While the step was the correct size the front to back width was too wide and also the shoulder was 1" diameter but the opening in the T slot on my lathe is only .750" so it would be too wide. I could have turned the shoulder down to a smaller diameter but I wanted to leave a bit of material around the threaded hole for strength. So I scribed two lines on the back where the front and back edge needed to be and also two lines on the top where the shoulder needed to be squared off to allow the T nut to slip into the slot opening.

Then I used the sander with a flap wheel to remove the excess front and back material - took a bit of time and I probably could have rough cut the material off using a hacksaw but I found the sander did the job ok - got it down to where it was .015" too wide and stopped . Then I used the cutoff blade on the die grinder to rough cut the two sides of the shoulder to start to square them off - again I stopped short of where the final thickness needed to be. Not pretty but got me close size wise to what the end product needed to be.

Used the flat file and removed the excess from the front to back section checking regularly with the Vernier to see that they stayed reasonably parallel and that I did not remove too much. Then I did the same where I had rough cut the sides of the shoulder - here are the results.

Then I did a test fit - still needs a bit of material removed from the sides of the shoulder but getting very close. I was getting cold by this time so I figured I would quit while I was behind for today.

 

Awesome Stew! Your post came at a perfect time.

I got my lathe setup about 2 months ago because my cousin had a gokart with an odd axle profile. It was certainly fun learning on it and I am thinking that this will be my next upgrade because changing cutters was tedious. That and a carriage stop/micro adjuster are on my list.

Certainly not perfect but they worked! Yay! lol

Anyways, always look forward to your posts.

Jesse

 

It was certainly fun learning on it and I am thinking that this will be my next upgrade because changing cutters was tedious. That and a carriage stop/micro adjuster are on my list.

Jesse

Thanks for the kind words. This thread may be of interest to you if you have not already seen it - Craftsman (Atlas) Metal Lathe Parts\

I picked up a 6" Craftsman a couple years ago. Know very little about metal lathe work so have watched a lot of Tubal Cain videos. I converted min over to a variable speed motor and control from an old tread mill.. Gives a lot better speed control. 3'4 hp motor has the power too. Got the treadmill for $15 at Salvation Army. Then free ones started showing up on FB and other places.

Sounds like a good way to drive the lathe while being able to vary the speed. I have watched many of the Tubal Cain videos as well - very good teacher and knows his stuff. I have also recently started watching the videos that this lady does on lathe work and milling. I find she also knows her stuff and is an excellent teacher. - https://www.youtube.com/@Blondihacks/videos

 

I picked up a 6" Craftsman a couple years ago. Know very little about metal lathe work so have watched a lot of Tubal Cain videos. I converted min over to a variable speed motor and control from an old tread mill.. Gives a lot better speed control. 3'4 hp motor has the power too. Got the treadmill for $15 at Salvation Army. Then free ones started showing up on FB and other places.

 

Noticed I didn't show a good picture of the stud (and nut) that threads into the tool post to retain it solidly to the compound slide so the first one shows the stud and nut. With a bit more filing on the step area of the T nut I got it so it was a nice slide in fit. Won't win any beauty prices but should work fine to secure the tool post. Used a file on all the edges to give them a slight radius and also dressed the top of the step where i had touched it with the cut off wheel in a couple of spots while I was roughing the material removal.

Checked the stud end at the bottom and it protruded just a smidge out the bottom of the T nut - probably would never hurt anything but I used the file to remove about .015" so it is slightly recessed. Threaded the stud into the T nut and set them into the slot and things were looking pretty good.

Then a slight hiccup appeared after sitting the tool post over the stud. Years ago my dad broke the original cross slide casting while trying to machine a piece of metal - he had welded the two pieces back together and continued to use the lathe periodically but it was never big enough to do the type of work he had hoped it would be capable of. He limited its use to light turning and cleaning up generator and starter commutators until rebuilt units and alternators became the norm and from that time it mainly collected dust until I started playing with it and repairing the many items that it needed to get it working decently again. One of the items I replaced was the compound slide casting and the replacement was a beefier unit - more material was left unmachined to make it less prone to breakage I assume. At the back of my mind I had been wondering if the new tool post would hit on the raised casting area of the replacement cross slide body when the tool post was rotated as it would need to be depending on the type of machining and where the tool bit needed to be positioned to avoid the chuck and other components while still being able to engage with the item being turned. Think this was one of the reasons why I waited so long to upgrade to the quick change style tool post now that I think of it. As you can see in the pictures the tool post sits nice when it is square with the compound slide but the corner hits on the compound slide material when rotated which makes engaging flat on the bottom a problem.

There are a few ways that I could use to correct this issue and I ran the various ideas through my mind. One would be to grind a bit off the one corner of the tool post at the bottom so it cleared - easy to do but not sure it was the best way and would probably void any warranty the tool post had so decided against it. The second idea was to make a spacer plate so the bottom of the tool post would sit above the top of the compound slide - this would be another surface that chips and cuttings could get trapped in, lessen the number threads on the top of the stud the top nut engaged with and might interfere with setting the tool bit holder at the proper height so I passed on this idea as well. The third way was to change the bevel of approximately 45° to a 90° straight down drop area by removing some of the casting material. This would require a bit more time to do but I felt this was the best solution so that was what I decided to do. As a side note when I unpacked the tool post and the accessories it comes with on Friday I could not find the handle that threads into the top of the tool post pivot to lock the tool holders in place - the knob that threads onto the handle was there and the plastic bag that it and the tool post were packaged in had not been opened so assume this until left the handle behind at the factory. Called the company I purchased the tool post from and they were quite apologetic and are supposed to ship me a handle out on Monday so figured spending a bit more time now will make it ready to use when the handle shows up next week. If I need to turn something in the meantime easy enough to mount the old tool post set ups I have been using.

 

Thought about just removing the material in the center area but decided to remove it the width of the cross slide so that there would not be a pocket area for chips to collect in. The first thing I did was remove the compound slide assembly from the cross slide - it locks onto the cross slide with two set screws and bevel pins that tighten against a tapered piece. I removed the two set screws and bevel pins and set them safely in a drawer so they would not fall out while I was working on the compound slide.

I used the die grinder with the cut off blade to slowly "rough out" the material in the bevel area. Then I used a flat file to clean the casting surfaces up so they looked smooth and would not be a spot where chips could work into and collect. Once I had things looking pretty decent I checked the area with a straight edge to make sure the area where the material was removed was flat and in the same plane as the machined surface - things looked good and I was happy.

 

The compound slide assembly got cleaned up and mounted back on the cross slide and the tool post was once more set in place. Now the tool post can rotate and clear the area and the material removal was minimal so I doubt that it will affect the compound slide casting strength much.

The tool post nut that tightens the tool post up measures 14mm on the flats but a 9/16" wrench can be used as well - not quite as snug a fit but will work. There is not wrench or allen key that comes with the tool post kit and they are metric - just wanted to mention this as you will need something to tighten the nut, the screws on the tool post holders and the jam nut that locks the thumbwheel for the height adjustment. The screws appear to require a 3mm allen key and the jam nut measure 10mm across the flats - a small adjustable could be used on the two nuts to tighten or loosen them. I did find a 3mm hex key but it seems a little loose in the screws so I may see about ordering a better quality one as this one came with the sheet metal stretcher set

Just have to wait until the handle shows up and then I can maybe see how well it works.

 

The handle arrived this morning so got the knob threaded on and the handle installed. Decided it was to cool (15°F) in the shop to test the tool post out - hopefully it will warm up again in the next few days.

Things may be a little snug when removing a tool holder mounted on the inner face of the post but think I can slip it by the handle when it is in the unlocked position as it is shown in this picture - worst case I can loosen the tool post and rotate it to get the holder off.

In these pictures you can see the handle is away from the work area so should not interfere when the tool bit is locked in position on the post.

 

Decided to give myself an early Christmas present so I ordered an OXA series quick change tool post for the Craftsman (Atlas) 6" metal lathe that I think will be a benefit by adding some rigidity in the tool post area when turning and boring. Years ago I made a 4 way tool post and a boring set up that has worked well over the years but for the last five years or so I have been thinking that a quick change style would be nice as they are a sturdier set up and also offer the ease of quickly changing tool bits by switching holders and also being able to remove the tool post, sharpening a bit and returning it back to its position quickly. Thought I would do a post on it since other member may be interested. These are pictures of the boring and turning set up I have been using - they are ok but they require shimming if you need to adjust the height of the tool bit in relation to the center line of the lathe spindle which I find can be tedious as my eyes get older.
View attachment 418461 View attachment 418462

The OXA series tool post is the smallest that is offered and designed for lathes with a 6" to 9" swing - the Atlas has a 6" and the compound slide is made with a T slot to mount the any tool post that holds a tool bit. A lot of small older metal lathes were designed this way - most of the newer lathes have a hole for the tool post stud to thread into in the compound slide.
View attachment 418463 View attachment 418464

I set the new tool post on top of the compound slide and it looks like it should fit ok but the first order of business is to create a new T nut to fit into the T slot on the compound slide. The tool post comes with a piece of machinable metal that the stud that holds the new tool post threads into but because lathes vary in designs the piece is left lots large and thick and it is up to the purchaser to finish the metal piece to create a T nut specific to their lathe dimensions. This can be a challenge if you do not own a mill (or milling attachment) - I do have a milling attachment for my lathe but a lot of people don't so I decided to try machining the piece of metal using the lathe and some other tools that most people might have access to. This may not be the prettiest T nut and a true machinist may roll their eyes in disgust at my method - for this I apologize for in advance. Here is a picture of the new tool post sitting on the compound slide - you can see the bottom piece of metal at the base of the tool post that will be formed into a T nut (I hope).
View attachment 418465

The first thing I did was mount the metal piece in the 4 jaw chuck so I could start to turn the step so that the outer part of the step will slide into the T slot. Initially I turned only the outer edge as I needed the tool bit to be on a bit of an angle so I could clear the jaws of the chuck. Once I had the outer area roughed out I switched to turning the inner part of the step leaving a 1" diameter section untouched where the stud threads into it. I also added a small scrap piece of 1/8" x 1-1/2" thick flat steel to space the piece I was turning out so the tool bit did not hit the chuck jaws.
View attachment 418466 View attachment 418467 View attachment 418468

Once I had the step turned down to where it was the correct thickness for my T slot I cleaned the turned up area with a flat file.
View attachment 418469

Decided to give myself an early Christmas present so I ordered an OXA series quick change tool post for the Craftsman (Atlas) 6" metal lathe that I think will be a benefit by adding some rigidity in the tool post area when turning and boring. Years ago I made a 4 way tool post and a boring set up that has worked well over the years but for the last five years or so I have been thinking that a quick change style would be nice as they are a sturdier set up and also offer the ease of quickly changing tool bits by switching holders and also being able to remove the tool post, sharpening a bit and returning it back to its position quickly. Thought I would do a post on it since other member may be interested. These are pictures of the boring and turning set up I have been using - they are ok but they require shimming if you need to adjust the height of the tool bit in relation to the center line of the lathe spindle which I find can be tedious as my eyes get older.
View attachment 418461 View attachment 418462

The OXA series tool post is the smallest that is offered and designed for lathes with a 6" to 9" swing - the Atlas has a 6" and the compound slide is made with a T slot to mount the any tool post that holds a tool bit. A lot of small older metal lathes were designed this way - most of the newer lathes have a hole for the tool post stud to thread into in the compound slide.
View attachment 418463 View attachment 418464

I set the new tool post on top of the compound slide and it looks like it should fit ok but the first order of business is to create a new T nut to fit into the T slot on the compound slide. The tool post comes with a piece of machinable metal that the stud that holds the new tool post threads into but because lathes vary in designs the piece is left lots large and thick and it is up to the purchaser to finish the metal piece to create a T nut specific to their lathe dimensions. This can be a challenge if you do not own a mill (or milling attachment) - I do have a milling attachment for my lathe but a lot of people don't so I decided to try machining the piece of metal using the lathe and some other tools that most people might have access to. This may not be the prettiest T nut and a true machinist may roll their eyes in disgust at my method - for this I apologize for in advance. Here is a picture of the new tool post sitting on the compound slide - you can see the bottom piece of metal at the base of the tool post that will be formed into a T nut (I hope).
View attachment 418465

The first thing I did was mount the metal piece in the 4 jaw chuck so I could start to turn the step so that the outer part of the step will slide into the T slot. Initially I turned only the outer edge as I needed the tool bit to be on a bit of an angle so I could clear the jaws of the chuck. Once I had the outer area roughed out I switched to turning the inner part of the step leaving a 1" diameter section untouched where the stud threads into it. I also added a small scrap piece of 1/8" x 1-1/2" thick flat steel to space the piece I was turning out so the tool bit did not hit the chuck jaws.
View attachment 418466 View attachment 418467 View attachment 418468

Once I had the step turned down to where it was the correct thickness for my T slot I cleaned the turned up area with a flat file.
View attachment 418469

You won't be sorry. I went to OXA QCTP about 10 years ago for my Craftsman (Atlas) 12 by 36 Commercial and never looked back. Also started using commercial edges for my cutting and boring needs. Still use HSS for my cutoff tool.

 

Thanks for the suggestion - I have tried the carbide inserts but for the most part I have found the high speed steel bits seem to work best for me - less expensive and easier to touch up if they get dull. Tried the new tool post out this morning doing some facing, turning and boring operations. So far it seems very solid and am quite happy with it for the most part. Went to change the boring bar I had mounted in the 3/8" bushing insert in the boring tool holder and had a hard time getting the bit out after I loosened the two screws that clamped it in. Had to punch it out and then tried to insert the new one I wanted to use and could not get it to go in even though the screws were lots loose. Gave the holder a couple of light taps on the back with a small hammer and the sleeve came loose and everything slid into place so learned one thing new so far today.