3 Attachment(s)
Watchmakers lathe cross sllide
A new project to add to my watchmaker's lathe
this has a D cross section slide (see pic) Attachment 16302
Unfortunately I have not got a tool post or cross slide for this lathe - and to buy them (if you can find one) is an eye watering expense, so I've decided to make one. Now for some here, my approach may seem crude, but I'm a newbie with limited tools and skills, so I thought I'd share my approach for your thoughts and constructive (I hope) criticism - now first point is this doesn't have to be strong, but has to provide quite fine adjustments - I have chosen aluminium simply for ease of working.
My first problem is to manufacture a bracket to sit on that D-shaped slide which won't damage it, that will slide and can be clamped but that I can make easily. This also needs to provide a firm base.
To do this I'm falling back on my robotics experience and using polymorph. I don't see much discussion of it here, but in robots it's very common. For those that don't know it's a plastic with the attributes of nylon and a melting point of 700C, which means it casts very precisely and you can mould to anything. The plan is to make a box section, then to fill the intervening space with semi molten polymorph - the bar being cold and oiled will prevent it sticking to the bar and cause a really tight fit. My hope is that this should provide me with a strong fixture which when solid will slide smoothly along the bar (see pic)
Attachment 16303
finally I intend to create 2 slides made from tapped aluminium bar which can then be moved back and forth on a bed by means of an M6 threaded bar - this should provide me with precision to 1mm per turn to the bar (see picture. these will be mounted one on the box section on the bar, and the second on the slide bar of the first at right angles.
Attachment 16304
I have yet to commence building, but these are my rather amateur sketches - your thoughts would be appreciated.
BRITANNICUS COMPOUND CROSSFEED FOR WATCHMAKER LATHE
BRITANNICUS I ONCE ALMOST BOUGHT ONE OF THESE SIMILAR TO YOURS, IT WAS MADE BY ELGIN AND HAD THE SAME ISSUE. AS IT TURNED OUT BY THE TIME I REPLIED TO THE AD IN CRAIGSLIST IT HAD BEEN SOLD FOR $150 INLUDING COMPLETE SET OF COLLECTS. ANYWAY I HAD AN IDEA I GOT FROM MY LITTLEMACHINE SHOP.COM CATALOG NUMBER 23. ON PAGE 57 PART NUMBER 1769 COMPLETE COMPOUND REST ASSEMBLY FOR A MINI LATHE I.E. 7X14 7X10 12 ECT. THIS WAY YOU WOULD HAVE THE HARD PART DONE, AND I BELIEVE THE MOUNT COULD BE BUILT FOR NEXT TO NOTHING. IT WOULD SIMPLY SLIDE, AND COULD LOCK ONTO THE TUBE. THIS UNIT SELL'S FOR $72.95 COMPLETE! AT LEAST GET THIS CATALOG, AND LOOK IT OVER, IV'E USED THEM IN THE PAST. THE QUALITY IS VERY DECENT, AND THEIR PRICES ARE SINFULLY LOW!! THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH, AND ALL THEY DEAL IN IS MINI AND MICRO PARTS AND ASSESSORIES. GOOD LUCK TO YOU! AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MACHINE "CHARSAND"