Aloris CXA Riser Plate

I wasn't sure if the collective likes more specific threads to comb through or not so I didn't add this into the recent great threads about Aloris stuff. I took the bait on the recent Aloris discussions and got myself setup with a CXA for my 16" lathe. Even Aloris themselves recommends the CXA for a 16". Got me thinking that the dimensions between center and top of saddle must have changed significantly between the 40's and now.

Here is a shot of the Aloris catalog where they break down all makes of lathes and the products that go with them. (pg 29 of the Aloris catalog)


The CXA is definitely not the right unit for my lathe (without a riser) as the tool holders are outside of their adjustment ranges on the toolpost and not supported well. I bought a CXA #5 (MT3 Taper) holder and have it installed here. A damn fine tool for my collection of MT3 drills!



Here it is in the tool post and centered to drill the hole beyond in the chuck. You can see that it sits above the tool post and the adjustment nuts are floating above the top and not doing anything.



This required some MacGyvering!! I made a plate out of 5/16 Aluminum plate.



3/8 would be even better but I dont have this kind of material around. If anyone gets around to making quality riser blocks for Aloris Toolposts I am interested. I am surprised that Aloris doesn't seem to make these that I can tell. They could sell them with a slightly longer bolt. hint hint...

Anyway the result is shown here with a cutter on center line with some repeatability since the adjuster knob is resting on the toolpost.

I really like those tool posts and holders, and glad to know they (the originals) go back to the early 60's.
I kinda always thought they were not so period correct...but they are. They are clearly for those like
yourself that do a lot of machining, and they make perfect sense.

But along those lines (and off topic) I scored a very nice CraftMaster tool holder that I think looks
very cool. Haven't ground any bits for it though and need to spiff it up a bit. It has a spring loaded detent
every 30 degrees. (I'm still messing with lathe level ordeal.) :-)

PMc

mcload said:

..." They are clearly for those like yourself that "don't have time to waste with setups", and they make perfect sense.

Click to expand...

Fixed...

That multi holder is sweet. I am a big fan of that old stuff!

I really came to appreciate the lantern tool holder. There is, of course, almost nothing it can't do once you are set up. The setting up time is the only downside.

Really impressive what you are doing, and I like the way you get after problems to deal with them. I'm curious how the aluminum will hold up to stress and regular use. If it gets dinged up, or gouge marks from regular use, maybe try a plate in tool steel.

With a CXA covering 13-18" swings, I truly would have never guessed the adjustment problem for smaller tooling. Especially with a 16" not being at an extreme end of that coverage. With the base tooling being 3/4", I would have guessed 3/4" would fall dead in the middle of adjuster range, with 3/8 tooling no problem to reach.

When researching CXA and CA, I checked post dimensions. But I narrowed in on checking dimensions of larger tooling being able to adjust down to the spindle's center line. Hadn't occurred to me to check the other way.

In just throwing pieces up to check dimensions, I think a CA might just make it to use 3/8 tooling to center line with a #1 holder. But its real real close, not guaranteed.

I don't know every holder under the sun, but I did see some that could be flipped upside down, and/or the holder has a half moon bored out of it, so adjuster can go below the top edge surface of that holder.

mcload said:

I really like those tool posts and holders, and glad to know they (the originals) go back to the early 60's.
I kinda always thought they were not so period correct...but they are. They are clearly for those like
yourself that do a lot of machining, and they make perfect sense.

But along those lines (and off topic) I scored a very nice CraftMaster tool holder that I think looks
very cool. Haven't ground any bits for it though and need to spiff it up a bit. It has a spring loaded detent
every 30 degrees. (I'm still messing with lathe level ordeal.) :-)

PMc

Click to expand...

I love my turret tool post. Its very rigid, uses 3/4" tooling, and up till now, I've found it very convenient and a pleasure to use.

In fact, I've had engine lathe compound rest parts for several years, but I didn't mount them because I didn't want to lose the tool post. I even made a go/no go gauge of sorts that I stand up on compound to set tool height.

However, my 2H lathe does not use a compound rest. It's a compound only, with tool post mounted on top.

Now getting set up to install a taper attachment, is the reason I started getting prepped for a different post.

texasgunsmith said:

Really impressive what you are doing, and I like the way you get after problems to deal with them. I'm curious how the aluminum will hold up to stress and regular use. If it gets dinged up, or gouge marks from regular use, maybe try a plate in tool steel.

With a CXA covering 13-18" swings, I truly would have never guessed the adjustment problem for smaller tooling. Especially with a 16" not being at an extreme end of that coverage. With the base tooling being 3/4", I would have guessed 3/4" would fall dead in the middle of adjuster range, with 3/8 tooling no problem to reach.

When researching CXA and CA, I checked post dimensions. But I narrowed in on checking dimensions of larger tooling being able to adjust down to the spindle's center line. Hadn't occurred to me to check the other way.

In just throwing pieces up to check dimensions, I think a CA might just make it to use 3/8 tooling to center line with a #1 holder. But its real real close, not guaranteed.

I don't know every holder under the sun, but I did see some that could be flipped upside down, and/or the holder has a half moon bored out of it, so adjuster can go below the top edge surface of that holder.

View attachment 290980

Click to expand...

I started studying the import offerings of holders thinking that one or two might have less meat on the top and be able to squeak by but none that I saw jumped out at me.

I would love to have this riser be something other than aluminum but now that it is on there I think it will work fine. I am not really set up to work with 3/8 thick steel plate so I would need to farm that out. I could put a hole in it though! Fingers crossed I don't need to.

Kevin T said:

I started studying the import offerings of holders thinking that one or two might have less meat on the top and be able to squeak by but none that I saw jumped out at me.

I would love to have this riser be something other than aluminum but now that it is on there I think it will work fine. I am not really set up to work with 3/8 thick steel plate so I would need to farm that out. I could put a hole in it though! Fingers crossed I don't need to.

Click to expand...

Aluminum is fine for the spacer. I have 3 lathes with CXA's, 2 of them have aluminum shims to raise the tool post so the all the tool holders can be used on any lathe without adjusting the height. Aluminum is a better shim than steel as it has higher friction than steel to steel.
I have a CA on my Lodge & Shipley, Nice because it takes 1" tools but you sure don't want to be swapping tool holders all day. They get heavy after a while.

moonlight machine said:

I have a CA on my Lodge & Shipley, Nice because it takes 1" tools but you sure don't want to be swapping tool holders all day. They get heavy after a while.

Click to expand...

If you think CA tools are heavy, try the EA tool post. 2 adjustment knobs on each tool! And a 2 hand lift besides, you want a chain fall to lift the 7" long block with a 24" long 2.5" boring bar mounted.

Bill

texasgunsmith said:

Really impressive what you are doing, and I like the way you get after problems to deal with them. I'm curious how the aluminum will hold up to stress and regular use. If it gets dinged up, or gouge marks from regular use, maybe try a plate in tool steel.

With a CXA covering 13-18" swings, I truly would have never guessed the adjustment problem for smaller tooling. Especially with a 16" not being at an extreme end of that coverage. With the base tooling being 3/4", I would have guessed 3/4" would fall dead in the middle of adjuster range, with 3/8 tooling no problem to reach.

When researching CXA and CA, I checked post dimensions. But I narrowed in on checking dimensions of larger tooling being able to adjust down to the spindle's center line. Hadn't occurred to me to check the other way.

In just throwing pieces up to check dimensions, I think a CA might just make it to use 3/8 tooling to center line with a #1 holder. But its real real close, not guaranteed.

I don't know every holder under the sun, but I did see some that could be flipped upside down, and/or the holder has a half moon bored out of it, so adjuster can go below the top edge surface of that holder.

View attachment 290980

Click to expand...

Just keep several shims around to put under small tools to bring them up to center.
1/8", 1/4" and 3/8" all 3/4" X 4 1/2" come to mind.