Looking good!
But, I am sure someone will say that you need to disassemble your lathe, reassemble it in a mirrored configuration, to confirm that the tormach holder is bad.
Looking good!
But, I am sure someone will say that you need to disassemble your lathe, reassemble it in a mirrored configuration, to confirm that the tormach holder is bad.
Yeah they are definitely not ECI components. I believe the ECI tool holders use a 3/8-16” bolt through the tool holder into the riser whereas Tormach uses a 8mm bolt.
Anyway, Tormach is sending me replace holder. I can’t complain about their customer service…
I’m still on the fence about getting some more holders - ECI, Tormach or make them myself. When I made my riser I opened up the throat dimension from 0.425” (Tormach) to 0.448” to allow the use of a 3/8-16” T-Nut. Although both ECI & Tormach use a square nut here – don’t know why – I’m much happier using a T-Nut instead. Beside, those square nuts are a bastard size that I could not find. So now I can use either 3/8-16” or 8mm T-Nut.
Anyway, not doing much through the holidays.
I finally got a replacement tool holder from Tormach. On this holder the Z axis is parallel to the base and X is perpendicular to the reference index as it should be - thanks Tormach,
As I mention in this thread I decided to make my own custom gang plate to correct my saddle variances such that I would not have to use any shims when mounting risers & tool holders. I also decided to make my own risers too because of the issues described in this thread with the T-slot spacing.
Anyway, I mounted the new tool holder with a 3/4" to 1/2" bushing installed so that I could locate X using a 1/2" reference dowel.
As I was installing the tool holder I could tell that its height was very close as I could not feel any binding. I backed out the dowel from the tool holder without any binding and figure the real test is if it would go back in. I decided to not seat the bushing fully into the tool holder so it could move if the dowel did not line up when moving it back in.
I was very happy to see things lined up & the bushing did not move - close enough!
Scored a 9 piece lot of ECI holders on eBay for a fantastic price of $350
In your estimation, are they significantly better than the Tormach ones?
-Jon
I'll have to wait until I get them next week...
Finally got my ECI tool holders from eBay. All I can say is wow, $1,300 worth of holders for $350. Very slight usage if any.
As I suspected they use a 3/8" mounting bolt but they will fit onto a Tormach riser.
Other than plated hardware I really don't see any significant difference.
The one TBS-1460 that I measured was not parallel in Z & was off by 0.0045" while X was not perpendicular & was off by 0.0015". Better than the first Tormach holder I got, but Tormach sent me another one that was dead on.
The dimensions for the dovetail holders & shank type holders are that critical.
Maybe I'm expecting to much from these bore type holders but I don't think it's that tough to get the bore lined up with the axis.
Anyway, I got 2 other ECI holders with 5/8" bores that I will straighten out & open up to 3/4".
So if I were buying more holders I would go with the Tormach - free shipping & if it ain't right they'll send you another one...
Well, that is a less thrilling result than I had hoped for. I already have blocks of steel, a 3/4" dia straight shank arbor for my boringhead and a 3/4" carbide tipped reamer. I guess I will go with my plan B to make in place after all.
-Jon
Looks great. I'm adapting my lathe to use a gang tooling plate also and I'd like to be able to use off the shelf holders in case I need to in the future. Your dimensions really helped. What size are your 6 bolts that hold your tooling plate down. 3/8"-16 ? It looks like that is probably the largest that can go there without getting into the side of the t-slots large width.
The gang-plate uses 6ea M8-1.25 X 35 attaching it to the lathe saddle.
I use 3/8-16 Allen heads to mount both the risers & tool holders - this will not work with Tormach risers ...
If it helps you any I've included my riser models in the attached zip file:
riser.stp
riser.igs