current. That way you could rotate the compound into a threading position and take advantage of the scale again.

 

[benmychree]

Don't take for granted that the printed angular divisions are correct;, indicate it in and make sure the zero point is correct.

 

[RJSakowski]

The Grizzly G0602 compound protractor has graduations at 2.5º and is difficult to read. Add to the difficulty , the scale is under the compound when set at 59.5º. I made a gage to set the 29.5º angle. Nothing to read and it sets in seconds.

29.5 Deg. Angle Tool For Lathe

A 29.5 degree angle is most likely the most used angle set on the compound on a lathe. The Grizzly G0602 lathe has a difficult to read dial with 2-1/2 degree graduations. My solution was to make a gage that would provide easy and accurate setting of this important angle. I made mine from a...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[pdentrem]

This works for my Asian lathe.

Another Tip of the Day posting

I could not find the earlier posting, so I started this one. If the mods wish they can join them together. After my guerrilla milling from the weekend, mentioned in the POTD topic, I had to reset the top slide over to my usual 30 degrees. I have a problem with this lathe vs the older Atlas...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[tacarms]

The Grizzly G0602 compound protractor has graduations at 2.5º and is difficult to read. Add to the difficulty , the scale is under the compound when set at 59.5º. I made a gage to set the 29.5º angle. Nothing to read and it sets in seconds.

29.5 Deg. Angle Tool For Lathe

A 29.5 degree angle is most likely the most used angle set on the compound on a lathe. The Grizzly G0602 lathe has a difficult to read dial with 2-1/2 degree graduations. My solution was to make a gage that would provide easy and accurate setting of this important angle. I made mine from a...

www.hobby-machinist.com

I ran down the rabbit hole on the angle tool. That is a very slick idea. Thanks RJ

 

[homebrewed]

Some time back I made an angle setter, somewhat similar to RJ's:

The dowel pins go against the right edge of the cross slide and the compound is rotated so it is flat against the angled side -- the part is shown upside-down. The empty hole was used as part of the machining procedure. It's slightly oversized so its dowel pin could easily be removed after the angle was machined.

Having a set of over/under/on-size reamers makes this kind of thing easy to do.

 

[Jake M]

I have an Enco 110-2079. It has the Asian compound orientation (The compound is parallel to the bore when set to Zero)

I do not have that lathe. So take this for what it is worth...

This makes setting the compound for threading interesting. As you can see, the scale only goes to 50. So setting the compound to 60 1/2 degrees is a pain.
My question is: What kind of mods have you all done to help ease the pain? I have thought for many years of putting a scribe line on the carriage where the zero should be. Just wondering what everyone else has done.

Thanks

My monkey brain still thinks that the Asian way of zero being in line with the lathe makes more sense, although either one is just as useful. (I also think a radius dial is more intuitive than a diameter dial, even though I can appreciate the convenience of a diameter dial in most operations... so maybe my monkey brain is cross wired up funny and you hadn't oughtta be listening to me....)

On my South Bend, the compound angle scale is on the back side of the compound, so you have to walk around to the back of the lathe to see it. And said compound does rotate and is functional through 360 degrees of rotation (although some of that range is pretty impractical to use, at least 270 degrees of it is surprisingly useful. Not all of that range is necessarily "necessary" in any way, but useful. in keeping the compound out of your way for other parts of the project, not having to reset it for example. The original owner at some point got frustrated, and marked the cross slide as you say. It's so light that it took me a year of owning the thing to notice them, but if you wipe the oil off, there they are- Super light scribe marks, no deeper than the factory machining marks, but clearly distinct once you find them. So there's an index at every 90 degrees. I use one of those "extra" marks more often than I use any of the other three (including the original). I find them to be a sound solution.

So you have what looks to be 45 degrees on each side of zero... That's enough. my vote is yes, if having a changable zero degree reference won't wreck your day, mark 90 degrees from the original mark, in any and every direction that you think might be of use. Make them as accurate as you can, but don't loose any sleep if they're not perfect. Compound angle gauges are not necessarily perfect themselves. Plenty close enough is plenty close enough, because if you need precision, you're gonna have to indicate it anyhow.

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