Quick boring bar and tool post

[Frank S]

Before I got my Aloris quick change tool post for the little Craftsman lathe I found myself needing a tool post for a boring bar to do a small job I had.
Here is what I did I grabbed a 2 1/2" long piece of 2 1/2" round that happened to be laying under my band saw.
I surarred the ends then un scrolled the jaws from the chuck when I returned them I put the #3 jaw 2 groves out of time then chucked the part again this time it was off center enough to allow me to drill the 5/8" hole for the mounting bolt. I then mounted the part on the compound, returned the Jaws to correct time, chucked up a 1" drill bit and made the hole for the boring bar to mount in. From there it was a simple matter to drill 3 holes to be taped for 3/8 16 TPI
Then I grabbed a 6" long piece of 1018 CR round stock and made my boring bar by milling a 3/8" slot with the top of the slot on the center line of the bar stock 3 holes drilled and tapped in the milled land the outer hole extending all the way through the bar with a long sect screw to prevent the bar from spreading

click on photo for full size view

[DIYer]

Not a bad-looking piece of work. And made with what was on hand.

[Frank S]

Thanks DIYer you would be amassed at how many folks I have run into over the years who are always complaining that they can not do this or that because they don't have the tooling or tools to do the task. When all they have to do is to employ that mass of grey jelly inside their heads to come up with a solution
Years ago when I was tutoring several pre-grad mechanical engineer students. I would tell them each day that until they can figure out a way work around a given situation without having to run down to a supply house or ask someone else for help for every little problem, they would never become true leaders in the engineering world.

[Paul Jones]

Frank,
Using what we have on hand usually turns out to be more creative because we have to work around the limitations. The limitations can turn into a new feature, mechanical advantage or clever engineering, plus the satisfaction of making it work.
Thanks for the details,
Paul

[rossbotics]

Well Frank now that's using your mind, amazing what we can do with what we have,


Doug

[backyard_cnc]

thanks for the idea on using the chuck jaws to get the offset. Normally putting the jaws in wrong is undesireable but this is an example of doing something wrong that can be useful. Will have to try that one day and see what offsets I can quickly achieve.

gerald