Quality of Bostar QCTP

joebiplane

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Nov 22, 2010
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Hey guys,

I have decided that I need a QCTP for my 10" Logan 825. I would like an aloris but I will have to win the lottery first.
I have to go with the best price for now and I'm thinking the bostar AXA from CDCO Machinery will be my best bet.
Anyone have experience with the Bostar brand ? I realize that the PHASE II is a reputable china Doll but I am really pinching pennies right now as I have been out of work for six months due to health problem but I am back and I am alive and well just broke for the time being.
any info on Bostar will be appreciated:))
Joebiplane
 
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Joebiplane: Put the AXA on my Atlas and have been very happy with it. I bought the piston type. Didn't know there was a brand name on my QCTP just that I got it from CDCO. When I bought a new Grizzly G4003G It came with a BXA and two tool holders, bought twelve more from CDCO. Hope this helps. Roger
 
Yes the economy Joe. If this helps, I bought a AXA piston yrs back from WT tools for under a hundred bucks for one of my S Bends. Only thing I did was to cover up made in china with black tape. My reason is a china or usa doll is as "puttin Caddilac hub caps on a Chevy" (i wrote that a million times) Light
class lathes with a million dollar tool post -won't make a light lathe into a heavy precision lathe- color me wrong, but even with a cheap piston, its
still quick and even more ridged with a quick change than a lantern. I am not knocking Lanterns but as you get old, the lantern gets irriatating.
But dont throw it away they do have their place.. Again using 100 oct gas in a Model T wont make it Nascar, its overkill .. Oh dont forget if you
do buy one, you probably have to tweak the Tee nut, most are oversized for universal applications to fit all......sam
 
I tend to look at QCTPs as either American Made or Chinese. I have an Aloris on my BXA, but that's only because it came in the package deal when I bought the lathe, used, on Craigs list. I wouldn't be able to justify spending $1500 for an American made QCTP for my hobby shop. I had a chinese AXA piston type that I had bought for my SB9 from Shars tool, that worked just fine. Don't get too caught up in brand names on the chinese ones, they're pretty much all the same. I do think that the wedge type is a better design than the piston type though, having had both, I would spend the extra $20-$30 for a wedge type Chinese offering.

Marcel
 
I just got the Bostar AXA wedge type and it has been fine. They offer piston and wedge for $15 more. Seems people feel the wedge is better. Couldn't see any quality concerns at all.

BTW I don't see the point of getting Aloris as they do the same thing and when tightened down are both stable and steady and point on. Don't see as one would outlast the other.
 
The time is now. The wedge type bostar post and holders are on sale at cdco. It amounts to getting the same product anywhere, but with free shipping. I think that size was $105 plus $20 shipping. They sell elsewhere for $125 plus shipping. Mine seems to be a nice tool fit and finish wise and I did lot's of shopping around. You found the best deal on this unless you find one used. Good luck. I'm off to mount mine up now. Ps, I ordered a set of boring bars and a boring head also and the shipping was an additional$1 each. They were the same china stuff sold elsewhere at a lower price plus almost free shipping. If you have to get other tooling getting it from him at the same time will at least save you on shipping, if not on the tools too.
 
Anyone have experience with the Bostar brand?

Joe,

As much as I would like an Aloris AXA-- or a Dorian or even a Phase II-- they come pretty dear, especially when you start buying the various tool holders. Here's an example: http://littlemachineshop.com/3876.

I opted for the wedge-style Bostar QCTP from http://www.cdcotools.com/ which is usually on sale for under $120 including shipping. For that price you get the tool post assembly including the mounting stud and plate. Also included are two standard tool holders, one boring bar tool holder, a knurling tool, and a cutoff tool holder. Additional tool holders are only about $10.

I had to modify the compound rest on my lathe since it doesn't have a tee-slot, and fabricated a dedicated clamp nut, shown in the accompanying photo with the black knob. (The supplied stud has an SAE bottom thread for the plate or tee-nut, and a 14mmx1.5 top thread for the clamp nut-- go figure.) The tool post is rigid and square to the chuck, and has been worth every penny.

Bostar_QCTP.jpg
 
I waited for an ebay deal for a DTM wedge type BXA tool post, that was the best deal I found. I got it and took it apart, the DTM was much more refined than the phase 2 that we have at work. If you are not in a hurry, wait for something to come up online that is American made. I think that the heat treat for the domestic ones are also better. This is my experience. Tim
 
I have the Bostar AXA wedge style toolpost on my Logan 10", and I like it a lot. It is a perfect fit (tool height-wise) for my 10" Logan. With a 1/2" cutting tool, you can perfectly center the tool to the work, so any cutting tool between 1/4" and 1/2" will work great. Stock up on the reasonably priced tool holders. That's the best part. You will most likely need to reduce the thickness of the T-nut when you go to mount it on your compound. It isn't hardened, so you can use anything to mill or grind it. I used LocTite on it so only the top nut will loosen.

GG
 
I too don't believe that there is enough difference to warrant the cost of the American made QCTP. I have a complete set with extra holders of the BXA wedge style from CDCO and have been using them for several years now with no complaints. You just can't beat their quality for the price.
I have bought quite a lot of tooling from CDCO and Shars over the last few years and for the most part, with no complaints, just can't justify the price of American made tooling for a home hobby shop, just my 2 cents worth.
 
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