Dave Schell
06-15-2009, 8:19 PM
Well, it's been a couple of weeks in the making, but I've finally finished my homemade outboard toolrest for my Vicmarc. I picked up the steel from a scrap yard, including some 3"x3" steel tubing for the articulating arms, some 2"x2" tubing for the sleeve that grips the upright arm, a 1/2" thick by 5" right angle stainless steal piece for the support bracket, and a 1.5" by 1.5" stainless steel piece about 4 feet long for the upright post.
I had a machine shop drill a 1" hole down through the top of the upright arm about 6" deep to accept the toolrest. I cut a square notch in end of one of the articulating arms to accept the outright sleeve and then I welded end pieces to the ends of the articulating arms to improve the appearance of the tubes and suppport the upright sleeve, I then drilled 3/4" holes through the arms for the pivoting bolts. I also welded 3/4" nuts to the mounting bracket and one of the arms so I could tighten the pivoting bolts with only one wrench. Then I welded 1/2" nuts to the upright post and the upright sleeve so I could tighten the sleeve to the post and the post to the toolrest. The "handles" for these are just 1/2" by 8" bolts that I cut off the hex head and then bent to a usable angle. It all mounts to the lathe cabinet with the 5" right angle piece and four 1/2" bolts. When it's all tightened down, it is very stiff and very stable. I'm pleased with the way it turned out.
PS - the gauge and brass fittings on the end of the cabinet you see are my vacuum pump set up - the pump itself is located inside the cabinet so it is very quiet and the switch for it is on the front of the lathe right below the outlet. It's all very convenient. Thanks for looking.
I had a machine shop drill a 1" hole down through the top of the upright arm about 6" deep to accept the toolrest. I cut a square notch in end of one of the articulating arms to accept the outright sleeve and then I welded end pieces to the ends of the articulating arms to improve the appearance of the tubes and suppport the upright sleeve, I then drilled 3/4" holes through the arms for the pivoting bolts. I also welded 3/4" nuts to the mounting bracket and one of the arms so I could tighten the pivoting bolts with only one wrench. Then I welded 1/2" nuts to the upright post and the upright sleeve so I could tighten the sleeve to the post and the post to the toolrest. The "handles" for these are just 1/2" by 8" bolts that I cut off the hex head and then bent to a usable angle. It all mounts to the lathe cabinet with the 5" right angle piece and four 1/2" bolts. When it's all tightened down, it is very stiff and very stable. I'm pleased with the way it turned out.
PS - the gauge and brass fittings on the end of the cabinet you see are my vacuum pump set up - the pump itself is located inside the cabinet so it is very quiet and the switch for it is on the front of the lathe right below the outlet. It's all very convenient. Thanks for looking.