Woodworking Lathe with an XY table

[Dale Winburn]

I have a Rockwell-Delta compound cross slide, I used it on my old Rockwell-Delta wood lathe then adapted it to my Oneway Lathe. the top slide will rotate 360 degrees. This works great.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rockwell-De...0AAOSw~ztbPSYC

[JohnC Lucas]

You can buy XY tables from MSC which now absorbed Enco. I purchased mine from Enco and really like it. I rigged mine up to hold a router for playing on the lathe but that was a while ago before a move and now it's just a table again. I may try to rig it up again. I want to put a rotary table underneath it so I have that function also.
https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/...navid=12108212

[Ted Reischl]

I have the cross slide on my Delta 1460. One thing to understand is that there is no saddle. Most metal working lathes have a saddle, a cross slide and a compound. The saddle always move parallel to the axis of the lathe spindly.

The Delta rig can be finicky to set up because you have to get that compound running parallel to the spindle centerline. I use mine all the time and to get it lined up I made a tool holder for a dial indicator and use a precision test bar that I very carefully turned up.

There is no problem mounting an AXA QCTP on the Delta rig. Just the usual machining of the nut to fit the compound.

The rig is not all that rigid, especially on facing cuts. Turning works well for the most part especially if the tail stock can be used. It pays to take it easy, it is not a full blown metal working lathe.

I would highly recommend using HSS tools whenever possible, much better cuts than carbide.

[Ken Krause]

I really appreciate your input on using the cross slide for Metal working. There are not a lot of posts of people with actual experiences of using it. I’m only thinking I’d use it for very small projects, so I’m not too concerned with a long linear parallel travel. But it would be a limiting factor.
Ken

[Richard Coers]

Backlash in the thread system on those cheap tables will drive you nuts. You need to go for old iron for any real quality at all. A vintage Mastercraft or Palmgren will be much better than the new cheap imports. Going to cost you around $250, but worth it if you really want precision.

[Reed Gray]

This is a topic I am interested in. I just filmed a video about using the Baxter threading jig. I think it would be really handy to have an x/y cutter jig as well to make sure the tenon and recess are spot on parallel. Most of these appear to be fine, except it looks like you have to supply your own cutter mounts.

robo hippy

[Robert Hayward]

This is a topic I am interested in. I just filmed a video about using the Baxter threading jig.

Have you posted the video? YouTube? Link please. The Baxter jig really interests me.

[Doug Rasmussen]

I would highly recommend using HSS tools whenever possible, much better cuts than carbide.

The ultimate cutter for woodturning with an X-Y table is an high positive diamond, 30 degree carbide insert. They're razor sharp. Search youtube for "CNC woodturning", you'll see them in use for production woodturning. EBay sellers have them cheap.

[Richard Coers]

The ultimate cutter for woodturning with an X-Y table is an high positive diamond, 30 degree carbide insert. They're razor sharp. Search youtube for "CNC woodturning", you'll see them in use for production woodturning. EBay sellers have them cheap.

In my opinion, here is the ultimate cutter. I use them on my HAPFO Copy Lathe. These V cutters are like using a skew. The carbide inserts need super fast rpms on the lathe, and the surface quality is not as good as the V cutter. https://www.profiledesigntooling.com...r___Wedge.html