WTB: EMCO Compact 5 PC parts

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The 'PC' in your subject line, but not in the description in the body, suggests that this is the later CNC version -- the one which uses a PC as the controller, instead of having it built in, as in my Compact-5/CNC.

The toolpost and holders which came with mine (and which have been augmented by some from eBay auctions) happen to be identical to some sold for Myfords, IIRC. There actually were two styles, sufficiently different so none of the parts were interchangeable.

The one which I have has a T-slot centrally located between two female 'V's (on the tool holder), and the T-slot is engaged by a cam-operated T-head on the toolpost. This is the style which I have seen offered for Myfords. I think that the maker in England is "Dickson" or "Dickenson", but I could be wrong.

The other style is similar, but the T-slot is not centrally located, but rather offset towards one of the 'V's, and the matching T-nut is pulled in by a screw which passes through the body of the toolpost, and is operated by a wrench on the heads of the bolts. (Both of these toolposts have two positions in which the tool holders can be mounted -- one proper for turning the OD of a workpiece, and the other proper for boring and facing.

In either case, the center-to-center spacing of the two 'V's is critical, if you are making holders to fit an existing toolpost.

You can also get tailstocks and other accessories from eBay vendors from time to time -- just watch it for a while.

Note that the toolpost described is *only* for the CNC version without a compound. I've never seen a manual version (just photos), and am not sure how different the toolpost and holder may be for that version.

By "inside chuck jaws", do you mean the ones which are most commonly fitted to the chuck, which can grip the ID of tubing by expanding outward, or grip normal round stock? Or do you mean the reversed ones, which grip larger stock on the jaw steps?

Come to think of it -- there are two styles of 3-jaw chucks for the Compact-5.

One is like the chucks found on larger machines, with two sets of jaws (inside and outside), plus possibly a set of soft jaws which can be bored for specialized workholding.

The other style, which is what came with my machine, uses a key akin to that for a Jacobs drill chuck, with the gearing engaging a set of gear teeth on the OD back of the scroll plate, exposed to the outside of the chuck. This style happens to have reversible jaws. Crank them all the way out, and look at the teeth in the backs of the jaws to enaged the scroll plate. In normal chuck jaws, they look like this from the bottom:

[ (( (( (( (( (( >

while in this style of chuck, they look like this:

[ () () () () () >

allowing the scroll plate to drive them either way around. Note that the jaws have to be inserted in reverse order (3, 2, 1) when reversed to center well.

I have never seen just the jaws on eBay (and if I did, I would snatch up a set for my second (and more worn chuck) of the first style).

But I *have* seen auctions for the entire chuck of the first style, with two sets of jaws (normal and reverse) *plus* a set of unused soft jaws. The first of these auctions, I bid on and won the complete chuck. I have since seen a couple of others brought to auction. Note that these are *not* cheap. :-(

I have also seen a set of soft jaws sold separately. You could get such a set, and bore them to make the reverse jaws you are looking for -- even though they are not hardened, they could serve well.

Finally -- could you *please* turn off the HTML in your postings? I have modified the HTML from your posting below so it will not be recognized as HTML by your newsreader, and so you will see what the rest of us (who prefer to use non-HTML-capable newsreaders for the greater security the offer) see every time you post.

My changes were:

1) Replace every '>' with '}' (except those added by the quoting process.

2) Replace every '

Yes this is the later version of the Compact-5 CNC. It will import DXF files directly, also can program the nc file from Mastercam just like my large cnc machines.

The t-nut off-center is the style mine has. I would have no problem making them with my CNC wire edm if I had a print. Emco no longer sells them.

Yes this is the ones, mine has the outside jaws for gripping larger stock but they don't give much support when gripping smaller pieces, also the other stepped segemts don't allow me to get closer to chuck. This Emco chuck is like larger chucks on my other lathes. Emco still stocks the jaws at around $140.00 a pop!

Thanks for your reply Danny

Danny; My last post may not have been sent. I do not have time to measure and draw; but photos may help you. Check out:

Danny; I do not have time to measure and make drawings; but photos may help you. Se at:

Danny; Try:

O.K. Certainly an advantage over my Compact-5/CNC, which I normally program by hand.

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O.K. The CNC wire edm would certainly hold the precision needed, though I suspect that they were made with a horizontal mill, with the spacing between the two 'V' set by spacers, and the center groove of the 'T'-slot cut at the same pass.

Unfortunately, I don't have any of this style -- just the sketches in the shop manual, which are dimension-free.

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So -- you have the exact opposite of what I have, then. Maybe your best bet is a set of the soft jaws, which you could turn to the needed profile. Keep watching eBay with a search for Compact-5.

They are very nice chucks. You should try the price of the

4-jaw universal chuck -- which I got thinking that I was ordering the independent 4-jaw. :-)

And thank *you* for turning off the HTML.

Hopefully, someone else here has an example of the offset T-slot style, and can give you measurements. Of course, most of the dimensions are not really critical -- just the placement of the 'V's, and the T-slot dimensions.

If all else failed, you could design your own and make the dimensions whatever is convenient for you.

Best of luck, DoN.

Sorry for the multiple posts. My news reader is acting up. Jim