Metal Lathe: Difference between revisions

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=== 9x20 Mods and Off Site Links ===
=== 9x20 Mods and Off Site Links ===
Here are some important mods to consider for the Chinese 9x20 lathes. These will help it run smoothly and accurately, improve the cut, and improve its overall usability.
[[Image:9x20_QCTP.jpg|thumb|QCTP, Courtesy [http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2271&category=-419988835 LittleMachineShop]]][[Image:9x20_screw.jpg|thumb|The screw kit, courtesy [http://www.harrisson.biz/ Sonny Harrison]]][[Image:9x20_wheel.jpg|thumb|Larger Crosslide Handwheel, courtesy [http://www.bedair.org/9x20.html Steve Bedair]]]The 9x20 can be a great machine, or a huge frustration. It is important to go through the cleaning, lubrication, and set up procedures described on the Yahoo group manuals (see bellow). Here are some important mods to consider which will help your lathe run smoothly and accurately, improve the cut, and improve its overall usability.
   
   
# '''Four bolt compound clamp'''. This is the very first mod that should be done. Places to purchase are: [http://www.alansmachineworks.com alansmachineworks.com] and Sonny Harrisson machinery (''Sonny's website is coming''). 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. (''Sonny's website is coming'')
# 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.
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).


'''An excellent resource for information on the Chinese 9"x2" lathes can be found on Yahoo groups'''. The file sections include entire manuals, as well as through cleaning procedure, and various modifications and improvements:
'''An excellent resource for information on the Chinese 9"x2" lathes can be found on Yahoo groups'''. The file sections include entire manuals, as well as through cleaning procedure, and various modifications and improvements: