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Tool post recommendations

mwill135

Aluminum
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Looking for quick change tool post. As a beginner I'm not going expensive. Any reasonably priced entry level brands you folks recommend?
 
There are two types of holders - wedge and piston. I believe that the wedge is more repeatable. I've got a Phase II wedge type QCTP that I really like. It cost me about $160 and included 5 holders. The holders are AXA size. You can pick them up on sale for about $12 each.

This is basically what I put on my machine.
 
I’m happy with my Dorian AXA post. It resides now on my Heavy Ten. I also used it on my SB 10k. Dorians are more expensive but are high quality, American made posts. Holders are $100+ each but are made from 4142 Pre Heat steel.


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A few pics of my post and holders. You can see there in very minimal wear on the body of the tool holder.


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I have 3 Phase II AXA wedge-type tool posts for various 9" and 10" lathes. The AXA is the proper size for those lathes. The only negative feature I can come up with is the set screws used in the tool holders are not the finest quality steel and are a bit soft but it's really easy to replace them with something better because they're all a standard size.
 
There are two types of holders - wedge and piston. I believe that the wedge is more repeatable. I've got a Phase II wedge type QCTP that I really like. It cost me about $160 and included 5 holders. The holders are AXA size. You can pick them up on sale for about $12 each.

Interesting. I can't find it now, but I replied to a post where someone recommended a tool holder, and the damn thing was 6,000 bucks! Forget that!! This one is much more reasonable of course. Tell me, is the "AXA" tool holder size a standard in the industry between manufacturers? Or would I need specific holders from the specific mfg?

PMc
 
Tell me, is the "AXA" tool holder size a standard in the industry between manufacturers? Or would I need specific holders from the specific mfg?

It is an industry standard. I have several different brands of an AXA holder and they all work quite well. I lean toward SHARS brand of holder, because I have found them to be more consistent than the others AND they often have sales on them.
 
AXA is the smallest of the standard sizes, they run AXA, BXA, CXA, CA, DA, EA.

I've never seen where they actually stand for anything else, they are just size designations that have become standard.

There is a smaller size, made for tiny hobby machines, that is called 0XA (that's a "zero").

The AXA will work fine on your lathe. And Phase II is one of the better imports.
 
I have Wedge style Aloris and Armstrong tool posts. The Armstrong tool post and holders have a better finished than Aloris or Dorian.
A wedge tool post is better than a post style and more holders fit better. To notice the difference between wedge and post styles you will need some experience.

On ebay today a new 6 piece Phase tool post and holder set is $260
And a non name cheapo import set is about $120

If I started all over with nothing I would buy the cheap post set and a second set of holders You would have 10 holders for less than the price of a Phase set.
There is no such problem as having too many tool holders.
Having owned and sold several Phase tool post sets I can say there is little if any difference over the cheapo stuff other than the lettering on the sides.



Reading back over this I regret having endorsed anything from China....
 
In my shop I use an Aloris CXA2, wedge style., and love it. At my day time job we still used the "old fashioned" put the cutter in shim to achieve center etc. Waste of time fiddle fucking around. CXA tool holders are cheap as borscht and once set you just slide in it is on center and let the chips fly. Why the boss stays with 1950's tech is beyond me.
One question someone who is more knowledgeable I than could answer is.... are their accuracy differences between wedge versus pin ?
I have suggested on numerous occasions to go with a quick change to save a lot time. Alas it falls on deaf ears.
IMHO quick change is the way to go, you get consistency and time savings.
 
I only asked because there is a 251-222 on EBay for a good price. I think I’m going to wait and get an AXA size. As always thanks for the help
 








 
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