BH600G + T2 Dixon

Sorry everyone, it should be Dickson not Dixon - Duh

Three score plus nine and a half years is my excuse, today at least.

After after further thought havee decided to make a new T-nut and stud

Geoff - 13months of winter so far, Radio 4 yesterday!

Hi Geoff

Read your first post, found you photos ( but find them a bit small for my threescore years and nearly nine eyes). I was going to suggest that you made another T-Nut and stud but then I see from your second post that you have already reached that decision. As usual I'm superflous!

Good luck!

Norman

Topslide T slot looks a bit on the slender side so it would be advisable to go for full engagement of Tee nut in both slots to reduce the chance of deforming the slide. My Dickson 2T and quality clone posts have a circular recess in the base which would let you use a threaded ring to lock the stud in place rather than simply tensioning up via the nut.

My posts also have a thru' hole for, presumably, an indexing pin. If you have vertical room consider making the aforementioned threaded collar stepped with a lower section diameter the same as the toolpost across flats dimension. This larger diameter could be drilled with suitable indexing holes so the post could be rapidly set back square to the axis for parting off if you need to work with it at an angle for access or other reasons. Thickness of around 6 mm, 1/4" should do fine. That task is on my the "get-a-roundtuit" list for my Smart & Brown 1024VSL. My top-slide normally lives at 25° angle off ready for screw-cutting so three index holes will do me just fine.

Clive

Hi Geoff,

OT but do you have any details/photos etc of how you did the conversion on your up and over door, have been thinking about something like that on one of my garage doors.

thanks

Graeme

A quick look at 2 supplier's T2 QCTP don't show the 'sleeve'. On that 4-way there is a click stop so that you can rotate it on that lower disc and later return to the same tool and have a reasonable chance of getting back to the same position for repeat jobs (though not perhaps super accurate) . The QCTP doesn't need this so much as the block is mostly fixed and the holders change except for set over screwcutting.

I suggest you can get away without that it but think about how often you will spin the block and if returning to the same registration is reliable and necessary.

(BTW do you want to sell that 4-way block?)

Edited By Bazyle on 27/03/2013 20:18:27

You superfluous? Never ever !

Dennis

Graeme,

I've put more photos up in another folder - Garage Door Conversion

Clive & Bazyle

More photos added with descriptions.

Hope they make sense, but shout if not.

Will have another think about the nut.

Good points raised

Cheers guys.

Geoff - Relaxing today

Edited By OuBallie on 28/03/2013 16:14:26

Geoff,
I suggest you keep the t-nut, make a new post that is a close fit in the sleeve and threaded at he bottom to fit the nut. I don't see that the sleeve is necessary and you could make a thicker post. The current top clamp probably won't fit as it looks a larger thread than will fit the new post.
Not essential but to stop the nut moving when the clamp is released to rotate the block make a couple of grub screw holes in the nut to push it up into the T. It would be better, and not difficult to make a new nut so that you could make it with a shoulder to locate in the slot part.
It might be worth looking carefully to see if the spring detent can be used by making slots in the QCTP block to match the 4-way.

By the way that R clip in the spring looks like a disaster waiting to catch someone after you move/pass away. I would put a twenty foot rope through it and give it a yank from down the street..

Good pointer Bazyle, thanks!

Will attach a red note to the spring assembly with a red streamer ala aircraft practice.

Decided to make a new T nut and not use the sleeve, so that the stud can be thicker as you mentioned.

The QC is hardened, so won't be putting slots in it.

Not too worried about aligning, as I intend milling a new T-slot in the rear of the cross-slide and fitting another QC there, for parting & chamfering etc

Geoff - There's that big bright thing in the sky again!

Interesting to see that your 2 station toolpost has a flat base and no indexing pin hole. My 3 station ones, both Dickson and Rapid (high quality Italian made clone), have a circular recess around 1/4 inch deep by 1 1/2 inch (ish) diameter in the centre and indexing pin holes. This lack of central support has resulted in slight distortion of the mounting faces on the top-slides of my Smart & Brown 1024 VSL and Pratt & Whitney 12 x 30 model B lathes. The S&B has a plain top and the P&W a tee slot. Both are, ahem, "somewhat robustly made" but still not completely proof against the attentions of "Heave it up tight, real tight!" Harry along with his depressingly numerous fans and imitators.

Pity no one told ol' Harry that a thin card / stiff paper washer or alloy disk betwixt slide and post ensures ample holding power at quite modest tightening torque. Actually I'm somewhat surprised that a suitable alloy disk or three was not supplied as standard with the toolpost. The tool is, inevitably, considerably offset from the central clamping stud. Cutting forces put a twisting action on the toolpost so the greater the separation the greater the mechanical advantage and the more likely things are to shift. One reason why I'm ambivalent about QC systems.

Clive

Clive,

Thanks for reminding me about the card trick, something I had completely forgotten about.

My first use of a Dickson was with my V10P and was converted, hence fitting one on the BH600.

Bazyl,

i will be holding on to the 4-way for the time being, but will let you know if I change my mind.

Geoff - Light snow, well it is still March

Thanks Gray.

The ML7 title meant I didn't bother looking there, but have now done so.

Geoff - Snow flurries

Do not know if you have seen this but Antony Mount did series of useful modifications to his Warco 600 serialised in one of the ME magazines.

Paul

Yes I have Paul, thanks.

Photocopied the whole series from my magazines.

That's where I found out about the extra T-slot.

Was going to do the clutch, but fitted the VFD instead, with absolutely no regret.

Don't know yet what other mods I will do, but one thing I must sort out is the oil weeping from the headstock oil sight glasses.

They loose all the oil over a 10 day period, but the previous owner did warn me about that, but haven't removed them yet to check why.

I will see how I get on with the lathe before making any further changes.

Geoff - Trying to decide what to do next

.

T-nut done!

It's the full length of the topslide T-slot, as suggested by Clive Foster.

The Boxford shaper performed its magic, with smoking chips flying of the work piece, so I will need to make some deflector/s to stop them and get them to fall onto the tray. Must think up a universal design to be able to use the deflector/s on the milling machines, lathe and drilling machine.

I now, however, need more advise please, with regards the Toolpost post/stud.

Do I do as the original and have it screw into the new T-nut, or can I just weld it in?

Plug weld on the underside and maybe chamfer the top and weld there as well, don't know.

I will not use the sleeve that came with the Toolpost, so can make a thicker post/stud.

Welding will save having to use tap and die.

Clive,

I'm struggling to visualize your description for indexing the Dickson, so would appreciate a sketch or whatever please.

Geoff - Burger & chips time.

It's done!

Photos added.

The last time I did anything on a lathe was in the mid 1980s, and oh man has it been an awakening.

Things that have been brought home with a wallop;

1) Everything is taking 3-4 times longer than expected,

2) Silly mistakes due to lack of practice, like me winding the saddle in the wrong direction, as I've posted about,

3) Attempting to use a totally wrong method to put a thread on the Toolpost stud,

4) Having to measure and check 3-5 times before putting cutting tool to metal or wood,

5) It is still, however, so so satisfying to do something useful, and have friends marvel at it (The Toolpost hold down nut in question)

6) I'm not going to finish a quarter of the projects I have planned, and that is a bummer!

7) With luck and perseverance, however, things should improve from now on as my previous experience comes to the fore.

Must admit that the BH600G is so much better at removing metal compared to the Emco V10P I had, and the VFD means that I will no longer make a clutch for it.

These last weeks have brought back memories of me when I first started to use the Emco, and not knowing what I was doing.

Parting off is one thing that has changed dramatically, and now no longer the nightmare it was.

With the QC fitted, I may postpone making a rear Toolpost, and concentrate on getting my drawers organized and labelled [tools drawers that is ].

Right now I have absolutely no idea which one holds what, and I'm sick and tired of having to look through each bl**dy one to find anything.

Geoff - A happy bunny.

Forgot to add that I will be placing a card washer under the QC, and will probably have to take a scrim off of the hold down nut to get the handle into a more convenient position.

8) I drilled and tapped the hold down nut for the handle, even thought I told myself beforehand to wait until it was fitted - DUH!

Edited By OuBallie on 17/05/2013 19:09:58

New handle fitted and a 'key' made.

Setting the QC up, memories came flooding back as to why I soon bought one for my first lathe!

The total ease in setting tool bit height and swapping tool holders the reason.

I soon, however, found that a proper 'key' was preferable to using a combination spanner to swap tool holders.

The correct 3/8th keys on eBay are an eye watering £24.00, so decided I could make one, so hunted for a solution, but not knowing what size of cap head set screw has a 3/8th hex, decided to use a box spanner instead, with suitable handle fitted.

The DIY 'key' works fine as is, but will give it time to see how I get on with it.

I did make an attempt at an indexing base for the QC, but although my first try proved the concept, my lack of precision at machining at present means that it's headed for the 'Re-use' bin. Well it has been 30 odd years since using a lathe and my first using a shaper.

Photos uploaded. Still cannot find a way of including photos with the post using my iPad.

After hefting the 4-jaw chuck on and off of the spindle a few times, some sort of hoist to handle it is now top of my project list, as changing chucks will soon become a chore.

Thinking of using a length of Unistrut channel, with open end facing down, with a trolley running on the leg inturned uprights (if that makes sense), with block and tackle attached, however, I would appreciate any ideas please. Photos will follow.

Geoff - Thoroughly enjoying the warmth and sunshine. At last says I!