A poor early Christmas present.

I thought I would treat myself to an early Christmas present. So I purchased a 10mm square lathe tool set, and four new Myford tool holders off one of the many sellers on the bay. Fist fault. The tools could not be set at centre height so I milled a millimeter of all the tool. Second fault the tool holders would not fit the genuine Myford tool post.

A case of you get what you pay for. The tool holders are boxed up ready for return to the supplier.

You do not stats what type of tool holder or tool post you have? Dickson type ? I presume not myford boat type or 4 way ? Noel.

There are earlier postings regarding the incompatability of toolholders for Quick Change Tool Posts and I have first experience of this. The clue is in the name "Myford", their own toolposts and toolholders are compatable, the rest are variable.

Robert Butler

Edited By Robert Butler on 19/12/2022 10:36:24

I've just had this same experience - My genuine Myford QCTP was bought, direct from Myford, in the 90's. I recently bought a 'Myford-compatible' tool-holder from one of our usual suppliers (of good repute), and it didn't fit - the 'vee-slots' are about 1/16" too shallow. The suppler accepted the return without a quibble, and refunded me. I'd have liked to try deepening the vee's as everything else fitted, but as it's hardened and ground I didn't bother.

Can someone confirm that current genuine Myford holders still fit the old Myford QCTP, before I get myself some for my Xmas present ?

Buying stuff to fit lathes isn't as straightforward as it might be, to say the least of it!

Quick Change Tool Posts can be bought to fit Myford lathes, but there's no guarantee they're accurate copies of the original. And rarely claim to be! I'm not even sure all genuine Myford QCTPs are identical. Thus tool-holders bought with a particular QTCP fit it, but won't necessarily mate properly with another make.

The Myford name is much abused on the web too: sometimes it means 'interchangeable with original Myford components', other times it means 'will fit lathes of about Myford size''. Or even 'people will buy any old rubbish with the Myford name on the packet'. Buying from ebay is always a little risky. Lots of genuine bargains mixed in with disappointments!

The 10mm thing may have been bad luck. Imperial lathes designed to take 3/8" tooling often have enough leeway to fit 10mm tools - but not always! Happens that 10mm metric lathes always take 3/8" tools because they're distinctly smaller - 9.525mm, but that's no consolation for Peter!

Dave

Myford contracted out the making of their QCTP to a fellow in the west country,  they had a W stamped on them. I met him and bought some Myford parts a while ago ! This was when Myford were still ar Beeston. There MAY have been other contractors doing this work as well. Noel.

Edited By noel shelley on 19/12/2022 11:40:56

Generally on the forum we advise against buying 'tool sets' even from the reputable sellers as you end up with half of them never being used, The cheapo sets may use chees as the cutting edge and are never sharp.

The same applies to 'drill sets' from dubious makers though occasionally a gem appears some twist drills have even been reported as untwisting themselves.

Like A&R Precision in Coventry, now gone.

He/AR-Precision produced them again briefly for a while more recently; I bought some off him 3 or 4 years ago.

Unfortunately, they were a loose fit on both my pattern/copy toolposts, as the web which engages on the piston/drawbolt was thinner, so the eccentric went past the maximum camming point; other angles and sizes were OK.
I couldn't really ask for a refund, as my toolpost wasn't original Myford, but he did send me a couple of different drawbolts, with the cross hole in a different place, so I am able to use them.
I have them set up on one face of the toolpost only, and use them for boring bars etc.

I borrowed a genuine Dickson toolholder from a friend of mine, which is a perfect fit on my (Indian??) toolpost(s), and I have also bought a variety of other holders, including the extended ones, which also fit fine; (Wilmot or Piddington, can't remember which now.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 19/12/2022 14:51:10

The original Dickson tool posts were made by Dickson Engineering in Farnham [Surrey] this was in the early 1960's they were eventually taken over or absorbed into the 600 Group, now Dickson tool posts and holders are available from Colchester Lathes, part of the 600 Group but it seems they no longer supply the SO size for small lathes aka Myford size. only from S1 size upwards.

My understanding was that the original Myford tooling was made by Dickson Engineering i.e. those with a W or was it an M ?? but would stand to be corrected. They were and are totally interchangeable with Dickson brand tool post blocks and vice versa -- I have both plus some of those made by A & R who made for Myford Nottingham. I also have some other brands all of which had to be "fettled" to ensure a correct fit.

I also have some purchased from Myford [Nottingham] at the ME show many years ago they were clearly made elsewhere and probably not in the UK? they do fit correctly but they are thicker on the base so take only 3/8" tools.

It is indeed a pity the current makers abroad don't ensure the dimensions & tolerances ensure interchangeability with original tooling !

John

If you are blessed with the foresight to know how many tool holders you may need the I would recommend buying the block and tool holders from the same supplier in one batch. I have a genuine Dickson block and some original holders I have some pattern ones and find that they fit but the cam point varies and the tool height due to the thickness beneath the tool. I am beginning to think it is best to avoid Dickson type QC toolposts as the copies being made today cannot be relied on to meet the tight tolerances for satisfactory performance. For those of us who are already invested in Dickson type then be prepared to return any additional tool holders that are unsatisfactory.

Mike

I just saw one of the larger suppliers of machine tools sell "Genuine" Myford tool holders for £26.25 +vat. What is "genuine" as Myford went to the wall many years ago. Once I get my money refunded I will give them a try. Comparing my genuine stamped with a "W" tool holders with the rubbish I recently purchased, there is no way that 10mm tools would fit due the thickness of material below the tool.

All mine are marked with a 'W' too. They were either bought in person from Myford at Beeston, or from the Myford stand at a subsequent show.

John F - are you suggesting that current Myford toolholders should fit my 1990's toolpost ?

Edited By Bob Unitt 1 on 19/12/2022 18:20:20

Bob Unitt 1

John F - are you suggesting that current Myford toolholders should fit my 1990's toolpost ?

No not at all ! They may do but no g'tee, I purchased a Piddington extended tool holder from them 18 months ago and that was OK with my Original Myford tool post. Cannot vouch for the standard tool holders.

At the same time I ordered a standard parting tool holder from RDG [Myford were out of stock] ---- it did not fit, not even close ! so returned for credit --- strange really when they are in the same stable ?

John

My Myford lathe purchased new in 1997 came with a quick change toolpost manufactured by Bison to the same design as the Dickson toolposts. Some years later I made the mistake of buying some additional toolholders from several suppliers. None of them really fit properly. Fortunately Bison still make the same toolpost and can supply all spares as well as toolholders. I now buy them from R.D. Barrett. The toolholders cost around £45 each and are perfectly made...

I have always considered the Dickson style tool holder to be over constrained. This is because two parallel vee shaped mountings are always going to be fighting each other if there is even the slightest error, damage or contamination and the lack of adjustment for the piston pull in. This all adds up to a holder with poor repeatability of positioning. If I was making my own tool holders to fit one of these tool posts I would only make one vee and leave the other side smooth with a threaded hole for an adjusting screw to allow proper pulling tight by the piston. It would mean you could only use the tool holder in one direction as the vee should be near the cutting point but in favour of making your own would be easier to produce. I would also try putting a gap down the centre of the vee to effectively make it a three point mount on the tool post.

Martin C

everybody has mentioned the second problem of the tool holders not fitting the post. I have a Dickson clone on my lathe, and 14 holders bought from at least four suppliers. One of them doesn't fit - which I discovered sometime later - and two needed a few strokes with a diamond file.

Back to the first problem: why buy 10mm tools for such a small lathe?

I must admit I did initially wonder why you bought 10mm square tools for a lathe of that size, seems a bit of overkill. 6 or 8 would be fine and probably saved you all this agro.

regards, Mike

I bought a few extra that didn't fit. They were not hardened so easy to file... but it does take about 10 mins. So I wouldn't hesitate to get more.

I seem to get lots of stuff that doesn't fit my equipment 'myford' rear tool post holder, r8 collets, chuck jaws. Lots of other stuff that needs fettling - angle plate that wouldn't go to 45 degrees. I just assume it par for the course for being able to get stuff so cheap.

I bought my QCTP from Myford many years ago. I have had to return several pattern tool holders as they did not fit. One of the common faults is that the hole for the height adjusting stud is too close to the rear face of the holder and consequently, the knurled nut fouls the rotating clamp on the block. Some can be jobbed by turning down the knurled nut. Others just wont go on at all, as the angles and clearances of the slot and v's are incompatible.

I took my Myford supplied block to MEX this year and tried the RDG offerings. Slightly tighter than the originals but OK. I bought a couple, may buy some more at another show, after trying them first.