fitting wedge type qctp to Warco WM240

I want to fit a wedge type qctp to my Warco WM240.

The problem I have is that the existing toolpost stud is pressed into the slide top via a boss. This boss prevents a qctp from sitting down on the compound top and if I machine the boss off I fear that the remaining metal will be to weak.

An alternative would be to machine a recess in the qctp some 22mm dia x 22 deep.

As I have hesitated to buy a new toolpost and find t is no good I wonder if anyone here has done as I propose. Obvious questions are; is there enough meat in these wedge type toolposts and are they too hard to machine?

Could you make a big washer/spacer to fit round the boss for the toolpost to sit on?

I did look at the possibility of using a packing piece but this would raise the new toolpost so much it would prevent me getting the too on centre.

Just machine the boss off the stud until it is below the top slide surface, why do you think doing this will weaken it? I have a WM 290V & when I fitted a wedge type tool post I actually made a new stud.

Tony

You cannot machine out the bore of a wedge type tool-post, there is not enough meat on the central tube that holds it all together. The boss can be machined off or reduced in diameter to fit the tool-post. See Journeyman's Workshop for details of fitting wedge type tool-post to my WM250, it is over a couple of pages as it includes making a a toolpost mount for the cross-slide as well.

John

I feel the boss is part of the compound casting essential for the strength/integrity of the whole and machining it off would leave a very thin section for fitting the stud to.

I fitted a Bison QCTP ( Dickson clone ) to my WM 250V-F, I had to machine the boss off as I had similar problem, plus the original post was smaller than the block so I had to make a new post to fit so far it has worked just fine, getting on for about 7 years now. i still have the original 4 way tool post so if I ever need to use it again all I need to do is make a spacer to fit the 4 way post, not difficult to do.

George.

On both the 280 and gh600 I found that the stud and boss was held in place by a roll pin accessed from.

the underside and hence not part of the casting .

Brian

Is the boss not part of the stud?

Tony

No the boss is part of the casting. When I did my WM250 I had to remove the anti rotation roll pin from the stud / post via underside of the top slide ( you have to remove the top/compound slide on the WM 250 ) then the stud / post will tap out, then you can machine off the casting boss, then make up a new stud / post to suit your new QCTP. Does your WM240 manual not have a page that shows exploded view of the top slide?

George.

Ah the 240 must be different, my WM 290V Warco topslide is flat & the stud had a stepped diameter.

Tony

Thank you gents for your observations which point me in the direction of machining off the boss and making a new stud. Due to my natural caution and inexperience in these matters I am still hesitant despite your various experiences. As your mods have been to larger machines I wonder if they have thicker castings.

I am now trying to find out if a piston type toolpost is capable of being machined out to allow me to retain the boss.

Again, many thanks for your input.

Hi I to have a warco lathe which I have had for a few years prior to it I had a clark lathe and mill and i purchased a qctp for it, I to discovered your problem using it on the warco what I did was to bore the qctp to accommodate the boss on the top slide I also had to alter the 4 recesses to under the qctp to suit the locating pin, I hope this helps. My qctp was from arceurotrade.

Thanks for the response.

Is yours the piston, or wedge type? I have been advised there is insufficient meat in the wedge type to bore out for the boss. Was the qctp hardened and difficult to machine?

As I understand it; & from other posters, it can be bored out but preferably with a carbide insert / tip tool as these QCTP generally have very hard / case hardened skin. Try a file across a corner / edge if it skips it's hardened.

George.

Job done!

Bowed to superior knowledge and machined the boss off and made a new stud. Incidentally the old stud needed an inordinate amount of pressure to remove so I applied some heat and then pressed it out, I suspect there was some epoxy in there.

Thank you one and all.

Jager, I too have a Warco WM240 could you tell me which QCTP you fitted to your lathe as I am not sure which to buy for mine Regards John