Cross-slide Lock?

[Andre]

Engine lathes do not have axis locks because they are not needed.

Define "Engine lathe".

My lathe has one, if you clamp the cross slide to the taper attachment but don't clamp the TA to the bed it acts as a decent lock.

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

Define "Engine lathe".

My lathe has one, if you clamp the cross slide to the taper attachment but don't clamp the TA to the bed it acts as a decent lock.

From Merriam-Webster
A screw-cutting lathe equipped with a back-geared cone-driven headstock or with a headstock of the geared-head type.

In other words a general purpose manual lathe.

 

[sanddan]

As Tom said, you can use an existing gib screw as a lock. You can also drill and tap a hole in line with the row of gib screws and add a separate locking screw. If you do this, slip a small ball bearing in the hole and maybe use a small Kipp-type locking lever to lock it - fast, simple and it will work.

I've heard of the ball bearing idea before, is it just to smooth out the screw engagement when tightening or for another purpose? I am changing the lock screw on my PM1340GT and it just came with a setscrew, no ball bearing that I could see. I am using a M8 bolt with the head milled down to use a 3/8" wrench so I can use it with the cross slide DRO scale installed.

 

[mikey]

The ball simply provides a smooth, non-marring way to apply pressure in a focused area so that the screw is not bearing down directly on the gib material. The gib lock on my Emco cross slide is a pointed short rod that fits into a tapered socket in the gib - does the same thing by applying force without moving the gib or marring it. My Criterion boring head also uses ball bearings under each gib screw.