Metal lathe cross slide lock

[xynudu]

This is probably my favourite and most useful lathe modification.

Simple, non intrusive, easy to use, and necessary for grinding and milling on the lathe.

It can also be used to overcome and damp out float issues from wear/slop in the cross slide nut.

Cheers Rob

[Paul Jones]

Rob,

Great suggestion using a ball bearing in the threaded hole. I have a taper gib on my cross slide with a locking screw similar to yours (see Homemade Lever Action Clamping Screws) but I will have to move the locking screw to the other side of the cross slide without a gib when I install a DRO sensor on the gib side. I think using the ball bearing plus a short cylindrical piece of tapered brass may become the locking mechanism on the cross slide side without the gib. Thanks for the idea.

Paul

[xynudu]

Hi Paul.

Should work great so long as the end of the bolt and brass plug are concave and beveled on the edges to counter spread.

It annoys me that lathe manufacturers are so mean as to not include one of the these - would cost almost nothing.

I see the newish Seig C8 has the same setup as in the mod.

Cheers Rob

[DIYer]

Thanks xynudu! We've added your Cross Slide Lock to our Lathes category, as well as to your builder page: xynudu's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Cross Slide Lock by xynudu

tags: lock, cross slide

[PJs]

Thanks Rob. Simple & elegant solution...and the ball bearing is icing on the cake! Also like the carriage lock...did you make that too? Not sure I have enough room on my peanut but again a simple, Elegant solution. ~PJ

[xynudu]

The carriage lock came with the lathe.

It's a metal block that pulls up against the underside of the ways - most recent Asian lathes have one fitted.

I added a hex bolt head, as the original Allen bolt head used to fill up with cuttings.

I also fitted a heavier bolt as the original was a bit wimpy and snapped early on in it's life.

Cheers Rob