Thread: Advice AL-60 (SIEG C6) QCT is so needed

Hi willy

I have a mate who has the axa qctp from here CDCO Machinery Corp.
they are exactly the same as the h&f one just a hole lot cheaper even with freight
he has it on this lathe and seems to fit nicely looking at the photos i think it would work the same


hope this helps
Cheers
Harty

G'day Willy, another member of this forum, snowyskiesau, has the same C6 lathe.

He has fitted the CDCO AXA QCTP and had to make some mods

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/su...3/#post1252403

and

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/qu...2/#post1201743

Hopefully Geoff will chime in and add some further sage advice.

Another vote for CDCO, why give the money locally when they are being greedy.
CDCO will work with you to fill a flat rate box, so if you see anything else just get it posted together.
I read a while back you can fit 18 AXA tool holders in one 20lb flat rate box, so you should be able to fit 14 and a tool post which including postage would work out around the same price as one here with only 4-5 holders.

I bought the QA150 from H&F's 4-5 years ago before I knew about CDCO. It is a nice tool post and I have no complaints about the quality, but the holders are $75 each and it cost me $500 to start with.

Dave

Originally Posted by Dave J

I read a while back you can fit 18 AXA tool holders in one 20lb flat rate box, so you should be able to fit 14 and a tool post which including postage would work out around the same price as one here with only 4-5 holders.

Can certainly fit 10 BXA toolholders AND a plastic box of parallels in one box with a little room to spare.... Or, er, so I'm told. Which reminds me, I should see if these BXA toolholders that have magically appeared in front of me actually fit... Bye!

An extra 10 will give you more of a variety of mounted tools to pick from.

Dave

Thanks everyone so much and BS I forgot Snowy had done this but I remember him mentioning on the forum some time ago so does what follows look the goods.

As the C6 has a swing of 250mm = nearly ten inches does this look correct?

Quick Change Tool Post AXA For Lathe 9 - 12"




Features: Dovetail are carefully ground
Include (1) Tool Post and (1) Tuning and Facing Tool Holder (1) Boring, Turning Tool Holder (1) Heavy Duty Boring Bar Holder (1) Parting Tool Holder (1) Knurling Tool Holder
# Made of high quality steel and hardened
# Totally interchangeable with Phase II, Aloris and Dorian
# Fits: South Bend 9" & 10", Atlas 10" & 12", Logan: 9" 10" & 12", Craftsman 12", Clausing 10"

$78 plus some extra (turning and facing Holders)
Anything else I will need all my tooling is 12mm will that matter?

Snowy feel free to chime in whenever you like if you have time down in the wilderness .

Originally Posted by WillyInBris

Anything else I will need all my tooling is 12mm will that matter?

That's one of the great things about QCTP holders - you can use basically any tool size up to the maximum capacity of the holder, and just adjust the knurled nut to give the right centre height! And I think maximum capacity on an AXA holder is 1/2 inch (or a bit over 12mm).

Originally Posted by Dave J

I bought the QA150 from H&F's 4-5 years ago before I knew about CDCO. It is a nice tool post and I have no complaints about the quality, but the holders are $75 each and it cost me $500 to start with.

Dave

You might find this photo interesting - it's a CDCO holder vs (I assume, since it came with the lathe) a H&F holder...

I'd thought when I first opened the box that the holders looked kind of tiny, turns out they are! The H&F holder is about 15mm longer overall, which means more meat out past the dovetails - gotta be worth a little extra rigidity and strength.

Other points to note are that the set screws in the CDCO holder are bigger in diameter, which given the shortness of the holder means there isn't a lot of metal between them. The ends of the supplied setscrews are just that - an end. Not particularly straight or smooth, whereas the H&F setscrews have a section on the end with no thread, slightly reduced diameter, and a nice perpendicular face to clamp the toolbit.

And if I'm nit picking, the knurling on the nuts of the CDCO holders hasn't 'taken' properly on a couple, the part number appears to be CNC engraved on the H&F holder, while the CDCO one looks stamped...

The H&F ones are to my mind actually visibly better quality. Whether they're $50 better (going off the supposed $18 retail of the CDCO holders which seem to have been on sale for ages!), well that's up to you, I guess. Interestingly, the H&F holders have 'CHINA' engraved on them too, while the CDCO ones only have the part number. One wonders whether that is a sign of more pride in the end product, or if I'm just reading too much into it.

Either way, in my case the H&F holders are definitely getting the tooling in them that is subjected to the most use and load, but I'm certainly not complaining about the CDCO holders when they cost less than $9!

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

Can certainly fit 10 BXA toolholders AND a plastic box of parallels in one box with a little room to spare.... Or, er, so I'm told. Which reminds me, I should see if these BXA toolholders that have magically appeared in front of me actually fit... Bye!

Can I ask what the approx postage cost was.

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

That's one of the great things about QCTP holders - you can use basically any tool size up to the maximum capacity of the holder, and just adjust the knurled nut to give the right centre height! And I think maximum capacity on an AXA holder is 1/2 inch (or a bit over 12mm).

Thats good

You might find this photo interesting - it's a CDCO holder vs (I assume, since it came with the lathe) a H&F holder...

I'd thought when I first opened the box that the holders looked kind of tiny, turns out they are! The H&F holder is about 15mm longer overall, which means more meat out past the dovetails - gotta be worth a little extra rigidity and strength.

Other points to note are that the set screws in the CDCO holder are bigger in diameter, which given the shortness of the holder means there isn't a lot of metal between them. The ends of the supplied setscrews are just that - an end. Not particularly straight or smooth, whereas the H&F setscrews have a section on the end with no thread, slightly reduced diameter, and a nice perpendicular face to clamp the toolbit.

And if I'm nit picking, the knurling on the nuts of the CDCO holders hasn't 'taken' properly on a couple, the part number appears to be CNC engraved on the H&F holder, while the CDCO one looks stamped...

The H&F ones are to my mind actually visibly better quality. Whether they're $50 better (going off the supposed $18 retail of the CDCO holders which seem to have been on sale for ages!), well that's up to you, I guess. Interestingly, the H&F holders have 'CHINA' engraved on them too, while the CDCO ones only have the part number. One wonders whether that is a sign of more pride in the end product, or if I'm just reading too much into it.

Either way, in my case the H&F holders are definitely getting the tooling in them that is subjected to the most use and load, but I'm certainly not complaining about the CDCO holders when they cost less than $9!

Thanks that's all good info I was looking at your pick and when looking at it closely besides the 3rd picture at the top of my first post it looks like H&F are selling the smaller one as well on the QA-140 looks the same maybe they have two different types/sizes?

Anyway I have sent off a couple of emails as I need to get this sorted as soon as possible.

There is another supplier on ebay and in the US (Tools for cheap) that has the longer holders and states it in his ebay listing. I think he sells them for around $20 each.

I think we are talking about 2 different tool post here, below is a picture of my tool post, it's a Dickson style that has (FMCO) stamped into it which is a different style yours.

Dave

Originally Posted by WillyInBris

Can I ask what the approx postage cost was.



Thats good

Thanks that's all good info I was looking at your pick and when looking at it closely besides the 3rd picture at the top of my first post it looks like H&F are selling the smaller one as well on the QA-140 looks the same maybe they have two different types/sizes?

Anyway I have sent off a couple of emails as I need to get this sorted as soon as possible.

20lb USPS flat rate boxes are $45 US each...

That's an interesting point you make about the H&F toolpost kit - the photo you linked certainly seems to show the shorter holders, but then when you look on their site and check out the extra holders for that toolpost, they show the long ones. I actually just went out and checked my original ones again, since I got 6 with the lathe when I bought it, and they are definitely all long ones.

Maybe the previous owner of my lathe didn't do ALL his shopping at H&F, or maybe the photo is of the first versions of the toolpost - or maybe in the last 14 months (My lathe was originally bought March last year) they've decided it's cheaper to supply short holders, or perhaps its just luck of the draw? It may not even be relevant to you anyway, these differences may not exist in the AXA size toolpost you'll need?

I'll chime in from the wilderness but I'm not sure about the sage advice

As Big Shed mentioned, I installed the AXA from CDCO on my C6. The only change required was to make up a sleeve for the post on the compound. I can't provide any further photos of what I did as every thing is still in storage. You might want to check out this article at CNCcookbook.com, this is where I got my information for the C6 installation.

Originally Posted by Dave J

There is another supplier on ebay and in the US (Tools for cheap) that has the longer holders and states it in his ebay listing. I think he sells them for around $20 each.

I think we are talking about 2 different tool post here, below is a picture of my tool post, it's a Dickson style that has (FMCO) stamped into it which is a different style yours.

Dave

Yep, my mistake. I read QA-140 in your post, not QA-150... Damn speed readers dyslexia.

Might have to look up that other seller, would like to have a couple more of the longer holders.... (I assume you meant the holders for my style toolpost, not yours?)

Here is his ebay listing stating they are longer.
NEW QUICK CHANGE LATHE TOOL POST SET FITS ALORIS BXA | eBay

And here is his web site
Tools4cheap LLC Online Machine Shop Tooling Store

Dave

Well this has been a very informative thread for me I would like to thank everyone for your inputt what I will do is take pictures all the way through of this so that anyone with a Sieg C6 can have the info at hand make it easy.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

I'll chime in from the wilderness but I'm not sure about the sage advice

As Big Shed mentioned, I installed the AXA from CDCO on my C6. The only change required was to make up a sleeve for the post on the compound. I can't provide any further photos of what I did as every thing is still in storage. You might want to check out this article at CNCcookbook.com, this is where I got my information for the C6 installation.

Thanks for the link much appreciated snowy can I ask did you bore the Holder out as well like Bob did?

I have a X3 as well as the X2 Head on the lathe so have most of what I will need I think, I dont have a four jaw chuck though could be an issue if I have to Bore out the head.

I have only been playing with aluminium on the lathe so far so I will have a play with some bright this weekend and see how I go.

Also guys I sent an email to CDCO this is what they came back with.

One box can ship:
1---29461 AXA Tool Post Set------------------------------$78.00

3---12002 AXA Boring & Turning Tool Holder---------$27.00 ($9 x 3)


5---12001 AXA Turning Tool Holder----------------------$40.00 ($8 x 5)

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal: $145.00
Shipping: $45.00 (one box)
----------------------------------------------------------
Total:190

Cant really go wrong with that can you ended up being $181 with the Aus $ I just told them to make up the rest of the space with Tool holders as it sounds like you can never have enough ).