A new tailstock clamp
Here's a random collection of pics. I appreciate that there's almost no detail here.E-Mail me if you'd like to know more.
Anyone who designs a lathe tailstock that requires a spanner to clamp and release should be forced to use it for eternity!
The standard 9X20 tailstock is locked down by a simple bolt and clamping plate.
I had two problems with this:
- a). It sucks! Maybe I do more on axis work than others, or maybe the fact that my 9x20 has about 1.5" of usefull tailstock travel. I Don't care! I hate having to use a spanner every time I want to move the thing. Addittionally, the pitch of the clampbolt thread is just fine enough that you can't release the tailstock properly with the swing you can get from a small spanner. So you can't just leave a ring spanner on the bolt or weld a handle to it. You must back the bolt off, remove the spanner, put it back on and loosen it some more...
- b). When I fitted the Z axis ballscrew up the middle of the bed, it fouled the old tailstock clamping plate.
The idea is simple, elegant, and not mine! If anyone wants to claim credit for this, I'll be happy to give it here. It may have come from Steve Bedair
, but his version differs slightly. The cam rotates inside a standoff which pulls the cross drilled nut up. There's almost no precision involved in this modification. If I were making it again, id make the cam smaller. You don't need as much travel as shown here.
I did need to die grind away some bits, just to get clearances. No big deal.
What a joy to use!
STOP PRESS! I think I may have found inspiration for this modificaton at Rick Kruger's site
or (more likley) GadgetBuilder.com
In any case they seem to have had the idea first.