hobbymat

Hi

Has anyone any information on a quick change tool post for my md 65 please. I know nothing about lathes ,but allready fed up with looking for shims to get center hight.

Cheers keith.

Keep the shims with each tool, or set up the tools so they don't need shims that's my answer, you need max rigidity rather than high speed tool changing, it's a hobby not an industry.

Ian S C

Thanks Ian. Im using 8mm tools with two hacksaw blades as shims. Need to go through the workshop and find just the right sheet of metal to cut some shims. The ten mm tool I got given I had to grind it down to center hight,

Cheers Keith

Hallo Keith,

I use on my SD 300 / MD 65 a system similar to the folowing

**LINK**

you have to downlod the "Katalog" with download and on page 34 there is Elmars System. My system is similar ,but I do not know where I have bought it. As I remember it was a competitor of him ,but he is out of service.

Proxxon the former dealer in west germany of the hobbymat have a smaller system .

Please look at this **LINK**

Please look to the middle of these page **LINK**

there are universal tool posts.

I have my SD 300 converted to a 3 phase motor with inverter. This was a big step forward in useage. With the fastes gear with 1400 rpm motor and the inverter you can cut threads from M3 without breaking the thread drill.

The lucky sad story was the single phase motor shut down after 35 years of service and that forced me to use rge 3 phase setup.

I hope that help.

Werner

Buy a couple of these and do not be tempted by QCTPs.QCTPs ads flex.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32-Blade-Feeler-Gauge-Set-Metric-Imperial-Measure-Includes-Brass-Blade-Tool/252360667218?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D53530%26meid%3Df04737b3e468491dadd9fd51eb121c1a%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D252360667218&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 12/09/2018 17:15:14

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 12/09/2018 17:17:51

+1 for cheapo feeler gauge sets.

Each tool lives with it's correct shims.

ATB,

Daniel

Thanks chaps.

I think that without changing the topslide design there is little option but to keep shimming. I will keep looking though.

Cheers Keith.

Edited By keith halliday on 12/09/2018 21:03:09

"Band-it" strapping (the metal straps used for packages) are a good source of shim material. Keep a few pieces near your lathe and you can always fine one. You can also glue them to the underside of your cutters for a semi-permanent solution for setting cutter height.

I use old transformer laminations though they may not be so easy to find now.

Bert

I use a Tangential Tool from Eccentric Engineering (advertisement to the right of this page) for the vast majority of my lathework and have done since the very early days of my modelling "career". No shims required and sharpening HSS bits is easy using the jig supplied.

For my small boring bar I made an aluminium carrier which is kept with the bar ready for use.

On the odd occasion I need shims I use metal packaging strapping and, for fine adjustments, cut up drink cans.

Jim

Edited By Jim Nic on 13/09/2018 10:24:45

The best compromise is to attach the coarse shim(s) and retain the last thin shim(s) with each tool. That allows fine adjustment without removing all the shims, should they be stuck on - just change the thin ones if necessary.

At one time, I had two 4-way tool posts which could be quickly interchanged, although there were rarely more than two cutters on either of the tool posts.

If the coarser shim(s) are taken care of, one only needs only a very few fine shims to get to about 0.01mm difference of tool height (which will be different when running depending on sharpness/depth of cut, etc.). Setting a thin, extended cutter will give a different practical height than a short, rigid tool, so some judgement is often necessary.

Compromises are sometimes needed where light duty machines are concerned.

Werner . Very good info on those sites ,still digesting them Thanks.