QCTP

...I was building something that was better suited to a much larger and more powerful lathe than my Logan/Wards 10 x 31 .

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A Multifix tool post had been very satisfactory on my old 10" South Bend, which is too worn and loose for carbide bits. Like a lantern post it rotates (indexes) to position a hand-ground HSS bit in an Armstrong-type tool holder to cut both lengthwise and crosswise, as long as the point angle is less than 80 degrees, since it indexes in 9 degree steps.

I found a second hand Original Swiss size A post with a few holders and added some Chinese tool holders which fit perfectly.

I've seen those in videos , but they cost money ... besides , spending time out in the shop is a Good Thing . Keeps me outta my wife's hair .

I've seen those in videos , but they cost money ... besides , spending time out in the shop is a Good Thing . Keeps me outta my wife's hair .

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Genuine new ones certainly cost, more than I think they are worth, but my second-hand set and the extra Chinese tool holders weren't too bad.

That day I went to the second-hand tool store looking for a dovetail type to replace the lantern post I'd made from a bolt.

If you do much work using multiple tools its definitely worth it. While tool height (depending on your tool post) might not be perfect from use to use, it will be "close enough" if you use proper height settable tool holders. This alone will save you time over stacking shims. Of course there is a basic time savings just from the inherent nature of quick change tool holders on a quick change tool post.

One of the things I see often on the pro snobs machinists groups is guys commenting on and maybe even sneering at the number tool holders hobbyists and home shop machinists have. The thing is I can pick up a boring bar I haven't used in weeks, drop it on the machine, and its set close enough for my one off job.

When I am doing things more production oriented (multiple parts the same) I have all the tools I will need for that job ready to go. Except to change speeds I can run from facing to parting and everything in between without ever shutting off the spindle. I followed this up on the tail stock as well. I have multiple screwless chucks, collet chucks and tapered drill (some in adapter sleeves) so I can slide the tail stock back, swap the tool, and slide it up again very fast. I do use Jacobs style scroll chucks, but I use them like just another tool holder with a tool mounted semi permanently or atleast for the course of that job.

On the flip side if you just enjoy the machining, there is a great deal of pleasure from making your own tool holders, adapters, bushings, as needed. You can make "holders" for tools you might never be able to use in a conventional 4 way tool post. The best part is even your not so great holders will mostly still work. There is a great deal of tolerance in turning tool setups.

Even back in the days when all I had was the little HF 7x10 I found a quick change tool post handy from the first day I used it.

Unless you are getting chatter why can't you use carbide? As long as tool pressure is constant it shouldn't matter.

Unless you are getting chatter why can't you use carbide? As long as tool pressure is constant it shouldn't matter.

----------------- I don't know why carbide chips so easily. Maybe I should have bought C2 instead of C6??

The lathe is worn enough that I have to adjust the gibs for the tightest area and then it's looser elsewhere. I surface-ground the base of the compound which helped a lot but I can't grind the vee ways similarly, and my $100 surface grinder is in worse condition than the lathe. I do have the Machine Tool Reconditioning book and some precision straightedges and squares I found at auctions.

Despite its age and wear the lathe does everything I want it to. Often I make one part to some degree of friction fit with another so creeping up on final size isn't an issue.

The most recent is a type T PVC conduit tee that houses a 50A current shunt. The volt/amp readout is in a small box that swivels on the shortened and grooved central spout. It's one of the power monitors I discussed with Bob Prohaska on alt.energy.homepower.