Unimat SL Tailstock Lever Action Clamping Screws

My 3” swing Unimat SL lathe uses M6-1 cap head socket screws for locking and clamping the tailstock. I replaced the M6 cap head socket screws with my version of clamping screws with swing-out levers to apply more torque. The swing-out levers eliminate using Allen wrenches.

The clamping screws were machined from 3/8” dia. 1018 CRS bar, the M6 threads cut with a tailstock mounted die, and the knurl is 21 pitch (whereby the 3/8” dia. was reduced to 0.364 before knurling). The swing out levers are 0.062” x 0.365” x 1.20” machined with 11/64” radii from 1/16” steel support rails salvaged from electronics rack panels. The slots in the clamping screw heads are 0.063” wide by 0.450” deep. The levers are retained with 3/32” roll pins shortened to fit.

More information and photos about the improvements to the Unimat SL lathe can be viewed at Homemade Lathe Modifications .

Lever locks are one of the most useful lathe mods. Making short work of tailstock adjustments leads to an increased productivity.

Al

Thanks Paul! We've added your Tailstock Clamping Screws to our Lathe Accessories category, as well as to your builder page: Paul Jones' Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tailstock-clamping-screws"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/137678/tailstock-clamping-screws.jpeg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tailstock-clamping-screws">Tailstock Clamping Screws</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/Paul+Jones">Paul Jones</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/clamp">clamp</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/locking">locking</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/tailstock">tailstock</a></div> </div> </div> </div>

I like this just for seeing what can be done with/to a Unimat. I inherited my Father-in-law's SL and I'd like to use it more.