Import BXA toolpost experience

Mine is a piston type and I am very happy.

My PhaseII piston set seems fine.

the imports are "OK" but you can usually get used Aloris for the price of the import - I find that the real thing is much more consistent and stronger - I replaced my import with a real Aloris, and I generally avoid the import holders too unless I find a pile really really cheap -

I have a Phase II piston type from Enco (on sale). I've had to file one genuine Aloris morse taper holder slightly to get it on the dovetail, but other than that, no issues--I've not had any trouble with random import holders off ebay. Any time I've had chatter, it's always ended up being in the carriage or compound, not the toolpost.

Looking at the auction, he used a stock photo, not one of the actual item. That usually makes me wary, but using the _wrong_ stock photo gets me fully on my guard immediately, makes me wonder if he's actually got any to sell at all, or if he's just drop-shipping from some other retailer (for example, it's common to see stuff listed from HF for $10 over their price) or just scamming outright. A 98.2 feedback isn't much to write home about, especially after only 699 auctions--I'd walk away just from that. Lots of dings for late shipment and poor communication. Personally, I think I'd keep looking, especially when there's stuff like items 270414954729 or

CDCOtools.com has a no-name BXA piston style for under a c-note. Enco currently has Phase II on sale, in both piston and wedge--and will actually support you after the sale.

--Glenn Lyford

I had a Phase 2 on y 9" Logan, and an Aloris on my 10" Enco. I could not tell the difference in use, except that the Aloris was a little pickier about toolholder fit. Enco sold the AXA for years for $89.95. Now they are around $150! What's up with that?

I've had NO experience with this seller or his product.

As for import toolposts in general, they vary. I do think the slightly more expensive "wedge" style posts are better than the "piston" style, though a decent "piston" style is probably satisfactory for most HSM uses.

I have imported "Phase-II" wedge posts on two lathes, an AXA on my home

Dan Mitchell ============

I haven't dealt with that seller, but I've seen his eBay ad, and at least one other seller's that say wedge, but the pics show piston style QCTPs.

I have 2 Phase II AXA/100 series sets now (piston and wedge) and the quality is at least very good, if genuine Aloris are exceptionally good.

I bought a cheap piston set from HF made in India (2001, maybe.. because numerous participants in the Yahoo 9x20 lathe group claimed they were great), and it was a horrible piece of crap. Not only were the screws trash, the threaded holes were oversize, and loctite wouldn't help with that. The holders would raise when the cam was drawn tight, and several other faults.

In general, many of the low end products from China or India, have very poorly matched threaded parts. I don't know how they get holes threaded oversize, but they do it a lot. If the holes aren't oversize, they're often poorly aligned.. again, just stupid mistakes with no quality control to reject bad parts.. crooked threads on the end of a rod, for example.

There may be some reliable no-name QCTPs available, but it may take several returns or different purchases to get a good one. My recommendation would be that the Phase II sets are the best that aren't major brand names. I called Phase II directly about a MT3 collet that didn't have the same drawbar thread as the rest of the set, and they gladly sent me the correct one, free.

I've seen some no-brand name tool holders marked with the same numbers that Phase II holders have, from various eBay sellers, and I suspect that they are just copies, especially since the sellers don't state that the parts are genuine Phase II items.

Nor have I.

And I don't see any clues as to where it was made, so metalurgy may be questionable.

I got a Wedge style Phase-II Series 200 (BXA size) many years ago, and aside from the setscrews (which I replaced immediately) the only other complaint is that the hollow screw in the top of the post (which holds on the locking lever collar) tends to occasionally loosen when I need to loosen the mounting nut to adjust the angle when I change the compound angle.

I've recently picked up a used Dorian toolpost (a different version sort of a cross between piston and wedge, with the strength features of the wedge), and it works well with both the genuine Aloris and the Phase-II holders.

When I need/want specialized tool holders, such as the BXA-16N (double sided negative rake insert tool) and the BXA-13 (extended support -- nice for threading close to a live center), I find that eBay prices tend to go up to within about 10% or closer of the MSC new price, so I'll go new under those circumstances.

Indeed so.

Good Luck, DoN.

Do you run into used BXA Aloris posts often?

My Clausing 6903 sports a Genuine Aloris AXA post but that is a bit small given the 3 HP and working varidrive.

I'd love to have a decent used BXA Aloris w/o paying near oem prices. I'm holding off on expanding my tool holder collection based on knowing I'm using a too small post.

Wes

I don't know about him, but *I* don't -- except at insane prices on eBay.

I've seen one really old BXA sized toolpost by Aloris -- made back when they still made piston style toolposts, for about $100.00. This was at Cabin Fever.

I *bought* a used (but in very good condition) Dorian toolpost (BXA sized) for $100.00, and am using that in place of the Phase-II Wedge which I have several years of use on. This one I picked up at a meeting of our local metalworking group -- where at least one member shows up with a lot of used tooling, sometimes something which I can't resist such as the Dorian toolpost.

Yes -- it would be better with a BXA size.

holding off on

I would suggest that you make the initial step by buying the Phase-II wedge style Series 200 (BXA sized) toolpost, and a few of the corresponding holders (plan on replacing the setscrews which hold the tools), and keep waiting for luck with genuine Aloris. This will let you buy genuine Aloris holders as you find them, and use them with the Phase-II toolpost until you get the Genuine Aloris or perhaps (as I did) the Dorian. With the Dorian, I suspect that I will not keep looking for a genuine Aloris toolpost. The Dorian is at least equal quality, if a somewhat different (but just as good) locking system as the wedge style Aloris. Both are *vastly* better than the piston style posts in my opinion.

Some holders from Aloris tend to go used on eBay for prices just a few percent below what MSC sells them for new, so for those, I bite the bullet and buy new. I never felt that strongly about the toolpost itself, once I had the Phase-II working for me on my Clausing, so I collected a good supply of various genuine Aloris tool holders, many used, but a few new. One of the most interesting genuine Aloris used ones which I got was a knurling tool which had two arms sticking out above and below the workpiece which traveled on a vertical dovetail with a leadscrew connecting them -- left hand thread at one end, right hand at the other so the arms remained centered once you set the height correctly the first time. A *lot* better than the bump style, knurlers, even in genuine Aloris. This is a scissors style knurler made the way they *should* have been made from the beginning. :-)

Good Luck, DoN.

I sold a BXA piston type holder, real Aloris, for a little over $100 a few years back, and bought a wedge type for about $50 more - if you are patient you can get the real thing at an OK price, particularly in a used set with a bunch of holders - and even more particularly if the auction starting price is high, or the BIN is about right

Oh, forgot to mench.. I bought one of the "looky like Phase II tool holders", from HHip/eBay IIRC, and it needed a shim of about .012-.015" when put on the old HF/crap QCTP. It was only about $14, so I just kept it, since other previous items from HHip were OK, but I haven't bothered to buy other stuff from that same seller.

I'm going to get a BXA in a wedge soon. I happen to have some aloris and Yuasa holders that were part of the lathe deal. The seller didn't realize they didn't fit.

The Phase II sounds like a good bet. If it doesn't measure up, I send it back until I get a good one.

Darn unexpected expenses are killing me at the moment. Having had a long term job fall out from under me once (bankruptcy), I'm very leary of dipping into savings for something non-essential. One time experiencing a job loss in a bad economy (2001) in a state that has not been doing well was enough for me. My idea of cash reserves moved up 2X after that one and I rode out 8 months of no decent work.

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

That is NOT an Aloris type tool post. That is a Piston post. It is not near as accurate as the Aloris.

A post is a post, but that isn't an Aloris like post.

If he has a knock-off Aloris or made one - why not photograph what he is selling - Cavet emptor let the buyer beware.

Mart> I'm looking at an Aloris wedge type quick change toolpost on eBay. >

Wes -

Remember the A to BXA is height and sqare size. Minimum center might be an issue.

Martin - owner of an Aloris AXA set.

Mart>

holding off on

I took the plunge and ordered the one from Discount_Tools / Shars since the price was comparable and the feedback was 99.8 and he'd sold

RWL

Did you mean "Discount_Machine"? I have a lot of items from SHARS. (Including the AXA toolpost).

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

I have had good luck with Henry (Hip) - nice guy - got my 6 jaw chuck and some other accessories from him at good prices and they are of good quality.

my 12 inch Logan powermatic is right on the border of where the A size should be replaced by the B size - sometimes I regret changing from the A to B sized tool post, particularly when I have to let the holder drop down below the compound to get the tool low enough. - this happens primarily with the parting tool, when I have to cut over about 3/4 inch deep