06-26-2012, 12:49 PM
Ed
In my opinion the compound is useless unless you have a scale on it. You align the compound to the bed, then sum the compound and carriage scales. When machining to a shoulder or facing the compound acts as a fine feed. The head on my Colchester simply sums them but you can unplug the compound scale and just read the carriage movement, the Fagor on my Summit lathe allows you to see the sum, the compound or the carriage. On the Summit the carriage weighs a few hundred pounds, hard to move it 1 or 2 thou at a shoulder, but the compound makes it easy. Threading or cutting tapers with the compound are about the only time it ever gets moved.
In my opinion the compound is useless unless you have a scale on it. You align the compound to the bed, then sum the compound and carriage scales. When machining to a shoulder or facing the compound acts as a fine feed. The head on my Colchester simply sums them but you can unplug the compound scale and just read the carriage movement, the Fagor on my Summit lathe allows you to see the sum, the compound or the carriage. On the Summit the carriage weighs a few hundred pounds, hard to move it 1 or 2 thou at a shoulder, but the compound makes it easy. Threading or cutting tapers with the compound are about the only time it ever gets moved.
Free advice is worth exactly what you payed for it.
Greg
Greg