Wedge to piston holders

[sundown57]

Does anyone know if piston and wedge tool holders are the same? I have a wedge 250-300 tool post and want to buy some more holders for it but most do say if they are for wedge or piston. does it matter?

 

[WhyW8]

I believe the tool holder for either a wedge or piston type QC will interchange, as long as they are the same family line BXA -AXA

 

[great white]

Interchangeable within the same size class. .

 

[benmychree]

I do not think that they are interchagable, for instance, CA will not interchange with CXA. Perhaps consult a Aloris catalog to make certain.

 

[sundown57]

I thought so too. I have a lot of Dorian holders and Dorian wedge post. I bought a piston set and the Dorians only go about 1/2 way down then jam. I think if i just shave a few tho off the face of the holder i can make them fit. Dyken shows thats where the bind.

 

[sundown57]

both the ones I have are the same size. they bind on the 2 ground strips in the front. not on the wedge part. so shaving a bit off that area shouldn't make any difference to its locking ability

 

[benmychree]

My catalog states that AX and AXA are compatible so far as tool holders are concerned, BXA and BX likewise, CXA and CX,; CA, DA, and EA are not interchangable with any others.

 

[pontiac428]

I just clipped this from Dorian's catalog. It's very informational.

 

[MrWhoopee]

You have a 250-300 toolpost, which is a CXA. Any holder with the part no. 250-3xx or CXA will fit. Toolholders for the plunger and wedge style toolposts are the same for a particular size of toolpost.

 

[pontiac428]

The other inference is that Aloris, Phase2, Dorian, and DTM tool holders are all the same within their respective series.

I hate to suggest it, but your tool post is probably out of spec for this series of tool post. It's a shame to take an expensive holder and alter it to fit your post and only your post. Hopefully you are thinking about altering the post only. Otherwise, I'd search for an import wedge type post. By design, they won't have that problem, and the clamping force will be better distributed. Piston posts do work, but they depend on the fit of the dovetail on each and every holder. Wedge posts can tolerate a range of fits when using holders from different manufacturers and so on. I don't really know why the market still provides piston posts, there must be a demand for paying a little less than a wedge post in spite of the evidence in favor of the better design.