universal pillar tool long arm castings

Hi.

Does anyone know of a source for, or perhaps have a spare set of, the castings for the longer arm version of the UPT?

Hemingway don't do them, and buying them from Martin Model in the US results in some eye watering costs, mainly due to postage charges.

I've seen a build somewhere which fabricated some using cast pipe fittings, but I thought maybe finding a more local source of the castings might be an easier route....

Thanks,

Youra.

Reeves?

Sadly not....

If you are thinking of building a 6” throat version …

Why not adapt a bench-top pillar drill ?

It could be much cheaper, and significantly stiffer.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/08/2021 19:38:28

This article appeared in MEW, don't know where, don't no when but it did.

Robert Butler

Cast iron square bar could be a substitute, depending on how much trouble you want to go to is could pass for a casting after much work

Mike

I've already built and use the standard version, just occasionally need slightly more reach....

Mike,

That's actually a smashing idea in this situation, don't really need it to pass for a casting, but might turn away some of the excess between the two ends.

.

Aha … I didn’t know that ^^^

MichaelG.

Why would you make a homemade workshop tool look like a casting??

When I've made a slightly larger version at work, I've made the column from 30mm en8 and the arms from 1&1/2 X 2 inch steel bar. Mind you, I work in agriculture and the old saying is "near enough for farm work".

Regards

Sorry but I thought that the idea behind GHTs Upt was the fact that it was for model makers. If you want bigger use a run of the mill drilling machine, it will also have a decent size column.

Easy answer - to make it look prettier.

Before you choke please remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, I don't need enormous rigidity - I'm a clockmaker and use mine for bushing and staking purposes, so little in any side forces during use.

Making the arms pretty is a secondary concern, although them not being actively painful to look at is of course a plus

Using a nicely made and finished tool is always more of a pleasure than using a poorly finished one...

Y.

You could always make a cranked column. Couple of bits of PGMS and some 1 1/4 by 3/4" bar. Bore holes to suit the column, Loctite the whole to together and saw away the waste. Bit like a gap bed lathe. You only need to accomodate clockplates as you say and that way you can use all the fittings from your existing pillar tool.

How about that for thinking outside the box.

regards Martin

Martin

Genius idea!

I even have a bed like that for my little 8mm Boley watchmaker's lathe - maintaining of alignment is effectively built in, and it avoids having to make any more of those fiddly little clamping handles!

Youra.