Metal Lathe: Difference between revisions

Line 26: Line 26:
# '''Four bolt compound clamp'''. This is the very first mod that should be done. Places to purchase are: [http://www.alansmachineworks.com alansmachineworks.com], [http://www.harrisson.biz/ Sonny Harrison Machinery], and [http://www.littlemachineshop.com Little Machine Shop]. It is also covered in the mod manuals in the Yahoo groups listed bellow, should you want to tackle it yourself.
# '''Four bolt compound clamp'''. This is the very first mod that should be done. Places to purchase are: [http://www.alansmachineworks.com alansmachineworks.com], [http://www.harrisson.biz/ Sonny Harrison Machinery], and [http://www.littlemachineshop.com Little Machine Shop]. It is also covered in the mod manuals in the Yahoo groups listed bellow, should you want to tackle it yourself.
# '''Get a Quick Change Tool Post''' (QCTP). This is a nice time saver. It eliminates the need for shimming individual tool bits, and enables you to use a 6" straight piece of square stock as a rest for the use of wood turning tools. Available where you got your lathe, or many on-line shops. A few of them are: [http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=-419988835 Little Machine Shop], [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39083 Harbor Freight], [http://www.grizzly.com/products/g5689 Grizzly]
# '''Get a Quick Change Tool Post''' (QCTP). This is a nice time saver. It eliminates the need for shimming individual tool bits, and enables you to use a 6" straight piece of square stock as a rest for the use of wood turning tools. Available where you got your lathe, or many on-line shops. A few of them are: [http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=-419988835 Little Machine Shop], [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39083 Harbor Freight], [http://www.grizzly.com/products/g5689 Grizzly]
# '''The screw kit from Sonny Harrisson''': This kit changes the lead screw in the compound from 5/16" to 7/16", and eliminates a lot of backlash. (''Sonny's website is coming'')
# '''The screw kit from Sonny Harrisson''': This kit changes the lead screw in the compound from 5/16" to 7/16", and eliminates a lot of backlash. [http://www.harrisson.biz/ Sonny's website.]
# Convert your tail stock to camlock-operation. This mod eliminates the need for using a wrench and allows adjusting the tail stock position by an easy lever action. See [http://www.alansmachineworks.com alansmachineworks.com], or the instructions for mods listed in the files section of the Yahoo groups if you want to do this mod yourself.
# '''Convert your tail stock to camlock-operation'''. This mod eliminates the need for using a wrench and allows adjusting the tail stock position by an easy lever action. See [http://www.alansmachineworks.com alansmachineworks.com], or the instructions for mods listed in the files section of the Yahoo groups if you want to do this mod yourself.
#If you do a lot of facing work you will appreciate a larger cross slide handwheel. The stock handwheel is a little less than 2 3/8" OD. Increasing the OD to 3 1/8". The larger handwheel shown was turned from 1/2" aluminum plate and is actually just pressed over the original handwheel. Easy to build and really helps.  
#'''Larger Cross Slide Handwheel''': If you do a lot of facing work you will appreciate a larger cross slide handwheel. The stock handwheel is a little less than 2 3/8" OD. Increasing the OD to 3 1/8". The larger handwheel shown was turned from 1/2" aluminum plate and is actually just pressed over the original handwheel. Easy to build and really helps.  


The headstock on the 9x20 uses a #3 Morse taper. This can accommodate a Jacobs chuck, which can be handy for certain operations, especially with the use of a keyless Jacobs chuck (no more hunting for the chuck key).
The headstock on the 9x20 uses a #3 Morse taper. This can accommodate a Jacobs chuck, which can be handy for certain operations, especially with the use of a keyless Jacobs chuck (no more hunting for the chuck key).