Thread: Taper Turning Attachments (TTA)

That is very clear Michael. I can see how my description could have been misleading and be misled myself. Your TTA works on 2 raised strips on top of the TTA itself. Mine has dovetail ways underneath. It looks the same as the cross slide ways. Thats why I expected a drive screw in it. I now know what is going on! I also have a block on top like yours but it only pivots. It has strips like yours but facing down around the angled bar. It is not visible because the top mounting section covers it. The cap screw in the middle locks it after the taper angle is changed.

Attachment 215771

Under that again is the ways themselves which is what is fixed to the bed via the clamp.

Attachment 215767

This is a view from below, tailstock end. The slotted bit on the right is what the clamp rod attaches to. All I need to do now is to find out what needs to be done to disconnect the cross slide screw if anything.

Dean

I want one :'(

The magnifying glass and graduated adjuster are nice touches.
Though it looks like the front pivot bolt can move sideways as well as the back one?
Do you use the dovetail on top of the cross-slide for anything?

Stuart

What I would like to know is, are they worth the hassle and complexity? Seems like there's a lot to go wrong. I mean if you told me you can simply dial in the specified angle and get a perfect Morse taper first time every time, I'd think maybe it's worth it. But if you still have to cut, test, adjust till it's right then I don't think I'd want to spend money and time on one because I can have that sort of fun for free. Of course if my lathe had come with one it would be different.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

I want one :'(

The magnifying glass and graduated adjuster are nice touches.
Though it looks like the front pivot bolt can move sideways as well as the back one?
Do you use the dovetail on top of the cross-slide for anything?

Stuart

If the bolt nearest the headstock can move sideways what does that do for angle graduations. If you look at the left side of my pic you can see a lot of graduations at the end of the angled bar. My front bolt is actually sitting in a T slot. I need to check this. It is hard to see anything underneath all that gunk. Maybe there is a pivot in the middle of the angle bar?

Michael there are some marks next to the gear sector. Can you post a close up of these. On closer examination they appear to be screwheads. I don't need a photo of screw heads.

Dean

What a neat bit of gear Michael and it is great to see some close ups of the CVA. Love the micrometer adjuster.

BT

Originally Posted by Bryan

What I would like to know is, are they worth the hassle and complexity? Seems like there's a lot to go wrong. I mean if you told me you can simply dial in the specified angle and get a perfect Morse taper first time every time, I'd think maybe it's worth it. But if you still have to cut, test, adjust till it's right then I don't think I'd want to spend money and time on one because I can have that sort of fun for free. Of course if my lathe had come with one it would be different.

Not sure what can go wrong. Mine at least is very solid built. It looks as though it has been sitting on the back of this lathe for years without problems, and without being used LOL.

I understand what you are saying about setting up. I will have a bit of work for it when I get this lathe going, making up tooling bits for it. After that, who knows? As to the time taken to get a perfect taper, ask me agian in a few months or so. If you look at the pics of mine and michaels you will see a micrometer adjustment. I am hoping once it is setup I can just dial in an angle and be pretty close to the mark. I am not sure what precision is built in to the mic.

Dean

Bob wrote

What a neat bit of gear Michael and it is great to see some close ups of the CVA. Love the micrometer adjuster

I can see I will have to clean mine up and maybe touchup the paint LOL.

I just checked the TTA, out there down the track in the cold and dark. At least it wasn't raining. The scale on the end reads +/- 10deg with 1 deg marks and +/- 2 inches per ft. The micrometer reads 50 marks per rotation which is 1.2 minutes per mark. The marks are big enough to do half or even quarter of that. Now what is needed is a vernier scale on it.

Dean

Dean I am pretty sure that with your style of TTA you dont disconnect the cross slide nut.

I think that when you pull it apart to clean it up it will then all will become clear.

Hi Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

If the bolt nearest the headstock can move sideways what does that do for angle graduations.

Nothing good I would have thought. Thats why I was asking about it.

Hi Bryan,
I'd say the general answer has to be "no they aren't", otherwise more lathes would have them. But they can cut longer tapers than the compound can and powerfeed would be a big plus.

Originally Posted by shedhappens

Dean I am pretty sure that with your style of TTA you dont disconnect the cross slide nut.

Yes there appears to be a vertical difference between the center line of the cross-silde screw and the cross-slide handwheel.


Stuart

All I can say Stuart is that you had your chance -
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/eb...ml#post1478895
It went for $509.

I'm not sure I understand the question about the bolts. Underneath the slide are T slot arcs. The slide pivots around the mid point, the bolts are only there to lock things up.

The dovetail is for a rear tool post (again, a factory fit thing). I've never used it as such as the lathe is solid enough that parting is not the drama that it used to be.

Time wise, it doesn't take any longer to set up than it does with setting over the cross slide. I usually mount the taper I want in the chuck and then use a dial indicator in the tool post until I've zeroed in. I probably should write down the angle settings so I can just dial in in the future but I tend to set it and forget it. Right now it's set up for MT2 and has been for the last 6 months.

Michael

Originally Posted by shedhappens

Dean I am pretty sure that with your style of TTA you dont disconnect the cross slide nut.

I think that when you pull it apart to clean it up it will then all will become clear.

That is certainly what I am hoping will happen. I am going to need to do that soon I think. Started arranging to move the lathe from the trailer onto a platform today. Then when I need to load it again it is already at the trailer height. Need to build supports out of hollowstone blocks then redgum planks across them and pine going lengthways to roll onto. My back did not want to lift the blocks so I left it. Did not get firewood either.

Stuart

Yes there appears to be a vertical difference between the center line of the cross-silde screw and the cross-slide handwheel.

You noticed that how?

Dean

Originally Posted by Michael G

All I can say Stuart is that you had your chance -
It went for $509.

Wa was a bit of a drive though.

Originally Posted by Michael G

I'm not sure I understand the question about the bolts. Underneath the slide are T slot arcs. The slide pivots around the mid point, the bolts are only there to lock things up.

The red arrow seems to be a slot the bolt above it can slide in. But that would mess up the angles under the blue arrow, wouldnt?

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

You noticed that how?

super powers

Stuart

Ok, so I had to go and risk the wrath of the possums again. They must be still asleep tho. I did clear up a couple of little point tho.

Yes there appears to be a vertical difference between the center line of the cross-silde screw and the cross-slide handwheel.

No such animal. Straight thru, centreline of screw about in line with the bottom edge of the cross slide, same as the handwheel so I still don't know. Back to pulling it apart.

Stuart you mentioned the dovetails on the back of Michaels cross slide. Mine has them too, but big. Got to be 6inches wide. I have just checked the new manual for options and found nothing to fit it. That would suit the rear mounted partoff holder if I could find something to fit it.

Though it looks like the front pivot bolt can move sideways as well as the back one?

If the bolt nearest the headstock can move sideways what does that do for angle graduations.

Nothing good I would have thought. Thats why I was asking about it.

Worked that one out too. The angled bar pivots around the block under the lathe mounted part of the TTA. On Michaels TTA this block sits inside the rails on the angled bar. On mine the block has extended sides which cup the angled bar on each side. This block has an adjustable jib to allow for wear. This block is clamped by the shiny round bit in the middle (black with pin spanner holes on Michaels) and a cap screw. I am guessing that the pivot is around this shiny bit because the block cannot move as it is restrained by the cross slide screw end. Therefore the angled bar must move at both ends when adjusted.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it, at least until someone tells me better.

Dean

Hi Dean,
This is what I was looking at...granted the angles are a little different..... messed up again it seems

Stuart