Easy Method Of Modifying Myford Dixon Quick-Change Tool Holders

[@EdAgers110]

Very smart idea! This opens up a world of ideas for unique new uses of the lathe. Thank you for sharing this idea!

[@johngratton467]

Lateral thinking at it's best !!!!, got to admit I don't even have a lathe (or access to one) but I find your videos 'addictive' got me thinking about getting one, Steve you would have made a great teacher

[@drjwrg]

After watching your original video I decided to do some thing similar on a Mini lathe. I decided however to machine a small part from the front of the compound. This will not cause any great weakening but the benefit is that all tool holders will fit without further machining. Many thanks for the videos and keep them coming.

[@dizzolve]

This is what makes owning a lathe so awesome.

[@grahameblankley3813]

Hi Steve, What a clever but simple idea & shows how versatile a lathe can be.

[@johnfry9010]

Steve you are a master of doing more with less , good job !

[@peterjones6945]

I'm British 'working class' we have always had to do more with less ;o)

[@lauriefielder8762]

Thanks for this idea Steve. I am just about to cut my toolholders down. Often wondered about using the angle grinder but was puzzling a mounting. You've solved it beautifully

[@mrmyford]

good idea as always Steve, what I done years ago when I had about 20 toolholders was simple mill away a small part of the topside itself , I just milled about 5mm of the edge the holders sit one, solved all my problems with one go, and was able to use 12mm tooling keep up the good work, look forward to your next video kind regards...Keith in Swindon aka mr-myford

[@brianlloyd911]

Excellent video Steve, ingenious idea and thanks very much for sharing...I'll get a new grinding disc !

[@hermankrijnen6409]

Excellent solution Steve. Besides your current application, it opens up a whole can of solutions for other grinding jobs. Keep coming with good ideas. Herman from Holland

[@SteveJordan]

Hi Herman, Thanks. Yes I reckon there will be many other applications where this could be used successfully. I must search out all my grinding wheels I have saved. I have some 4" or 5" inch diameter fine stone wheels in store somewhere and a 6" diamond lapping wheel I could use. Regards Steve

[@MrArray1967]

Very ingenious Steve. Nice job.

[@eleventeenmachine5991]

I used to do grinding on my drill press. Yours turned out better. I have a 6"×12" surface grinder now. So I use it for anything I want to grind.

[@joshuaklingensmith7843]

Excellent work Steve.

[@tyroneroberts1738]

very smart idea Steve thanks for sharing

[@raymondmarteene7047]

Hi Steve, ended up doing something similar to mine, the first 4 tool holders I milled as you did, tough on milling cutters ( destroyed 2), the next 4 I marked up and cut with an angle grinder with a 1mm cutting blade, steady hand and light pressure turned out ok but that grinding looks to be the way to go in future. Thanks for sharing. Cheers

[@steph2211]

Smart man Steve! nice and clean job.

[@MattysWorkshop]

What a great idea Steve, this could be used for a number ideas, I’m thinking I might have to make myself an arbor for a grinding wheel, thank you so much for sharing mate, much appreciated, cheers Matty

[@SteveJordan]

Hi Mat Thanks. Yes I have only just realized the potential for using the lathe in this way.There have been a number of components I made in the past where I could have used the lathe, with other finer grinding wheels, as a precision grinder. Its often simple ideas like this we tend to overlook....Regards Steve

[@steamsearcher]

Or get a Raglan!! He jokes... Lovely idea and thanks! Of course also owner of a Super 7 and Dore Westbury mill!!!! Love David and Lily.

[@keesmotormuisvanbergen]

Ingenious indeed. Wunderfull job Steve Jordan

[@MrLukealbanese]

Excellent idea Steve and a lovely finish. I'm going to try milling with some cheap Cubic Boron Nitride inserts I bought from China on eBay for 3.50 each. Should cut through hardened steel no problems.

[@SteveJordan]

Hi Luke, Thanks....That should be interesting.....let me know how they go I may buy some.

[@bisonuberti]

Just outstanding indeed. Well done. Cheers.

[@zvonibab]

Thank you Steve, this way will be definitely easier for me Cheers Steve!

[@lensman5762]

Excellent presentation.

[@andypandy9931]

Good idea Steve, I have milled some of my toolholder so and even after annealing it's hard going even with carbide tooling. I have recently been milling some 16mm tool holders and used a 2 insert carbide tool and found the blue coated inserts very good but I will try your method

[@guillermohernandez3252]

You do great job thanks for your time. I need do something similar and I have no idea until now thanks again

[@peterfuchs7822]

Thanks for all the good info.

[@ÁREAJ27]

Muito bom amigo!!!Excelente trabalho amigo,Like!!!Obrigado amigo e saudações do Brasil!!!

[@robbiestevens1158]

Lovely project

[@dalemcinnes1834]

Hi Sreve I was wondering if you could not take the full cut with the grinder blade and work your way up to depth of cut instead of coming in from the side. This would take care of any blade wear. I'm sure I would have done it that way. I can't say I have the experience to know but would sure like your opinion on this. Still trying to take in all your videos but having a hard time catching up. Great to be able to watch and learn from the comments but it does take time. Thanks.

[@rinklestiltskin]

Would it be possible to mill a little 3mm step in the casting so as you only need to modify one part? As it is cast iron it would be quick and eas, and all the holders would fit..

[@leksey7870]

Great device!

[@philiprogers5772]

very nice thank you.

[@satxsatxsatx]

Always creative, thanks Aren't angle-grinder disks mfr'd for face rather than edge grinding? (cutting disk mfr'd for edge cutting) What about another arbor for the lathe chuck which holds a grinding stone? I suppose it doesn't make much diff :)

[@SteveJordan]

Hi Len, I used the face on this, but I sometimes use them both ways on the angle grinder.

[@peterjones6945]

It may be even easier to make a mounting to hold angle grinder if you don't have large angle plates or milling attachment? . It could be mounted direct to tail-stock end of bed or on tool-post.(I made a tool-post holder to grind some case hardened parts) This method will be really handy though as almost all grinding wheels are designed for ~4,000 rpm or less, reinforced grinding discs are designed to spin around 10,000rpm

[@SpikesMavic]

Hi Great vid, question where did you source the digital motor speed gauge from ?

[@SteveJordan]

I bought it from Banggood Regards Steve

[@28gwdavies]

Hi Steve, I wonder if you or one of your subscribers could help. I have a 7" x 14" Chinese mini lathe and am going to buy a 4 jaw chuck from banggood. Do you know what the largest size that would work without the jaws hitting the ways would be? I was thinking of a 6" but don't want to waste money buying one that won't fit. It came with a 4" 3 jaw.

[@richkellow1535]

Surely, the grinding disc will reduce in diameter each time you make a pass?

[@SteveJordan]

Well mine did one holder complete with very minor wear. The discs are so low cost one can use a new disc to grind each holder if needed. Then keep the used discs for further use on the angle grinder for other jobs.

[@georgesg10]

Why Mill all the tool holders , When you could mill the compound rest 180 degree's , which would permit to turn the tool post also ?

[@SteveJordan]

You can do that if you prefer, but I'm not keen on altering the actual lathe if I don't really need to.

[@EDesigns_FL]

That's what I did and it has worked out great!. The problem with notching the bottoms of tool holders is that they can't be rotated. This limitation combined with the need to notch a lot of holders made the choice easy for me.

[@SteveJordan]

@@EDesigns_FL Yes yours is a good option. 'It kills two birds with one stone'. Did you just mill a few millimeter off of the top of the compound?

[@EDesigns_FL]

@@SteveJordan I clamped my compound to a rotary table and milled a notch around the perimeter of my QCTP. The notch is a radius for 180° and is parallel to both sides for another ~35mm. It's ~3mm deep. This notch permits 180° of rotation of the QCTP with standard tool holders. I did modify a couple tool holders for use on the back side of the QCTP for close work to with a dead center. I have a slightly larger lathe and use an AXA QCTP, so size of my clearance notch will differ from your's. Nevertheless, our situations are similar and this modification has worked very well for me.

[@towelltom]

Where did you find/purchase your quick change too post for the mini Chinese lathe?

[@SteveJordan]

I got mine on Ebay. If you buy the one that fits the Myford it is the same as the one for the Chinese Mini Lathe.

[@petemacrae5982]

Steve, Is the Dickson tool post still in production?

[@SteveJordan]

Hi yes it is you can buy them on eBay but you must choose the correct size for your lathe.

[@alanpassmore7301]

This solution is OK as long as you don't need to rotate the toolpost by more than a couple of degrees. But its not going to work for screw cutting, for example. Unless I'm missing something?

[@SteveJordan]

Today I decided to mill 2mm off the top of the compound slide. This sorts everything in one go and I can use 12mm turn tools at any angle now. I'm pleased I did this video though as it gives people to the option, plus I found out I could use the Myford as a precision grinder if needed for other jobs.

[@alanpassmore7301]

You're certainly taking the bull by the horns Steve. Trust there will be a video!

[@davidwillard7334]

OHH !! DEAR !! STEVE !!! DON'T !! LIKE !! MESSY !! WORK !!! ?? DON'T !! DO !! ANYTHING !!!! FREEHAND !!! WILL !!! YOU !!!! NOW !!!

[@johndoe9536]

Is there no way to avoid all these modifications ? What about a larger toolpost to begin with ? One that overhangs the edge of the topslide sufficiently that the holders don't catch on the topslide face. I would like a QCTP for my myford but have put off buying one as none seem to fit right given the price you have to pay ! Another idea is to offset the toolpost by, what was it, 13mm ? to allow full travel. I havn't put down on paper how this would be done but i'm positive it possible but might be a more complex solution than this.

[@peterjones6945]

The problem with larger offset is the extra torque it supplies to 'bend' top-slide and cross-slide. I bought a QCTP for mini lathe a few years ago but it's still in the box as I don't like it even though it is very convenient for multiple tool operations

[@johndoe9536]

@@peterjones6945 Peter i was just thinking that if there was some sort of adaptor plate on the topslide and then the tool post was secured to it with just enough overhang for the holder to clear or a larger toolpost to start with so the slideways were clear of the topslide. OK there might be an extra what ? 10 - 15 mm of overhang but surely that wont make that much of a difference ? BTW where are you ? Would you think of getting rid of QCTP for your lathe ? Im skint and would like to add one to my mini lathe. Ive a Myford and a small Zyto so might try it on the zyto.

[@SteveJordan]

@@peterjones6945 If you set the mini lathe slides up correctly they work perfectly, without any problems at all. I would only buy and use the Dixon type though and not those cheap alloy QTCPs . I would find machining way to slow and tedious without a QCTP, having to set and reset so many different tools for a component. Its always the first bit of equipment I would buy for any lathe.

[@peterjones6945]

@@SteveJordan Hi Steve, I've used QCTP for years when production machining always on much (much) larger machines (usually a Colchester of some sort, Mascot, 2000, etc) Your 100% correct about the cheap Chinese alloy QCTP. I usually have 4 tools set in original tool-post of mini lathe and if I need more I used up a second tool-post (but ended up not needing it enough so used material for something else LOL) BTW, I have everything set up properly, gib adjusting is a simple enough process. Best 'bang for buck' was the taper roller conversion, parting off is now easy instead of a hit or miss affair. At one time I was a factory worker turning to 3 micron tolerances, luckily I no longer need to be so accurate

[@peterjones6945]

@@johndoe9536 I'm now in central Florida but kept my house in South Wales (UK)

[@yaboi6488]

Your gib screw is not going anywhere. Lol

[@Man-in-da-shed]

I can quite easily see how you reached that idea