Boxford 280 (x10) Rapid Original Tool Post

Hi, I have a Boxford 280 with a Rapid Original Tool Post Type L.

All my questions about which tool holders fit this tool post have come up negative, does anyone know any sub £50 tool holders which fit?

Thanks

Ah, you weren't asking the right people

It should take S1/T1 tool holders - 73mm x 44mm.

The minimum quality I would use are Bison, £66.20 inc vat each from Rotagrip.

**LINK**

I personally used the RDG '20mm' variant, named so as it takes upto 20mm tools. They are better than half the price other brands are work fine for me. You can feel how well they sit on the toolpost when you tighten the cam up.

I would stay away from cheaper 16mm holders - I bought some and you can nearly mark them with your fingernail.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDG-TOOLS-T1-HOLDER-20MM-CAPACITY-QUICKCHANGE-TOOLPOST-QUICK-CHANGE-ENGINEERING/371551492707?epid=1157895265&hash=item568231da63:g:U20AAOSwq7JT5N5V

Nick

GFB are the current makers of Rapid tool posts **LINK** . Best download the catalogue to check dimensions because they don't currently list a size L. Smallest listed is M and appears to be same as Dickson S1 / T1. However M size has three toolholder stations whilst the only pictures I've seen of L size have only two stations. So number of stations may be the difference rather than size.

Consensus seems to be that good quality Dickson clone holders fit but my experience with the larger Type A is that the thickness of the height setting collar and its corresponding slot in the toolpost locking device vary between makes by up to 20 thou. In my collection Rapid is thinnest. Minor machining or file job to sort.

Clive.

Many thanks, yes I have found the GFB site and catalogue, as you say they don't list the L any more. (It does only have two stations) I did ask RDG and they said their tool holders didn't fit, maybe thinking of another Rapid model.

As I have some money in my PP account I will splash some on an RDG and see

The RDG toolholders will not fit the Boxford toolpost. But they are very close to doing so. The dimensions of the angled faces are such that they will mate correctly, but the problem in fitting as expected is caused by two differences: the dimensions of the clamping flange, which engages in the tee slot of the holders, and the amount of eccentricity of the rotating cam operated by the socket spanner. Boxford make theirs to tighter tolerances and their eccentricity is about 0,5mm, giving rise to greater clamping for the same applied torque on the socket spanner. The RDG ones have about 1mm of eccentricity, enabling slacker tolerances and hence cheaper manufacture.

It is possible to modify the Boxford toolpost to accept RDG toolholders by grinding a bit more off the cam to give about 1mm of eccentricity, coupled with removing a small amount of material off the mating face of the clamping flanges if required. Note that these parts are hardened and once you've taken the material off, it's not too easy to put it back on.

Probably your best bet is to sell the Rapid toolpost and any holders and buy a complete RDTG set (Usual disclaimer). I kept mine and adapted it as above for use on my Myford Super 7 - so I could use the same tools for each lathe. I wrote an article in ME about it a little while ago.

Many thanks for all your input.

I bought one from RDG as Nick suggested, a little relieving in two places with a diamond file. To the face which the clamp pulls against and taking the edge off which touches the adjuster collar holder on the cam has it fitting nicely.