It’s about time for an update to my shop thread.
I’ve been picking away at the Standard Modern 1120, it’s running now with a 1 phase, 1 HP motor on 220V which called for updates to the heater (trip) coils of the magnetic contactor. The 3 phase, 220 motor is long gone unfortunately. I also needed to make a direction switch lever because the original had disappeared. Used ones can be had for $100+
I’ve done a bunch of clean up getting rid of 30 years of grime and solidified oils accumulated all over the machine from sitting around. The main gearbox oil was actually pretty clean and it got changed and I went through the apron to clean up the sediment in the bottom including the remains of a shear pin and a set screw that dropped out. I needed a new spring on one of the selector shaft detents but all is well in there now. A bunch of the flip cap oilers got replaced too.
I’ve also done some painting to clean up things up a bit and make it (mostly) one colour. There wasn’t much paint left on anything on the carriage, got rid of the Tremclad touch-ups too!
The painting is for my pleasure and not to make an old machine look new. Call it pride of ownership but it gives me pleasure to have and use a machine that doesn’t look like $%^&. I managed to get a good match to an industrial colour in Nason Fullthane from NAPA.
Anyhow, some pictures:
These had the “Tremclad tuneup” when I got the machine.
Carriage assy. looks 100% better all one colour and back to original colour.
Next up was getting a chuck on the machine. I had a pristine Burnerd 4 jaw and the well used 3 jaw that came with the machine gave up its back plate for the Burnerd. I actually managed to get some use out of the sketchy lantern toolpost that came with the 1120 after making a new rocker for it. Crawl first then walk, LOL!
Next up was making an adaptation that would let me use the Dicksons toolpost from my Myford “for now” until I came up with something better. Then I roughed out a backing plate blank for the Atlas chuck I picked up thanks to a lead and some help from this group. (Thanks guys!). By then I had made up a CAD back splash to keep from spreading chips all over my shop.
After spending some time on the mill laying out the chuck mounting pattern and the D1-4 stud layout I set the mount up on the Myford to do the final bore and mating taper.
I wound up making a new connection plate for the TTA because I ran out of travel with the original because I had offset the TTA slide to make room for the DRO scale. The upside down boring bar is for the same reason but on reflection I probably could have spun the tool holder around to gain back some of the travel. Getting the taper fit right was a bit finicky but in the end I’m pleased with how it turned out.
Next up was dealing with the tool holder problem. That grotty lantern HAD to go!
I was on the fence about the generic Chinese BXA style of tool holder and whether it had to be wedge or piston and how much I wanted to invest in tool blocks while getting to know what would work for me what with the comments around the forum about what tool & insert and size was the best. I didn’t want to commit to a system that I hadn’t actually seen that might not fit all the tool candidates that seem to be recommended.
So, being a bit of a non-conformist, I decided to try something a bit different and roll my own custom QCTP. That way I could make something that I could tailor to fit my tooling range as I see fit and the big investment would be my time not cash.
That turns out to be something that I’ve seen called a “Norman Patent” based design. It's said to have been used in the fab shops of Rolls Royce which is good enough for me, LOL! Plus it seems to be embraced in the Myford world.
It’s based around a sturdy/rigid post with the tool holder clamped to the post. Height and angle adjustment is built into the system.
Mine looks like this:
The post (4140HT) is fixed to the compound and is not normally adjusted unless you want to move it relative to the compound.
Cutting height is adjustable via the stainless 10-32 SHCS on the top and the tool holder is locked to the post by the 5/16 SHCS you see on the side of the split holder. It’s nice to be able to loosen off the clamp bolt and swing the cutting edge under your height setter while tweaking the adjuster then lock the tool down where it needs to be for the cut. The height adjuster has a friction lock so it stays put between uses.
By my experience so far, I LIKE IT! Compared to the Dicksons toolpost I have on my Myford the assembly seems quite rigid which is going to give good cutting performance. I expected this because of the big post and the clamping arrangement. That is probably more secure than the cam locked piston or wedge of the typical toolpost. The tool holder has a secure grip on the post once it’s tightened in place.
I’d say it’s quite rigid because because the first few serious cuts have been with the parting blade and those have gone very well, being able to peel off down to a thin foil from a 1” or 2” CRS bar at 50 or 90 RPM with no complaints or chatter etc. using an HSS blade. Much more comfortable! In the end, the part separated with only about .040” dia. remaining.
Tool holders; 5/8”, ½” and parting blades complete and some WIP:
That’s about it for now, in the on deck circle are: fitting the steady rest I got from
@justin1, the DRO, converting the cross & compound lead screws to imperial and a more permanent back splash.
Oh, we’re still just getting to know each other but the more I’m using the SM1120 the more I’m liking it! Good solid machine with good ergonomics!
D
