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tool post suggestions

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robert102653

Aluminum
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Location
wilmington nc
i am almost ready to put my 1947 south bend model 9A back together. i need to dip the bed one more time in fresh Zep cause the last stuff was a bit too worn out. I guess from all the other parts lol. I have never seen a machine so abused as this one was, but now I have all the parts I need to get it running. There are a few I'd like to have but they are in the category of " would be nice to have" not necessities. Now to my next big question. What do you folks suggest I use for a tool holder / post? I know that the aloris is a good brand but wow what prices. I don't exactly want to cheap out but some of those cost more than my lathe. Is the AXA brand any good ? Anyway, you know what I am asking so I will just post some progress pics and shut the hell up:)
P1030647.jpgP1030633.jpgP1030645.jpgP1030644.jpg
 
Ok Robert

First, congrats on the machine, and it's coming along nicely as your pics depict. I have seen worse samples of worn out machines, so I think you are fine.

So, AXA is not a brand, but a size. It is the correct size for your machine though, so DO get AXA size tool post and holders.

Now, you have a bunch of options.

One- Hold out, and keep your eyes peeled for good deals on Aloris, DTM, Dorian, KDK... And others. Yes, this does happen.

Two- get Chinese cheapies now, and upgrade the tool post later (yes, this works), and even swap out your holders as you can afford to or get lucky.

Three- Get a high-end Asian set like phase Ii or something.

Four- just get the cheapie Chinese set and be happy forever. Many people do that too.


I went with option 1 and 2. I tried to hold out, and slowly started to build up some pieces, and then got lucky and replaced the post with a nice DTM, and then kept swapping in good holders. The Asian holders are almost all fine anyway.

What part of the country are you?

Bernie
 
AXA is a size. AXA (or 100) is the smallest common size of this type of holder, with I think a half inch tool capacity. BXA (200) is 3/4", and CXA (300) is one inch I believe. The corresponding tool holders would be marked AXA 101, 102, 103 for the different styles, BXA 201,202 etc. Haven't played with an Aloris style holder in a while so I don't remember the specific holder types or capacities.

Edit: I type slow.
 
You can find what you need at Tools4Cheap.com Good prices and good service. Don't get the piston type post. Go for the wedge. I have had good results with the tangential tool holder advertised in Home Shop Machinist. Regards, Clark
 
Being a novice at machining I did try recently to use the four way tool post with shims etc etc. My relationship with that lasted about 30 minutes before I decided to get an AXA of some sort.

Actually, there is no Australian distributor for Phase II so I contacted them directly (in China) and, you guessed it, it was cheaper to buy from Enco in the US and get it shipped here than to get it direct. Weird old world eh.

So, they arrived about two days ago. They look pretty good. I've not used them yet as I have yet to get the plate machined down to fit the SB, but they have a smack of higher quality about them than I have seen from some chinese stuff. Enco had them for $185 US. I got some additional tool holders from ebay to go with it that, for $13 each look pretty darn good.
 
thanks for all the suggestions. tomorrow I will take the bed out of solution and i might even get to paint the thing:) i am also soaking for the second time the counter-shaft parts as well. so maybe those will get painted as well, and I will weld up the broken handle on the counter-shaft adjuster handle. i liked best the multi fix style of the tool post holders but i am pretty sure i cant afford those so i will get some kind of wedge system chi com knockoff. Oh well money is money. and i need my lathe running a.s.a.p. I've got things to do and bolts and spacers to make:)
 
What others said: Just get a wedge style Phase 2 AXA on sale from Enco with 5 or six holders (whatever the package deal is these days, usually well under $200 & usually free shipping with the right code). Consider getting a few extra holders, and start machining.

While the holders themselves are not as nicely machined in the tool slot as Aloris, the only thing actually wrong with them is the cheap soft set screws. They are metric (or at least were when i bought mine 10 years ago). So use the correct metric key, and just buy a box of the screws online or at a local jobber that are correctly made and hardened. Replace as the OEM's cam out. Well, the other thing you might have to do on some, is correctly finsish setting the height adjustment screw in the holder so it does not unscrew when the nuts are being adjusted.

smt
 
A wedge-type, AXA size tool post is a great addition to lathe operation. I have 3 South Bend lathes and have Phase II posts for two of them. BUT the real estate between the headstock, carriage, and tail stock is a little tight on the 9 and 10 inch lathes and I hope your lathe came with the standard "old" lantern tool post and that you haven't thrown away that tooling. There are jobs that will come up that are virtually impossible accomplish with an AXA tool post sitting in the middle of that real estate. The biggest problem seems to come from clashes between the post body and the tailstock and tailstock ram.

In fact, if you do have the lantern post and associated tooling, you can relax about your quest for the AXA tool post since you can accomplish anything with the old tooling that you can do with the AXA tool post. It's just that sometimes it takes a bit longer with the old style tooling if you're doing a job which requires several tool changes. I ran my lathes quite successfully for almost 50 years with lantern post tooling.
 
Winterfalke said:
AXA is a size. AXA (or 100) is the smallest common size of this type of holder, with I think a half inch tool capacity. BXA (200) is 3/4", and CXA (300) is one inch I believe. The corresponding tool holders would be marked AXA 101, 102, 103 for the different styles, BXA 201,202 etc. Haven't played with an Aloris style holder in a while so I don't remember the specific holder types or capacities.

Edit: I type slow.
Click to expand...

Can an AXA tool post use the BxA 200 tool holders?
 
My Aloris is more repeatable and smoother than my Phase II. But...the Phase II is OK, and as I use it more, it's breaking in so that it's both smoother and more repeatable. I'd still love to have a BXA-size Aloris if I can find one cheap, though.

John
 
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