Making A Carriage Stop For My Lathe

[EdK]

(02-19-2012, 10:26 AM)PixMan Wrote: That certainly is one of the prettiest I've ever seen too. I don't know of any factory stops with that kind of attention to detail and finish.

About the only thing I might have done differently in design would be that I would make the thread a 40 pitch and leave a straight, clean ring of the major diameter of the adjusting nut to allow inscribing .001" graduations. That would make it a micrometer carriage stop.

What pitch thread does it have now? Looks like it might be about a 20TPI. If that's the case the adjusting nut seems big enough that you could turn a short (1/8"?) wide diameter just below the depth of the grooves, make a press-fit aluminum ring and inscribe 50 graduations around it.

Just a thought.

Ken,

When I originally designed the carriage stop, I had designed in a nut with tick marks to act as a micrometer type stop. That's why I used a 20TPI thread. When it came time to finish the project I got lazy and just made the knurled nut figuring I could always make a micrometer nut for it later on. I also want to make a dial indicator attachment so I can hold a DI and use that instead of the stop. I'll probably make the DI attachment first, then the micrometer nut.

Thanks for the comments.

Ed

[TOM REED]

Glad to see you post that ED a very nice job and although my new lathe came with one I will be making one very similar to yours with both stop + dial indicator head. tom

typing with these damn big fingers is a pain in the ass but texting is 10 times worse hi hi

[miner49r]

Ed,
Deja Vu. I'd know that carriage stop anywhere. It's all coming back to me. Once again, nicely executed.

[Mayhem]

What? You made another one??

Just kidding. Like others, I don't recall seeing the finished product. I look forward to seeing the additions you have outlined in due course.

[EdK]

Thanks guys.

I think the next piece will be the indicator holder. I haven't set foot in the shop since I started setting up this forum so I'm itching to get back to making chips. This weekend I should have some time to start on the indicator holder.

Ed

[EdK]

A request was made by a member to list the type of materials I used in making the carriage stop so here goes.

The main body was made from plain, ordinary 1018 CRS.
The screw was made from drill rod.
The clamp was made from angle iron, 1/4" thick.
The nut was made from brass.
The locking lever I got from either McMaster or Reid Supply. It's the type of lever where you can lift up the handle and swivel it out of the way once you've tightened it down.
The two brass "buttons" you see on the clamp are brass rivets that are press fit into the clamp.

I think that's it.

If I were to make another one, I'd round the end more that faces away from the lathe when it's mounted and also ease the edges in the slot where the nut sits.

Hope this helps.

Ed

[Micktoon]

Hi Ed , you have made a top job of that vary neat and tidy looking and whilst reading the post I thought that looks a bit like something Rob would have made ......... then up pops Rob complimenting it too, I dare say it will have to go on my jobs to do list too lol............. the list that never ends

Cheers Mick.

[Dave J]

Never seen that one Ed, great work and attention to detail. As Rob said I like you rounded edges and especially those little brass pads.

Dave

[Hopefuldave]

That's elegant...

Re the future micrometer ring, how about rather than a press fit making it rotate on the adjuster nut and drilling a few holes with springs and balls in the adjuster body - would let you reset the stop to zero and give enough friction to trust the dial :)

Dave H. (the other one)

[EdK]

(03-14-2013, 08:08 PM)Hopefuldave Wrote: That's elegant...

Re the future micrometer ring, how about rather than a press fit making it rotate on the adjuster nut and drilling a few holes with springs and balls in the adjuster body - would let you reset the stop to zero and give enough friction to trust the dial :)

Dave H. (the other one)

Dave,

It took a couple of readings to realize what you were saying but that's a good idea.

Ed