Lathe cross-slide jig plate

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All
To enable components to be machined with an inline boring bar on the lathe, a method of holding the job is needed.
During a skip dive of a local engineering company, I came across this steel ground plate which was either machined incorrectly or had done its job, so was disregarded and thrown out.
Straight away I had a plan for the plate (only hoping it wasn’t hardened and would be big enough for my big lathe to make a cross-slide jig plate.
I couldn’t believe how lucky and how perfect this was going to be. Not only was the plate soft but was the perfect size and perfectly ground square. So the plate was marked out and the base of the plate machined with a dovetail and a jib strip to suit the dovetail of the cross slide.The jib strip is fitted, so when the grub screws are tightened to lock the plate in position the screws don’t damage the cross slide.
Next a series of M12 threaded holes were drilled so tooling/components can be clamped to it.
This was a really easy build due to the fact that a lot of the hard work had already be completed. Correct size plate and ground.
The photos below show the plate.
Top of jig plate.

Underside.

Jib strip located at each end with a dowel pins.

Jig plate in place. The compound slide is removed for better access and gives more space. The aluminium plate is bolted in place of the compound slide to prevent swarf from entering the tee slot and dowel hole.

Angle plate clamped to jig plate and component held in place to check the position can be achieved on the cross-slide before clocking up and setting casting to correct height.

When happy with position the jig plate, grub screws can be locked in position and (in this case) the angle plate can be clocked square to the Z-axis.

Thank you for viewing. I will post a separate post on the alignment of the casting relevant to the casting centre line.

The Home Engineer

[Skun Knuckles]

Nice work I always read your latest posts with great interest, I’ve often contemplated something similar for my lathe. The question has always been how to mount it, are the dovetails on your cross slide factory machined or did you machine them yourself?

[thehomeengineer]

Nice work I always read your latest posts with great interest, I’ve often contemplated something similar for my lathe. The question has always been how to mount it, are the dovetails on your cross slide factory machined or did you machine them yourself?

The lathe I have is a Colchester Student 1800 and has factory fitted dovetails. I think they are possibly used for a hydraulic copying attachment?

However don’t be put off if you haven’t got dovetails on your cross-slide and they are square. A similar set up would work with straight sides (a bit like vice). This would also be even simpler to make as the two pieces that straddle the cross-slide could be bolted to the main jig plate. (Making it more like a fabrication) and the jib strip would act like the loose jaw. Alternatively if you have a cross-slide with tee slots already fitted (like a Myford ML7) an additional jig plate would be easy to mount, or tooling/components clamps directly to the cross-slide.

I hope this has helped and look forward to seeing your solution.

Andy

[Philip Davies]

You are a lucky beggar with your skip finds, but it’s just as well that I don’t have that opportunity, I am really quite overwhelmed with what I have salvaged already! And congratulations on your 10th award.
Do you know of anyone who would like a disc sander (homemade) ? The platen is 16” diameter.

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Philip
I am so pleased so many people read my posts and to get 10 HMT of the week is fantastic.
You know I can’t walk past a skip without poking my nose in it. Even my Mrs isn’t embarrassed anymore and even points out potential dives for me.
Just surprised that so much stuff is disregarded as scrap. But I guess for business “one day I might use it “ is space and money. For the home workshop the one day I will make is easier or with modern technology and selling platforms items can be sold and used to purchase other items that are needed for the workshop. What is it they say one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure.
Andy

[Skun Knuckles]

Unfortunately my cross slide doesn’t have t-slots, before I purchased my mill I fitted a vertical slide to my lathe’s cross slide using one of the compound slide mounting studs and two threaded holes that I drilled and tapped.
I have often considered more tapped holes to mount a fixture plate but I am not keen on the cross slide ending up like Swiss cheese, your suggestion of a vise like arrangement has given me something to lie awake at night thinking about.
Cheers.

[thehomeengineer]

[QUOTE=Skun your suggestion of a vice like arrangement has given me something to lie awake at night thinking about.
Cheers.[/QUOTE]

please don’t have nightmares
Once you have made your jig plate I will be keen to see how you made it.

[DIYer]

Thanks thehomeengineer! We've added your Cross Slide Jig Plate to our Lathe Accessories category,
as well as to your builder page: thehomeengineer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Cross Slide Jig Plate by thehomeengineer

tags: jig, plate

[thehomeengineer]

Video showing the jig-plate in position and setup of the cylinder casting.

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All
A short video showing the setup of a casting on the jig plate.
The cast iron cylinder block is clamped to the jig plate and shimmed to correct height and the bores are then machined with a homemade in-line boring bar.

Thank you for viewing
The Home Engineer