Mounting a tracer attachment

[wildo]

Hi,

I have been given what I believe is a Hepworth tracer. I haven't used one before, so I would like to get some input on how it should be mounted on the monarch 14C. The monarch's cross slide is quite short, and I think to get reasonable support under the tracer the main tool post/compound would be right close to the tracer tool post.

I am thinking making a sub plate for it might be the go... or its own dovetailed cross slide mount? Not sure. I would like to have it reasonably quick to install/remove. Curious to hear other people's opinions on optimal placement. The bolt sticking up in the cross slide is for the cross slide nut. This needs to be fixed regardless when I make a new nut so it will be flush in the future.










Underside of cross slide for ref



Thanks,
Will

 

[SIP6A]

You need to take the compound off and make a plate that will bolt up to the tracer on one side with the other side bolting up where the compound went.

 

[gbent]

What SIP said. The back side might be handy for leaving the compound in place on production work, but for an occasional job it sounds bad. You will have to get left hand tools, and then you will be reaching over the workpiece to make adjustments. Sounds like to great of chance of a poor outcome.

 

[guythatbrews]

I think it is pretty standard to mount the tracer at the far side of the cross slide. It also allows mounting the template rack at the rear of the lathe.

This is a Cazeneuve HBX360 with factory tracer. The cross slide is long and there is a mount just like the cross slide for the tracer base, protractor and all. You could make a new, longer cross slide from durabar. You might be able to leave the tracer in place for a some jobs.

Here is a plan view from an HBY590 tracer manual

The HBY590 cross slide is very long and has dovetails cut into the top rear corners. The tracer base slides and locks on these dovetails. Two M12 locking screws secure it so easy on-off. It has a protractor built in. I'd send a pic but it's all apart now. The template rack can take flat templates and round templates with centers.

I am getting my HBY590 back in to shape but haven't run it yet. It has the factory tracer and template racks. I have the whole tracer manual I can email you if you want. It will explain a lot about tracers if you have never run one. Looks like Hepworth manuals are available.

 

[SIP6A]

It's pretty standard on European lathes, not so much on US built lathes. That's an interesting idea to make a dovetail top to fit on a cross slide. I have a 10EE that I want to put a tracer on. It would also make it possible to mount other things on the cross slide. You have given me something to think about.

 

[guythatbrews]

It's pretty standard on European lathes, not so much on US built lathes. That's an interesting idea to make a dovetail top to fit on a cross slide. I have a 10EE that I want to put a tracer on. It would also make it possible to mount other things on the cross slide. You have given me something to think about.

Now that you say that I spoke without thinking. I guess I've never seen one on a US lathe. The only one I ever ran was a Mori Seiki MS-1250 with the rack and the tracer at the back. Vintage machry shows one Monarch air gage tracer mounted on the front in place of the cross slide. The template rack appears to clamp to the ways in front. Another shows the tracer and template rack on the rear with the tool post on the front. I can sure see the advantage of the tool post in front. And yes, the dovetail on the cross slide is very useful. Handy to have a rear tool post back there.

Here is a picture of mine dismounted, dovetail and two clamping screws visible.

It takes less than a minute to remove and it is sitting right on top of the template rack. The protractor part is about 9" diameter so it is no toy. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

 

[SIP6A]

The one thing I've found a tracer very handy for was chasing threads. You make a template that's a right angle, set it so the styles make contact where you want the thread to end. It will make your threads look like they came off a CNC lathe.

 

[wildo]

I have seen your thread with your Cazeneuve. It's a beautiful lathe.

For the tracer to be considered viable it has to be mounted with the compound intact.

A longer cross slide would be nice but that would be a heck of a lot of machining for my little ol shaper. I think the newer 60 & 61 monarchs had full length cross slides. I am not sure on dimensions if they're viable to fit.

I just priced out the material $1200 CAD, with freight etc for a 20" long 2x8" piece of durabar. Probably not going to happen.

Thinking either it's own mini cross slide or a bolt on extension with feet/wear pads that sit on the flat dovetail way surface

 

[guythatbrews]

I have seen your thread with your Cazeneuve. It's a beautiful lathe.

For the tracer to be considered viable it has to be mounted with the compound intact.

A longer cross slide would be nice but that would be a heck of a lot of machining for my little ol shaper. I think the newer 60 & 61 monarchs had full length cross slides. I am not sure on dimensions if they're viable to fit.

I just priced out the material $1200 CAD, with freight etc for a 20" long 2x8" piece of durabar. Probably not going to happen.

Thinking either it's own mini cross slide or a bolt on extension with feet/wear pads that sit on the flat dovetail way surface

Working on scraping the saddle of the Caz now. It's all cleaned up but the nasty hydraulic area. And the tracer, but it is not very dirty.

$1200 CAD is insane! It sure wouldn't happen for me either. Maybe somebody is parting out a 14c and you could snag the cross slide. The cross slide of the 16c I parted out finally went to the bone yard.

I don't think the new and old slide would have to be rigidly attached to each other. There just needs to be no slop in the push-pull direction. And another cross slide would have the mount for the compound you could use for the tracer.