The first conundrum was deciding between a Multifix and the classical American type. As it happens, the ideal size for my 250mm lathe is the Multifix AS (or AB by Chinese), which is less available and much more expensive than e.g. an AA size which I have.
It works but is a bit too small for this lathe, as you can see below, I'll juse it somewhere else.
When you add multiple tool holders or want something 'exotic' like a parting off blade holder the cost for a Multifix cost becomes quite high. So when an AXA wedge type (250-111 by the Chinese) became available as a set with 5 different holders at a rock bottom price I took it right away, great deal, it sold out in two days.
I have seen some videos on YT about fitting this tool post to a biggish mini-lathe, but these didn't really convince me. There is one where the guy couldn't remove the original bolt, so sawed and drilled it out!?! Some small lathe shop sells an adapter sleeve that raises the tool post high as skyscraper, that makes no sense to me, so I did it the way that seemed easier and most logical. The set comes with the stud, beefy nut and a square threaded plate.
See where it says stud size M14? No way, that is a 9/16"-18 thread. Also included more set screws that one can use in a lifetime.
Remarkably, the plate thickness is exactly the same as the top slide
It would be silly to discard these and make new ones, so I decided to just make a round nut from the plate. First, the top slid boss is sawed off, took just a minute or so, My lathe has a combo milling column but I didn't had a circular saw wide enough. The real purpose of this picture is to show off the adjusting screws and nuts that I added to the vice. Additionally, the picture has been taken so that doesn't immediately reveal the fact that the moving jaw had snapped off and has been welded together.
To face the top slide and the bore out the existing hole I used the 4 jaws (minus 1) chuck. I have seen videos where no securing wire is used, but better be safe than sorry so I used it.
I suspect that if you take your time with the setup it could be done with the 3 jaws also. I bored hole and shoulder to a size which made sense, and don't remember now. This revealed some casting cavities and my lack of care for finishing non visible, non-critical surfaces. I was already aggravated enough from the difficulty in removing the radius on the inner corner with my humble tools and technique.
I roughed off the nut from the plate with a crown saw then tried to hold it directly in the chuck, but that did not worked, so I just screwed the stud into the nut, placed on the chuck and turned to a moderate press fit. I found no need for a positioning pin in the nut like the original, and I'm very happy with the result and new usability.
It works but is a bit too small for this lathe, as you can see below, I'll juse it somewhere else.
When you add multiple tool holders or want something 'exotic' like a parting off blade holder the cost for a Multifix cost becomes quite high. So when an AXA wedge type (250-111 by the Chinese) became available as a set with 5 different holders at a rock bottom price I took it right away, great deal, it sold out in two days.
I have seen some videos on YT about fitting this tool post to a biggish mini-lathe, but these didn't really convince me. There is one where the guy couldn't remove the original bolt, so sawed and drilled it out!?! Some small lathe shop sells an adapter sleeve that raises the tool post high as skyscraper, that makes no sense to me, so I did it the way that seemed easier and most logical. The set comes with the stud, beefy nut and a square threaded plate.
See where it says stud size M14? No way, that is a 9/16"-18 thread. Also included more set screws that one can use in a lifetime.
Remarkably, the plate thickness is exactly the same as the top slide
It would be silly to discard these and make new ones, so I decided to just make a round nut from the plate. First, the top slid boss is sawed off, took just a minute or so, My lathe has a combo milling column but I didn't had a circular saw wide enough. The real purpose of this picture is to show off the adjusting screws and nuts that I added to the vice. Additionally, the picture has been taken so that doesn't immediately reveal the fact that the moving jaw had snapped off and has been welded together.
To face the top slide and the bore out the existing hole I used the 4 jaws (minus 1) chuck. I have seen videos where no securing wire is used, but better be safe than sorry so I used it.
I suspect that if you take your time with the setup it could be done with the 3 jaws also. I bored hole and shoulder to a size which made sense, and don't remember now. This revealed some casting cavities and my lack of care for finishing non visible, non-critical surfaces. I was already aggravated enough from the difficulty in removing the radius on the inner corner with my humble tools and technique.
I roughed off the nut from the plate with a crown saw then tried to hold it directly in the chuck, but that did not worked, so I just screwed the stud into the nut, placed on the chuck and turned to a moderate press fit. I found no need for a positioning pin in the nut like the original, and I'm very happy with the result and new usability.
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