Anyone have one of these and actually use it? I'm guessing it's only useful if you make more than one of the same thing?
Tool Tailstock Turret
- Thread starter jcdammeyer
- Start date
Tool
I bought one so I could have multiple chucks in the tailstock. Absolutely effing useless. I have one that holds four different 3/8-24 drill chucks. Wobbles, isn't straight, and the locking mechanism was designed by a special-needs raccoon. also loses maybe three inches of bed length.
My complaints may be just because it's a Busy Bee one, but maybe not.
I'll be happy to send it to you and see if you have better results.
My complaints may be just because it's a Busy Bee one, but maybe not.
I'll be happy to send it to you and see if you have better results.
eotrfish
Super User
@johnnielsen has a real one on his German?Austrian? lathe. A tailstock turret - It's a thing of beauty. The tailstock has its own power feed. Captains wheel handles to move it. Got any photos John?
Former Member
Guest
These rotating centers where designed as poor mans, Turret Lathes. While still available seem to have fallen out of favour because of interchangeable tool holders.
Well built examples tend to be either big commercial units (enough space not to imped working area) or small purpose built hobbyist units (mounting holes designed for operation/tooling required). Small commercial units are generally to generic to function and hold tooling consistantly, they also tend to eat up any work area on smaller lathes.
Same as turret lathes, have becomes a collects item for die hards as improved methods have been developed and new users have come on board.
Well built examples tend to be either big commercial units (enough space not to imped working area) or small purpose built hobbyist units (mounting holes designed for operation/tooling required). Small commercial units are generally to generic to function and hold tooling consistantly, they also tend to eat up any work area on smaller lathes.
Same as turret lathes, have becomes a collects item for die hards as improved methods have been developed and new users have come on board.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
For those not in the know, @johnnielsen has a Boehringer VDF turret lathe. With a dead centre in the turret tailstock, he has about 18" X 30" of working room. That thing must weigh around 6000 lbs. It must have 30 speeds in its gearbox. A thing of beauty!
Thats a biggy. I've a little Schaublin set up for turret work.....it sits and sits and then is super handy. Wouldn't be much fun though without the sliding lever feed arrangement.
