Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
New tool rest bummer
tom norton
>Well I was treating myself to an upgrade on my older Rocwell/Delta lathe. I found a Delta toolrest on Amazon for $42.00. This is the kind that locks and unlocks from the front, no need for a wrench. Well Just took it out to the shop and don't you know it won't work. The info said works on all 12" lathes but... So Back to Amazon with my Christmas gift:(
Re: New tool rest bummer
Dick Parr
>Tom, what won't work on it. If it's the locking washer on the bottom, just use the one that is on your existing tool rest. That is what I did. You might have to grind off the end of the bolt so that it doesn't drag on the braces under the ways.
I am using a Jet mini tool rest on my old 1936? 12" Delta/Rockwell. I took the locking washer off the old rest and put it on the mini and it works fine. The old one was a 5/8" post like the mini so I have a bunch of tool rest that I use for both lathes.
Re: New tool rest bummer
Kenneth George
>I also am wondering what exactly did not work? I have that tool rest and use it on my Grizzly. I made new locking plates for it and the tailstock and all is great at this time. Perhaps we can help you, maybe some pictures of the problem?
Re: New tool rest bummer
Arch
>Hi Tom, Merry Christmas, Peace & happy Holy Days.
When you make (or have made) a locking plate that fits your lathe, make posts for both bases. Use cheap 5/8" Home Depot CRS or even grind the heads off long 5/8" bolts. Fasten a long piece of flat or round steel, or even hardwood to each post. Using both your old and new bases, a long tool rest is very convenient for turning long spindles.
If the new locking plate is round, but too large to fit between the ways, you can easily grind it to fit. Hold it with a nut/bolt chucked into a hand drill and rotate opposite the grinding wheel.
...or become a machinist by _carefully and _slowly, lubing with lard or grease, turn it to fit using a heavy steep bevelled HSS scraper.
Turn to Safety, Arch
Re: New tool rest bummer
Michael Lane
>I bought the same tool rest for my lathe and had to grind the webbing so the lower plate would clear the web between the ways. With a high speed cutter in an air grinder or even an electric drill it only took a short while to make the clearance. The webbing is still plenty thick and did not weaken the lathe. The new tool rest works much better than the old and is sturdier. Good Luck!
