Harbor Freight #42806 QCTP

Buffalo21

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H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Last week I was turning some small diameter stock, I want to use some small 1/4“ tool I had, the tool holders I have, would not hold tools that small. I worked around that with some serious shimming, but never felt secure about it.

Today, I happen on a Harbor Freight #42806, QCTP kit, it list for about $100 and my total cost was less than $30. The kit is designed for a mini lathe and is optimized for 1/4” and 5/16” tooling. I spent a good part of the afternoon, adapting it to my current lathe, a Jet 14 x 40. After I finished it up, I set it up for a 1/4” tool using a 21.51 CCMT carbide insert, and remade the parts I did last week. The parts are better and I feel better for that.

Will use this more than once or twice a year, NO, was it a worthwhile , YES. If nothing else it was a pleasant afternoon in the shop.

1 - the QCTP in use
2 - the rest of the kit224A7CB5-43C6-4DE7-AB90-63B5AF9F43B1.jpegE60C227E-25AC-4436-A67E-DEF2492C8FB8.jpeg3C238F55-93AE-475A-8DF3-BE8073AF7977.jpeg
3 - the normal Dorian
 
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How do you manage to get it down to $30?
I didn't even know they had a tool post kit.
 
It was a returned item, its was $100, less the 20% coupon, less the store manager’s $50 discount for be a used item, sold to me as is, no returns.

I’m not going to lie, is it a great kit on the level of Phase II, Aloris or Dorian, hell NO!!, its made in India, its rough around the edges, but is very solid and functions as intended, for what I use it for. From what I can see, additional tool blocks, would have to be made (maybe another Saturday shop project), I felt the ability to use small tool bits could be a benefit at times, it worked for what iI wanted it for. All of the current tool blocks I have for the Dorian, are either opened up for either 5/8” or 3/4” tooling, and would have require massive shimming, to use a 1/4” lathe tool. Would I recommend this kit??, only if you could examine it fully before you bought it and was willing to either live with, work around or correct the kits rough nature. Again, this maybe a one or two times a year tool, that I use, also looked like a fun afternoon project at very little cost, so I did it.
 
No doubt it's not a perfect tool. I have something similar on my lathe but I don't cut much more than aluminum so it works.
I was just curious since HF is local. For $30 it would have been worth it for the accessories.
It's likely that the tool holders are the same as the ones I have and are interchangeable. That means there'd be replacements out there.
 
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