Don't try this at home - a t-slotted slide for mini-lathes

Brian, I have started a new thread for your gibstrip question here

Pity I don't have a picture handy of my Myford ML7 boring the high pressure cylinder for my Leak compound. It was mounted on the faceplate with a sacrificial aluminium plate in between. The casting just cleared the bed, by not much more than an eighth of an inch. It did a great job, the bore is round and parallel to the limits I can measure, (eg about 1 thou) which is plenty good enough for a steam engine. The bore is three inches diameter and about five long, so there was quite a good overhang from the spindle bearings, which are only white metal. I kept the speed down, because the balance was no perfect and anyway the boring tool wears out halfway through the cut if you overdo the cutting speed.

John

Its a shame that the images alluded to as the title of the article states are not shown, the images shown only mean others may try what you have NOT shown.

A good article all the same showing we all make mistakes even Pro's and I have seen some whoppers from qualified men in my time in many trades including myself.

As you say if its all you have at hand and it gets the job done its worked.

Well this is the 'missing' picture. I'm not sure two M6 cap-heads were really sufficient to hold the block like that

So please don't copy...

Neil

I use M6 screws for fixing Neil - hi tensile of course but all thread too at times. All I would add to that set up is do make sure the work is balanced, which it's likely to be in this case, and also ensure that the screws are resting up against the T slots in the right way to make sure they are in shear as far as the cutting forces are concerned.

Machine like this wont take very heavy cuts at this sort of effective radius so some care will be needed in that respect.

I would be inclined to also use all thread too through the spindle. Ideally bushed at each end to keep it very close on centre. It's not so useful clamped up at an angle. I found this a useful add on for a Taig/Peatol in it's own right but in this case it will help make sure that the work doesn't slip and whack the bed and etc.

As I'd guess you might know in cast iron bsw would probably make a better fixing. Almost certainly so when al is being held like this.

John

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> when al is being held like this

That's cast iron...

Neil

I did realise that. Just pointing out that M threads aren't what might be called ideal for al.

John

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